Page 43 of Candy Canes & Peppermint Kisses

Bedroom available with connected private bathroom in a 2000 sq. ft. ranch style house situated on five acres.

Room and board negotiable upon daily domestic duties.

I felt my eyebrows rise up my forehead. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, even if this sounded a little too good to be true. But it did seem like the ad could solve my most pressing issues. I could clean up and get my room and board covered, while working in town and saving almost all my earnings for my own place… my own business.

Two birds with one stone, and all that. But did I really want a roommate?If it allows me to save up for the bigger picture, and we’re not living on top of each other, what can it hurt to at least look at it, to consider it?

The sound of footsteps coming up the porch drew my attention away from the newspaper just as the front door opened. My father walked in carrying several grocery bags, and as he took me in sitting there at the table, his expression softened.

I knew he liked this—coming home and seeing me here, knowing that his place wasn’t empty. So a part of me felt guilty for trying to find an alternate place so soon. But I knew he’d understand. He’d have to.

“Any luck?” He closed the door and carried the bags into the small kitchenette and set them on the counter. The paper bags ruffled as he started pulling items out.

My father was pretty self-contained here at the cabin, with a vegetable garden and even some berry patches out back. But there was a little comfort I knew Dad held on to from when he lived in town.

And that was Oreos and a cup of ice-cold milk before bed every night. And as I saw him pull out two gallons of milk and two packages of Oreos, I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

He looked over his shoulder at me and grinned, the dimple in his cheek popping out, the same one that I sported as well. “Old habits and all that.” He chuckled again. “So?” he asked again and faced me, waiting for me to answer his question.

I looked back down at the paper and picked up my red pen, circling the ad even though I didn’t need to. I felt like it was some kind of rite of passage when you found a place, whether that be employment or someplace to live. It made me feel like I'd accomplished something, as silly as that sounded.

“Maybe. Hopefully?” I was still staring at the paper when I felt him move in beside me. He braced a hand on the table and leaned down, looking at what I’d circled. “But sounds too good to be true.”

“No address listed. Just a phone number?”

I shrugged. “Maybe they’re doing it for safety reasons,” I said softly and leaned back in my chair. “I’ll give them a call in a little while and see about getting more details, see if maybe there’s some hidden terms of service not on the ad.”

“Well, I do hope it works out, even if your old man would prefer you stay here for as long as you need.”

I looked up at him and smiled. “I know. But I have to stand on my own two feet, know what I mean?”

He nodded slowly, solemnly.” I know, even if I don’t like it. You’re stubborn like me.” He chuckled softly and ruffled my hair as if I were still a little girl and then moved back to the counter. “I got stuff to make your favorite.” He looked over his shoulder again and held up the box of oven-ready lasagna noodles and a pack of hamburger meat. “Lasagna?”

Although it was still morning, and dinner was the last thing on my mind, I gave him what I knew was a blinding smile and nodded.

“Absolutely.” And just like that, things didn’t seem so bad.

4

Dolly

Itightened my hands on the steering wheel of my father’s pick-up truck as it bumped up and down the gravel road. With my car still in the shop—a part they were waiting on still not having arrived—being able to go places took a little bit of maneuverability since I was sharing a vehicle.

I also wasn’t going to wonder how much the repair was going to cost and if it would drain my savings.

The road was inclined, and once I reached the top, I could see a large swath of farmland as well as a ranch-style house situated in the center. There was a small pond to the left, and what I could make out of a large garden to the right. There was a strip of woods behind the house, and I was struck for a moment at how gorgeous it all was.

When I called the number for the rental, the voice on the other end had been deep and husky, making me feel a strange kind of way. It was as if Iknewwho it was. His tone was brisk yet polite, and the conversation extremely short.

He’d given me the address and told me a time to come, explained we could talk and see if things meshed between the two of us. To say my father wasn't pleased with it being a man who owned the house was an understatement. I’m sure he would have loved it if it was a houseful of women, but in life, adult decisions had to be made, so here I was.

I pulled the vehicle to a stop beside a massive pick-up truck, my father’s rundown, slightly beat-up and rusted old Chevy looking like a toy compared to the behemoth beside me.

I grabbed my purse and the few papers I was able to print out at the library, ones that had a couple references and any other information he might require and walked up the porch steps and to the front door.

I didn’t realize I was so nervous or understand why. It was essentially just a small interview; nothing was set in stone. Yet after getting off the phone with him the other day, I couldn’t push down the feeling that something life-changing was going to happen. I tried to blame it on fear of the unknown, at how this was another totally new path for me.

It was a strange sensation, something I’d never experienced before. I still couldn’t get over the fact that his voice reminded me of someone, yet I couldn’t place it even if it stuck with me the entire time.

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