Chapter 10
10
"You ready for this?" Abe’s voice carried a blend of curiosity and concern as he approached Joe, who was busy loading saws and other materials into the back of his truck.
The crisp morning air was filled with the scent of pine and the distant laughter of guests, but Joe seemed absorbed in his task as if each piece of equipment carried the weight of the decisions he was grappling with. Joe glanced up, wiping a smudge of dirt off his hands onto his jeans, and nodded.
"Ready as I’ll ever be," he replied, the words tinged with both determination and a hint of uncertainty. He tossed another tool into the truck bed and added, "Just waiting for Frankie. She wanted to grab her camera."
Abe arched an eyebrow, a playful grin spreading across his face. "Camera? She must have some big ideas brewing already."
He leaned casually against the side of the truck, the ease of his posture contrasting with the tension Joe seemed to carry.
Joe couldn’t help but smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Frankie always was a big dreamer, full of ideas."
His expression grew more serious as he looked down at the materials in the truck, the reality of the situation pulling him back. "Probably all for nothing, though, if we’re just selling."
Abe studied Joe for a moment, his gaze softening with understanding. "Maybe it’ll help you find what you’re looking for — in a buyer, that is."
The words hung in the air, offering a glimmer of hope that Joe wasn’t sure he was ready to grasp.
"Yeah. Maybe," Joe murmured, the thought rolling around in his mind as he adjusted the last of the equipment.
Abe pushed off from the truck, glancing toward the shuttle where guests were beginning to gather.
"Well, people are lining up. Better get going. Don’t want to make our guests wait." He started to walk away but then paused, turning back as a thought struck him.
"Hey, Joe?" Abe called over his shoulder, his voice carrying a weight that made Joe look up immediately.
"Yeah?" Joe responded.
Abe met Joe’s gaze with a small, knowing smile, the kind that held years of history and understanding. "Once upon a time, you were a dreamer too."
The words were simple, yet they landed with the force of a reminder that Joe hadn’t allowed himself to consider in a long time.
As Abe walked away, Joe watched him go, the words echoing in his mind.
“Touché,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head slightly as he returned to his work, though with a bit more thoughtfulness than before.
Frankie hurried down the path toward the inn, her camera bouncing lightly against her as she moved with purpose. The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow on the snow-covered ground. She was so deep in her thoughts that she nearly collided with Abe as he made his way back from the shuttle.
"Ooh! Sorry," Frankie exclaimed, catching herself just in time to avoid dropping her camera. Her cheeks flushed slightly with the near mishap, and she gave Abe an apologetic smile.
Abe chuckled, reaching out instinctively to steady her, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "You seem like a woman on a mission."
He noted the focused gleam in her eye, the one that spoke of plans already in motion.
Frankie leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper despite there being no one else around. "Can I let you in on something?" The excitement in her tone was hard to miss, and it piqued Abe’s curiosity even further.
"Of course," Abe replied, leaning in slightly as if they were about to exchange state secrets.
"Just between you and me?" Frankie asked, her tone playful but serious enough to show she meant it.
"Your secrets are safe with me," Abe assured her, his expression turning more serious to match hers.
Frankie glanced around, even though they were alone, before speaking. Her voice was laced with concern, and her brow furrowed as she spoke.
"I’m working on something. There’s something off. Something missing. Not just here but between the brothers." The weight of her observations was clearly heavy on her heart.
Abe nodded slowly, his own expression growing more thoughtful.
"I notice it, too. They’ve lost touch, forgotten who they are." His words were filled with the same concern, echoing Frankie’s sentiments.
"And it’s not just the three of them together," Frankie continued, her voice carrying a hint of frustration. "Individually, too. They’re each... unsettled. A little lost."
"Distracted," Abe added, his tone low as he began to see the picture Frankie was painting.
"Yes!" Frankie’s eyes lit up with a spark of determination.
"Too much distance between them," Abe said with an encouraging nod, the corners of his mouth lifting in a supportive smile.
"It’s time to remind them who they are and where they came from and restore the King family’s Christmas spirit, " she said.
“I like where you’re going with this,” Abe admitted.
Frankie’s resolve seemed to solidify with his words, and she grinned. "If this is their last Christmas together on the ranch," she said, the gravity of the situation clear in her voice, "it’s got to be the best. Maybe..."
Abe leaned in as his curiosity piqued once more.
"Maybe?" he prompted gently.
Frankie hesitated for a brief moment, then met Abe’s gaze with renewed determination. "Maybe they’ll remember what makes this place special — especially at Christmas."
Abe’s eyes twinkled with approval, and seeing the fire in Frankie’s eyes reminded him of someone else he used to know.
"And if not?" he asked, though he felt he already knew her answer.
Frankie lifted her camera with a playful smile, her confidence clear. "Well, then I’ll have a heck of a good time trying and build an incredible portfolio for the ranch."
Her laugh was light but filled with the kind of energy that made it hard not to believe in her plan. Abe patted her shoulder, the gesture filled with warmth and a touch of pride.
"There’s Joe, I better go. Keep it between us?" Frankie said, her eyes darting to where Joe was waiting by the truck, his back to them as he finished loading the last of the materials.
"You betcha," Abe assured her, watching as she headed off toward Joe with a determined stride.
"Ready when you are, Joe," Frankie called out, her voice light but with an undercurrent of excitement.
"Let’s go," Joe replied, turning to meet her with a small smile, though something in his eyes suggested he was also starting to feel the pull of Frankie’s enthusiasm.
As they walked off together, Abe couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, shaking his head as he turned to head back to the shuttle.
"Maybe you need a little reminder, too, Frankie Malone," he mused, a smile spreading across his face as he wandered off toward the shuttle line.