“Who taught you how to do that so well?” Odette teased. “Such fine work.”
“I learned from the best,” Theo smiled.
“We’ll see,” Delaney said, shedding her coat. “You think Theodora’s wreaths are good only because I haven’t been here. You want fine work, you’re about to get it.”
Theo shook her head and laughed. “Okay, Odie,” she said, “it looks like you’ve got the two best volunteers in all of Whisper Creek right here.” She moved her hands to indicate both her mother and Delaney. “I think it’s time for me to make a coffee run. I’m taking orders. What does everyone want?”
Theo grabbed a scrap of wrapping paper that was sitting on one of the worktables and flipped it over so she could jot down drink orders.
“If I can lure Indie away from Dandelion and Maple, I’ll take her with me,” she said, pulling on her coat and pocketing her list. Dandelion was one of Odette’s goats. Maple was Dandy’s doeling. Indigo had been present for Maple’s birth, and the two of them were thick as thieves.
“Jordan already pulled her away from the goats. When I came in, the two of them were heading toward the upper lot on a quad with Jupiter running after them. I didn’t get to talk to her. She was too busy shrieking and giggling.” Delaney sighed, rolled her eyes upward and gave her head a shake. “Jordan’s always had a way with the girls.”
This made Theo laugh. “I can’t argue with that.” She pulled her phone from her pocket and sent Jordan a text letting him know what she was doing. “I’ll be back shortly,” she said, glancing at Odette. “We’ll get loaded up on caffeine and then you’ll really see some progress.”
Theo heard her phone chime.
“Be careful,” Jordan’s text read. “Nothing for us, thank you. Mom promised Indie hot chocolate with marshmallows later. I love you.”
The air felt fresh and clean when Theo stepped outside. The sky was blue, but there were clouds building, promising more snow. She stood at the edge of the parking lot blinking into the afternoon sunshine. She was enjoying the heat on her face and looking forward to one of Vivienne’s cinnamon dolce lattes.
Almost thirty minutes later, Theo returned to the farm carrying a beverage tray in her hands. She’d already devoured half of her own drink by the time she met Delaney who was walking the opposite way.
“You’re leaving? Seriously? After all that trash talk you’re just turning around and walking out? You realize that makes me the winner by default, right?”
“What’s wrong with you?” Delaney asked. “You just lookin’ for a fight?”
“Eh,” Theo shrugged. “I pulled Indie from Tiny Tutus. I told Mamie and she didn’t respond. I’ve been waiting to defend myself all morning.”
Delaney nodded. “Yeah, Muhammad Ali, I advise you to keep your gloves up.” She stood on her tiptoes and surveyed the drinks. “This one is mine,” she said, pulling the cup from the holder.
“So, where are you going?”
“I just got a call. Bad news I’m afraid. There was a body found in one of the Darby Lake cabins.”
“Oh, no …”
“Yeah.”
“Call me later?”
“Of course.”
“Be careful.”
“You’re in far more danger going back in there than I am going to a crime scene.”
Theo sighed. “That’s probably true. Still, it’s never a bad idea to watch your ass.”
“Agreed.”
Theo watched as her friend walked quickly to her car, sipping her coffee as she went. Then she turned and slowly walked toward the main building, silently bolstering herself for another few hours of wreath tying with Mamie.
Jordan put another log on the fire, then rolled back onto his heels to watch the flames build as they hungrily devoured the wood. Theo padded down the stairs in her thick socks, Jupiter trotting along behind her.
“You wore that kid out,” she said, walking into the living room. Jupiter jumped up onto the couch and spun around two times before settling against the cushions. He let out a satisfied doggy sigh and rested his chin on top of his paws, the fire reflecting in his bright eyes. “I wasn’t even sure she’d make it through her bath she was so tired.”
“We didn’t get to hang out very long. I was too busy hauling trees to the sales lot and keeping all the newbies from making too many mistakes.”
Every year, Max hired a handful of high school age kids to help them sell trees. That meant that every year, he and Jordan had to teach these kids how to know the difference between Scotch pines, sugar pines, white and blue spruces and Douglas and Noble fir trees. Then they showed them how to bind the trees and how to carefully load them onto the tops of vehicles and tie them without doing any damage to the trees or the cars. Fireweed Farm was known all over the state and was included on all the print and online lists for being one of the best places to purchase trees for the holiday. Odette and her overflowing gift shop had built up its own reputation, and people came from all over to purchase the goodies she stocked. Fireweed was busy throughout the year, but their biggest month for sales was undeniably December.
“Delaney caught sight of the two of you on the quad. She said she hollered at you, but her voice got drowned out by Indigo who was obviously having the time of her life.”
Jordan laughed. “That kid is so much fun. I took a quick break for lunch and ordered her bed this afternoon.” He lifted his arm and Theo knelt down on the thick rug in front of the fire with him. He draped his arm around her shoulders, and she happily leaned against him. “I didn’t do the trundle bed, but I did order the two drawers for beneath the twin. I got the double dresser and two bookshelves, too.”
“You got them in white, right?”
“Yep. I was going to order the mattresses today, too, but things got a little busy. I’m leaving all the bedding up to you. The rug, too. Maybe we can do all of that tomorrow.”
“After we sleep in and have a great big breakfast.”
Jordan smiled at her. “I’m thinking we should make omelets. Stuff them full of things like ham and cheese.”
“We can do that.”
“Onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers …”
