Page 35 of Follow My Heart

Al seemed to think it meant something that Ryder brought me to the farm and cut a tree from the family lot. Were we friends, or was Ryder hoping for something more? I was generally wrong about guys, thinking they wanted more when they didn’t.

I should be cautious and not jump to conclusions.

Ryder double-parked in front of the shop so he could unload the tree. He set the tree just inside the door, then went outside to park the truck.

One of my employees, Julia, was helping a customer at the counter.

When she was finished, she said, “You got a tree!”

“Isn’t it nice?” I arranged the stand in front of the window. Faith followed me to the back where I’d stashed the decorations I’d been collecting over the years. I’d brought them here, thinking I’d hang them in the window, but this was even better.

“These are so cool.” Faith held up a small ice-cream shop, then another ornament that was three scoops of ice cream on a cone covered in tiny lights. “Are they all ice-cream themed?”

“I’m afraid they are.”

Faith grinned, her eyes bright. “I love them.”

My heart warmed. I loved everything about today. Spending it with Ryder and Faith, picking out trees, and even meeting his dad. I was worried it was a mistake to move to this place I’d only lived in for a short time as a kid, but I was making friends and building a business.

Ryder came inside, the bell sounding over the door. “It was hard to find a spot.”

“Everyone’s going out before their family day tomorrow.” I felt a pang that I wouldn’t be home with mine. But then again, my sister would be the sole focus, and I’d be feeling less than. I used the excuse that the shop was too new to leave in the hands of my part-time employees, Morgan and Julia. But the truth was, I didn’t want to go home. I didn’t want to hear all the reasons why I failed to measure up—again.

I was looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with the Calloways. Hopefully, it would give me more insight into Ryder’s life.

Holiday music played over the speakers, and customers drifted in for pumpkin and blueberry-pie ice cream.

Ryder set up the tree, then hung the lights. Faith helped me wrap a garland of felt ice cream around the tree. Then we decorated the branches with the rest of my ice-cream finds.

“I’ve never seen so many ice-cream decorations before.” Faith marveled over each one as she hung them on the middle to the bottom of the tree.

“I started collecting these when I was a teenager. Before I thought about opening a store. I just knew I loved ice cream.”

“You’ve never used them before?” Ryder hung an ice-cream truck near the top of the tree.

I loved seeing them on the tree. It was a culmination of a dream come true. “This is the first time.”

We stood back to admire our work. It was dark outside the window, and the tree was reflected back to us with its twinkling lights.

Julia approached. “Everything’s ready for closing.”

I turned to ask. “Oh, is it that late already?”

Julia nodded. “The tree looks great. I’ll head out if that’s okay.”

I smiled at her. “Enjoy the holiday with your family.”

“You too.” Julia walked out the front door, leaving us alone in the shop. The twinkling lights illuminated the ice cream case.

“We should deliver your other tree and get home for bed.”

I wanted to stare at the tree in my shop window for hours. There was just something about it that looked right. More than anything else I’d put in the shop, it was the best addition.

We turned off the tree’s lights, then I locked the door behind us. I loved the way the tree looked in the window. I was creating a home here and making friends. Maybe this could work, and I wasn’t crazy for leaving my family behind to move to Maryland.

CHAPTER 9

RYDER

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