Chapter 14
Natalie
Tip #14: Be open to befriending your enemy during your fake relationship. Nothing brings people together like trauma bonding.
T he moment I set foot on the snow-dusted grounds of McBride Farm & Greenhouse, the scent of pine and freshly chipped wood had me sighing with nostalgia. The pale morning sun cast a golden glow over the farm, making it feel like a scene straight out of a postcard.
I stood on my tiptoes, struggling to look over the heads of the crowd as I watched for Samuel.
I was bundled up in my winter coat, scarf, and gloves and felt a bit like a woolly mammoth. This feeling was only amplified when I saw Samuel waiting by the charming red barn that served as the entrance to the McBride farm grounds. Samuel’s stylish snowboarder coat accentuated his tall, athletic build, and he looked like a clothes model, as he also wore a matching hat and gloves.
“Hey, Nat. You made it.” Samuel extended a gloved hand to me.
I took it so we loosely held hands. “Yep! Ready to go in?”
“Yes.” Samuel swung our joined hands and tugged me through the barn entrance, passing through so we popped out onto the sprawling grounds on the other side.
The atmosphere was alive with laughter and chatter as people bustled about, enjoying the winter festivities.
“This place is packed,” Samuel said.
Around us, families were ice-skating on a frozen pond, building snowmen in a nearby field, and skiing on the flag marked cross-country ski trails. Glass greenhouses filled with concession stands selling hot chocolate, coffee, hot apple cider, fresh doughnuts, and cinnamon waffles tempted us at every turn.
“Yeah, it’s always busy during their Winter Weekends,” I said.
McBride Farm & Greenhouse changed their offerings with every season. They were open daily in December for Christmas tree sales, but in January and February they limited their time to weekends only and offered an abundance of winter-themed activities. (My personal favorite was the mesmerizing display of ice and snow sculptures. Some of them were the size of small dogs, but the previous year a snow sculptor made a dragon the size of a bus!)
Samuel scanned the farm, his gaze lingering on the area set aside for snow forts—the McBrides had four snow forts in different sizes, with two of them being big enough for adults to walk through.
Going by his expression, Samuel looked like he hadn’t seen any of the wintertime fun before.
“When was the last time you came to one of the Winter Weekends?” I asked.
“Never,” Samuel said.
“Never? You’ve never been here before?”
“Correct.”
“But coming to McBride for our date was your idea,” I said.
“My family usually skated on the lake by our house when it froze over,” Samuel explained. “Or we went skiing and snowboarding in Colorado. You know, typical Warner things.” His tone was light and teasing.
I gave him a flat look. “So sorry, I guess I forgot for a moment I was talking to a rich-kid Warner.”
Samuel laughed. “I know it sounds ridiculously extravagant. But my dad loved winter. He was the one that always wanted to go to Colorado, so we Warners haven’t done much in the snow since he passed away.”
“Oh,” I said, my heart aching for him. “I’m sorry.”
Samuel smiled a little and swung our joined hands for emphasis. “That’s why I’m glad we can do this together. Going sledding with your family and friends made me remember what I’ve been missing out on.”
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat and slapped on a smile. “I guess I’ll just have to be your guide today. I practically lived here during the Winter Weekends when I was in high school, so I know all the best activities and what to avoid. Starting with the snow forts—don’t touch the walls. All the kids like to lick and/or gnaw on them for some reason.”
Samuel laughed as he pulled his phone out of his pocket with his free hand. “Sounds perfect.” He glanced at his phone for a moment before putting it away. “But first, we have a reservation to get to.”
“Reservation?” I frowned, puzzled. “This place doesn’t have any activities that require reservations.”
“Maybe not normally, but you’re with a rich-kid Warner.” With a mischievous grin, Samuel tugged on my hand and led me through the crowds, past the bustling sleigh ride station where people waited in line for one of the farm’s large sleighs, pulled by a team of draft horses, to arrive.
We slipped away from the crowd, taking an employee path that left the event grounds and wound around a thicket of trees.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“You’ll see.”
As we emerged from the trees, I blinked in surprise at the sight of a horse stable with an attached paddock. A stable hand was hooking a magnificent black Shire horse up to a small, elegant sleigh. The horse’s glossy black coat gleamed in the pale winter sun, and the sleigh looked like it belonged in a fairy tale, adorned with intricate carvings and painted a beautiful red color.
“Samuel, what is this?” I asked.
“Surprise,” he said. “While I’ve never been here for a Winter Weekend, my family knows the McBrides pretty well. We’ve arranged for private company events here, and they hold private parties for us when we’re entertaining clients. One of the perks is taking them out on sleigh rides.”
The stable hand finished checking the horse’s hooves, which were covered by white, feathery hair, and beamed at us. “Samuel! Hey! I’ve got Goose here all ready to go for you!”
“Thanks, Matt,” Samuel said. “I appreciate it.”
“No problem!” Matt caught me gawking at the horse. “If you want, you can come pet him. Goose is very friendly.”
I let go of Samuel’s hand so I could approach the large horse. I patted his muscled neck and scratched the white blaze on his massive head when he obligingly lowered it for me. “This is really cool.”
“Shall we?” Samuel held out his hand to help me up into the sleigh.
It was a big step up, so I hoisted my right foot up into the sleigh. The cushioned bench we would sit on was smaller than the ones typically used for group sleigh rides, and I didn’t think there would be enough room for anyone besides the two of us.
I pushed off the ground, balancing on the one foot I had in the sleigh. “Where’s the driver?”
“You’re talking to him,” Samuel said, his tone confident. “I’ll be driving.”
I nearly lost my balance trying to turn toward him, but he tucked an arm around my waist, steadying me. “You? You’re going to drive the sleigh?” I echoed.
Matt laughed. “Have some trust in your boyfriend! Samuel’s been driving horses for about five years now. He learned so he and his brother could take clients out without needing a driver. Warner Print has a special arrangement with us here at McBride.”
“Logan worked it out with the McBrides’ insurance company, which was quite the battle,” Samuel added with a wry smile. “Honestly, driving is not as impressive as it sounds. The horses know the trails by heart and don’t spook easily, so I mostly just hold the reins.”
Despite my apprehension, I was impressed by this unexpected skill of Samuel’s. After he hopped up into the sleigh beside me and tucked a blanket around my lap, I offered him a tentative smile.
Goose nickered and stomped a hoof, eager to be on his way.
“Alright, Goose,” Samuel said, picking up the reins. “Walk on.”
“Enjoy your date!” Matt gave us a friendly wave as Goose obediently set off at a walk, the sleigh bells attached to his harness jingling with each step.
I never thought I’d be one to ogle competency, but there was something attractive about the sight of Samuel confidently guiding the massive horse through the picturesque winter landscape. He deftly twitched the reins, steering Goose over to the snowy trail the sleighs used.
The trail wound around the other side of the thicket we’d passed on our way to the stables, popping us out in front of the sleigh loading station.
Goose, his ears pricked forward, pulled the sled along the trail, which cut along the edge of the event grounds, giving us a good view of the crowds and winter fun.
“Hey, Nat! And Warner boy!” a familiar voice called out, accompanied by a sharp whistle. I spotted my Uncle Mike, a short, squat man with a potbelly, holding a tray of steaming drinks. He grinned at us from beneath his thick beard as he strode in our direction.
“Whoa, Goose,” Samuel said.
Goose came to a stop, his breath turning into misty puffs in the chilly air.
“Hi, Uncle Mike,” I called to my jolly relative. “Good to see you!”
“I could say the same! You two look as pretty as a picture together,” Uncle Mike said. “If I didn’t have these here drinks, I’d be of the mind to take a picture of you two.”
“So you could share it in the family chat?” I wryly guessed.
“You know it!” Uncle Mike laughed, but his expression turned serious when his gaze shifted from me to Samuel. “Now, you better treat my niece right, Warner boy. Nat’s a treasure, one I’m not sure you deserve.”
“Uncle Mike!” I hissed. I would have shouted, but I didn’t want to alarm Goose.
Samuel laughed it off. “I promise, sir. I’ll cherish her like the rarest gem.”
I worked to keep a pinched expression off my face. It wasn’t fair how easily Samuel could respond to my relatives’ doubts about our relationship when I had almost sweat through my cardigan the first time I met his family.
Uncle Mike squinted up at us. “Well, Nat seems happy, and I reckon she can take care of herself seeing how there was that time she dumped a bucket of minnows on your head when you two were in college.”
“I was in high school then, and I did that to his twin, Isaac,” I corrected my uncle. “Isaac told me I was the type of person who wouldn’t save for retirement. Even back then he was obsessed with finances.”
“I remember that,” Samuel said. “Isaac and I were hiking and stumbled on you and Owen fishing at a river.” Samuel tilted his head, his voice warm with a fondness I didn’t understand. “I’ll never forget you hefting the Styrofoam cooler up so you could douse him. You were beautiful.”
Uncle Mike and I stared at Samuel.
“You know,” Uncle Mike said thoughtfully, “I assumed you were out of your mind, Nat, when I heard you were dating a Warner boy. Maybe it’s the other way around and he lost his marbles first.”
“Uncle Mike!”
Samuel laughed.
Uncle Mike grinned until he looked away to one of the nearby snow forts. “Better go—my kids are acting like hooligans. Have fun, Nat. And remember, Samuel, the Mann clan is watching!” With that, Uncle Mike hurried off, his belly jiggling as he shouted, “Hey! I told you kids not to start any snowball fights because you’ll clip an innocent bystander! You’re in high school, you should know better!”
“Walk on, Goose,” Samuel instructed, and we resumed our leisurely glide past the lively crowd. I saw a few more friends and family members who I waved to. No one else stopped us like Uncle Mike, but I was pretty sure I saw a few people snapping pictures.
The path veered away from the event grounds, turning into a peaceful lane that cut between rows of towering pine trees. The cacophony of voices faded away, replaced by the gentle rustling of branches, the chirps of birds, and the soft crunch of snow under Goose’s hooves. Sunlight filtered through the needles, casting dappled patterns on the glittering snow.
“This was a fun idea, Sam.” I tucked my gloved hands under the blanket. “I’m glad you suggested it as a public outing.”
Samuel glanced over at me. “I’m happy you’re actually enjoying yourself.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Just that during our first date at the Winter Craft Fair you looked like you were contemplating murder a few times.”
I laughed. “Yeah, but that was then. I think I consider you a friend now.” It surprised me how easily the words came out, but that was probably because they were true.
“Friends who kiss and snuggle, right, darling?” he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Friends with questionable senses of humor,” I sourly said, then added more seriously, “but I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you and your family better.”
Goose continued to pull the sleigh, the runners gliding smoothly over the packed snow.
Samuel was quiet for a moment, his expression turning contemplative. “Do you no longer believe my family is a bunch of villainous Scrooges who are out to ruin Fox Creek?”
I shook my head. “I always knew your family didn’t want to ruin Fox Creek, but I thought you were so focused on economic growth that you’d destroy all its small-town charm.”
“Fair enough,” Samuel said. “Going around with you… I see why your family has fought to protect certain landmarks and businesses.”
His admission was just another example of the way our agreement had allowed us a glimpse into each other’s worlds, and I found that I genuinely liked the person I saw in him.
He adjusted his hold on Goose’s reins, guiding the horse and sleigh out of the forest lane. The trail opened up to a field where I remembered the McBrides usually grew strawberries during the summertime.
“I’m glad we’re doing this,” I confessed as I rubbed my gloved hands together.
“Which part?” Samuel playfully asked. “The sleigh ride or the fake dating to make our families stop feuding?”
“Both,” I said. “But I was specifically referring to the fake dating. When I approached you with that crazy idea, I didn’t totally believe we’d pull it off. I was surprised you even agreed to it.”
Samuel smiled enigmatically. “I have my own reasons for agreeing to this act.”
“Are you going to share those reasons?”
“Nope,” he replied jokingly. “I need to keep an aura of mystery. I’ve been told it makes me more attractive.”
I laughed as Goose pulled the sleigh across a small bridge that spanned a ditch between two fields and my phone chirped with an incoming text message.
“Who’s that?” Samuel asked.
I dug my phone out of a pocket in my jacket. “Owen,” I said. I swiped through my phone windows to find his text message.
Owen
I asked Jenna out on a dinner date.
I frantically typed back.
And?!
Owen
She said yes!
I squealed and sent Owen a good half a dozen emojis expressing my excitement, then put my phone away.
“Did something good happen?” Samuel asked.
“Yes!” I said. “Owen just asked Jenna out to dinner, and she said yes!”
“Really?” Samuel asked, surprised.
“Yes!” I clapped my hands in my glee.
“I didn’t know Owen liked Jenna.”
“Oh yeah. He’s been carrying a torch for her for, like, two years now,” I said. “So much wistful staring and sighing. It drove me crazy. But I suspected if I cleared the way for Owen and Jenna, they’d end up together!”
“Wait.” Samuel looked away from Goose long enough to glance down at me. “Is that the real reason why you proposed we fake date? For Owen and Jenna?”
I sucked in a big breath of air, making my entire chest puff up. “It was a major factor,” I said, feeling a little guilty. “Maybe even my main goal…”
“And you purposely hid that from me?”
“… Yeah.”
I hadn’t expected my plan to work so well, and now that I knew Samuel as well as I did, I recognized that in hiding my real goal, I’d taken advantage of Samuel’s goodwill. The thought made me feel a little scummy.
Samuel was quiet, his expression unreadable.
I nervously shifted on the bench, watching Goose toss his head as the trail got to the rows of evergreens the McBrides grew to sell as Christmas trees in December.
Finally, Samuel spoke up. “I can’t blame you. We’ve had years of pushing each other’s buttons, so it would make sense you’d doubt me.” He smiled down at me.
Relieved he didn’t seem upset, I smiled back. “Thanks for understanding.” I shivered a little despite my blanket, then gave Samuel the side-eye. “Are you warm enough?”
Samuel twitched the reins when Goose got too close to the edge of the trail. “I’m fine.”
“Fine isn’t warm,” I said.
Samuel started to laugh. “Really?—”
He cut off when I scooted closer to him, so I threw the blanket over his lap too. We had to sit closer—our sides pressed together, which I was woefully aware of—but I knew I’d made the right choice when Samuel smiled.
“Thanks,” he said.
“Of course. You have to be toasty on a sleigh ride. It’s part of the aesthetic.”
Goose continued pulling us along the snowy path, the sleigh jostling a little when we passed over bumps in the packed snow. Occasionally a bird darted through the growing Christmas trees, its song mingling with the jingle of sleigh bells.
Samuel bumped his foot against mine, and I settled back in my seat to enjoy the view, still riding the high of triumph from Owen’s text.
As I watched the way Goose’s thick black mane flopped with his strides, it occurred to me that if Owen and Jenna’s relationship blossomed, there would be no need for Samuel and me to continue our charade. From the get-go I’d planned that once they started dating, they could be the new uniting point between our families, and it seemed like that idea would soon be a reality.
That knowledge sent an unexpected pang through my chest, but it wasn’t like Samuel and I would have to stop hanging out. We needed to make our families think our relationship had ended mutually and respectfully anyway. So what was there to regret?
“What are you thinking?” Samuel asked.
“Hmm? What?”
“You look thoughtful.”
“Oh. Well, it occurred to me that if things work out between Owen and Jenna, I guess that means... you know... our fake relationship won’t be necessary anymore.”
Samuel’s stormy gray eyes searched mine for a moment. “Really.” The word would normally be a question, but the way he said it, it sounded like a statement.
“Yeah,” I said. “I mean, they’d be the real deal and could tie our families together. Right?”
“True.” Samuel clenched his jaw, and I wondered if the thought bothered him like it did me.
“I mean, we’re still at least a month or two away from when we could break up,” I rushed to add. “We shouldn’t stage it until both families know Owen and Jenna are together, assuming they really do end up seriously dating, and Owen is slug slow when it comes to romance…”
Samuel still held his jaw clenched.
I didn’t know how to take that. Was I wrong and he was upset that we had to keep dating? “Uh… unless you want to break it off sooner?” I asked.
“No.”
I awkwardly nodded.
“I still have personal… goals I need to see to,” Samuel slowly continued.
“Got it,” I said, a little confused. What kind of personal goals could he have that would involve a fake relationship with me?
“I don’t think my mother would take it well if we suddenly broke up,” Samuel said.
“That’s right. You said she’s worried about never getting any daughters-in-law or grandkids,” I said. “That makes sense.”
“Precisely.” Samuel gently tugged on the reins. “Whoa, Goose,” he called to the horse.
Goose slowed to a stop.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.” Samuel flashed me a brief smile as he held the reins in one hand and pulled out his cell phone with the other. “It just occurred to me we should take some pictures to put on social media.”
“That’s a great point,” I said. “I never thought about making our cover that complete.”
Samuel scoffed. “That’s because you’re too honest and good.”
“What, and you’re secretly a white-collar criminal?”
He shrugged as he opened his camera app. “No, but I’m certainly not past manipulation to get what I want.”
“Is that a threat?” I took his phone from him and held it up so we could take a selfie.
“Not at all. I’m just being honest. Although as your Grandma Mann said, I suppose you already know all of my worst points.”
“Totally. Now, smile!” I leaned in close to Samuel so we were both in the frame and grinning for the camera.
Just before I snapped the picture, Samuel moved. He slid his free hand under my chin to angle my face upward before pressing his lips to my temple, moving quickly so I didn’t have time to react before his phone took the picture.
Samuel settled back into place as I tapped the photo, enlarging it. Samuel’s eyes glittered enigmatically in the shot, so while I was beaming like an idiot, he somehow looked almost… intense.
“We can’t post this,” I said. “Grandma and Grandpa Mann follow me! They would die of heart attacks!”
“That’s why you took the picture with my phone. I can post it.” Samuel was already fixing his hold on the reins so he could hold them with both hands. “Goose, walk on.”
I glanced at the picture again before locking the phone’s screen for Samuel. “After we finish with our sleigh ride, do you want to head to the concession area to get something hot to drink?”
Samuel glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “You want a waffle, don’t you?”
“Absolutely!”