Page 52 of Winter Break Up
He taps one of those blunt fingers to my temple. “I love the way you think.”
For now, it looks like we’re going to move past the emotions and drama to focus on the fun and sexy. Most people would call that the perfect Christmas gift, but it feels like a cop-out the more we deflect.
23
MERCER
“Mercer, hop on the ATV with me?”
Emily’s dad sets two saws on the back of his all-terrain vehicle and claps his gloves together. He’s always been an honest, good man who I’ve looked up to. He gave me this job, opened his home, and treated me like one of his own kids on many occasions. When I started dating Emily, he sat me down for an honest talk about respecting her but never gave me that scary father speech because he trusted me.
Coming home to work on the tree farm for this Christmas break has been about so much more than just being close to Emily. It’s like a last love letter to the town that raised me, one I might not be back in for a while. It’s a respect thing when it comes to the Palmers because they gave me so much when they didn’t have to. Goofing off with Charlie during this winter season has been a highlight, and I’ll think back to days like this with fond memories.
Days like today, when the snow is so powdery fresh, it crunches under your boots. When the trees glisten as the sun hits them, and little kids run through the rows talking about what Santa might deliver down the chimney. It’s moments like this, when I can cruise around on an ATV through a wintery landscape, that make me feel so close to home. I won’t forget this feeling when the real world rushes up at me.
“I think I found our winning tree for the tree-off, and I need help keeping it in pristine condition. You’re the strongest set of hands I’ve got, don’t tell Charlie that.” He smirks at me.
“I’d be honored to cut it down with you.” I salute sarcastically, but a sense of pride at his words fills my chest.
We’re about to mount up and ride out to the furthest reaches of the Palmer property when Emily’s mom finds us near the netting stands.
“Honey, there is a supplier on the phone griping about something? I think you handled this one so I’m not sure what they’re talking about.” She holds out the phone to Mr. Palmer.
He huffs in exasperation but takes the landline from her, and I marvel that they still have one. Although Grandpa exclusively uses his landline, so it shouldn’t be a surprise.
“No, no, that’s not what we agreed upon!” His voice raises an octave.
Rolling his eyes at whatever the person on the other end is saying, he pulls the receiver away from his mouth. “This might take a while. Ah, damn. Uh, all right, at least go out and tag the tree so no one takes it? It’s pretty far out, on that plot of land no one ever walks to. But just in case they do, I want it secured.”
At this exact moment, Emily walks by with a bundle of garland in her arms.
“Em!” Her dad snags her by the down puffer. “Go ride out with Mercer and show him the tree I mean for the competition? You’ll know which one by the x I marked on the ground.”
His labeling decision sounds cryptic as hell, and I doubt we’ll find it. Em goes to protest because of the load in her arms, but her dad walks off, yelling into the phone.
“I’ll take that to the barn, no worries, sweetheart.” Her mom smiles at her and then gives me a little nod.
I might be imagining this, but I think I saw a glint in her eye.
“I haven’t seen you all day.” Em grins, walking up to me.
“The last few days before Christmas are a fucking whirlwind here, you know that. It’s like everyone who procrastinated on their holiday decorations swarms the farm in the same hour.”
She chuckles. “It’s been the same in the barn. The only ornaments left are those weird looking ‘Santa on the beach’ ones.”
“The ones that look like he has a boner?” I can’t help but describe the odd decorations.
She points at me. “Those are the ones.”
“All right, should we take a drive and find this mysterious x your father is talking about?” I swing a leg over the ATV and pat the seat behind me.
“Funny thing is, I know exactly what he’s talking about and will definitely be able to find it.”
Emily’s arms wrap around my waist as she mounts the seat and scoots closer to my back. Even with all our winter gear on, I swear I can feel the way my body heats when it’s near hers.
Her chin rests on my shoulder as I whip the ATV through the rows, careful to avoid any customers. Once we’re out in the further reaches, I let loose, and Em squeals with delight as I pick up speed. It reminds me of the nights we’d have out here in the summer as teens, causing mayhem on these quads while she held on to me.
A tap on my shoulder and her hand pointing to a spot through the trees has me slowing down until Em yells in my ear that she thinks she sees the Douglas fir her father was talking about.