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“I say, ah…” Tad sat down heavily, shaking his head. “It was a nice thought,” he said. “And I get why you did it. But, listen, Sarah, this isn’t just my work. It’s my reputation, who I am. If I have a problem with a deadline, it’s on me to discuss it with my clients and find a solution.”
“But everyone’s happy. Everyone’s—”
“It’s notaboutthat.” Tad started upright, then fell back in his chair. He looked tired, all of a sudden, like the air had gone out of him. “Maybe it’s different here, but where I come from, your word’s your bond. You say you’ll do something, you do it. You do it well and on time, and you don’t make excuses. And you don’t make brownies…well, unless you’re hungry.”
Sarah smiled at that, but inside she felt cold. “Think of it this way,” she said. “You’ve got three clients here, me, Wally, and Uncle Vince. You can work yourself to a nub and get all our jobsdone,but I won’t be happy, knowing you had to wear yourself out like that. You can put Uncle Vince off, and his business will suffer. Or I can make one pan of brownies, and everyone’s happy. How is thatnotthe answer?”
“Because that’s not how it works.” Tad got up and began to pace. “Maybe if I’d been here for ten years already. If I’d built up those relationships for myself. But I’m brand-new here. These people don’t know me. They don’t have any reason to trust me or my work. They’re not making concessions because they believe in me. They’re doing it foryou.What’s going to happen when word gets around I couldn’t meet my commitments? That you had to step in with your brownies, your trades? It’ll look like I crapped out, and I couldn’t even admit it. I had to send you to clean up my mess.”
“I didn’t think of it that way.” Sarah sank down at the table. Would the Whites really see this as Tad letting them down? Would they spread it around? Could it hurt his business? Maybe she’d been naïve, taking for granted that everyone in town would be as forgiving of him as they’d always been of her. They didn’t know Tad like she did, so whyshouldthey give him the benefit of the doubt?
“Well, now you know.” Tad set his hand on her chair, but didn’t quite touch her. “You thought you were helping. I get that—I do.” Sarah waited for him to sayI understand—it’s okay.But he didn’t. Instead, he just stepped back and zipped up his coat.
“We should grab West and get ready,” he said.
Sarah looked up. “Hmm?”
“You know, for the sleigh ride. We’re still going, right?”
Sarah let out a harsh breath. Sleigh bells and carols were the last things she wanted right now. But if she didn’t go, Tad wouldn’t either. West would be disappointed, and no one would win.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll go find my boots.”
* * *
Sarah took her time with the horses, getting them decked out and hitched up, ready for the ride. It felt good to be alone and on her own turf. No screaming kids, no one to see if she let her smile fade.
Jenny tossed her head again, to make her bells ring. Some horses shied from that silveryting. Jenny embraced it, couldn’t get enough.
“That make you feel special?” Sarah checked Jenny’s halter and found it secure. She stroked her nose fondly and fed her a treat. “Today’s your day,” she said. “You’ll ring your bells all you want, and then when you’re done, you’ll get a nice warm blanket.”
Jenny flicked her ears and nosed at Sarah’s pockets. Sarah fed her an apple slice.
“That’s all you get till after the ride. Can’t have you getting gassy while you’re pulling the sleigh.”
“Pthbbbbt.”
Sarah jumped at the sound, and spun to find Will leaning over the fence.
“I thought I’d come help,” he said. “Your men are getting lonely up on the porch.”
“My men? Tad and West?” Sarah forced a big smile, then dialed it back a few notches when Will’s brows went up. “I’ve only been down here, what, half an hour?”
“Well, you know how us guys are—long on energy, short on patience.” He cracked a smile. “You’d better get up there. West’s bouncing off the walls.”
“Okay, I’m going.” Sarah gave Jenny’s nose one last pat. She started across the paddock, toward the pond.
“Hey, Sarah?”
She paused at the gate. “What?”
“Thanks to our win at talent night, if I beat you at carol night, that makes us tied.”
“And if we beat you, that makes you a loser.” She flashed him the L sign, and Will’s smile disappeared. He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.
“You know I’m just teasing, right? Pulling your tail?”
“Well—” Sarah bit her tongue to keep from snapping at her brother. “Sorry,” she said. “Been a long day, is all—the renovations on my kitchen, nothing in its place.”
