Page 39 of The Christmas Tree Farm
‘Um … okay.’ As she rattled off her number, she wondered what the hell an agricultural engineer was and how much they cost, and why the hell running a farm was a lot harder than just planting some seeds.
‘What about your pickles?’ Bennett asked, speaking for the first time since they’d stopped working, forcing her to finally look at him.Shit.He looked good. In the soft glow of the Christmas lights, he looked like a damn holiday card come to life. His dark hair was mussed from an afternoon of working, and his puffy vest was streaked with dirt and pine needles, but his cheeks were ruddy from the cold and his eyes bright and teasing.
Frankly, it was rude to look that good when she knew she was a wreck from the afternoon of running around in a panic, that fake customer-service smile plastered to her face.
‘It’s possible the internet lied to me.’
His perfect mouth tipped up in the corner.
‘What pickles?’ Jeanie asked, forcing Kira to tear her gaze away from Bennett’s mouth. That stupid, perfect mouth.
‘I just thought things would be different when I got here.’ She shrugged, like it didn’t matter, like she hadn’t been completely wrong and delusional about setting up her own little homestead. That she thought she could be self-sufficient and not need things like actual money to fix radiators and windows. That she had lived her entire life in an absurd sheltered reality, where anything broken was fixed for her.
When her gaze flicked back to Bennett he was watching her again. Something was different about the way he was looking at her now. Something decidedly less … wholesome … was lurking in his eyes. Had it been there all along and she just missed it? Or had something shifted between them? Despite the cold evening, heat flared in her cheeks.
‘You thought things would be more pickle-y?’ Noah asked, pulling her attention from Bennett again.
Kira laughed despite the feeling that her world was falling apart around her. ‘Yeah, much more pickle-y. I just … I didn’t plan on setting up a business. I kinda thought I was coming here to go off the grid.’
‘We can plant cucumbers in the spring,’ Hazel told her with a smile, and Kira’s heart hurt at how kind they were all being. ‘Then you can make all the pickles you want.’
‘Right.’ Kira cleared her throat. She was not going to cry over pickles. ‘Thanks. That would be great.’ Her gaze snagged on Bennett’s again.
He dipped his head in a nod but didn’t take his eyes off her. Kira swallowed hard. Was it possible that Bennett wasn’t quite asniceas she thought he was? Suddenly this damn coat was too warm.
‘We should probably get going,’ Logan said, standing from the rocking chair. He reached out a hand and pulled Jeanie to her feet.
‘Let’s go, Haze. Those Christmas movies aren’t going to watch themselves,’ Noah said, hopping down from his perch. Hazel stood from the step and Noah hoisted her over his shoulder. She shrieked.
‘See,’ Jeanie said with a giggle. ‘Feeling all manly.’
‘Noah! Put me down.’
‘Don’t worry, I won’t strap you to the roof,’ he teased. ‘Bye, everyone!’ He carted Hazel across the parking lot before sliding her down his body and placing her gently on the ground near his car. As Noah’s head lowered to Hazel’s, Kira turned back to Jeanie and Logan not wanting to intrude on their moment.
‘Call me if you need anything else,’ Logan said.
‘Thanks, I will.’
‘See you later, Kira. Make sure you come into the café sometime. Oh, and Annie wanted me to mention that you should call her. She’d love to set something up to sell gingerbread cookies up here.’
Kira winced a little, remembering the business card that was tucked into the free cookies George had dropped off a week ago. She was supposed to call the baker, but time had gotten away from her. ‘Oh, that would be great. I will.’
‘Great!’
‘Bye, Kira.’ Logan grabbed Jeanie’s hand and the two wandered back to his truck, leaving Kira alone with Bennett.
‘They’re my ride,’ he said when she dared to look up at him, that new … something … was still in his eyes. ‘So, I should probably go.’
‘Probably.’
Panic spiked through her. Was this it? Was she never going to see this man again? And why did that matter? Her mind was racing, grappling for reasons to make him come back, for reasons to see him again. Anything! A leaky roof, a creaky floor, a drafty window … technically she had all of those. Would he come if she asked him to?
At some point, he’d stepped closer and she fought the insane urge to lean into him. Get a grip, Kira.
‘I’m staying above The Pumpkin Spice Café,’ he said. ‘If you take Jeanie up on her offer, maybe we’ll run into each other.’ He was so close now that his words brushed against her cheek.
‘Yes,’ her voice was a breathy whisper. What the hell was wrong with her? But it had been so long since she had company, since she had …nakedcompany, and he was so warm and sweet and…
