Page 43 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
“It’s not expensive,” he told her. “And it’s my treat. I needed a tree for the farmhouse anyway.”
“You didn’t really have to get one though,” she said softly. “And I’m sure you wouldn’t be tromping off in the snow to cut one.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” he told her. “Besides, I’m a farmer. I think tromping around in the snow is a main part of the job.”
That made her laugh, and he flicked his gaze over at her for a moment, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.
This is exactly what I needed,she thought to herself without meaning to.
But she stopped herself there, before she could start to fantasize that this was their everyday life—doing fun things with the kids, and finding ways to make each other’s lives just a little bit better.
“Here we are,” he said a few minutes later as they spotted a big wooden sign with a horse and apple and other things painted on it, proclaiming that they had arrived at Cassidy Farm.
“Yay,”Pixie called out, and John-John cheered too.
River pulled the truck up a gravel driveway lined with enormous sycamores. Though their branches were bare of leaves, their brown and white mottled bark was beautiful. Nora couldn’t imagine how lush it would be here in the summertime.
There were plenty of cars in the parking lot, and a school bus too. River went all the way to the top of the hill, where the lot was more open, and parked the truck.
“The trees for cutting are up here,” River explained.
They all piled out of the truck and headed up to the handpainted sign that saidCut Your Own Christmas Tree.
An older couple was already waiting with a blonde-haired girl who Nora thought might be their granddaughter.
“I see we aren’t the only ones who thought today wasthe perfect day to get a tree,” the man called out cheerfully.
John-John clutched Nora’s hand, and her heart squeezed a little. The little boy had been having such good days here in Trinity Falls, but maybe that was because he felt safe and steady at River’s place. A new place with new people could be a challenge.
“Mr. and Mrs. Williams,” River said, jogging up to shake the man’s hand.
“Good to see you, son,” Mr. Williams said fondly. “This is our granddaughter, Josie. She and her father are back to live in Trinity Falls.”
“Brad is home?” River asked, looking amazed. “I thought he was a big-city architect.”
“This place has a way of pulling folks back, doesn’t it?” Mrs. Williams put in with a twinkly-eyed smile. “And is this your family?”
For a moment, Nora thought her heart would stop beating, and she felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment.
“This is my old friend, Nora,” he said. “And her niece and nephew, Pixie and John-John.”
“Very nice to meet you all,” Mr. Williams said.
Mrs. Williams frowned thoughtfully for a moment and then smiled at them all.
She’s probably making the connection that his brother was married to a woman called Nora…
But as far as Nora could tell, there wasn’t a trace of judgement on the sweet lady’s face.
Before they could make any more small talk, their attention was grabbed by the loud sound of an engine,and the shiver of gravel as some big tires moved up the parking lot toward them.
She looked over to see a big truck pulling an open bed full of hay, with safety rails all around it.
“Who’s ready to go find the perfect Christmas tree?” the driver called out.
He was a young man in a big cowboy hat, and the smile on his face told Nora that he loved his job. He also looked a little familiar.
“Jacob Cassidy,” River called out.
