Page 13 of Fire in My Heart

“I have to maintain control of every situation. You don’t want to know what happens when things go sideways.”

“I can see that with your job. What you do can be dangerous.”

I glanced over at her as we reached the tree fields. “That’s right.”

“I admire what you do, but I couldn’t do it.”

“Not many people can.” It was unpredictable and dangerous, but most of my brothers worked in law enforcement of some kind. Except for Jameson, who’d bucked tradition and workedas a firefighter and now a substitute teacher and football coach. We’d given him shit about it over the years, but it suited him. He was good at being a mentor to kids.

I parked the car next to one of the fields. “I’ll teach you about the different varieties of trees and tell you how we tag them at the beginning of the season.”

“I wondered how you did that,” Charlotte said excitedly.

I got out of the truck and waited for her to join me. At the last second, I offered my hand which she took with a grateful smile. The feel of her hand closing around mine sent a pang through my heart. Why was this woman getting to me? Was this why I’d fought her for so long? My body was drawn to her, but my mind told me to stay away.

She jumped down and immediately let go of my hand, but I still felt her warmth in the tingling of my palm.

I shut the door and followed her down the first row.

“The Frasier fir is the most popular variety. The branches are a blue-green with silver undertones.”

Charlotte stopped before one and said, “These are gorgeous. I’d love to have one in my cottage.”

I could have offered to assist her, but I wasn’t supposed to be helping her outside of showing her the farm. Cutting a tree meant spending more time with her in her cottage, and I couldn’t be that close to her again. I didn’t trust myself in such a tight space.

I didn’t want to lose control. Just the thought of it sent my heart racing.

I moved onto the next tree. “The Douglas fir has soft, light green needles and is better suited for lighter ornaments. As a result, they are cheaper and a popular choice.”

“I don’t know how anyone can choose.”

“Before the season starts, we walk the fields and tag each tree based on type, size, and thickness to determine the price.”

“That’s a daunting job.”

Was that respect I saw in her eyes? “Not every field is ready to be cut though. We are on a rolling rotation. It takes seven to eight years to grow to a good size.”

“I always worry that cutting a tree is bad for the environment.”

I frowned. “That’s actually not true. Real trees provide clean air, prevent soil erosion, and provide a habitat for wildlife. Whereas a fake tree lasts about ten years, then ends up in a landfill.”

“I never thought about it like that. I’m helping the environment by getting a real tree, and I love the smell. There’s nothing like it.” Charlotte paused for a second, and then continued, “It’s funny because whenever I’m around you, I’ve noticed you smell like evergreen.”

No one had ever said that to me before. My brain snagged on the fact that she’d noticed how I smelled.

“I like it.”

Pleasure bloomed in my chest, but I fought the feeling. I wouldn’t fall for this woman’s charms. I was here to show her around. That was it.

“We don’t have as many blue spruces, but they are blue with sharp, stiff branches. You have to wear gloves to handle this one.” I hadn’t brought gloves with me on the walk, so I didn’t touch it.

I pulled a tag off one of the trees to show her. “We use different colors to denote the type of tree, then alter the price based on how nice it is, height, thickness, and strength of the branches.”

“I had no idea so much thought went into it.”

It was nice to talk to someone who was interested in this stuff. Other than my family, no one had ever cared. At the same time, it irritated me. “I don’t know why you need to know this stuff.”

“I want to revamp the website, and I like to understand the business when I market it.”

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