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

Chapter Fifteen

When Mackenzie awoke at 5:00 am to start her day, she noticed a bright pink sticky note stuck on the inside of her door that read, “Sleep. I’ve got the chores.”

A dreamy smile curled her lips as she dressed and headed out. It was sweet of Seth to take care of things, but there was still so much to do today. They’d all need to pitch in to get everything done.

Seth and Mack were tossing hay at each other when the men of her family entered the reindeer barn.

They paused, watching the scene unfold, taking pride in how Mack had kept things running smoothly in their absence.

“If you two are done playing, Mom’s got breakfast almost ready. Anything else that needs doing before we eat?” Patrick asked with a grin, clearly enjoying seeing his sister so happy.

“Nope, we’re all set. These ladies are enjoying their breakfast and will be ready to hit the trail by the time we are,” Mack said confidently, leading the way out of the barn, her arm looped through Seth’s.

“Any complications I should know about?” her father asked as they walked back to the house.

“Not really. There are two bottle babies left. The rest I transitioned to pails this morning, and they did great. The tractor had a problem, but Seth fixed it for now.”

“The tractor had a problem?” her dad asked, turning to Seth.

“Yes, sir. The left hydraulic hose cracked and released all the fluid. I replaced it with a temporary one, which will get you by for a while, but I’d recommend ordering another one as soon as possible. The right side looked dry too, so I lubricated it, but I would have an extra on hand for when that goes,” Seth explained.

“I noticed the cracking in the fall and lubed the hoses but totally forgot to order new ones. That’s on me,” Joshua admitted.

“If we didn’t have any new ones in the shop, how did you fix it? The smaller tractor hoses aren’t long enough to swap out,” Daniel challenged.

“I made one using fittings I found in the drawers and the hose you had in stock. It was a great idea to keep the old fittings for backups. It worked well in a pinch,” Seth replied.

“Are you a machinist then?” Patrick asked.

“No, but I’ve spent plenty of time in machine shops and know my way around most machinery. My day job—well, and some nights too—is as a laser calibration specialist.”

The conversation paused as they entered the house and found their seats at the breakfast table. Nicholas said the blessing and dishes piled high with food were passed around. Just as Seth was about to take his first bite of fluffy scrambled eggs, the door burst open, and three of the cutest kids he had ever seen came barreling in, already dressed in their elf costumes.

“I hope you don’t mind us barging in for breakfast, Mom. We don’t have any food in the house, so we decided to crash your meal,” a stunning raven-haired woman—who could only be Holly—said as she removed her coat and entered the kitchen. She stopped abruptly, causing her husband to bump into her. He quickly wrapped his arms around her to keep her from toppling over and peered over her shoulder to see what had stopped her. “Oh, I didn’t realize you had a guest.”

“It doesn’t matter. Go sit down and eat,” her husband said, kissing her cheek and ushering her to the table. Stopping next to Seth with an outstretched hand, he said, “I’m Nick, the oldest. My wife, Holly, and these rugrats are our kids, Tessa, Leah, and Ethan.”

Shaking his hand firmly, Seth replied, “Seth Stoll, a friend of your sister’s. Nice to meet you.”

“Okay, back to our previous discussion,” Daniel demanded before any more interruptions could occur. “You’re a laser calibration specialist. What does that even mean, and how well does it pay?”

“Dan! He isn’t applying for a job!” Mack shrieked, horrified.

“Seems to me he is, by the looks of things, so I want the facts upfront so I can decide which way to vote,” Dan replied with an arched brow, staring down at Mack as she turned beet red.

“To be honest, I have asked Mack to consider dating me, and we’ve agreed to take from now through spring to get to know each other long-distance and see where things lead,” Seth admitted, giving Mack’s knee a reassuring squeeze under the table.

“Long distance. I like the sound of that,” Daniel added approvingly.

“In case you haven’t noticed, Dan and I are very close, and he is a little overprotective,” Mack said, shooting her brother a withering look.

“If I had a sister, I’d feel the same. As for my career, I own my own business and do pretty well. Have you ever heard of the CyberKnife?” Seth asked, scanning the table for any recognition.

“Isn’t that the laser device they use to treat brain tumors?” Joshua asked. “They have something similar they use for delicate veterinary procedures.”

“Exactly. I have a contract with a medical company that runs a program like CyberKnife, treating various conditions that are too risky for more invasive procedures. The machines need careful monitoring and frequent calibration to ensure they’re targeting the right tissue. It could mean life or death if they’re off by even the smallest degree. That’s what I do—I calibrate lasers for all types of machines, but my bread and butter are those in the medical field.”

“Oh wow! That sounds very important and a well-chosen career, especially since lasers seem to be the future,” Allison added from her place at the head of the table.

“He also owns property all over the country and makes a good income from renting it out,” Mack interjected.

“It sounds like you’ve chosen a provider, Mack,” her father said, nodding in approval.

“So, where did you two lovebirds meet?” Holly piped up, always eager for a good love story.

“That’s a funny story, actually,” Seth said with a chuckle. “I was on my way to visit my family in Western Massachusetts during a horrific blizzard when I lost track of the road and put my truck and trailer in a ditch. I was getting settled to wait it out, praying I didn’t freeze to death, when all of a sudden, this elf started pounding on my truck window. Next thing I know, she’s rescuing me in Santa’s sleigh, pulled by a reindeer. I thought I was dreaming, but instead, I woke up in a warm bed with a long list of chores the next morning. Over the past week, I’ve gotten to know this amazing elf named Peppermint, and I’m starting to see what forever could look like. Now, I’m looking forward to spending our first Christmas together and convincing her that even though I’m a little too tall, I can make a pretty good elf—and that forever with me wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Mackenzie tugged his arm, pulling him down close enough to brush a kiss on his cheek. “You make a really good elf, actually,” she whispered, her voice soft but filled with emotion.

Seth’s heart skipped a beat at her words, the warmth of the moment making everything else fade away. He looked into her eyes, seeing something deeper reflected there, something that made him want to stay by her side long after the snow had melted.

For the first time in a long while, he felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be. He squeezed her hand under the table, silently promising her that this—whatever it was between them—was only just beginning.