I blushed and turned away, thinking about what we’d done in there earlier today.
Our tree lot looked like something out of a snow globe. We’d strung warm white lights between the rows, casting a soft golden glow over the green branches. People milled around with measuring sticks and tape, pointing and laughing, trying to agree on theperfecttree.
“Another sale at register two,” Beth’s voice crackled through the walkie clipped to my hip. She had offered to help run the sales after finding out about the creepy Santa. She’d asked me why he wasn’t here, and I’d told her what he’d done, and she’d been mortified since he had been a recommendation from her. She had asked me if I’d filed a report or anything, and I’d just told her it had been taken care of . . . What she didn’t know wouldn’t kill her.
“Make that three,” I replied on the walkie, watching another family haul a netted tree toward the checkout. I caught eyes with Lachlan since he had just helped them pack up the tree, and his were like a furnace staring back at me. Fuck. The heat between us was so palpable. If sexual tension were a flavor, we were steeped in it. I shook my head with a grin and walked away.
We’d already sold more trees by seven than we had in the entire weekend that asshat Santa had been here. It was chaotic, yes, but it was the kind of chaos I loved.
The joy. The movement. The music playing softly from the speakers tucked under the awning. The occasional burst of carolers near the bonfire, their voices bright and uneven but charming in that small-town way.
I paused near the game tent where kids were tossing tiny beanbags at painted snowmen, trying to knock off their carrot noses for candy prizes. A little girl screamed in delight when she finally hit one, and her dad hoisted her up in the air, spinning her around as she laughed so hard, she nearly dropped her marshmallow stick.
I let out a slow breath.Thiswas the kind of day I’d dreamed of when we’d decided to bring the farm back to life. Not just a place to buy a tree, but somewhere to make a memory. A place where the cold didn’t matter because there was too much warmth in the people, the lights, the laughter.
My hands were numb, my legs ached in tandem with my pussy, and I hadn’t sat down in hours, but I couldn’t stop smiling.
My parade was then shit on, though, when that sharkey sales guy Lachlan had told me about approached me. I remembered seeing him chat with Lachlan during our last event. He was only there minutes before Lachlan escorted him off the property. What was his name again? Dick?
“Hey, so you seem to be the mastermind behind all of this. Maybe I could talk to you about the business side of things, eh?” he hedged as he walked toward me before placing his palm on my lower back, and the touch made me shiver. Everything about this man gave me the creeps.
“Well, if you had done your own research, you’d know that I don’t have any say on what happens to this place, but I knowLachlan has told you he’s not interested in selling—multiple times—already,” I emphasized, hoping he would get the hint.
“Oh, well, based on my own research, that’s not the case, and you seem like a smart woman, so let’s talk numbers.” He started getting closer, and I quickly realized we were alone. Yes, there were people around, but they were all in their own zones, with their families. No one would notice us over here in the small corner of the farm. Did he think just because I was doing the events that I had a say on this place? What the fuck was he talking about his own research? Had he been watching us? I started spiraling, but then he was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and shoved into the wall of the barn with a loud thud.
“Get your fucking hands off my woman before I put this axe through your thick fucking skull.” Lachlan tossed him to the ground. “This is your last warning. The next time I see you on my property, I will not be merciful.” Lachlan moved over to me and wrapped an arm around my waist to escort me away from what had happened as Richard got to his feet and ran off.
“Are you alright?” Lachlan asked in my ear.
“Yes, I’m okay,” I said, but I felt uneasy about the whole situation. Lachlan steered me toward the hot chocolate stand.
“I believe I still owe you a drink,” Lachlan said, and I let out a small laugh as he paid the vendor and handed me a steaming cup. The sweet scent curled into the cold air, easing the knot that had formed between my shoulders. His hand settled on the small of my back as we headed toward the office to warm up.
But the moment I saw the officer who had shown up at my door, every bit of that ease vanished. Miller stepped through the entrance with a woman on his arm, his wife, I guessed, and offered us a friendly wave as they approached.
“Hey,” he said, looking around with clear approval. “It’s quite the party you two have going. The whole town’s talking about it.”
“I’m glad the word got around,” I replied, stretching my smile a little too wide. “It’s even better than I imagined.” I forced myself to glance back at the trees and lights.
“Sorry—manners,” he said, touching the woman’s elbow. “This is my wife, Lizzy. We came to pick out one of the best trees in town.”
I shook her hand. “Lovely to meet you.”
“Likewise!” she said brightly. Her eyes widened as she spotted something over my shoulder. “Oh! Daniel, look—they have sleigh rides! We have to do it at least once.” She tugged at his arm, practically bouncing. “Come on, let’s get in line.”
Relief loosened my breath. He was here for the festival, not to lock me and Lachlan in handcuffs.Calm down, Logan.
Before they drifted too far, I called after him, trying to sound casual. “Hey—since you’re here, how’s Doug’s case going? I know you’re not on duty, just… curious.”
And maybe sounding curious made me seem less suspicious. Hopefully.
He sighed. “Honestly? No new leads. He wasn’t close to any family, and unless new evidence turns up, the case’ll probably go cold. But let me know if you hear from him, okay?”
“Will do,” I said.
Lizzy tugged him toward the sleigh-ride line like an overeager child, and he went willingly, laughing as she pulled him along.
I watched them go, the tension finally unknotting in my chest. I rested my head against Lachlan’s shoulder.
