A Fairytale Christmas Read Online Free PDF

table.
    “Where’s Brody?”
    He finished the last bite of the sandwich on his plate, then said, “I called him. He should be here soon.”
    Brody slogged into the kitchen and flopped into a chair. Not wanting an argument to ensue, Gwen quickly prepared a sandwich for him and brought him a glass of milk.
    Drew made himself another sandwich and took the seat beside Brody. Wanting everything to go well, Gwen poured some potato chips into a bowl and set them on the table, along with a bag of store-bought cookies.
    As she sat, Drew said, “Gwen tells me you have nothing to do.”
    Her eyes widened and she gaped at him, but before she could say anything, he continued, “I know it’s boring here. My dad told me stories about being so bored here before your grandfather moved to North Carolina that he thought he’d go nuts. So I’ve arranged for something to do for you.”
    Brightening, Brody sat up.
    Gwen’s chest tightened with fear. She might not have been a parent long, but she absolutely knew Drew was going about this all the wrong way.
    “We’re opening up the Christmas tree farm.”
    Brody said, “What?”
    “The farm. We’re opening it. Jimmy Lane used to come to Teaberry Farms for his tree when he was a young father. He’s eager to see the place again. I thought it would be good for him if it was up and running. Sort of recreate that memory for him.”
    Brody just gaped at his dad.
    Drew obliviously trotted on. “Max is coming over this afternoon to start harvesting the trees. He’s already investigated how we should price them. We’ll have bunches of pre-cut trees for people in a hurry, and let other people go into the fields to choose their own. It will be fun.”
    Brody’s gape turned into a look of utter horror. “Fun?”
    “Sure.”
    “And how much of this fun are you going to have?”
    “Hey, I’ll be plenty busy.”
    “Yeah,” Brody said, shoving back his chair as he rose. “Inside. In your warm office. While I’m outside freezing and lugging trees.”
    “Brody, you know I have to work—”
    “Right. Work. That’s all you think about. You didn’t reallycome up with the Christmas tree farm idea for me. You need the farm open to impress the old guy, and you’re using me as slave labor.”
    “That’s not how it is!”
    “Uh-huh? Sure. First Mom doesn’t want me because she’s got a new life, a new husband—” Brody’s voice shook, and Gwen’s heart squeezed with empathy for his pain. “Now you’re using me to get a business deal.”
    He turned and strode to the back door, where he plucked his parka from a hook by the door.
    Drew rose. “Brody, wait! Stop! I’m not using you for slave labor! And your mother isn’t abandoning you just because she got married.”
    When Brody turned to face them, tears glistened on his eyelids. “Oh, that’s right. She probably hasn’t called you yet. But she will. I heard her telling Marc that she’d ‘take care of it’ after they got back from their honeymoon. She says you can’t argue about keeping me now, since she’s had me my whole life and you’ve barely seen me. So it’s your turn.”
    With that he stormed out the door. Gwen sat stunned. Drew hovered by the table, obviously shell shocked. “I have absolutely no idea what to do.”
    She said nothing.
    He glanced down. “You offered to give me advice. I need advice. So you can start talking anytime now.”
    “You scoffed at my advice, remember? And just this morning you told me that Brody was none of my concern.”
    “Well, I’m not so picky now.”
    She sucked in a breath. Sixteen-year-old boys didn’t cry unless something was seriously wrong—horribly wrong. So wrong he felt totally out of control. But if she told Drew that he wouldn’t sensitively delve until he got to the heart of the matter. He’d probably yell, or say something he’d regret, orboth. He had to spend enough time with Brody until Brody was comfortable enough to talk or until the answers revealed