She decided to take a short walk to see if she could find him. Under bright sunlight, fields of trees dotted the landscape for as far as she could see. They were various sizes and shapes, and the fragrant scent of evergreen filled the air, making her think of Christmas in June.
Mindful of her recovering ankle, Amanda stayed on the well-worn paths that wound through the farm. About half a mile from the barn, she spotted Landon on a massive mowing machine and made her way toward him. She’d almost reached him when he finally noticed her coming, his face lighting up with a warm, welcoming smile.
He wore a faded blue T-shirt, jeans, work boots, noise-canceling headphones and a ball cap on backward. Work clothes had never looked sexier. He cut the engine to the tractor. “This is a nice surprise.”
“I wanted to see this place I’ve heard so much about.”
“And?”
“It’s beautiful.”
“I don’t know about that, but it’s a living.” He held out his hand to her. “Want to go for a ride?”
She stepped forward to take his hand. “On that thing?”
“Yep.”
“Sure. How do we do this?”
He helped her onto his lap and put his arms around her. “Ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Put these on,” he said, handing her the headphones.
When she had them in place over her ears, he started the engine. Amanda felt the vibration through her entire body. The big machine lurched forward, but Landon tightened his grip on her as he drove them through rows of trees that seemed to go on for miles.
Sitting back against him, she was filled with peace.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed;
if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms
of one hundred years, teach the people.”
—Confucius
Amanda took in the vast landscape of the farm, realizing what a big job it must be to take care of so many trees. After about twenty minutes, they reached the far end of the property, a scenic overlook with a breathtaking view of Butler below. Landon turned off the engine and removed the headphones.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“It’s so much bigger than I thought it would be.”
“That’s what she said.”
Amanda elbowed him in the ribs, making him gasp with laughter. “I’m serious. This place is huge.”
“Trust me, I know. I cut grass and shear trees in my dreams.”
“I had no idea there was so much work involved in growing Christmas trees.”
“Most people have no clue, but I like it. There’s a rhythm to it. Every season brings new obligations to the trees, and after all these years, I’ve got the routine down pretty well.”
“It’s impressive.”
He laughed. “I’m sure it’s been your lifelong dream to date a Christmas tree farmer.”
“Maybe not, but I’ve always had a thing for hot firefighters with hidden talents.”
He nuzzled her neck and held on tighter to her. “I have a lot of hidden talents that you haven’t seen yet.”
“That sounds intriguing, but I don’t want to interrupt your work.”
“Please interrupt my work. I’m so bored.”
“I thought Max was working with you today.”
“He was here this morning, but he had a doctor’s appointment with Caden this afternoon.”
“Is the baby okay?”
“He’s fine, just some well-baby thing. Whatever that is.”
“That’s when they check to make sure he’s growing and thriving. And he probably has to have some shots.”
“Poor guy.”
“And poor Max.”
“He’s seemed really down lately. I’ve been worried about him.”
“How so?”
“Just kind of quiet and withdrawn, which isn’t like him.”
“He has a lot on his plate for someone so young. I look at him and see what my life would’ve been like if I hadn’t given Stella up for adoption.”
“He’s quite a bit older than you were when you had her.”
“Still, it’s like a bomb going off in your life. I know you all think he’s handling it well, but maybe he isn’t.”
“I keep meaning to talk to Colton to see if he’s noticed it, too.”
“That’s a good idea. From what I’m told, the first year with a baby can be grueling. Even with all the support Max has, it’s got to be hard on him. It’s not like he expected to be doing this alone.”
“Yeah, it was a shock to all of us when Chloe decided to surrender her rights. Max never had much to say about that, but it had to have been an even bigger shock to him.”
“Had they been together long?”
“Not long at all, which was part of the problem. Anyway, enough about my brother. What brings you to visit