“Well, the reason Jack left was—”
Jack stepped around the side of the barn, a saw slung over his shoulder and his familiar scowl on full display. Becky startled and let out a high-pitched yelp as if she’d stumbled across an angry yeti brandishing a weapon.
I sighed at Jack’s untimely entrance. “Don’t worry about the saw, Becky. You get used to it.”
“It’s a tree farm. How else do you expect me to cut the trees?” Jack grumbled. He eyed both of us and attempted a tight smile. “Ready to get this over with?”
“I think what our rugged farm guide means is, the best trees are that way.” I pointed down the path and waved my two reluctant love birds forward. Jack met my gaze over Becky’s head, and I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. He looked miserable. But that would change once we got going. I planned to rip his romance-averse Band-Aid right off, and I’d start with a little atmospheric snow.
With the two of them walking ahead, I took off my mittens and rubbed my palms together. Magic tingled in my fingers as more gray clouds gathered and the first few flakes fell. The ground crunched beneath my feet, a mix of packed snow and fallen pine needles as I followed them down the trail and into the rows of trees. At first glance, I could see how the farm had fallen on hard times. Many of the trees were overgrown and needed shearing, and some had gaping bare spots that even the largest ornaments couldn’t hide.
But there was also something mesmerizing about the vast field. As if beauty lay in the wild, untamed landscape. With some care and attention, so much potential and future memories remained. It reminded me of why I wanted to become an agent.Miracles happen with love and a little magic.
The crisp air was invigorating, and I breathed it in, feeling recharged from the fresh pine aroma. This was going to work. Already, I felt light-hearted and slightly dreamy as we weaved through the field rich with festive history and family traditions.
“How about this one?” Becky pointed toward a modest pine that was leaning slightly to the left. Its branches were full, so it had that going for it, but it wasn’t what I pictured headlining the town square. We needed a showstopper, and I had to believe there was one hidden further in the back.
“Fine by me.” Jack hefted the saw off his shoulder.
I held up my hand. Regardless of my opinion on Becky’s selection,we couldn’t pick a tree in the first ten minutes! Becky and Jack hadn’t even chatted. All we’d done was walk in awkward silence listening to the sounds of our footsteps. Only the ambiance was top-notch. The flirting was non-existent.
“Wait. I don’t think that’s the one. We should keep looking. We’ll know it when we see it.”
A wistful smile transformed Jack’s features, and for an instant, his gaze softened. He lowered the saw to the ground and rested his hands on his hips. “That’s what my dad always said to customers. ‘You’ll know it when you see it.’ Like there was a specific tree for each family.”
Something warm kindled in my chest as Jack let his guard down. It might be brief, but it renewed my hope. I wandered a short distance away, pretending to search for another tree, hoping Becky might take advantage of Jack’s blink-and-you-might-miss-it vulnerability.
Twirling my finger, I made a rush of snowflakes swirl around her body like a crystal halo. Another spell infused the air with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla—both aphrodisiacs that should increase the chances of evoking desire. Becky’s cheeks were flushed from the cold, and she looked like a snow queen standing among her evergreen subjects.
But she didn’t take the hint.
Geez, Becky. I’m literally doing all the work here. At least give him a charming anecdote from your family to share in the moment.
“Um…” Becky broke the silence, and I perked up, certain she was about to reveal a gem. “What kind of tree is this one?”
“It’s a Fraser fir.”
“Ah, yes. That’s a good one. Excellent needle retention.”
I dropped my head into my hands and rubbed my temples. Their conversation was headache-inducing.Less words, more physical contact.
Pushing my palms forward, I sent a gust of wind into Becky’s back. She stumbled into Jack with a nervous yelp, and he caught her around the shoulders, keeping her on her feet. Her head tilted back, and their eyes met. The air settled, and it was like I was watching time stand still as the tension thickened.
I could barely breathe, and my chest hurt. Pricks of tears stung the corners of my eyes as the urge to separate them with another blast of icy air moved through me, tempting my fingers until I closed my hands into fists. This was what I wanted! I chanted another name in my head, hoping it would dim the buzzing.
Simon…Simon…Simon—
Jack released Becky and gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Watch your step. It’s icy out here.”
Relief poured through me, and I ducked behind one of the trees to squeeze my eyes shut. What was wrong with me? I needed to get my head on straight or I’d be stuck as an underappreciated office drone for the rest of my life. Closing my hands around a tree branch, I let the prickly needles bite my palm. The sting was soothing in the face of my jealousy. And that’s what it was, and I hated it.
It was going to ruin everything!
“Are you okay? Or do you want to be alone with the tree?”
Jack’s voice punctured my thoughts, and my eyes popped open. Heat scorched the back of my neck. Releasing the branch, I wobbled on unsteady feet, knocking his shoulder as I brushed past him.
“Uh, yeah. I’m fine. I was just testing the tree’s firmness.” The heat must have moved from my neck to boil my brain. I sounded just like Becky.
