The Christmas Plan - Samantha Chase Page 0,6
just wasn’t for me. So I go home and help and I know it’s not going to be long before my dad is forced to sell the farm because it’s too much for him and he’ll retire and…I’ll be the reason the dream dies.”
“Okay, now you’re just being a little dramatic. Surely there are cousins or other extended family members who could take it over.”
“No one’s expressed any interest,” he said wearily. “So a month of being there and working it every day and then knowing at the end of each day, my folks will look at me as if I’m magically convinced to give up my dream of filmmaking and move back to take over the business.”
“Wow,” she replied with a soft sigh. “I had no idea. Why haven’t you ever shared this with me?”
Aspen was the only one he’d admit something like this to.
“Because I didn’t want you to think less of me,” he murmured. “There’s no silver lining here, Aspen. No way to put a positive spin on it. I love my folks and I’m thankful for the life that the tree farm provided for us, but…it’s just not for me.”
She reached for his hand again. “I would never think less of you, Gabe. I just never realized you had such an issue with your family.”
“This is why I always choose to drive up there. It gives me a couple of days to get my head on straight. I think it’s like a time when I come to grips with how it’s going to be a month of living under one roof with them and sleeping in my old room, and…. thinking of every worse-case scenario in my head and then having imaginary arguments with them and…” He paused and realized how crazy he was starting to sound. “I’m probably overreacting and it’s going to be fine because you’re going to be there with me and I’ll have someone to vent to at the end of the day.”
She glanced over and smiled. “Okay, no more negative talk. You’re freaking me out,” she teased. “I’ve never seen this side of you before and it feels weird. I adore your folks, but I have a feeling I may end up having to go toe-to-toe with them in your defense.”
The image made him laugh. “You kind of fell in love with them from the first time you met them so I never wanted to ruin that for you. Besides, it’s my issue, not yours. I don’t want you feeling like you need to defend me.”
Squeezing his hand, she replied, “Gabe, you and I are friends first. Do I like your parents? Sure! They were very nice to me and welcomed me into the fold when my own parents wouldn’t come to visit, and I thought that was incredibly sweet of them. But you and I? You’re my best friend and I expect you to be honest with me. I’ve told you all about my gripes with my parents.”
“Well, yeah, but…I agreed with you immediately after meeting them. I saw first-hand what you were talking about.”
“Okay. Um…wow. That was brutally honest.”
“You just said you wanted me to be honest with you!”
“I know, but…you could have just sugar-coated it a little bit.”
Groaning, he took his hand from her and turned to get the cookies from the cooler bag. A minute later, he handed her two chocolate chip cookies with a very disapproving look on his face. “I still think you should be eating something with a little more substance to it than this, but…here.”
“For your information, I had a poached egg and some toast when I got up.” Taking the cookies from his hand, she stuck her tongue out at him. “So I had my something of substance already and this is my treat for driving with such a grouch.” And before Gabe could respond, she turned up the radio and started to sing.
Loudly.
A few minutes later, Gabe gave into temptation and reached for a cookie of his own and immediately saw Aspen’s knowing smirk. “Admit it. It’s fun being a little bad. We’re adults and as such, we can have cookies whenever we want.”
“That’s not what my mom used to say…”
“Give me a week with her. I’ll change her mind.”
Shaking his head, he laughed softly. “If anyone could do it, Aspen, it’s you.”
Two
“One room?”
“Yeah. Why?”
Gabe stepped into the hotel room and sagged with relief when he saw it had two beds. He and Aspen had traveled together before but always had