Page 56 of If You Give a Grump a Christmas Tree Farm
It’s perfect for just the two of us, and I’m happy Rebecca didn’t have to do any cooking, or me for that matter.
We finish eating, then move to the couch to watch football, cuddled against each other under a blanket.
I grin at her, and she frowns.
“What are you smiling about?”
“A full belly, a beer in my hand, a pretty girl cuddled against me and football on TV. Life doesn’t get any better than moments like this.”
Her arms wrap around me, and she returns my smile. “You’re right; it doesn’t get better than this.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Rebecca—
It’s quarter to ten in the morning on opening day, and I’m a nervous wreck. We open in minutes. I pace around the property checking everything. The tree lot looks good, Christmas music is playing, and my sister and her kids agreed to help run the gift shop and concessions. And Eric is manning the cash and carry lot.
JJ’s got the tree shaker machine and bagging machine ready to go and saws available for use. He and one of my sister’s boys are ready to assist people with bringing their trees in from the fields.
There’s a bonfire going, and I’ve got a table of s’mores supplies at the ready.
Our Instagram spot looks great, and we’ve even put a red bow around Buddy’s neck. He’s the official greeter, with tail wags and hand licks for all.
“Take a deep breath,” JJ whispers in my ear from behind me. I turn and grin. He and I and all our volunteers are wearing long-sleeved red thermal shirts with our logo over the chest.
“That shirt looks good on you.”
He returns my grin. “Thanks. This gorgeous woman bought it for me.”
I chuckle. “She has good taste.”
“She does.”
The sound of tires on gravel carries to us, and we both turn to scan the drive.
“Our first customer,” I whisper.
“Game time,” JJ replies, putting a hand on my shoulder. “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“The place looks good. Everything’s going to be fine. You should be proud of all the work you did on the place. Now we sit back and rake in the dough.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Our first customers are Miles and his wife and little girl. She’s an eight-year-old cutie with freckles and her father’s curly hair.
I introduce Miles to JJ, and he takes them out to the tree lot for a fresh-cut tree. When they return, they come into the gift shop, and I give his daughter a stuffed “Buddy” as a gift.
They thank me, then go make some s’mores and get a photo in front of the red pickup.
“Be sure to post it,” I tell Miles.
“Absolutely,” his wife says with a smile. “We had a great time.”
When they pull out, there are several more customers on the property, and as the day progresses, we get more and more crowded.
At one point, as darkness falls and the fire is going and the little lights twinkling, I stare around at all we’ve accomplished, and pride swells in my chest.
