Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Magnolia
Something I’d never told a living soul before: little kids made me nervous.
As an adult, I hadn’t spent much time with them. I’d never babysat as a teenager. Basically I kept my distance whenever possible.
But here I was, on my way to have Thanksgiving dinner with Luke, his dad, and his little girl. She was six, he’d told me. First grade.
As if that gave me any context.
If I was going to be involved with Luke, his daughter was part of the package. I needed to not only get along with her but also hopefully get her to like me.
I had no idea how to do that, so I’d asked Presley for advice. She’d suggested bribery.
I’d stopped in at A Novel Place and asked Maeve for suggestions. I’d come away with two Magic Tree House books—one about Thanksgiving and one about llamas.
Armed with the books wrapped up for Addie, a box of chocolates for Luke’s dad, a dish of corn casserole, and a pecan pie—my first ever—I drove out to the farm. My fingers were crossed that the pie was edible, but I had a can of whipped cream just in case I needed to mask anything.
I was nervous enough about spending time with Luke’s daughter, but on top of that, his dad would be there too.
His dad, who’d been married to his mom, who my not-father had fired because of a blatant lie.
I’d never met Luke’s dad, but I really hoped he didn’t hold me accountable for Felix’s actions.
I knocked on the door, shaking inside with nervousness. It was cold today, so I was wearing my winter coat. I regretted that decision as I waited, sweating hard.
The door opened, and to my relief, Luke stood smiling at me.
“Hey, Mags.” He pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “Happy Thanksgiving. Welcome to our humble home.”
“Hi,” I said on an exhale. I tried to smile, but it more than likely came out as a grimace. “I have food in the car. Oh, and happy Thanksgiving.”
“Let’s go get the food,” he said, smiling warmly, as if he understood I was halfway to basket-case state.
He took the gifts for Addie and his dad, set them on an entry table, and followed me out. He came up beside me on the walkway, wound his arm around my waist, pulling me to his side in an awkward, moving side hug as we headed to my car to get the food.
I started babbling about the pie and how I wasn’t sure if it was okay and that I had whipped cream just in case and was his dad going to hate me.
“Mags,” he said as we reached the passenger door. He pressed a kiss to my temple. “My family is happy you’re joining us. They’re going to love you.”
Possibly a lie to make me feel better, but I grasped onto it.
“I”—I opened the door, bent in, retrieved the casserole and handed it to him, then picked up the pie—“don’t know the first thing about family dinners. With a real family, I mean.”
A frown flitted over his features so fast I almost didn’t see it. “I suspect they’re a lot easier than family dinners with assholes.”
I laughed in spite of myself and felt some of my tension fade.
“Addie’s excited to meet you,” he said. “My dad is a crusty old farmer with a soft spot for his granddaughter.”
“Does he like chocolate?”
“Does it have sugar in it?”
I took that to be a rhetorical question and followed Luke inside, nervousness inching up again.
We went through a dining room into the kitchen, which smelled like an incredible Thanksgiving dinner.
“You’re the sole cook?” I asked.
“Giving my dad a break from the kitchen. He’s great at the day-to-day stuff, but holiday dinners have been my responsibility since my mom died. Before that, actually, because she stopped cooking several years earlier.”
“Well, it smells like you know what you’re doing.” I couldn’t hide my surprise that this hardworking, rough-handed farmer could create such heavenly aromas in the kitchen.
“Born of necessity,” he said as he set the corn casserole on the counter and took the pie from me. “Our family might be nontraditional these days, but I like to make holidays as normal as possible for Addie.”
As if she’d heard her name, a little girl with a brown braid down her back came into the room. “Daddy, are we eating soon?”
“The turkey has to cook for a while yet, doodle. But…” Luke opened the refrigerator and took out a store-bought tray of cheeses and sausages. “Wash your hands, and I’ll get the crackers.”
Addie shot a curious smile my way before she darted out of the room.
“I’ll introduce you when she gets back,” he said to me.
“Where did she go?”
“To wash in the bathroom. There’s a stool so she can reach.”
I heard a deep, quiet voice in the other room and guessed it was Mr. Durham, which served to pump up my nerves again and remind me their gifts were still by the front door.
“Come meet my dad,” Luke said nonchalantly, as if I hadn’t worried about that from the moment I’d accepted his invitation.
I nodded and forced a smile. “I’ll get his gift.”
I went back to grab both gift bags. Luke watched me return to the kitchen from the entry, extending his arm. We walked through the dining room into the living room, where his dad sat in a recliner and Addie sneaked in behind us, looking curious but shy.
“Dad, meet Magnolia. Magnolia, my dad, Dale.”
I went over to the recliner and offered my hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Durham.”
“Likewise. Glad you could join us, Magnolia.”
“This is for you.” I handed him the chocolates. “And Addie, I brought you something too.” I handed her the bag with llamas on it.
The little girl’s brown eyes went wide and lit up. “A present?”
“What do you say?” Luke prompted.
“Thank you,” Addie said. “Can I open it?”
I glanced at Luke, who said, “Go ahead.”
In the meantime, Mr. Durham had rustled in his gift bag and taken out the box of gourmet chocolates.
“Oh,” he said, sounding pleasantly surprised. “Thank you kindly. I might have to try a sample before dinner.”
“I hope you enjoy them,” I said awkwardly.
“I can promise you I will.”
“My turn,” Addie said, climbing into her grandpa’s lap with her bag.
She pulled out the tissue paper on top and handed it to him.
“It’s books,” she said in a hushed but happy tone.
“Magic Tree House! My teacher reads us those.” She read the titles out loud.
“We haven’t read these ones yet. Look, Daddy, a llama. ”
“You love llamas,” Luke said to Addie. He sent a smile and a wink my way.
“Thank you,” Addie said shyly to me. “I’m going to start the Thanksgiving one now because it’s Thanksgiving today.”
“Let me know how it is,” I said stupidly. I didn’t know much about how fast a first grader could read, or even whether Addie was a strong enough reader to tackle the chapter books on her own.
“Dinner will be ready in a half hour,” Luke said. “Mags, want to come keep me company while I finish everything up?”
“Sure.” My response was possibly a little overzealous because I wasn’t sure what to talk about with Mr. Durham. He seemed kind but interested in the football game on the TV.
“Pops, will you read a few chapters to me?” Addie asked.
“You know how to read,” he replied.
Luke gestured to me to precede him to the kitchen as Addie pleaded with Mr. Durham to read to her anyway. Luke’s hand rested at my waist, which probably looked nothing but friendly to others, but his touch shot warmth through me.
Once in the kitchen, he said, “Those went over well. Thanks for doing that.”
“Icebreaker,” I said, then blew out my breath. “Sorry. I’ve never been introduced to a guy’s family before.”
“You did great.” He maneuvered me so my back was against the cabinet, then braced his hands on the counter on either side of me, caging me in.
His gaze dipped to my mouth. Then he slowly moved in for a kiss.
“That’s more like it,” he said when we came up for air.
“Now maybe I can finish prepping dinner.”
An hour later, the four of us sat around the table, overeating an impressive dinner. I hadn’t realized Luke could cook, let alone prepare an entire holiday feast. The house was cozy and comfortable, with a fire crackling in the living room and two taper candles casting a warm glow on the table.
We kept up a steady conversation, with Addie filling us in on the first three chapters of the Thanksgiving book, Mr. Durham updating Luke on the football game, and Luke answering his dad’s relentless questions about whether he’d remembered this or that for opening night of Christmas-tree season.
Luke patiently went over the employees who were working tonight, which I gathered were some of their longtime workers who knew what they were doing.
It seemed tonight was a warmup for the season—not their busiest by any means but steady traffic from families whose tradition was to put their tree up Thanksgiving evening.
He explained for my benefit that some of the families had been cutting down their tree at the farm on the holiday for thirty years straight.
“We’ve got some tried-and-true regulars,” Mr. Durham said. “We’re proud to be part of their traditions.”
“Customer loyalty means everything, doesn’t it?” I said. Not that I’d know from firsthand experience, but the day I booked my first repeat customer, I’d celebrate.
“I don’t imagine you get lots of repeat wedding business,” Mr. Durham joked.
I laughed. “Not so far. I’m new so I don’t get any repeat business yet.”
“I love weddings,” Addie said.
“You love Disney weddings,” Luke clarified. “You haven’t been to a real wedding.”
“Will I get to go to Mr. West’s?” his daughter asked.
“I don’t know if they’re inviting kids. We’ll have to see,” Luke said.
“My dad said maybe I could help decorate when there’s a wedding in our barn,” she said to me.
“Decorating is hard work,” I said, “but it’s fun too.” I switched my focus to Luke. “I was hoping I could steal a peek at the barn today before you get too busy so I can work out more details for Presley and West.”
“We can probably arrange that,” Luke said.
“Can I come too?” Addie asked.
“We have to kick off tree season, doodlebug.”
Her shoulders slumped as she looked at her plate.
She was a cute kid and was warming up to me slowly, which I appreciated.
Presley had told me how West’s daughters had glommed onto her the first time they met her.
It was super sweet for her, but I wasn’t sure I’d know how to handle a glomming child.
Maybe Addie and I were similar in our need to get acquainted gradually.
“You keep pretty busy this time of year in your business?” Mr. Durham asked.
“I’ve booked a few holiday parties, but I got started a little late in the year to really be swamped,” I told him. “I’m getting a steady number of inquiries for weddings for next year though. I have an appointment for late next week with a famous country singer who wants me to plan her wedding.”
“Yeah?” Luke said, and I heard a thread of pride in his voice, which elicited an unfamiliar feeling in me. I wasn’t used to the kind of man who supported me with no ulterior motive…or at least I didn’t think he had an ulterior motive. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it would take some getting used to.
“I can’t share her name,” I said, “but if you like country music, you’ve definitely heard of her.”
“Good for you,” Mr. Durham said. “That oughta bring in a pretty penny.”
“I think so,” I agreed, “and it could be a foot in the door with the country-music world in Nashville.”
“Potential gold mine,” Luke said. “They’d be smart to hire you.”
“Thanks. We’ll see what happens. It’s just a preliminary meeting.”
“I hope they hire you,” Addie said, her eyes sparkling.
“Me too, Addie. I’ll keep you posted.” I smiled across the table at her, warming up to her more quickly than I’d thought possible.
“Dinner’s delicious, Luke. You outdid yourself.” His dad reached for the turkey platter and helped himself to another round.
“Thanks, Dad. The corn casserole’s good stuff too, Mags,” Luke said.
“We’ll see if the pie holds up,” I said.
“I’m sure it will.” Luke took a drink of his water. “Speaking of dinner, I talked to Mrs. Haines, Dad. She’s going to start bringing dinner over three nights a week for us.”
Mr. Durham set his glass down hard. “We don’t need Mrs. Haines bringing us dinner. Cooking’s my responsibility.”
“Cooking’s hard on your back, Dad. This will give you a break on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”
“I didn’t ask for a break.”
“That’s why I did it. You won’t ask for a break, but I’m trying to help you.”
“I don’t want help, son. I’m not a useless old man to be put out to pasture.”
“Nobody said you were useless, Dad.”
“You take care of me, Pops,” Addie said.
“That’s right, and part of that is cooking,” Mr. Durham said. “Addie helps me sometimes, don’t you, kiddo?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“This’ll let you spend time on things besides cooking, like doing homework and playing games and reading Magic Tree House books,” Luke said.
“I don’t need any charity,” the older man grumped.
I was starting to wonder if I should excuse myself to the restroom so they could finish this heated discussion. As if he sensed my discomfort, Luke flashed me a half smile of apology.
“It’s not charity,” he said to his father. “Let’s talk about this later. I didn’t mean to make Magnolia uncomfortable.”
“Can Mrs. Haines bring dinner to me?” I joked, hoping to lighten the tension in the room.
“You can come out and join us anytime,” Luke said.
“I was teasing,” I said, but I couldn’t help thinking what it would be like if family dinners like this became my normal. I almost couldn’t fathom it.