AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’ll help me organize it?” Ireland asked with a pleading expression.
“I can. But it should be easy. Especially if you’ve already contacted restaurants about providing sandwiches.”
“I have. I think we’ll offer two types of sandwiches to keep it simple: hot chocolate, water, and soda, then the snacks we already talked about.”
“I’ll help with the marketing materials. Have you collected any emails?” I asked, wondering how we’d get the word out if we didn’t have anyone’s information. Flyers were okay, but a newsletter would be better.
Ireland tapped her chin. “Yes. Lori has a clipboard she keeps at the counter. I’m not sure if she does anything with the information. Let me ask her.”
“We could also post a sign-up on the farm’s social media accounts, teasing that we have something big coming, and they’ll want to be the first to know.”
“I’ve been wanting to have a charity tree, too. We could reach out to the local community and get a list of toys that families might need and collect them. They’d drop them off here, maybe even buy their tree at the same time or shop in the store.”
I smiled. “I’m not sure you need my help. You seem to have a handle on the various things you could and want to do.”
“I’d like to have someone to bounce ideas off. Whenever I talk to Emmett, I’m met with stony silence, or him pointing out all the ways things could go wrong.” Ireland sighed.
“That’s tough. But I’m happy to be a sounding board for you.”
“I’m always here for you, too,” Heath said.
“No offense, but all the Monroe brothers are against letting more people onto the farm. I need someone on my side.”
“You have Sarah,” Heath began.
Ireland sighed. “But she’s not as good with this kind of thing.”
“I don’t mind. I love talking about ways to monetize businesses. It’s rare to find someone open to the suggestions and willing to implement them.” My body was already buzzing with ideas and possibilities. I loved working with her, especially with this project. I wanted to help the Monroes. “Whatever you need me to do, just ask.”
“I will.” Ireland hugged me and then said to Heath, “Thank you for bringing Marley to us. I adore her.”
I flushed with pleasure, not used to praise. Sure, I had tons of testimonials on my website to prove that I was good at my job, but that wasn’t personal. Not like this. I’d offered to help Ireland because the Monroes were friends. She wasn’t a client who’d paid me for my advice. She’d sought it out, and I’d provided it to be nice.
It was an entirely different transaction than what I was used to. I had a sense that people, or anyone who was friendly, wanted something from me. Maybe it went back to my childhood. My parents viewed Aiden and me as worthless because we couldn’t provide them with things or money. Maybe that was why I was so worried they’d show up now when I had something they might want.
When my online business first took off, Mom reached out to me, but I ignored her. It was hard because I felt guilty. I had this idea in my head of what my parents should be like, and they’d fallen short. I made myself mourn the loss of the parents that I should have had. In reality, my parents caused me a lot of pain, and I wanted nothing to do with them.
Twelve
Heath
I spent the afternoon working on the inn while Marley set up in the guest room for a bit, then went to her attorney’s appointment. I loved having her in my space. I’d spent so much time wondering about who she was now that I was enjoying getting to know her again.
She was the same person at her core, and she’d become successful despite her parents. It was admirable. I worried that she held herself back from people and life in general because she was afraid of letting anyone in. She didn’t want to get hurt, and I was afraid I contributed to that fear.
I wanted to show her the magic of Monroe Farm and maybe even convince her that running the inn, even from afar, was a possibility.
Any time I fantasized about touching her, pulling her into my arms for something more than a hug, I stopped myself short. I couldn’t let myself go there. She was here to heal from her past and make some progress on her future. The one I couldn’t be a part of.
Then my mind would inevitably wander to the what-ifs. What if she moved back and ran the inn herself or hired a manager so she could continue running her business? What if Aiden was okay with me seeing his younger sister?
I forced myself to focus on measurements and cutting the wood at the right angle so that I wouldn’t have to redo the work I’d spent all afternoon on.
When my phone buzzed, I grabbed it. Normally, I’d let it go to voice mail, but I’d told Marley to call me when she was done. I was more than a little worried about the appointment.
“Hey,” she said.
“How’d it go?” I asked, unsure from her tone how things had gone.
