Chapter 5
Chapter Five
T he following morning, Sara glared at the elf costume and groaned.
She yanked the thick candy cane tights on and then grumbled her way into the green shirt and poofy red crinoline skirt, a black stretchy belt cinching everything into place like a Santa belt.
Elf ears and a festive hat her mother had handmade to match completed the ensemble. Now all she needed was the pointy-toed shoe toppers, and she could call herself a Christmas elf.
A glance in the mirror once she finished dressing left her frowning. She liked the costumes with masks because they gave her some anonymity and helped with the embarrassment she felt at wearing them. She understood that some people were a little Christmas-crazy—her mother especially—but maybe she could find something else? Something a little more…understated?
Her mind scoffed as she glanced at the colorful closet of costumes. The odds were not in her favor there…
Glaring at the mirror, she added a final dusting of glitter face powder to her cheeks and nose and called it good enough.
Her mother demanded to see picture proof every day that she was actually wearing the costumes, claiming it made her smile, so Sara forced a grin for her phone and snapped, sending the photo off to her bedridden mom before stomping toward the camper door.
She liked weekdays on the lot because it was closed until four, and that left her mornings and days mostly free. But weekends meant being open by ten and all day long, making for a ten-hour day.
She unlocked the lock she now considered questionable—thanks for that , big scary dude—and stepped out to find a man parked right outside the lot, leaning against his car with a cup of coffee and phone in hand.
When he heard her emerge, he said hello and toasted her with a lift of his cup, but he stayed where he was and continued scrolling as though waiting for someone.
She’d dumped her purse out before showering this morning, and now wore the crossbody as a cash box with half of the five hundred dollar deposit tucked safely inside for change. If the customer from last night actually showed up this morning as planned, she’d make a quick deposit just to be safe.
Sara turned to get the supplies for the beverage table ready to go for the day when the SUV from last night rolled onto the lot and parked beside the waiting man.
She growled out her frustration that she hadn’t been mindful enough after tossing and turning most of the night thinking of dark eyes and a handsome face to remember today might not be a normal day. If he took the trees, she wouldn’t have any to sell—which meant she didn’t need to wear a costume.
But it made Mama happy . So there was that, at least.
She’d texted her father once she’d settled in for the night but hadn’t mentioned the late-day tree sales because she hadn’t wanted to get his hopes up. What if the man didn’t return? Or changed his mind and wanted the equivalent five trees he’d paid for but no more?
The two men from last night exited the Mercedes, and she barely stifled her groan as the tree buyer’s gaze raked over her as though memorizing every detail before his face broke with a heart-stopping smile.
But even more surprising was the fact the driver of the SUV paused to talk to the man standing at his car.
Did they know each other? Or were they just making casual conversation?
“Good morning,” her customer said, leaving his friend behind to join her. “You’re looking awfully grumpy for a Christmas elf.”
She lifted her chin and decided to own her ridiculous costume because—what else could she do? It made her mama happy, and right now every smile counted when she was in so much pain. “I haven’t had my coffee yet,” she said. “You came back.”
“I said I would.”
“Yes, I suppose you did,” she murmured. “Still planning on buying them all?”
“I am. Is that a problem?”
Buck would bring a load to replenish the lot either way, so— “Not at all. Can I ask what you’re going to do with so many trees?”
His handsome face broke into a smile once again, one that reminded her of the details of the dreams she’d had of him last night. A hot rush flooded her bloodstream.
“Decorate them,” he said simply.
“All of them?”
“Every single one,” he drawled in a knee-weakening voice. “Would you like to help me, Sara? It might help you regain some of that Christmas spirit you say is dead.”
She blinked and frowned. “When did I say that?”
“Yesterday, when you yelled it at the tree thieves.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess I did.”
He held out a thick envelope, and their fingers brushed when she took it from him.
“So is that a yes? You’ll help me with the trees? I wouldn’t mind the company.”
Yeah, she doubted he lacked company in any way. “My Christmas spirit is in the negative numbers this year, so—I’ll pass. But thanks for this,” she said, waving the envelope.
He’d paid five hundred down as a deposit last night but fifty trees averaging a hundred dollars each added up, and he hadn’t even asked for a bulk discount or argued her delivery fee.
She quickly counted the money despite the little sticky bank strips holding them bunched in thousand-dollar increments. It was her parents’ money and not her own, so she had to be sure it was accurate—and real. So she marked the bills with the extra counterfeit marker she’d found inside the camper since the other one had been inside the stolen cash box. And like the bills he’d given her last night, they all passed the test.
The man—men, because his friend had joined them and now stood nearby while the other one had climbed back into his car and remained waiting—watched her with curious expressions as she checked the bills. Finally she finished. “I’ll, um, need time to load and deliver the trees, but I’ll try to have them to the address you gave me sometime today.”
She’d forgotten to look up the address last night because she’d been so out of sorts, but it was on the island, so it wasn’t a matter of travel time so much as loading and unloading time, and the man—or woman—power to do it. Hopefully she could scrounge up some hourly help with a quick Facebook post.
“I’ve got that covered.”
She blinked up at him. “What?”
“After I left, I considered the fact you were here alone last night and how you might be again today, so I brought help. Assuming we’re able to use the truck?”
She followed the lift of his chin to where the old red flatbed truck sat with Zinnick Tree Farm emblazoned on the doors in green and gold. “But you paid for delivery.”
“If we use the truck, you’re still delivering the trees,” he said easily.
A van pulled onto the lot, the doors marked with a logo she couldn’t make out from where they were by the camper.
He turned toward the four young men climbing out of the van, all dressed in matching work shirts and pants, and waved a hand toward the trees. “Load all the trees onto the truck, guys. Thanks.”
A series of “yessir” followed as the men immediately went to work, one climbing onto the bed as the other three began carrying trees for him to stack.
While they did that, the man in front of her shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and ambled closer to her.
“Once they’re finished loading, I’ll ride with you to deliver them.”
“I’m sure you’d be much more comfortable in your Mercedes.” And the last thing she needed was tall, dark and distracting sitting beside her, watching her fumble the old manual truck from one gear to another. She hadn’t had a lot of practice in recent years, though she’d driven it thousands of times.
“I insist. I can help you navigate to the proper areas for unloading.”
It wasn’t an unreasonable request. Or offer. Especially from someone who’d cleared out the lot. “Fine. I suppose that’ll be okay. I’ll… I’ll go change.”
“No, leave it on. I like it. You look adorable, and someone will be there to snap a few photos to mark the occasion.”
She glanced at the rapidly emptying lot as more trees continued to be stacked on the truck by the men. They were making record time. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt,” she said, reminding herself that her parents deserved all the help they could get. If it cost her a little humiliation, so be it. It was nothing compared to the pain and humiliation her mother endured while nurses and doctors helped her live at the moment. “Thank you again for the business. My— My parents will be thrilled.”
“You’re very welcome. Now about your lack of holiday spirit…”
She held up her hands and shook her head. “I’m good. You can take my share this year.”
“That’s not acceptable. Besides, I like a challenge.”
“I’m not a challenge,” she said. “I mean, not that I’m easy. I just meant?—”
His chuckle warmed her from head to toe and all the places in between.
The warmth in his dark gaze quickened the normally steady thrum of her heart, and she fought to regain her composure. Any other time, she’d be all for meeting a gorgeous man, but now? Jobless, homeless, and with her life so up in the air? Her mom needing her help the moment she was released from the hospital? This wasn’t a good time. The last thing she needed was a man. “Let’s just…get the trees to wherever they’re going so we can both be about our days, shall we?”