A Family Under the Christmas Tree (17 page)

“
All the trees are numbered, so once we decide on the trees we want, we give them the number and they will send someone out to cut it down.” He was reading from the paper they'd given him when they came in. “They will wrap it up and load it on the truck,” he said, sounding relieved.

“You're not going to cut it down yourself?” she teased.

He lifted his gaze. His eyes widened. “I could. They give you that option. Would you rather I do it?”

He looked so stricken by the idea she giggled. “No. I think having them do the dirty work, so to speak, is the way to go.”

He grinned. “I was hoping you'd say that.”

When Troy had his fill of the animals, they left the petting zoo and stopped at the small wooden structure that housed the bathroom so Troy could wash his hands before making the trek to the back of the farm. The smell of pine in the air thickened. Clouds rolled across the sky. Though the rain held off, the ground was muddy and slippery.

“Okay, these are the trees we should choose from,” David said, stopping at a crop of trees with red tags.

David and Troy inspected each tree while Sophie and Riggs walked around several, looking at the shape and color of the different trees. Every so often, she'd glance over to find David watching her. He'd smile, then look away. It became a game of sorts. She'd step behind a tree for a moment, then step around it to find David looking in her direction. After several times, she came around a tree but David and Troy were gone.

She frowned and searched for them but couldn't see them anywhere. Had they left her and Riggs? A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach made her shoulders bunch with tension. Her heart raced. She hadn't felt this sensation in a very long time.

Not since the days when her brothers would ditch her for sport. She didn't
like this feeling, or the fact that she'd allowed David to have this kind of power over her. She didn't let anyone get close enough to ditch her. Not like this. Not so that it hurt.

Realization pounded through her, trapping her breath in her lungs. She'd been dumped before—more than a couple times, in fact—but she'd never really been hurt. Not the deep, down, torn-up-heart kind of hurt. What did that say about her?

She felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around to find David and Troy behind her. How had they snuck up on her like that? She sent Riggs a sharp glance. The traitorous dog hadn't warned her they were there.

“Did you pick out a tree?” David asked.

She blinked. A tree? Oh, right. “Yes.” She pointed to the closest one. “This one.”

He took the tag off the tree's limb. “We found ours, too. Shall we head back for some hot cocoa and donuts while we wait for the trees to be brought to the truck?”

“Yippeee! Donuts!” Troy shouted.

Riggs barked, clearly wondering what was so exciting.

Sophie's pulse slowed, coming closer to normal. She was in so much trouble. She was well on her way to falling for David and she didn't know how to stop it. Did she want to stop it? But what would that mean? How would falling for David affect her future? Her career?

They were silly questions that had no answer. Because it didn't matter if she fell head over heels in love with the man. He wasn't a part of her plan. She needed to keep focused on the goal.

Which was? a tiny voice inside her head whispered.

To win her parents' and siblings' respect by becoming the most sought-after, prestigious photographer possible.

Why did that leave her feeling so cold inside? It never had before.

It had to be the weather chilling her bones.

“You okay?” David peered at her with concern.

She forced a smile. “Yes. Fine. Donuts, here we come.”

David grabbed a napkin to wipe powdered sugar off Troy's face. They sat with Sophie, Simon, and Louise in the warming hut, holding cups of hot chocolate and a few dozen freshly made donuts. Ever since they'd returned from picking out their trees, Sophie had been strangely quiet. Had he done something again to offend her?

“What are your plans for this evening?” Simon asked.

David glanced at the other man and realized his question was for all of them.

“No plans,” Louise said. She turned to Sophie. “Do we?”

Sophie seemed to be lost in thought, staring into her cocoa.

“Soph?” Louise touched her hand. “Earth to Sophie.”

Sophie lifted her gaze. “Hmm? Oh, tonight. No plans.”

“David, are you and Troy available?” Simon asked.

“Sure. What do you have in mind?”

“I'd like you all to join me for dinner at Ferralla's restaurant,” Simon said. “We could watch the Snowflake parade.”

“Yes, the parade. Can we?” Troy piped up.

Pleased by the invitation, David nodded. “We'd like that.”

“Ladies?” Simon's hopeful expression was all for Louise.

Louise touched his hand. “That's so thoughtful of you to offer. I'd love to. Sophie?”

“Yes,” she said distractedly. “That'd be great.” She tilted her head. “Wait. A parade?”

“
The Snowflake parade runs through downtown Bellevue nightly through the Christmas season,” Simon explained.

Sophie turned to David. “Did you know this?”

He chuckled. “I used to live on the route, remember? Troy and I hit the parade the first night it opened but we'd love to see it again. Right, buddy?”

“Yep. I want to see Olaf again,” Troy said. “He's funny.”

“Olaf is an animated character from a children's movie,” David told Sophie.

She arched an eyebrow but there was a twinkle in her blue eyes. “I know who Olaf is, silly. He's a bear, right?”

“Nooo,” Troy said. “He's a snowman.”

“A snowman?” Sophie peered at Troy. “Are you sure Olaf isn't a dinosaur?”

Troy exploded with laughter. “You're thinking of Barney.”

“Ah.” Sophie laughed. “I can't wait to see Olaf then.”

“Have you never seen
Frozen
?” Troy asked, his little face so stunned that David had to chuckle.

“Hmmm.” Sophie put her index finger on her chin. “Can't say that I have.”

“Uncle David, we have to show Sophie
Frozen
.”

“A definite must,” David agreed and held her gaze. “For another night.”

“Another night,” she whispered.

And he took that as a promise.

“David?” a familiar female voice spoke from behind him.

Tensing, David swiveled in his chair to find a tall, pretty redhead smiling at him. “Libby. Hello. What are you doing here?”

Her curious green-eyed gaze swept over the group, pausing slightly on Sophie and Troy before swinging back to him. “Getting
a Christmas tree.” She gave a laugh, but it sounded forced. “Is this your family?”

He cringed at the slight hint of hurt in her tone. They'd dated a few years earlier, right after he'd started his company. She'd wanted more out of the relationship than he was willing to give, so it had ended pretty soon after it started.

He put his hand on Troy's shoulder. “This is my nephew, and these are our neighbors.” David made the introductions. “This is Libby Hall.”

Libby placed her manicured hand on his shoulder. The pale pink tips of her nails were a sharp contrast to his dark coat. “We're old friends.” She smiled at him and leaned closer. “I've missed you.”

David's jaw tightened with embarrassment. He had no response to her proclamation.

“Did you find a Christmas tree?” Sophie asked politely.

Libby darted a look in Sophie's direction. “Yes.” She sized up Sophie and then immediately turned her gaze back to David.

“We should get together. Catch up,” she said. Her hand lingered on his shoulder.

“Maybe we should sometime.” He moved so her hand wasn't on him. “It's good to see you, Libby.” David hoped she'd get the hint and leave.

She squeezed his shoulder. “You, too. I have the same number. Give me a call. I'd love to see you again.”

He didn't have her number any longer and had no intention of calling. “Are you here alone?” That didn't seem like her at all.

She laughed, a throaty sound that grated on David's nerves. “No. I should get back to my date.” She turned her gaze to the others. “It was nice meeting you.”

“Likewise,”
Simon said.

Libby's hand touched his shoulder again. “David.”

“ 'Bye, Libby.”

She walked away and David turned back to the table. He met Sophie's cool gaze.

“She seems nice,” Sophie said.

“She is, I suppose. We dated for a short time. Nothing serious.” At least for him it hadn't been.

“How about a visit to Santa?” Louise asked the group.

“Santa!” Troy clapped his hands. “Can we, Uncle David?”

Dragging his gaze away from Sophie, David smiled. “Of course. We can't go Christmas tree shopping without a stop by the man in the red suit's house.”

“It's not his
real
house, Uncle David,” Troy chided. “The real Santa lives at the North Pole.”

“Good to know.” David rose and held out his hand to Sophie. “Will you come with us?”

She hesitated a moment before slipping her hand into his and allowed him to draw her to her feet. “I don't want to miss Santa either.”

He held onto her hand a moment, wondering if meeting Libby had given Sophie the wrong idea. He had no intentions of pursuing anything with Libby, but now was not the time to address that with Sophie.

After clearing away their cups and napkins, David tousled Troy's hair. “Let's wash your hands so you don't get cinnamon sugar in Santa's beard.”

Troy stared at his hands, then dusted them off on his jeans. “They're clean.”

“Now they are.” Sophie's chuckle warmed David's heart. He met her gaze with a shrug. “Good enough?”

She nodded. “I'm sure Santa's used to sticky hands.”

“All righty, then. Off to Santa's.” David consulted the Christmas tree farm's brochure. “Santa's house is near the front gate, which will work out perfectly.” A nice way to end the day.

Simon pushed Louise's wheelchair and David captured Troy's hand and held Riggs's leash in the other as they made their way from the warm concessions tent. Sophie jogged ahead a few feet and turned to take pictures.

“How about I take a few of you with your grandma and Simon,” David offered.

“That would be great,” Sophie replied.

“Here, Troy, take my hand.” Louise held out her hand to Troy. Simon took Riggs's leash.

David transferred Troy to Louise's care and strode forward. Sophie removed the camera strap from around her neck. “It's all set up. All you have to do is point and shoot.”

“Nice.” He took the camera from her hands. He was surprised by its weight. He slipped the camera's strap over his neck so as not to risk dropping the thing. He couldn't imagine the price tag on such a nice piece of equipment. He had only his phone for taking pictures.

Sophie stepped beside her grandma, with Troy standing in front of her. She put her hand on his shoulder like a mother would with her son. David's stomach clenched at the sight.

“Maybe I should step out,” Simon offered.

Louise reached up to take his arm. “Please don't.”

The older man smiled down at Louise with tender affection while Riggs put his head onto Louise's lap. David snapped off a shot. It was a heady feeling, knowing he'd immortalized the moment.

“Smile for the camera.” David raised his voice to get their attention.

He took several shots, hoping they would turn out okay.

“Here, young man, let me take one with you and your family,” said an older man wearing a jacket with the tree farm's logo on it as he approached David.

David blinked back his surprise. The thought of correcting the man's assumption skimmed at the edge of his mind. But it wasn't necessary to explain they weren't family, only neighbors. Yet the idea of them being one big family made his heart ache with a strange yearning that he chose to ignore. Instead, he looked to Sophie for an answer. She gave him a nod of consent.

After handing over the camera and ensuring the man had the strap securely around his neck, David jogged back to the group and took his place next to Sophie. He put his hand to the small of her back. She glanced at him with a startled smile but didn't shift away.

“One, two, three,” the man said. “Smile.”

When the man rejoined them, he handed David the camera and then turned to Louise. “Louise Griffith, it's so nice to see you.”

“Tucker,” Louise said with a warm smile. “I wasn't sure you'd remember me. Tucker's family has owned the tree farm for several generations.”

“How could I forget one of the prettiest girls in our high school graduating class?” Tucker's gaze shifted to Simon and back. “Ellie will be sad she missed seeing you today.”