My Greatest Joy (Maplewood Falls #2)

Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

LEVI

It feels like it’s negative fifty with the windchill, and the harsh winds burn my skin. As I plow my driveway, I call Finn to touch base and make sure they’re okay.

Although I know he survived just fine with his girlfriend, Oakley. When he answers, I give an update on my current situation. He nearly dies of laughter, as does Oakley. Their teasing is exactly what I expected.

Once I clear my road, I make my way to the Christmas tree farm. The amount of snow that fell in such a short time slows me down. It’s been years since we’ve seen a storm of this magnitude. Anytime there’s a blizzard, I’m responsible for clearing the roads, especially since my dad is getting older.

After I clear the parking lot, I grab my shovel from the back of the truck and work on the sidewalks. Once I’m done, I take a quick picture and send it to my mom, who replies with a thumbs-up emoji. Tomorrow, the place will be thriving again, like we weren’t hit with over twenty inches of snow.

Levi

Heading to your house now.

Mom

Sounds great. Be careful.

Levi

You know I always am.

Their long driveway has a few curves, so I take my time clearing the road. They built their house a significant distance from the main road so the heavy traffic from the farm wouldn’t interrupt their regular flow of life.

When my childhood home comes into view, I smile. The picturesque two-story log cabin is surrounded by hills covered in blankets of white. Smoke billows from the chimney, and the tree lights twinkle through the front window. I should get Oakley to paint a canvas of this for my parents. She’s a talented artist, and I know she’d nail it. I snap a quick picture so I don’t forget.

I park, then quickly shovel their sidewalk.

My mom cracks open the front door. “When you’re done, come inside.”

“Alrighty.” I chuckle, seeing my hot breath in the air.

Thirty minutes later, I go inside. It’s toasty, so I shake off my coat, scarf, and gloves.

“Pumpkin pie?” Mom asks from the living room, wrapped in a blanket as she flips through a magazine. “Baked it a couple of hours ago.”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

“It’s on the counter.”

When I enter the kitchen, Dad’s sitting at the table, drinking coffee and reading on his tablet.

“Anything mind-blowing in the news?” I ask.

“Nope. Nothing has changed.” He meets my eyes. “Did you finish plowing already?”

“Yeah, and now I’m ready for summer.”

He snorts. “The cold and snowy season has only begun.”

“I don’t usually mind it, but damn, that blizzard was a monster.” I grab a knife from the drawer and cut myself a big piece.

“I’ll take another.” Dad smirks as if he’s not supposed to have more, but I serve him one anyway. I set mine on a plate, then grab the whipped cream from the fridge and add a healthy dollop on both.

“Wanna hear a crazy story?” I join him at the table as my mom comes in and starts a fresh pot of coffee. “Glad you’re in here, Ma. I was about to tell Dad about my current predicament.”

“Everything okay?” she asks.

“Well, I found a strange woman in my house and, more specifically, in my bed the day of the blizzard.”

Dad gives me a look.

“No, I didn’t invite her,” I clarify before he can ask.

“Who is she?” Mom asks.

“Fallon Joy. She’s a journalist from Seattle who’s been assigned to write about Maplewood Falls.”

“That doesn’t explain why she was at your place,” Dad tells me.

“She claims she’d rented it online. But I found that out after she maced me.”

“Oh no, poor thing. I bet she was scared half to death,” my mom says.

“What about me? My eyes burned all night long.”

My dad chuckles. “So where is she now?”

“She’s there watching Dasher for me. I offered her the guest room since the roads were closed, and she had nowhere else to go. But now I have to try to find her a hotel or something.”

“You know that’s not going to happen this time of year,” Mom says.

“Still going to try. But if there’s no luck, I’ll let her stay because I can tell how important this project is to her. She’s very dedicated.”

“That’s lovely, dear!” The excitement in Mom’s voice is unmatched.

I give her a pointed look. “Except for the fact she’s a grinch and hates Christmas. Should’ve seen her trying to survive without power or heat. You’d think her whole world collapsed.”

Mom chuckles.

“What happened to your furnace?” Dad asks.

I explain the problem and remind myself to call about it on the way home.

“She lost her mind when she learned we don’t have any food delivery services.”

Dad smirks as he takes a sip from his mug. “Well, not everyone’s built for this kind of weather and lifestyle, son. She’s probably used to city living.”

“No kidding. I genuinely want her to have a good time, and I’m worried she already hates it here.”

Mom shoos my negativity away. “Don’t stress about it, sweetie. Once she participates in the fun activities we have to offer, she’ll change her mind. Is she going to the festival?”

“I think it’s the main reason she’s visiting.”

“Well, I know how passionate you are about the holiday, so you’re the perfect person for the job. Take her around and allow her to experience the most magical time of year with you. I’m sure she’ll adore it.”

“You say that, but you haven’t met her. I’ll do my best.”

Dad laughs while standing to make a fresh mug of coffee.

“Well, maybe you could bring her over for dinner one night? We’d be happy to chat with her.”

“Maybe. I think I’ll need to warm her up to the idea of meeting my family first. No need to throw her to the vultures right away.”

Mom laughs. “Pfft. She’d be singing ‘Jingle Bells’ by the time she leaves here.”

I nearly choke on my pie. “Highly doubtful. It’s more than obvious she isn’t having a good time.”

“Give the girl a chance. She’s been stuck with you for days,” Mom says with a sly smile.

“I’m not sure if that’s a dig or a compliment,” I say around a mouthful.

“Me neither,” Mom tells me.

Once Dad and I finish eating, I carry our plates to the sink and quickly rinse them. “Does Lucy need her driveway cleared?”

“Nah. Bart took care of it already,” Dad explains.

Bart works for the farm and lives on the south side of the property, so he’s closer. “Great, then I can go home and shower.” I grab my jacket and put on my gloves. Before I grab my scarf, I turn to my mom.

“Do you happen to have some ground coffee for Fallon?”

“Of course. You know we stock up on that around here,” she singsongs, heading toward the pantry. “Do you need filters too?”

“Yep.”

“A coffee pot?” Mom peeks her head from the doorway and meets my eyes.

“No. I have one tucked away somewhere. I’m sure it still works.”

“If for some reason it doesn’t, let me know because I have an extra.”

“Thanks, Ma.” I give her a kiss on the cheek as she hands over the bag of supplies. Fallon is going to be so excited.

Once in the truck, I make my way across the property to my house. I call Jasper, the owner of the only heating and cooling company around here.

When he answers, I fill him in on the problem with my pilot light.

“I’m backed up, but I can put you on my waitlist. Might be a couple of days, though.” He sounds as tired as I am.

“I figured as much. I have a fireplace, so I’m not freezing, but it’s not enough to warm the whole house. Anyway, I appreciate your help.”

“No problem. I’ll come and take a look as soon as I can. Now, getting parts is a whole other issue.”

“I know how it is,” I offer before we say our goodbyes. Honestly, I should’ve remembered to get the furnace serviced months ago, but it slipped my mind once the season started. On the rest of the drive, I call every hotel in Maplewood Falls. The inns and bed-and-breakfasts are also rented until after the new year. As I suspected, nothing is available.

When I arrive home, exhaustion takes over. I grab my things, then make my way inside. Dried paw prints are on the floor, and I follow them toward the living room.

Fallon’s fingers fly across the keyboard, and she doesn’t stop until she finishes her thought. Then she looks over her shoulder at me. I move toward the fire and warm my ice-cold hands. I’m proud of her for keeping it lit all day.

“Oh, you’re ridiculous.” I look at Dasher sprawled out on the couch and take steps toward him. When I pet his head, his tail wags under the blanket she wrapped him in. “Oh, you stink.”

I turn to Fallon, who’s dressed in tight joggers, at least two pairs of fuzzy socks, and a hoodie.

“How was your day?” I ask, knowing he probably wore her out.

“Horrible,” she mutters, and I hand her the bag of goodies. She struggles to untie the handles that are in a tight bow.

“It couldn’t have been that bad,” I say. “At least not any worse than mine.”

“Debatable.” Her eyes widen once she opens the bag. “You brought me coffee? Oh my God.”

Her mood immediately changes.

“Compliments from my mama.”

“I’ll have to personally thank her,” she says genuinely, and I know my mom will like that.

“So tell me how my precious little boy was a demon?” I smirk, knowing how rambunctious he can be.

“First of all, he brought me that ball and forced me to throw it for nearly an hour.”

My face cracks into a wide smile at her emphasis on forced .

“And then, when I let him out, he kept playing in the snow and slush. Every time I tried to get him to come in, he’d act like it was a game and want me to chase him. I wasn’t about to do that, so I left him out there until he pawed on the door to come in,” she explains. “Also, I’m sorry he’s gross. I made a valiant effort to clean up the paw prints but eventually gave up. It was useless.”

Now I’m laughing. Her defeated tone is pitiful.

“It’s not funny!” she scolds. “He’s worse than an actual child, and I’d know because I’ve babysat my nieces! They acted more obedient.”

“Don’t listen to her, Dasher. You’re a good boy.”

Fallon shakes her head, then puts her laptop down before standing. She sashays to the kitchen, carrying the bag. “Where’s your coffee maker?”

“Damn, I knew I was forgetting something,” I mutter, keeping a straight face.

“Should’ve known it was too good to be true,” she grinds out as she tries to walk past me.

I gently grab her elbow and pull her in front of me. “I was kidding. Loosen up, Fallon Joy .”

Her eyes narrow before the corner of her lips slightly tilts up. “You’re rude.”

“And you’re too serious,” I say, moving into my pantry, and grab the appliance from the top shelf. I went through a phase when I tried to drink it before work but never stuck with it. I’m naturally alert in the mornings anyway—a blessing when it comes to my job.

I set it on the counter and plug it in. When the clock flashes, I smile. “See, it might be old, but it still works.”

“Like you.”

“You can’t be that much younger than me.”

“I’m not celebrating until I have a hot cup in front of me.”

“Just give me five minutes, and you’ll be plenty satisfied.”

Fallon snorts, and then I realize what I’ve said. “Only last five minutes, huh?”

“Don’t insult me like that.” I look up and meet her playful eyes.

“It’s because you’re a fuck man . Lots of practice, right?” Her serious tone has me bellowing out a laugh.

“And you know what they say about that? Practice makes perfect.” I shoot her a wink.

And although she doesn’t respond, I swear I see a hint of a blush covering her cheeks.

After everything’s rinsed and situated, I press the brew button. Seconds later, coffee drips into the carafe.

Fallon looks like a kid in a candy store, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile this wide. Once it’s finished, I grab a mug and fill it for her.

“I’m sorry I don’t have any cream, but I have plenty of milk and sugar.”

“Fine by me. I prefer it black anyway,” she says.

“To match your black heart ?”

“Yep,” she deadpans.

Fallon takes a tiny sip and then moans as the liquid coats her throat. That sound has my cock twitching. I swallow hard, forcing my gaze away from her as she glances at me over the top of her mug. “It’s exactly what I’ve been missing in my life.”

“My mom has plenty more if you need it. That woman loves her coffee.”

“She sounds way cooler than you,” she taunts, hugging the ceramic with her hands.

“Yeah, I have a feeling you’ll change your tune once you learn her love for Christmas is twice as intense as mine.”

She makes a face, but then her lips curve into a smile as she blows on the liquid. “Right now, I don’t care about anything other than drinking this.”

Fallon grabs an ice cube from the freezer and puts it inside. Once it’s cool enough to drink, she takes a big gulp and sighs.

“If this is all it took to make you happy, I would’ve jumped on the snowmobile four days ago.”

Fallon playfully rolls her eyes, but when she looks at me, there’s fire behind them.

I wish I knew why she continues to put on this hard-ass act because that’s what it is. There are moments when her mask slips, and I see the real person hiding behind the scowl. She’s more transparent than she thinks, but I’ll continue to let her believe she has me fooled.

“Oh, before I forget. The furnace guy said he’s booked up, so it might be a few days before he can come out.”

“Great.” She frowns.

“The other bit of bad news is there are no rooms available anywhere unless you want me to try the town over. But I suspect it’s gonna be about the same.”

“How far of a drive is it?”

“About fifty miles,” I explain. “Could take over an hour to get from here to there, depending on if it’s snowing or not.”

“I don’t want to keep imposing on your personal space. So if I have to drive an hour?—”

“You can stay here, Fallon. I don’t mind your company, even when you’re a grumpy ass sometimes.” I chuckle when she glares at me.

“Are you sure? I can?—”

“Absolutely,” I say. “Unless you want to leave? I can’t imagine you’d have fun sleeping in that minivan.”

“I don’t want to leave,” she admits, and it’s music to my ears. “Honestly, I’d probably die of frostbite or be more miserable anywhere else. One of the reasons I agreed to come is because I’d have a large space to sleep and work.”

“Well, I’d never let you freeze to death. You know my bed is always available whenever you need some extra warmth.” I smirk.

Dasher trots over and interrupts us.

“Outside?”

He sprints toward the door and immediately flies off the deck. Once he does his business, he returns without issue. I know he was testing Fallon earlier.

“How’d you like your grinchy babysitter?” I ask, following him inside and getting a musky whiff of him.

Fallon is on the couch with her coffee and laptop.

“Gonna give Dasher a quick bath. Need anything?”

“Nope, I’m good now.”

Dasher’s good and behaves for me while I wash him in the tub. He likes the warm water and is used to this routine since he gets them almost every day when it’s wet or muddy outside. After he’s scrubbed and rinsed, I lift him from the tub and towel dry him the best I can. I grab the hair dryer I have for him and use it until he’s annoyed. As soon as I open the bathroom door, he bolts out.

Before I can call him or warn Fallon, he’s sprinting downstairs.

“Hey!” Fallon shouts. “Get off me!”

Her helpless squeals make me laugh. “I’m jumping in the shower,” I call down.

“Wait! Take your dog!” she shouts.

“Be right back!” I say, knowing she’ll want to kill me later.

Turning on the water, I undress and then step underneath the hot stream. It cascades over my sore muscles, and I scrub both palms over my face and hair, trying to relax.

My cock grows hard as I reminisce about Fallon being in my bed last night. Though neither of us mentioned it, she snuggled up to me in her sleepy haze. I was up and out of bed before her, but I hardly slept as she pressed her ass against my cock and wiggled her body.

As I think about it, I reach down and roughly fist my dick. With my other palm pressed against the wall, my fantasies of Fallon naked in my bed take over.

I race in a full sprint toward the orgasm threatening to take over. Before I can brace myself, the pleasure rips through me, and I groan out with relief.

My heart throbs as I look at the mess I’ve made. My cum would look so stunning splashed across her beautiful breasts. It takes at least ten minutes before I come back to earth, even if she’s still on my mind.

As I get out of the shower and then dry off, I wonder if she heard me. A part of me hopes she didn’t, but then again, I’d own it if she did. It’s nearly impossible to hide my attraction, especially when she looks at me like I’m dessert.

I’m ready to collapse from exhaustion, knowing I’ll be just as busy tomorrow. I plan to show her exactly what Maplewood Falls has to offer, and I hope it’s enough to impress her.