The Christmas Tree Keeper: A Novel Read online

  “I found it! This one is for our house.” Caroline put her hands on her hips and looked over her shoulder. “Can I have that ribbon now?”

  Angela handed it to her and watched as she skillfully maneuvered through the branches to the trunk. The ribbon wasn’t quite long enough to fit around it and form a knot, so she used the base of a branch jutting out from the trunk and tied a double-knotted bow with the red-and-white polka-dot ribbon.

  “There. Nice and tight,” she said. “Now the tree for the farmhouse. Look over here.”

  Angela followed her while Mark and Papa stood talking, maybe about Caroline’s choice of tree.

  “What do you think of this one? It will be perfect in the front room of Mark’s house. Too bad we couldn’t put it up today so you and Mark could have a wedding soon.”

  Angela clenched her jaw.

  “Do you think it can count if we just tag it? Caroline asked.

  “Listen, Papa is having a little fun with you today. I’m not so sure trees can make love matches.”

  “Sure they can. These are Shafer trees, remember? They cause miracles,” Caroline said. “Remember how after we put up our tree last year, we paid the rent and you got a new job? And then we found the treasure on the farm with Mark?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “That’s what I mean. So you’ve heard of the miracle of love, right?” Caroline continued.

  Angela had no defense for that. Maybe a distraction would work. “I didn’t bring another ribbon. We’ll have to come out again.”

  Caroline stepped back and reached for her small ponytail. She pulled at the yellow sunflower ponytail holder until it was free and then worked it around one of the tree’s short branches.

  “There. That will do.” Caroline sighed loudly.

  “What was that for?” Angela asked, referring to her sigh.

  “I still think we only need one tree.”

  “You mean you only want one tree,” Angela clarified.

  “Whatever. Wouldn’t it be awesome to wake up Christmas morning at the farm and you and Mark could be married? That would be a nice present. I wouldn’t need anything else.”

  Angela found herself picturing it, but only for a second before reality set in. “Caroline, Christmas is less than four months away.”

  Caroline shrugged. “Don’t doubt the trees, Mom.”

  They walked back to the farmhouse, Caroline flitting between Angela and Mark, then catching up with Papa, who led the way.

  “She believes him, you know. Love-match trees,” Angela said to Mark. “Any idea how that’s supposed to work?”

  “None whatsoever. I’ll ask him on our next walk.” Mark brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. “Is that fear I see?”

  Angela took a breath, then a deeper one, willing the furrow to disappear—at least enough that she wouldn’t look petrified. A wedding before Christmas, and she and Mark weren’t even engaged. She didn’t fault him. In January, she’d opened her big mouth about “four seasons.”

  She’d told him about her mother’s idea of knowing each other through four seasons before getting married—advice she’d given Angela the first time around. Advice she had ignored, of course. This time she thought she should try it out, and maybe avoid past mistakes.

  It had been exciting when they’d found the treasure box together last Christmas Day, right where Mark’s dad had told Angela’s mom he’d put it some thirty years earlier. Yes, it was remarkable to find the seeds, a leather pouch, and a diamond band. But they’d hardly known each other then and had only been caught up in the thrill of the discovery. No matter how good it felt when Mark had put the ring on her finger, giving it back had been the right thing to do.

  And no matter how much she liked it when he had kissed her, she would not rush into marriage this time. She would not have another fair-weather husband.

  Mark hadn’t argued with them taking their time. She actually didn’t mean to say he couldn’t propose until four seasons had passed, but here they were in September. Angela had wondered if Mark would propose on Christmas Day, maybe a little reenactment of last year, only this time without the audience and somewhere a little less dusty than the toolshed. And that would give her enough time to be sure she wasn’t rushing into this relationship.

  So why should she be worried about Papa’s little comment?

  Any potential proposal was months away.

  There would be no wedding before Christmas, no matter what tree Caroline chose.