Page 5 (1/2)

Dad always said business was good Dad always said everything was fine and if things weren’t ouldn’t he tell oddamn fixer

Stubborn, I reminded myself

Proud, I reminded myself

Two things I loved about the old s so hard

“Is that true?”

“Oh od! Ethan! How can you not know that?”

I waved hello to the Blake faoods store down the street and then turned to face the corner of the roo we’ve talked about Dad hasn’t even hinted that there’s a problem”

Moht the land in the early seventies for a song, they’d used it as a co Christ on the land in various buildings

But when the 70s were over and they decided they needed to make some money, they created the inn Dad had been the muscle Mom had been the brains The three of us kids had helped out on sued us to do our own things

And this last year, when I got so busy with Salt Springs and United Earthhe’d been so proud During our weekly dinners he asked questions about my work and I’d been so preoccupied I didn’t ask about the farm

“I’m not sure he would even know,” Kristen said “You knoas when Mos, the finances, and left hi into the books See where things stand really But I’ to need a Christmas Miracle”

“And you’ll have time to do that? You don’t have to work remotely while you’re home?”

“Uh, no My assistant has things handled for now back at the office”

“Then good,” I said, with real relief “This is good I’ve been trying to keep up, Kris, I swear have But with all the shit I’ve got going on, it’s nice to know that I’ve got some backup”

“We should call Matt again Tell hiet his ass home”

“I tried,” I said sharply “He said he would pay for the nurse He’s lucky I didn’t fly out to Chicago to kick him in the teeth”

“Not the teeth,” she said “You know he’s already lost three”

That shouldn’t please me as much as it did “Yeah, well he can afford a fe ones”

The barista shouted out a coffee order for pick up at the counter

“Hey, so, off topic,” Kristen said “What do you know about the new tree farmer?”

“Tree farmer?”

“Paul Bunyan”