Page 94 of If You Give a Grump a Christmas Tree Farm
“You okay?” I ask.
She nods, tears in her eyes. “I heard what you said to him.”
I drag in a breath. “I meant it, Becca. Every word.”
“All of it?”
“Damn straight, I did.”
“Oh, JJ,” she whispers, putting her trembling fingertips to her lips, love shimmering in her eyes.
“I did something else I want you to know about.”
She frowns. “What’s that?”
“Deposited all my money into the business account. Every cent. My life savings, baby, such that it is. So, we’ll be fine, even if we run into some problems or lean years.” Nerves flood my stomach. I’ve stared down the barrel of a gun more times than I care to admit without fear, but waiting for Rebecca’s reply is terrifying, so I keep rambling like a fool. “But we had a really good season this year, and—”
“JJ.”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
I grin, relief easing the tension in my body, the tightness in my shoulders relaxing with a sigh. Then, I do as she asks, taking her face in my palms and lowering my mouth to hers. I try to tell her without words how much she means to me.
I break the kiss and lean my forehead to hers. “Good times and bad, I’m in it with you for better or worse.”
She laughs with happiness and hugs me tight.
Then we break apart and stare at the sky as big, fat snowflakes begin to fall.
“It’s Christmas Eve, and it’s snowing,” she says, holding her palm out and catching some flakes. “It’s magical.”
I thread my fingers through hers. “It’s magical now, but I hear a storm is rolling in. Come on. I’ll build us a fire.”
Just then, Buddy trots up to the house, a golden lab at his heels. They both sit and stare up at us.
“Check it out,” I say. “He brought a girlfriend home.”
Rebecca leans to pet the pretty dog and searches for a collar but doesn’t find one. “Hey, girl. Who do you belong to?” She turns to me. “Do you think she’s that farmer’s across the road?”
I shrug. “No clue, but she seems kinda fat, so she must be well fed. Come on.”
We head up the steps, and both dogs follow us.
“Are we letting her in?” I ask.
“We can’t leave her out in the cold, JJ.”
“So, you didn’t want Buddy, but now you’re okay with two?”
“Just for the night. We’ll try to find who she belongs to after Christmas.”
“Fine with me. I’ll make her a bed next to Buddy’s.”
After setting her up with several old blankets next to his, I build us a fire and Becca makes hot chocolate.
She carries two mugs to the living room, and we cuddle on the couch wrapped in a blanket and end up watchingIt’s a Wonderful Life.
