“Once I get Amara to school, I have to run by Phoxes Den. After that I’ll be working on soaps first then my jams.”
The mention of Phoxes Den placed a frown on my face with the reminder that my goal for the day was to make rounds on the ranch, handle a couple small tasks, then head to Beauden’s farm to pick a Christmas tree. The holidays were hard without my dad but he raised me to live in the moment and Christmas was my moment. I loved everything about it—the decorations, the food, the nostalgic moments that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside like candy cane hot chocolate, caroling, and holiday crafts. I loved every cheesy moment.
I huffed my irritation at knowing I wouldn’t get a tree today.
“Why are you huffing? I’m the one who has a day full of manual labor.”
“You said Phoxes Den and that made me remember today is tree day which isn’t happening now.”
“Dang, I forgot. You might be able to squeeze it in, and if not, they can deliver one.”
“I don’t want one delivered, I wanttheone. The oneIpick because it’s absolutely perfect.”
“Right, you and your ‘I have to vibe with the tree’ selection process.”
“It’s a whole thing, don’t try to holiday shame me, Wren.”
“I absolutely am not. I love that you love Christmas. Honestly, I do. But I can’t think about that right now. My to-do list is too damn long. These soaps and jams won’t just miraculously make themselves.”
“Nope they won’t, but I’m so very happy you’re restocking. Sounds like I’m about to get a new stash.” I lifted the hammerand lined up the nail, making contact, managing to bypass my finger this time.
“You paying,” she said flatly.
“I was thinking more of afriend-count. My funds are limited.”
“Preaching to the choir. At least you’re paid up for the rest of the year but you know I got you. I just have to sell as much as I can at Jubilee to make sure I have a little cushion.”
“Me too. I need these buckles to sell. Hay production took a dive this year and I didn’t have as many leases for grazers. I barely covered my expenses to keep things running through the first of the year. Melvina called and said she was sending me someone to help out. He missed the deadline for Phoxes. No one works for free so I’ll have to pay him.”
“Shit. How are you going to afford that?”
“Don’t know but Mel said he might be willing to negotiate room and board as payment. She told me if I threw in a few hot meals I might not have to come out of pocket, but just in case, I need to make sure I sell as many buckles as I can.”
“Oh hell, Mrs. Mel sent him to you.”
“Yep.”
“You know what that means, friend. She’s at it again.”
I groaned, already well aware, because she kept mentioning how good it would be to have something nice for me to look at while he was working on the ranch. I didn’t give a damn what he looked like as long as he knew how to swing a hammer, use a power drill, and handle barbed wire to mend the fences in my grazing pastures without injuring himself.
“I’m aware but I don’t care about that. If I can work him through the end of the year, that’s all that matters.”
“Mmm, is it though?”
I lifted another nail, tucked my lips inward before I held it there, and tilted my head to the side eyeing the spot where I needed it. “Yes, it absolutely is all that matters.”
I lined up the nail and made contact with the hammer. Once it was in deep enough, I removed my hand and knocked it hard a few more times to get it secured.
“I was thinking between you working him, he could work you. It’s been a while and…”
I rolled my eyes, thinking about my last venture into casual sex. It was subpar at best, but I had crossed the finish line, so there was that. “Nope, not even considering work that doesn’t involve repairs around here. If he’s here to work, the last thing I need is him getting too comfortable. I have to get the ranch ready for next season or they’ll lower my percentages from the hay production. No matter how good my soil is, they consider the upkeep of where their equipment is housed as a part of the deal. It’s a package deal. The snow’s already causing damage that I need repaired before it gets worse. You know they’re saying we’re going to see more snow than usual this year. I can’t risk a roof caving in on any of these barns or storage houses. It’s impossible for me to repair them during the season so this is the only time I have.”
“Okay, I’ll let it go… but only because I have to get Amara up and you know how that’s going to go,” she groaned, bringing a smile to my face. Wren was raising her fifteen year old sister and doing an amazing job. With it being just the two of them, she had to wear multiple hats, but Wren didn’t let it stop her from making sure Amara was loved, happy, and enjoying life without the weight of what they didn’t have.Family.
That was another thing she and I shared. My mother left my father when I was a baby. She decided that her happiness was more of a priority than being a wife and mother. She was gone before my first birthday and the only time I ever saw her faceafter she left us was on the photos my father kept around to remind me that I was once loved.
How on earth he thought I could feel love from the photo of a woman who’d abandoned me was insane, but it was what he needed, so I played the role with him until he passed from an aneurism three years ago.
