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“I promise. It was nothing like that,” she rushed to reassure me. “Talon was good to me. It was my fault.”
I didn’t like the idea of letting it go, but they were adults now. It wasn’t my business.
She pulled out the ornaments from the boxes before inserting hooks and hanging them on the tree. Extras would go in the baskets just under the lowest branches.
“I’ll get the rest out of your car.”
She handed me the keys. “Thank you for helping out, and for being a good brother to Talon. He always spoke highly of you and Emmett.”
“We tried to instill manners and how to treat a woman right, but I don’t know if it stuck.”
She smiled softly. “Talon’s a good man. He was nothing but nice to me. You’re a good brother for taking the time to worry about it.”
“Now that our father isn’t here, I feel the weight of that responsibility.” Emmett was with Ireland and preoccupied with her needs. The family’s issues rested on my shoulders now.
Holly frowned. “You know it’s not your responsibility to make sure your brothers stay in line.”
I grunted. “I don’t know about that.”
She smiled wider. “You’re a good man, too, Knox. You’ll make a good husband one day.”
I shook my head. “That’s not what I want.”
She bumped my arm with her shoulder. “Maybe you’ll change your mind when you meet the right person.”
I couldn’t help but think about Sarah. “I see how you switched things from you to me.”
She grinned wider. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“I’ll grab the rest of the boxes.” I turned away as her laugh carried through the store. At least I’d helped ease that stress and anxiety I’d seen in her eyes when she saw Talon.
Whatever happened between them felt heavy and intense. I wasn’t sure if it was the usual teenage misunderstandings or something more. I’d said my piece, and I’d leave them alone for now.
If their relationship becomes an issue on the farm, I’d revisit it. But I couldn’t fault him for giving Holly a wide berth. I understood that it hurt too much sometimes to face things head-on. And who was I to push him to deal with his issues when I was still wrapped up in guilt for not being here when my father died?
I made one more trip to her trunk before helping her unpack the extra ornaments into the baskets.
Talon didn’t appear again, and I hoped he was busy working on the pieces for the light show. I wanted to see Sarah’s and Addy’s faces when I showed them the display. I’d do anything to make them smile.
They seemed somewhat isolated, with Sarah working from home. I never saw anyone coming and going from their house. She’d mentioned parents in the area but no friends. I wondered if she socialized enough. Then I shoved the thoughts aside. What Sarah did wasn’t any of my concern. Even though I could be worried about a friend’s well-being, this felt like more than that.
I stood outside for a minute to make sure the lot and the line for the trees were running smoothly. We didn’t want anyone waiting too long. When that happened, Mom brought apple cider to the kids in line. This year, Ireland was helping with that on the weekends.
Mom brought me a cup and handed it to me. “Thought you could use this.”
“I helped Holly bring in her things.”
Mom frowned. “It’s a shame she and Talon don’t talk anymore. They were so tight in high school.”
I blew on the cider to cool it before testing it. “I wonder what happened between them.”
“It was the summer before college. Whatever it was, he wouldn’t talk about it. I even had your father try. No luck.”
“I was hoping you had some insight.”
“You know how things seem so big when you’re teenagers. I’m sure, looking back, it wasn’t that big of a deal. They should talk it out and move on so they can work together. I’d love to have her help at the shop, but I’m afraid to ask.”
“I suggested they talk, too. She said she’d think about it.”
