Page 50 of If You Give a Grump a Christmas Tree Farm
They glare at JJ, and then Tom dares to ask his son. “What areyoudoing here?”
“I’m here with Rebecca.”
“I asked him to come,” I defend.
“You should have told us, Rebecca.” Janet leans forward and hisses like she doesn’t want the other tables to hear her.
I grab a menu and study it, ignoring her. “Oh, look. They’ve got schnitzel.”
JJ leans toward me. “Where?”
“Here.” I point at it on the menu.
The waitress comes over with a smile, looking at JJ and me. “What can I get you to drink?”
“I’ll have a cola. Thanks,” I reply.
“Apple cider for me,” JJ answers.
She leaves, and we continue studying our menus.
“We saw your ad,” Tom almost spits. “The one with you two acting like some happy couple in love.” He scoffs. “What a joke.”
JJ shoots daggers at his father, and his jaw clenches, but he holds his tongue. I can only imagine the willpower it takes JJ not to spit back a comment, and I feel the need to intervene.
“It was my idea, and it’s already made us over a thousand dollars in a city contract for wreaths, so I don’t need your criticism.”
Janet straightens, sucking in a breath. “Rebecca, what a thing to say.”
“No, Janet, maybe you should take offense at what Tom said, not my response to it. JJ and I are working really hard to make this work and get the farm up to speed. The last thing we need is snippy little comments cutting down our hard work.”
“Why, I’ve never heard you talk like this,” Janet says.
I shrug. “Maybe it’s time I stood up for myself.”
“What has gotten into you?” she says.
“I’ll tell you exactly what,” Tom growls and lifts his chin to JJ. “Her brother-in-law. He is your brother-in-law, you know? Or have you forgotten? That ad was disgusting to watch.”
The insinuation drips with condemnation, and my mouth drops open.
At this point, JJ’s chair scrapes across the tile, and he stands. “Let’s go, Becca. I’m not going to sit here and let them treat you this way.”
I stand, all too ready to join him in leaving. We make it halfway across the room, and Tom barrels after us, grabbing my arm and spinning me around. “It’s like you don’t give a damn about David anymore.”
JJ puts himself between me and his father, breaking Tom’s hold on my arm. “Shut your fucking mouth, old man, or I’ll shut it for you.”
Silence falls over the room, and every person stares at us.
“You’re acting like a damn slut, carrying on with JJ like that in that damn ad—”
That’s as far as he gets before JJ puts two fists in his father’s chest and shoves him back. Tom stumbles into a table and rattles the dishes as he catches himself. Everyone in the place gasps, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Scotty come to his feet like he’s prepared to back his friend.
JJ stalks toward his father, keeping him on his heels. “You say another fucking word, and I’ll knock your fucking teeth out.”
Tom has the good sense to keep his mouth shut, but he glares from his son to me, then pushes past us and out the door. Janet follows, glaring at us both.
JJ turns and cups my face. “You okay?”
