Page 4 of Daddy’s Little Candy Cane

CHAPTER FOUR

Ethan

Even though the week after Thanksgiving was always the busiest, things always picked up at the tree lot right after the first. Ever since the first of the month, I had been driving all over town, delivering Christmas trees and helping people set up their decorations that I rarely had time for myself. Of course, I didn't mind and deeply enjoyed spreading the holiday spirit, but it was hectic if I didn't get my daily dose of coffee.

My favorite place to go during the holidays, especially whenever I was preparing to go help people set up their Christmas decorations or deliver their tree first thing in the morning, was Sally's Diner. Sally was one of the best business people in town, and her diner had been open unchallenged for well over twenty years. Every year at Christmas time, whenever I was at my busiest, she liked to give me discounts and offer me free refills of coffee in my thermos as a thank you for all the work I was doing around town. It didn't seem like a lot, but, when I didn't have much time to go home and make my own coffee or hot chocolate, it was actually a huge help and usually got me through my day.

On this particular day, I had completely skipped breakfast thanks to all the work I had to do and was absolutely starving. By the time I finished delivering the five Christmas trees, I had decided that I had enough time for a quick pit stop at Sally's Diner in order to get something to eat before I went to the mall to help finish decorating one of the stores for Christmas. I pulled my truck up to a stop in front of the diner and headed in. The first thing I noticed was the new girl that Sally had hired as the hostess.

The woman looked like she had just got out of high school, and she was much shorter than most women I had seen in a long time. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a messy bun, and her uniform, which was supposed to look like that of a fifties diner, exposed every single curve in her body. She smiled at me with her crimson red lips as soon as she saw me.

"Welcome to Sally's Diner," she replied, sounding incredibly professional, even though she couldn't be much older than eighteen. "Is this going to be for here or to go?" Remembering the fact that I had never seen her before, I decided to humor her with a professional response rather than informing her that I was a regular and had a routine.

"It's going to be for here," I informed. Realizing that she was about to ask how many were going to be at the table, I continued. "It's also just me." Immediately, she looked down at her seating chart and nodded.

"Right this way, sir," she said, not skipping a beat." I couldn't help but smile as I followed her across the dining room and over to the table that she had decided for me. After providing me with a menu, she tilted her head at me her smile still plastered on her face. "Can I get you a glass of water while you wait?" Before I could even respond, Sally came out of the kitchen and raised an eyebrow at us.

"Don't worry about this one," she called out to the woman. "I already know exactly what he wants." Wishing that Sally hadn't interrupted my interaction with the new hostess, I turned and smiled at her, not allowing my expression to betray my inner thoughts.

"Hey, Sally," I called out from the table as she approached us. "Are you going to introduce me to your new help?" Sally smiled as she looked over at the hostess.

"Diana, this is Ethan Powell," she stated, introducing me to the young woman. "He's the one who owns the tree lot on the outside of town." Immediately, a look of recognition cross the young woman's face as she turned to smile at me.

"You're the one who owns the only tree lot here in town?" she asked, and I nodded in response. Giving a huge sigh of relief, she nodded her head. "I understand if you're currently here to relax, but do you mind giving me the address of the tree lot? It's been awhile since I've been to town, and I still have to go by the Christmas tree for the house." I couldn't help but laugh as I nodded my head in response.

"Not a problem," I said as I reached into my pocket, pulling out one of the many business cards I kept just in case this happened. "I'm always willing to help a new customer find a tree. Do you know what kind of tree you have in mind?" Immediately, her face went pale as she shook her head.

"I don't know anything about Christmas trees," she replied as she looked embarrassed. "This will actually be my first Christmas since I graduated high school, and my parents moved away." When I looked confused, Sally placed a hand on the hostess's shoulder.

"I'm sure you remember Grace and Charles Travis," she said as she looked at me.

Immediately, I remembered Grace and Charles the two locals, who had gotten really sick thanks to the cold weather every year and decided that they were going to move south in order to get away from the cold weather so that they could live out their days in a much safer environment. I knew that they had a daughter who had gone to the city as soon as she graduated high school, but I had never seen the daughter before. Feeling like a fool, I motioned towards the hostess.

"Are you Diana Travis?" I asked, and she nodded Immediately, I was caught by surprised and couldn't help but shake my head. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Travis. I take it you're going to want the same kind of tree as what your parents always got?" Her face lit up as she nodded in response.

"If at all possible," she replied, sounding like a little child as she stood there before me. "I want to try to keep up my parents' old Christmas traditions now that they gave me the house, and I know that Mother and Father were both insistent on always getting the same type of tree every year." Laughing, I shook my head at her.

"Not a problem," I reassured her as I nodded towards the card. "Come by later today once you get off work, and I'll help you choose the perfect tree." Immediately, she picked up the card, and I watched the look of gratitude wash over her as she nodded her head at me.

"Thank you so much," she replied before turning to go back to her station. Ss soon as she was gone, I looked over at Sally.

"Looks like you got yourself some good help," I replied, and Sally nodded.

"She came with a recommendation from Francine James," she informed me. "I guess the poor girl got laid off in the city and returned here in order to try to make it on her own." Smiling after Sally return to the kitchen, I watched the woman and couldn't help but wonder what kind of person she had grown into.