Page 36 of If You Give a Grump a Christmas Tree Farm
Once she’s gone, Rebecca leans across the table. “We should go talk to them. See if we can get anyone else to put our tree and sign out.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“You know what else? I thought maybe we could find a vendor who sells ornaments who could sell some at a kiosk up at the farm. After all, Christmas trees and ornaments are a match made in heaven. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.”
“Here I thought you were going to say peanut butter and chocolate.”
She giggles. “That too.”
I like seeing her face light up. Glancing out the window, I notice a food truck roll past. He’s probably going to set up at the Christmas market. “Hey, you think we could get a food truck to come up and sell food? That would take some work off our shoulders.”
“It would also take all our profit.”
“Maybe we could cut a deal for half.”
“Maybe.” She glances at her phone. “I really need to get in touch with the photographer I lined up to do the video of us for social media.” She taps out a text, and our food arrives.
We dig in, and Rebecca moans around her first bite. “Oh my God. That is so good.”
Her phone dings with a response, and she glances at it. “She wants to know if she can swing by and see the place today. Get an idea for what we want.”
I glance at the time. “When works for her?”
Rebecca shoots off another text and gets an immediate response. “Three o’clock. That gives us a couple of hours to walk the market and talk to vendors. We should be able to get back by then, right?”
“Yeah. Tell her that works.”
We work the market vendors, having success with many, and Rebecca even finds someone who makes ornaments and agrees to meet tomorrow to help her design an exclusive ornament for the tree farm.
We head back and arrive just before the photographer pulls up the drive.
She climbs out of her car with a camera in tow, and we meet her in front of the house.
Rebecca extends her hand. “I’m Rebecca Reardon. I’m so glad you could fit us into your schedule. This is my brother-in-law, JJ.”
“Hello. I’m Phoebe Snow.”
I shake her hand. “Thanks for coming.”
“It’s beautiful up here. Mind if I look around? I like to wander and get a feel for it.”
“Want me to take you around?” I offer.
“I’d rather walk the area alone, if you don’t mind. It helps me think.”
“Of course,” Rebecca says. “We’ll be inside. Come on in when you’re ready.”
She’s out there a long time, and Rebecca busies herself making coffee and setting out cookies.
I stand at the window with my hands on my hips. “What is that goofball dog doing now?”
Rebecca comes to join me. We see him sitting in the bed of the red pickup truck getting lots of attention from Phoebe. Then she brings her camera up and takes a few shots of Buddy. That’s what I’ve started calling him.
“Do you think he’s bothering her?” Rebecca asks.
“She seems okay with it.”
We watch as she opens the driver door and peers inside, then pats her leg, apparently calling Buddy. She gets him to jump onto the seat, then rolls the window down, closes the door, and takes some shots.
