Page 48 of Wish You Faith

Then again, one thing that Mom couldn’t turn into a spreadsheet was love.

Evan knew that he was in love. As clear as day, he was in love with Rosie Hamilton.

Now that he’d kissed her, he was more certain than ever that Rosie was the only woman for him for the rest of his life. He didn’t care what Mom might think of Rosie. He only cared that God had brought Rosie into his life.

Marry me, Rosemarie.

CHAPTERNINE

“Why have you been avoiding me?” Travis Boone’s voice boomed. He sounded desperate, but not rash.

Rosie wasn’t afraid of him, but she’d been avoiding him, so she hadn’t prepared for his unexpected confrontation. Now that he had cornered her in the tree farm, between two rows of seven-foot fir trees, where nobody could see them right away, she was concerned.

Rosie could scream, but would that be overreacting? She patted her apron pocket. No phone. Bummer.

Oh, she remembered it now. She had left her phone charging in her office on the other end of the tree farm. Well, she hadn’t expected to be away from her phone for more than fifteen minutes. Mom was at SSLR all afternoon, so Rosie needn’t worry about her. But if the phone rang, she wasn’t there to hear it.

However, she could use her phone now to call Lorenzo for help.

“I need to get back to the office.” She kept her voice even. No need to add to the scene.

“Give me one minute.” Travis didn’t move from where he stood, arms stretched out, preventing Rosie from leaving.

“Sorry.” Rosie tried to sidestep Travis anyway, hoping he wouldn’t grab her.

Thankfully, it was the middle of a workday. Like any other weekdays in December, this Monday should bring foot traffic to this part of the tree farm. The tall spruces around her ranged from five to seven feet. Wearing platform clogs, Rosie was about five feet nine, and her head should show among the trees if she had to run.

Still, she tried to remain calm and professional because she didn’t want Travis to cause trouble for Christmastown in the last two weeks of their busiest time of the year. Christmas was thirteen days away.

Above them, the sky was sunny this afternoon. She hoped that the good weather would bring more walk-in customers to the tree farm, and then she wouldn’t be alone with Travis.

She couldn’t tell him to leave because the tree farm was open to the public from Monday to Saturday. He was free to come and go as a potential customer. Potential? Yes, because Rosie treated Talon Gym as a separate corporate entity from its owner, this increasingly desperate man.

If she were to tell Amy about Travis, Rosie was sure that Christmastown wouldn’t be doing business with Talon Gym anymore. That would be a dent in their profits.

Rosie took a deep breath, and prayed for God to protect her. She didn’t know why she was scared of Travis. Perhaps it was because he’d come after her too strongly.

Okay. She made up her mind to talk to Amy about it. Let corporate decide whether to cancel their contract with Talon Gym and all other businesses that Travis Boone owned. There was no reason for anyone to threaten Christmastown employees.

“Why, Rosie?” Travis stepped closer. He was a big man. Muscular in his arms and shoulders. Rosie—who hadn’t gone to the gym in ten years—wouldn’t have the strength to push him away if he forced himself on her.

He sighed. “I’ve spent thousands of dollars buying free skating tickets for the children in your church. Maybe thousands more in flowers in the last six months. At least give me an answer.”

“I have. Many times. I said no repeatedly a long time ago.” Rosie stepped back, and there was only one way to run, but it would be a dead end. The fence—and thus the edge of the Christmastown Tree Farm property—was maybe twenty feet away behind her.

“No is the wrong answer, Rosie.”

“That is my answer. If you don’t back away, I’m calling 911.” Rosie started to shake, and wished that she hadn’t stayed behind to check the trees when everyone else had gone to lunch. Their client was super picky about which tree she wanted for her ballroom, and insisted that Rosie selected one for her. Only Rosie Hamilton. Year after year, she did the honors.

She could only pray that someone would be done with lunch in the next minute. Or right now.

And bring me my phone!

“You don’t have a boyfriend. You’re not married.” Travis’s eyes darkened.

Boyfriend? Wasn’t that Evan? He had kissed her on Friday night.

On Sunday, Evan had driven both Rosie and her mom to church. Paid for lunch afterwards.

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