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Murphy glares. "And you're the one who can make his own hours, Liam. It's called compromise. Look it up in the dictionary."
Mom chuckles and pats Murphy on the back. "Aw, just like old times. I'm going to check on the chicken. Dinner'll be ready in fifteen minutes."
She leaves and I follow her out of the den, escaping the bickering. "I don't know what those two are thinking," I say to Mom as we cross the house. "All they do is argue."
"Love comes in all forms." Mom pats my back and hugs me to her side. "There's no harm in a little bickering."
I snort. "You and Dad never bicker and you've been happy together for almost thirty years."
She smiles fondly. "Your father is a saint and the best thing that ever happened to me, other than you kids. Not everyone can be so lucky as me."
"Then they shouldn't even bother."
She's walking into the noisy kitchen and probably didn't hear me.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out to see a text from Glenda, from the courthouse records department. After shopping with Cherry, I sent out a message to everyone in my contacts list about any job openings.
Glenda:Josephine Winters is looking for someone to help out.
I bite back a laugh. Me:At the farm?
Glenda:And at the Reindeer visiting center downtown.
My laugh breaks free as I picture Cherry scooping reindeer poop.
Me:Thanks, Glenda. I'll let my friend know.
I navigate to my contacts and realize I never got Cherry's number.
I'm going to have to track her down.
***
"How's business?" My father asks in his quiet way. The conversation flows around us, but Dad isn't much of a talker. He usually watches with a smile, only speaking when he has something to say.
I clear my throat, hesitant to admit the truth. Unfortunately, I've never been good at lying to my parents. "Not great. But I've got some ideas to increase business."
"You should sell candy canes." Dad's the same height as my mom, but considerably leaner. His strength is the wiry kind he's gained over decades of working as a chef in restaurants all over the world. His blue eyes sparkle as he says the words I've heard from him and every other local and tourist who comes into my shop. "I know you've heard it before and I already know what you're going to say, but you live in a Christmas town. You need to cater to tourists."
The drop in my sales since I've removed all hints of Christmas from my shop is a pretty good sign I've been heading in the wrong direction and that's my father's point is valid. "I'll take it under consideration. James' ex-fiancée is actually trying to convince me to let her re-brand the store and my website."
"Cherry?" James' food practically spills from his mouth. He swallows fast and barks out a snide guffaw. "I wouldn't trust her to prune my rose bushes. She's good at two things, looking pretty and causing trouble."
Alice must pinch James under the table, because he flinches and gives her an apologetic look.
Alice drags her ham through the sugary syrup of the baked apples. "It's been two years since you've seen her. She's probably changed a lot."
"I doubt it," James says, though his tone is much less snide.
"She has a degree in marketing." I feel oddly defensive of Cherry when I don't want to work with her. "And she's persistent. If I was in the market for a re-brand, I'd hire her." That is sheer bravado to annoy James, but I realize I haven't given her a chance. I didn't even look at her ideas before I shut her down. Am I as judgmental as James?
I shudder at the thought.
Around me, conversation moves onto other topics, but Dad's studying me. "I don't like to meddle in your business, son, and Lord knows marketing isn't something I know much about. But you're a candy maker, not a marketing expert. Maybe you should give this woman a chance. No one can do anything meaningful without some sort of help."
"Are you saying my current marketing needs an upgrade?"
Dad purses his lips and looks away. He's not much for confrontation. He forks up some potatoes and chews thoughtfully. I figure we're done with the conversation.
