Read Online A Fairytale Christmas by Susan Meier - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susan Meier
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keep their distance. She wanted a relationship with him.
Drew nodded toward the house. “You should go back in. It’s cold.”
She might want a relationship with him, but he didn’t want one with her. She had to accept that.
Without looking at him she said, “Okay,” and walked to the house. But at the front door she paused and glanced back at him, just in time to see him fold the fax and put it in his pocket so he could serve the next customer. He was putting his tree customers before his conglomerate.
She opened the front door and stepped inside the house. If he were hers, she’d tell him what a wonderful guy he was. But he wasn’t hers. He would never be hers.
The tree farm didn’t officially close for the day until after eight. Gwen took sandwiches and coffee out to the men at one for lunch, and again at six, but she had a real dinner waiting for them when they came in for the night.
Drew didn’t even look at her when he said, “Thanks.”
She smiled anyway. “You’re welcome.”
Brody snorted and kicked off his boots. “ Thanks. You’re welcome. You can stop the act. I get it.”
Drew cast a horrified glance in his son’s direction. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re trying to teach me better manners. I get it. But you can stop now.”
Obviously tired from the day’s work, Drew looked like aman who had reached his limit. Gwen wasn’t surprised when he exploded.
“Why are you so grouchy?”
Brody rounded on him. “Me? Grouchy? You bring me to the pit from hell, put me to work, then constantly act super-polite around me with Gwen, as if you’re walking on eggshells.”
Gwen’s breath caught in her throat. He thought they were walking on eggshells because of him? She saw a corresponding look of horror come to Drew’s face.
Luckily, he recovered quickly. “I’m sorry, but Gwen and I aren’t walking on eggshells because of you. We’re professionals. A boss and his assistant, trying to get our work done.”
“Then why do I hear you talking nicer to each other when I’m not around and only being super-polite when I am?”
Gwen coughed uncomfortably.
Drew shook his head. “I don’t know what to say, Brody—”
Neither did Gwen. Was it appropriate to tell Drew’s sixteen-year-old son that they were fighting their attraction and that was why they were so stiff and polite with each other?
Brody blew his breath out. “Right. You don’t know what to say. You never know what to say because I’m a pain in your butt. An extra person underfoot that you don’t need right now. Why don’t you just ship me off, like mom did?”
“Hey, look, Brody, this might not be convenient for you, but your mom is on her honeymoon. Give her a break.”
Brody snorted. “You still think she’s taking me back, don’t you? I’ll bet you never even called her to ask if what I’d told you was true.” He shook his head. “You know, Dad, for a smart guy you can make it amazingly easy for someone to pull the wool over your eyes.”
As he said that, Brody shoved his boots to the corner by the door and stormed out of the room.
In the silence that followed, Drew’s gaze strayed over toGwen. She smiled sympathetically, but embarrassment rose up in her. It was hard being attracted to someone and not being able to show it. They’d flubbed this deal royally.
Drew shook his head. “I don’t even know where to start with the apologies.”
“You don’t need to apologize to me. But I do think you need to call Brody’s mom. That’s the second time he’s said she doesn’t want him back. The first time I thought he was just exaggerating to make himself look put upon, but now I’m not so sure.”
Drew sighed. “Yeah. I’m going to have to call.” He glanced at the table. “Sorry about ruining dinner.”
She waved a hand in dismissal. “Everything will keep until you and Brody get this straightened out.”
“And if we don’t?”
“You’ll eat it as leftovers
Drew nodded toward the house. “You should go back in. It’s cold.”
She might want a relationship with him, but he didn’t want one with her. She had to accept that.
Without looking at him she said, “Okay,” and walked to the house. But at the front door she paused and glanced back at him, just in time to see him fold the fax and put it in his pocket so he could serve the next customer. He was putting his tree customers before his conglomerate.
She opened the front door and stepped inside the house. If he were hers, she’d tell him what a wonderful guy he was. But he wasn’t hers. He would never be hers.
The tree farm didn’t officially close for the day until after eight. Gwen took sandwiches and coffee out to the men at one for lunch, and again at six, but she had a real dinner waiting for them when they came in for the night.
Drew didn’t even look at her when he said, “Thanks.”
She smiled anyway. “You’re welcome.”
Brody snorted and kicked off his boots. “ Thanks. You’re welcome. You can stop the act. I get it.”
Drew cast a horrified glance in his son’s direction. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re trying to teach me better manners. I get it. But you can stop now.”
Obviously tired from the day’s work, Drew looked like aman who had reached his limit. Gwen wasn’t surprised when he exploded.
“Why are you so grouchy?”
Brody rounded on him. “Me? Grouchy? You bring me to the pit from hell, put me to work, then constantly act super-polite around me with Gwen, as if you’re walking on eggshells.”
Gwen’s breath caught in her throat. He thought they were walking on eggshells because of him? She saw a corresponding look of horror come to Drew’s face.
Luckily, he recovered quickly. “I’m sorry, but Gwen and I aren’t walking on eggshells because of you. We’re professionals. A boss and his assistant, trying to get our work done.”
“Then why do I hear you talking nicer to each other when I’m not around and only being super-polite when I am?”
Gwen coughed uncomfortably.
Drew shook his head. “I don’t know what to say, Brody—”
Neither did Gwen. Was it appropriate to tell Drew’s sixteen-year-old son that they were fighting their attraction and that was why they were so stiff and polite with each other?
Brody blew his breath out. “Right. You don’t know what to say. You never know what to say because I’m a pain in your butt. An extra person underfoot that you don’t need right now. Why don’t you just ship me off, like mom did?”
“Hey, look, Brody, this might not be convenient for you, but your mom is on her honeymoon. Give her a break.”
Brody snorted. “You still think she’s taking me back, don’t you? I’ll bet you never even called her to ask if what I’d told you was true.” He shook his head. “You know, Dad, for a smart guy you can make it amazingly easy for someone to pull the wool over your eyes.”
As he said that, Brody shoved his boots to the corner by the door and stormed out of the room.
In the silence that followed, Drew’s gaze strayed over toGwen. She smiled sympathetically, but embarrassment rose up in her. It was hard being attracted to someone and not being able to show it. They’d flubbed this deal royally.
Drew shook his head. “I don’t even know where to start with the apologies.”
“You don’t need to apologize to me. But I do think you need to call Brody’s mom. That’s the second time he’s said she doesn’t want him back. The first time I thought he was just exaggerating to make himself look put upon, but now I’m not so sure.”
Drew sighed. “Yeah. I’m going to have to call.” He glanced at the table. “Sorry about ruining dinner.”
She waved a hand in dismissal. “Everything will keep until you and Brody get this straightened out.”
“And if we don’t?”
“You’ll eat it as leftovers