Page 35 of My Greatest Joy

“Is it typical for trees to be purchased this late in the season?”

“Oh yeah. We stay open through December twenty-third, and we’ll be this busy until the minute we close. Then I have some time off and won’t work again until after the new year.”

“Really? What do you plan on doing?”

Dasher doesn’t leave my side.

He arches a brow. “I dunno how to break this to you, Fallon. I’m Santa and have to travel around the world to deliver gifts.”

I chuckle. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And you’re on the naughty list.”

It’s impossible for me to hold back my smile. “Sounds like you’ve got me all figured out, Levi.”

“Oh, I know I do,” he confidently says, picking up a stick and tossing it for Dasher, who bolts after it.

“When does the season start?”

“We work year-round. From late February to mid-April, we plant seedlings to regenerate the trees we cut. But tourist season ramps up in mid-October when we begin shipping trees to our wholesalers around the country. We open to the public on November first and work our asses off for eight weeks straight. We make enough money to keep the farm running throughout the year while we’re doing farm maintenance, replanting, and shearing. A lot goes into it. The shop has been my mom’s passionproject for decades and now stays open year-round. And yes, the theme is Christmas all the time.”

“This doesn’t surprise me.” I continue asking as many questions as I can. “How long does it take a tree to get to this size?” We pass one that’s taller than me.

“About seven to eight years.”

“Wow. And how long has this farm been here?”

Levi chuckles at my amazement. “About a hundred and twenty-three years.”

“That’s really…impressive.”

“Yeah, you could say my love for Christmas has been passed down through the generations.”

“Guess that explains all the decorations in your house,” I add.

“We don’t ever get rid of ornaments. But what’s cool about Maplewood Falls is how the surrounding farms have become a part of the local culture. We bring in a lot of tourists around the holidays. My best friend’s family’s apple orchard celebrated its centennial last year, and it was a huge deal.”

“Really? Will I be able to see it?”

“Yeah. I can set something up with Finn’s grandma, Willa. I think you’ll like her a lot. Then I can introduce you to him and his girlfriend, Oakley.”

“That sounds perfect.” I appreciate his help and him sharing all this knowledge with me. When I meet his blue eyes, butterflies swarm in my stomach. I turn my head, breaking the electrical current streaming between us.

We return to the shop and tell Levi’s family goodbye before we go to the truck. Dasher sits between us, staring out the window. On the way out, we pass a horse pulling a sleigh full of people, and the driver waves at Levi, who returns the gesture.

Levi spends hours driving me around the farm, showing me the different areas of operation. I’m amazed by how much goes into this between planting and harvesting. He shows mehis parents’ house and points out which window was his room growing up, then takes me to his sister’s. A lot of employees live on the property as well.

“I can’t believe how large the place is.” I take countless pictures of the scenic views so I can send them to my boss and show Taryn.

“Sometimes, I can’t either,” he admits.

Once I’ve seen most of it, we head back to his cabin. My stomach growls so loud, he hears it.

“Should we get a pizza? They have gluten-free. And we’ll do beef. No pepperoni.”

I nod. “Works for me.”

He pulls his cell phone from his pocket and places an order. We pass his driveway, and I realize we’re driving toward town. He parks in front of a pub on the corner of Main Street. “I’ll be right back. Unless you want to tag along?”

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