the kids!” Libby added excitedly.
“I don’t know how to face paint. Do you?” Travis asked.
“Well, I’ll have plenty of time to learn between now and next fall,” she said.
“Who you planning on practicing on?” Travis asked, grinning at her.
“You,” she didn’t hesitate to retort.
Travis laughed. “Maybe, we’ll see.”
“Do you want my help or not?” Libby asked sassily.
Travis put his fork down on the edge of the plate. “Yeah, I do. In all things, Libby. If that means you paint my face every day for a year, then consider me painted,” he said, smiling gently at her.
Libby smiled and shyly looked down at her plate.
“Is that okay?” Travis asked.
Libby looked up at Travis. She gave a slight nod. “Yeah. It is. I’m just not used to being able to enjoy you. It’s nice,” she said.
“It is nice. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed us,” Travis admitted.
“I convinced myself it was over. I’m not quite sure how to move forward,” Libby said, still poking at the food on her plate.
“You should relax, and let it happen,” Travis said. “Are you enjoying spending time with me?” he asked.
“Yes, I am,” she said quickly, looking up to meet his gaze. “I’m just…”
“Afraid to trust it,” Travis finished for her.
Libby nodded. “I don’t want to hurt anymore. I finally got to a place that I could face each day, and now, I feel like I’m out balanced on a limb precariously, courting the same kinda pain that almost crushed me before.”
“I know. And that’s my fault. But you’re not going to hurt this time. All that was on me. But I’m not who I was then, Libby. I’m me again. It took me a while, but I found me again. And I’m having a hard time now being me without you.”
Libby smiled at Travis, her eyes bright, her smile easy and relaxed.
Travis shared her smile for a few moments before it seemed his attention was taken from her. “I think we have company,” he said.
He sat listening until there was a knock at the door.
Libby watched as his nose flared as he tried to scent whoever was outside, then he called out. “Come in!”
The door opened and Roman walked in. “Knock knock,” he said. “Heard ya’ll were getting ready for some kind of Christmas Village.”
“We are,” Libby said, getting up to hug Roman. “We’re going to invite all the families in town to come out and get their tree, and while they're here to have their pictures taken, make wreaths, paint ornaments, have a few treats and some hot cocoa.”
“I’d come to that,” Roman admitted. “Came to offer my help with whatever you might need.”
“That’s great, man. We could use all the help we can get,” Travis answered.
“Good, point me in the direction you want me to go,” Roman said.
“I will, but now, we just broke for lunch. You hungry?” Travis asked, as Roman walked over to the table and shook his hand.
“No, thank you. I had a steak at the diner,” Roman answered.
“Alright. Well, have a seat and visit while we finish lunch,” Travis said.
Roman pulled out a chair and sat down.
Before Libby retook her own seat, she reached out for Travis’s plate. “Want more?” she asked.
“Yes! Please,” Travis said, handing her his plate.
A couple of minutes later she was back with his plate filled again. “Here you go,” she said, placing it in front of him and handing Roman a glass of tea.
“Thanks, Libs,” Roman said.
“You’re welcome,” she answered.
“What do ya’ll have left to do?” Roman asked.
“We were just talking about that. We need to trim the trees that have ground level hanging branches and look for any that need a quick shaping. Those bottom branches will be used in the wreath making we’re offering.”
“Okay, I can help with that,” Roman said, nodding.
“Also need to assemble the arch and the candy cane supports,” Travis said.
“I can help you with that, too,” Roman said.
“And I need to bake all the Christmas cookies, banana bread, and brownies we’ll offer for sale,” Libby added.
“That’s all you,” Roman said. “At least if you want it edible, it’s all you.”
Libby laughed. “I figured as much.”
Twenty minutes later they’d finished lunch. “Let me help Libby with the dishes, and we’ll go get started with the trimming while she finishes painting,” Travis said.
“I have two plates, three glasses and two forks and knives. I think I can handle it,” Libby said chuckling.
“Well, yeah, but the kitchen…” Travis said.
“Everything’s already cleaned up except the skillet, and that won’t take a moment. Just