2. Declan
2
DECLAN
It’s a frosty November morning, and the air chills my bones as I stride through the lines of Christmas trees, which grow in neat rows as far as the eye can see. Snow fell in buckets overnight, so the branches are lined with white fluff, making the farm look like a winter wonderland.
It’s still hard to believe my brother and I own all this.
When our dad died back in March, he left everything to me and Nolan, including the Christmas tree farm, cornfield, and pumpkin patch. It’s a giant plot of land and a hell of a lot to handle. Now that winter is approaching, the pumpkins have all been sold or composted, and the corn has been harvested, so the Christmas trees are our focus. The farm opens to the public next week, and I’m determined to make opening day a success. This is our first Christmas without Dad, and I want to prove that I have what it takes to run this operation, just like he did. I want to make the old man proud, even though he’s gone.
With my axe in hand, I find one of the prettiest trees and start to chop the base, driving my blade forward. It topples over slowly, and I shake out the loose needles, watching as a squirrel darts from the branches and scurries away. Reaching into my pocket, I unwrap a thick piece of string and wrap it around the tree, securing the branches before hoisting it up over my shoulder.
“Hey!” I peer around the tree, frowning when I see my brother stumbling backward, away from the sharp needles pointing at him. He scowls at me. “You almost took my damn eye out.”
“That’s what you get for sneaking up on people.”
He steps aside to let me pass, then follows me, eyeing the tree still slung over my shoulder. “Good size,” he says. “Nice color too.”
I don’t say anything. I know my brother; he didn’t follow me all the way out here to comment on a tree. Silence stretches between us, broken only by the crunch of our boots in the snow.
“There’s something I forgot to mention,” Nolan says eventually.
“What?”
“I decided to hire another worker.”
I swing around to look at him, and Nolan ducks just in time as the tree swings around with me. “We don’t need another worker. We have plenty of people here already.”
Nolan grabs the tree off my shoulder and tosses it to the ground with a scowl. “Sure, we have people to help with the trees, but we need somebody to decorate the barn and deal with customers once the place opens.”
The barn is the main building on the farm, and I haven’t gotten around to making it look festive yet. There’s too much other shit to do. But that doesn’t mean we need to hire another person. Hell, I was reluctant to hire anybody at all, but Nolan talked me into bringing in a few seasonal workers. This is a family-run business and has been for generations. I hate the idea of our farm being overrun with outside help.
“We don’t need to hire anybody to make the barn look festive.” I cross my arms, frowning at my brother. “I’ll put up some tinsel and stick a Christmas tree in the corner. It’s not hard.”
Nolan sighs. I know he thinks I’m a stubborn idiot who doesn’t know what it takes to run a business, but I’m a firm believer in doing things myself, even if it means the farm occupies every minute of my life.
“Declan, get your head out of your ass and think about this for a minute,” Nolan says. “We’re about to be swamped with customers. It’s nearly December, and this is the biggest Christmas tree farm around for miles. You know damn well we don’t have enough staff to handle it.”
I grit my teeth. My older brother has an annoying habit of being right all the time, and I don’t want to admit that he probably has a point.
“You could have at least consulted me.”
He shrugs. “I knew you’d overreact. Anyway, all I did was put up a few fliers around Cherry Hollow. It won’t be for long—just until the holidays are over.”
“Fine.” I reach down for the Christmas tree once more. “But next time, tell me first.”
Nolan raises his hands in surrender. “I’ll tell you.”
“Good.”
I pat my brother’s shoulder before striding past him. Nolan and I have always been close, but we have different ideas about how to run the business, and it’s causing friction that never used to be there. When Dad was alive, we followed his lead, but now we’re like bulls locking horns most days, disagreeing about stupid shit.
Swallowing down my annoyance, I lug the tree into the barn. Like Nolan said, it’s decidedly unfestive right now—just a large wooden building with exposed beams, a few cash registers, and empty shelves lining the walls. A few trees are laid out on the floor, wrapped up in netting, but that’s the only indication that this place is meant to be Christmassy. If my dad was here, it would look like Santa’s workshop by now.
You’re failing him, I think to myself bitterly. You don’t have what it takes to make this work. This business is going to fall apart because of you.
These negative thoughts have been swirling around in my mind ever since I found out Dad left this place to me and Nolan. I shake them off with a sigh, busying myself with setting the tree down and wrapping it up. It joins the others. They don’t look very appealing dumped on the floor like this, but there’s no time to deal with it right now. I need to get back outside and cut a few more down.
“Excuse me?”
The voice makes me whip around. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn’t even notice someone had entered the barn, and my heart jolts as a young woman walks toward me.
Holy shit.
The air is sucked from my lungs, my throat dry as I take her in. She’s so fucking beautiful. Barely five feet tall, with thick curves that fill out her jeans and sweater in a way that makes my cock twitch. Her hair is so dark it’s almost black, brushing her shoulders like sheets of silk that contrast her pale skin. Pretty blue eyes blink up at me, the color of icy mountain lakes, and I can’t bring myself to speak as she finally stops in front of me, tipping her head back to meet my gaze.
“I’m looking for the owner,” she says. Her voice is slightly husky, like an actress from an old black and white movie. Everything about this girl is sexy as hell, and all I can do is stare like an idiot.
What the fuck is happening?
I’ve never felt like this before. My heart is pounding in my ears, and this giant barn suddenly feels too small, the walls closing in around us. The girl is watching me expectantly, the silence dragging as I try to get myself under control.
“I’m the owner,” I say eventually, my voice hoarse. “My brother and I own this place.”
The girl nods. “I’m here about the job that was advertised. The flier said you’re looking for a seasonal worker. Is it still open?”
Fuck. This angel wants to work here?
There’s desperation in her eyes, and I can’t help noticing the way she’s anxiously wringing her hands together. I would be the world’s biggest asshole to turn her down, but how the hell am I going to concentrate on anything with this girl around? She’s only been here two minutes, and her curves are already driving me crazy.
“Yeah. It’s still open.”
“I’m a hard worker,” the girl says quickly. She seems to sense my hesitation, and there’s a note of panic in her voice as she adds, “I’m stronger than I look, too.”
Dammit, Nolan. Why did you have to advertise this job to the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen?
I had everything planned out. I was going to work my ass off until the end of the year, giving it my all, making this our most successful holiday season yet. This beautiful young woman with her curvy hips and plump lips was sure as hell not part of my plan. But the way she’s looking at me is enough to make my heart melt. I can’t resist.
“What’s your name?” I ask.
“Margot.”
I reach out my hand toward her, hoping like hell that I won’t regret my next words. “Nice to meet you, Margot. You’re hired.”