Page 28 of Candy Cane Dreams
"I'll have to think about that," he said. Was he really being blind? Was he doing his daughter a disservice by only giving her one parent's dream?
Maybe she'd have a dream of her own that wouldn't include the candy shop, and he would have spent all that time and struggle trying to keep everything afloat when she didn't really want it after all. But if he lost it and she did want it, he wouldn't be able to get it back.
But the same was true of the farm. It was coming down to him either needing to sell the candy shop or sell the farm, because he wasn't doing a very good job of trying to keep up with both, and he couldn't afford it either.
They walked the rest of the way to Kate's car in silence. The walk had gone quickly. As she stopped beside it, he automatically put a hand on her door handle.
He didn't want the night to be over. He...wanted to spend more time with her.
"Thanks a lot. I think Mistletoe Meadows is pretty safe, but I'm new, and I do appreciate you walking with me."
"It was just a few steps past where I needed to be." He paused, wanting to somehow extend the conversation and his time with her, but not knowing how.
"You don't happen to know of any places for rent, do you?" she said, and it took him a little bit to understand that she was not saying good night. Here he was trying to figure out how to extend their time together, and all he needed to do was pay attention and answer a question.
"No. I'm sorry. I really don't." Even as he said that, he thought of the old farmhouse. There wasn't anyone living in it since Bryan had moved into the new house when their parents sold out and moved to Texas. He supposed he could rent it to her.
"That's too bad. I'm staying in a hotel, and I definitely can't afford it. Funds are running low, and I'm not even going to start my new job until after the holidays." She abruptly stopped and then shook her head and put a hand up. "I'm sorry. That is not your problem. I... just if you see anything or hear of anything?—"
"The farmhouse is empty. It's perfectly fine to live in. Lauren wanted to be close to the candy shop when we got married, and I moved out. My brother moved into the new house when my parents moved to Texas, and it's been empty ever since."
"I hate to talk about money, but it would probably depend on how much you're charging as to whether I say yes."
He hadn't considered renting it out and had no idea how much he should charge. And to top it off, he didn't want to charge too much and have Kate turn him down. Somehow, having her there seemed very, very important.
"I could use some help in the candy shop. But I haven't been making enough money to pay for it. I... wouldn't be putting you on payroll or anything."
All of the hassle and extra money that it would take for him to do payroll had discouraged him from even trying. But if they bartered help in the candy shop for rent, it would save him needing to pay her or do the payroll setup.
"I don't know that I could help you that much. I will have my full-time job after the holidays."
"It wouldn't be that much. Honestly, whatever you could do would be wonderful, a huge help."
"Are you sure?" she asked, biting her lip.
He tried not to allow his eyes to dwell there, but met her gaze.
"I'm sure. You could also help some with Lilly if you’d like. We can talk again after you start making money, and when work slows down after the holidays."
"That's fair. Okay. That makes me feel a little better. And I definitely can get some time in now, since I'm just observing, and now I have the community Christmas festival that I'm working on. But beyond that, I'm wide open and I would have some extra hours."
"All right then, it's a deal. I can show it to you tonight if you'd like. I haven't been out there for a month or more, but it's livable."
"Why don't you just give me directions? And if it's truly okay with you, I'll just go stay there."
He wouldn’t have to have Mrs. Abernathy stay longer with Lilly, which he would appreciate. Although there was a part of him that didn’t want Kate to go out alone, even though it was perfectly safe. "That would work out great. Sounds good."
"Is there a key or something?" she asked.
He laughed. "Don't laugh, but the front key is under the mat. It's not like we get a lot of visitors out there, and there's nothing to steal."
"Oh. Okay. I won't laugh."
Very cliché. He knew it, but that's where they'd always kept it.
"You won't be alone. My brother goes around and checks on it almost daily. He farmed the fields this year, and he's over there for that, too."
"I get it. Okay."
