Sleighed by the Farmer’s Daughter (Sweet Christmas Kisses)

Chapter Twelve

The afternoon sun was quickly swallowed by a blanket of gray clouds, casting a shadow over the farm. Snowflakes began to fall, adding a fresh layer to the ground they had just cleared. Seth and Mack worked steadily, unloading hay, each bundle heavier than the last as the cold seeped into their bones. It took over an hour to spread the hay in the respective areas, each action methodical as they tried to outrun the inevitable chill settling in.

“I think we should go do the evening feeding before we start this next part. I forgot to grab the gas heaters, and it’s about to get really cold here,” Mack announced, staring out at the delicate snowflakes falling from the sky. Her voice held a hint of worry as the day’s light continued to fade.

“Agreed, I’ll shut the doors if you want to pull the trailer out,” Seth replied, taking a quick glance at the sky. The snow was beginning to fall faster, and the temperature was dropping.

A few minutes later, Mack jumped down from the cab, her brow furrowed. “We have a problem. The bucket is down and won’t lift. We can’t drive this back to the barn like this. Does your experience include fixing tractors by any chance?”

“Actually, I have some experience in machine repair. I won’t take on cars, but just about everything else is within the realm of possibilities. Let me take a look. Something is likely wrong with the hydraulics.” Seth crouched beside the tractor, inspecting the hydraulic lines. “Ah, I found it. This hose is cracked, and the hydraulic fluid leaked out. The front-end loader won’t be going anywhere until that gets fixed.”

Turning back, he saw Mack standing there, her hands fisted in her hair, her eyes closed tight as if trying to keep herself from falling apart. He gently clasped both of her wrists, pulling her hands down and holding them against his chest.

“Hey, we’ve got this,” he said softly, his voice full of reassurance. “A busted hydraulic line is something I can fix. This giant tractor isn’t going to ruin Santa’s dinner. Give me an hour or so; this baby will be out of here, and we’ll have this place decked out and ready for royalty.”

Tears streaked down Mack’s face as she whispered, “I should have canceled. Just when it looks like we can get it all done, another disaster happens. And now… it’s snowing again.”

Seth used the pads of his thumbs to wipe away her tears before pulling her into his chest, kissing the top of her head as he held her close. “Mack, I promise it’s all going to work out. We make a great team. We’ll take a romantic walk back to the barn. You’ll feed the cows and reindeer while I find what I need in the tool shed to fix the tractor. We’ll find another way to get back out here, move the tractor, and finish setting up for dinner. Then we’ll fall into bed exhausted but accomplished one more time. By tomorrow, your family will or won’t be here, and we’ll come up with another plan over breakfast like we’ve done all week. Does that sound like a good plan, sweetheart?”

Mack sniffled and nodded, a small smile breaking through her tears. “Sweetheart? A romantic walk in the woods?” She giggled, her mood lightening. “Someone got awfully sure of himself while he was plowing snow today.”

Seth grinned, looping her arm through his as they began the long walk back toward the main house. “I had a lot of time to think today. This has been a bit of a trial by fire, and I think you get to know someone in a crisis. It seems we’ve had a new one every day. But each time, I’ve seen how strong you are. I like the woman I’ve gotten to know.”

Mack raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh, really? And what else did you think about during all that time alone?”

“You, mostly,” Seth admitted, his voice softening. “You’ve got a wonderful sense of humor, you’re a great cook, you love your family fiercely, and you’re not afraid to get dirty when the work needs doing. I never expected to feel this way, but… I’ve been thinking maybe we should try dating.”

Mack looked up at him, her deep brown eyes filled with both surprise and warmth. “I told you I hadn’t found what I was looking for in the city, and to be honest, you caught my attention pretty quickly. But we live such different lives. You barely see your family, and I couldn’t imagine life without mine. I don’t even know what you do. How is it that you live in a camper?”

Seth chuckled. “First of all, things have been changing over the past two years, and I expect to spend a lot more time with my family in the future. Hearing about how yours interacts makes me want more of that. Mine was never that way, but I think it will be with Sarah joining the family.”

He paused, gathering his thoughts. “As for my career, I’m a laser calibration specialist and own Precision Pulse. I travel all over the country calibrating lasers. I have a system that works for my lone-wolf lifestyle, but I can easily adapt it for more home time. There are plenty of people in the industry I can hire, so the work isn’t falling solely on my shoulders. What about you? You said you were thinking of making a change from the city. Can your profession be done in a small town or while traveling?”

Mack sighed, the weight of her choices evident in her expression. “I’ve always wanted to travel but wouldn’t want to do it forever. I’m still young, so it would be fun to strike out on the road for a year or two and see the country. My profession is graphic design, and yes, I could, in theory, do that anywhere. But my job as Advertising Art Director at a large firm in New York is not a work-from-home job. My apartment on the East Side is a small fortune, so I was thinking of making a change this year. I’m stuck in a place I’m not sure I want to be, and now is the time to move on before I get too entrenched. But I’m not sure a long-distance relationship is the best way to start. Maybe we should hold off until things get more settled. I can’t quit my job until March. We have too many projects, and I won’t leave my team in the lurch. My lease ends in March, too. What about you? Where do you go after Christmas?”

“I usually split my year in half and spend January through June on the West Coast. January can be a dangerous time to travel, so I take it off and spend it in my cabin in northern California, being the reclusive mountain man I never thought I could be. Then, I make my way down, fulfilling contracts. I spend July through December on the East Coast. I have more contracts in some areas, so I have cabins sprinkled around that I stay in during those months, so I don’t feel like a total vagabond.”

“So, you don’t live in your camper full-time, then?” Mack asked, her curiosity piqued.

“No, maybe for a good half of the year, but I usually stay on my own land even then. Trying to book campgrounds can be stressful, so I found early on that buying property and renting it out was a good move for me and my finances. I have local folks manage the property while I’m away, and when I need it, it’s ready. It’s a great income stream, too.”

Mack’s eyes widened. “How many properties are we talking about here? You cover the entire East and West Coast. That sounds like a lot.”

Seth shrugged modestly. “Last count, fifteen cabins and thirty-eight parcels. Plenty of folks are looking to camp off the grid, so even those make a decent income. I have a friend who’s started setting up yurts for me, and that’s turned out to be quite lucrative for both of us.”

Mack laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. “That’s a lot! Why even bother with the camper, then?”

“Some contracts take longer than others. I park the camper right in the parking lot or on a strip of land and work out of there. It saves the company on lodging fees and me... time and hassle. I worked for a big calibration company when I first got into this industry and realized I hated living out of a bag and sleeping in hotel beds. My camper solves that problem. Now I have my contracts scheduled, so I have a set route and can live in my own space.”

She tilted her head, considering. “So, if you and I tried a relationship, how would I get my work done? Off-grid doesn’t exactly work for graphic design. I need to be in contact with people, and everything’s web-based now.”

Seth chuckled. “Haven’t you ever heard of satellite? Nowhere is truly off-grid anymore unless you work really hard at it. All my properties have solar power, and my camper could be used as a mobile command center during a crisis. I have massive tech in there. There are always job sites, too. The majority of my contracts are with medical facilities, and they have advanced connectivity. You could come to work with me, use their Wi-Fi during the day, and enjoy the peace and quiet of the great outdoors at night. If you were open to trying, we could make it work. Even if you don’t want to try a romantic relationship and just want to try traveling with a trusted friend, which would break my heart, we could arrange that too.”

Mack gazed at him with a mixture of longing and caution in her deep brown eyes. “I want that so much I can taste it. Let’s get through the rest of the holidays and spring and see where that leaves us.”

As they neared the first barn, Mack shook her head and chuckled. “I’ve only known you for a couple of days, and I’m contemplating going on a cross-country road trip with you. My family is going to think I’ve lost my mind when they hear about this scheme.”

Seth brought them to a halt, turning to face her. “I think some people are just meant to be together, Mack, and when they know, they know. I wouldn’t have believed it myself, but Eric and Sarah met in much the same way, and they’re the couple that makes everyone around them green with envy. You’ll see—we’ll keep getting to know each other over the next few months with phone calls and video chats, and then come spring, you’ll be ready to hit the road with me and explore the great unknown.”