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“A landscaper started putting up lights as part of a side business. It’s the off-season for him.”
“You paid for that?”
“No, actually. Addy mentioned how she wanted our house to match the others in the neighborhood, and he did it as a surprise.”
Dad raised his brow as Mom and my sister, Grace, came out onto the porch. I hugged and kissed them, hoping Dad would let it go.
“Some man surprised Sarah by decorating her porch with lights.”
“How romantic,” Grace said as she sat on the swing with Addy.
“He’s not some man. He’s a landscaper who works on my neighbor’s property.”
“Does he work on yours?” Grace asked with a sly smile.
“You know I don’t have extra funds for that.” I did the best I could to mow it and trim some of the weeds. But flowers and bushes were beyond me.
“So, he did it for free?” Mom asked, always concerned about people’s motives.
“Addy asked him to make our house match, and he couldn’t say no. You know how she is.”
“Knox is nice. I love his house,” Addy said, like it was the most natural thing in the world to tell my family.
Everyone’s gaze moved to me.
“We’ve spent some time together as friends. He helped us get a tree, and we decorated his last night.”
“So, you’re spending time with this guy? Is that a good idea?” Mom asked.
“He’s nice, and it’s been a long time since I’ve met someone. You know how meeting people on the dating apps are. There are a lot of bad ones to sort through, and I don’t have the time.”
“He lives on a Christmas tree farm.” Addy kicked her feet to make the swing move.
“Oh? Which one?” Mom asked as she helped Dad undo a knot on one of the strands of lights.
“Monroe Christmas Tree Farm. It’s about twenty minutes outside of town.”
Dad frowned. “I can’t say I’ve ever been there. But I think I read that they provided Annapolis’s tree this year.”
“Yeah, I think that’s true.” I leaned against the railing, enjoying spending time with my family.
“You want a snack?” Grace asked Addy, and when she nodded, she led her into the house. When the door was closed, Mom asked, “Is there anything going on between you two?”
My face flushed at the memory of what had happened in his bedroom last night. “Originally, he said he wanted to be friends, but I think it’s turning into something more.”
“Is he one of those types who doesn’t want to be in a relationship, or is it because of Addy that he took his time to get to know you?
“He loves Addy. He’s so good with her. He returned home to live on his family’s farm a few years ago when his dad died. I think he feels some guilt about not being there when it happened. I get the impression he wants to focus on the farm and the family business. His family is close.”
“I like that he’s a family man, but not so much that he doesn’t have time for a relationship,” Dad said gruffly.
“I think he’s changed his mind about that. He wasn’t looking for one when we met.”
Mom nodded. “Just make sure you’re taking things slowly. You don’t want Addy to be hurt.”
Mom and Dad exchanged a look, and I was positive they were thinking about Gary and how he’d treated Addy like someone forgettable.
“I’m being careful, but I really like him. I love his farm. How close he is with his family. How he treats me and Addy.” Being with him last night felt natural and real. I don’t remember how it was with Gary in the beginning, but we were young. We weren’t necessarily looking for a long-term commitment. We were having fun. When I got pregnant, that became abundantly clear.
