“You’ve changed your tune. Let’s hear you say it.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “That I did the right thing.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t you have work to do?”
“I came by to check on Sadie, actually, but it seems my concern is unwarranted.For the first time ever,” mumbles that last part.
“She’s fine. I’m not a total monster. I just like things done a certain way.”
“Wow, and Sadie hasn’t told you to go jump off the mountain? I’m impressed, big brother, you may be getting more mellow with age.” She flounces off toward the farm office, and I shake my head. I’m almost done, and now I’ll be able to sleep at night knowing the tires are safe. I mean, I’d be worried about whoever was driving it, not just Sadie, then a thought occurs to me. Does she even know how to drive? She’s from New York, don’t most people in the city take cabs, the subway or walk? There’s a distinct possibility she may not have a driver’s licence, or know how to drive a stick shift. I rub my chin. Well, shit.
I head back to the office. The snowfall overnight wasn’t huge, but enough to coat the ground in a thicker layer of snow than the day before. The storm coming in won’t hit hard, but it’s a gentle reminder that anything can happen this time of year.
When I get back to the office, Sadie and my sister are laughing about something. Clearly I’m not in on the joke, because they both stop, trying to contain themselves, when I enter.
“I still say JB needs to take over the Butterfingers bakery, but you didn’t hear that from me.”
I pique a brow. Mrs. Thorne has run the bakery in town for years, and Jo-Beth has worked there over the holidays for as long as I can remember — as well as keeping her part-time job at The Dusty Spur.
I give Iz a chin lift. “Everythin’ okay with Mrs. T?”
Isabelle nods, but I see the teary look in her eyes. “She’s doing okay, but her son is making her slow down, something she’s not happy about, but it needs to happen. She isn’t getting any younger.”
“Is she thinking of selling?” Sadie asks, all jokes long forgotten.
“She’s been talking about it for a while, but she’s a stubborn old thing. I think JB would be perfect. She’s an excellent baker, Mrs. T could show her the ropes, and the quality wouldn’t have to go down just because somebody new took over,” Iz says.
Mrs. T means a lot to all of us. She was my home economics teacher, and the one who taught me how to cook. Thanks to her, I’m not a starving bachelor and can make more than mac ‘n’ cheese.
“Maybe JB and Mrs. T both need a push?” I suggest. “We know the old bird won’t sell to just anybody, which is why she’s held on so long.”
“And JB is a little shy about her baking,” Iz goes on. “Though I don’t know why, her sugar cookies and gingerbread are out of this world.”
“I can’t wait to try them. I love how festive everyone is in Alpine Falls,” Sadie says thoughtfully, as my attention turns toher. She’s wearing her bobble hat inside, and it’s quite adorable. It makes me wonder if New York even gets this cold, but we’re up in the mountains now, all bets are off. “It’s so sweet. There’s even a store dedicated to ornament repair, you guys have thought of everything.”
“Oh, Mr. Mackie has had that shop forever,” Iz draws out the wordforeverwith a slight eye roll.“He’s a carpenter by trade, but he and his wife, Audrey, love decorations more than life itself. Mr. Mackie is in charge of the town Christmas lights — hence why he and Mrs. T’s husband, Larry, sometimes have Christmas light wars because Larry likes to give unsolicited advice, it’s a thing.”
Sadie laughs, and it’s a sweet sound. Everything about her is sweet.Dear god. What is this woman doing to me?“I can only imagine the passion that goes into decorating this town.”
“Ooh, that reminds me.” Iz claps her hands excitedly. “You should come and help decorate the tree in the town square over the weekend, it’s tradition. We postponed because of the front moving in. Say you’ll stop by?”
“I’d love that,” Sadie says, a genuine smile on her pretty face.
I thumb behind me. “Speakin’ of the storm. I put snow tires and chains on the truck this morning, you can take it if you need to pick anythin’ up.” I clear my throat then add, “Feel free to use it as your get around vehicle if you like, we don’t use it much around here with the ATV and snowmobiles.”
Her eyes fall on me, and she smiles softly. “Thanks, boss, that would be great.”
My brow furrows.
Boss?
Holy shit, I like the sound of that for all the wrong reasons. “Though, it is a stick shift,” I add.
Her face falls. “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it’s been a while, but I have driven one back in Colorado on my parents’ property,” she says. “It couldn’t be that hard.”
I don’t know if this is a good idea, but before I can offer to give her a couple of lessons — mainly for her safety as well as everyone else’s in Alpine Falls — the door jingles and two customers enter.
