Page 5 of Holiday Pines

This is going to be a long December.

Two

Wes stood in the shower longer than necessary, letting the hot water pound his broad and aching shoulders. The day clung to him—pine sap under his nails, dirt in the creases of his neck, Jake Marley’s words in his head.

I don’t destroy farms. I save them.

“Bullshit,” he muttered.

The water didn’t wash away the words, though. They clung to him like–well, like pine sap.

By the time he got downstairs, Henry was already at the kitchen table, working his way through a bowl of soup. He looked up when Wes entered, eyes sharp despite the tremor in his hands.

“You look like hell,” Henry said.

“Thanks, Dad. You’re a real confidence booster.”

“I’m serious. Did you get any sleep last night?”

“Some.” Wes pulled a beer from the fridge, twisted the cap off. “Enough.”

Henry made a noncommittal sound, the kind that meantI don’t believe you, but I’m not going to argue.He spooned soup into his mouth carefully, deliberate. The stroke had stolenhis coordination, but he’d gotten most of it back through sheer stubbornness.

Wes leaned against the counter, drinking his beer, watching his father eat.

“Banker came by today,” he said finally.

Henry’s spoon paused halfway to his mouth. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Guy from Atlanta. Regional First.”

“What’d he want?”

“To look around. Take pictures.Assess the situation.” Wes took another drink. “You know. The usual before they pull the rug out from under you.”

Henry set his spoon down. “What’d he say?”

“That he saves farms.” Wes laughed, a sharp burst sounding forced. “That’s his thing, apparently. Agricultural recovery specialist.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Mm-hmm?That’s all you got?”

Henry shrugged, reaching for his water glass. His hand shook, and Wes almost moved to help, but stopped himself. Henry hated being helped.

“Maybe he does,” Henry said.

“Does what?”

“Save farms.”

Wes stared at him. “You’re kidding.”

“Why would I be kidding?”

“Because he’s a banker, Dad. They don’t save anything. They want money.”

Henry took a slow sip of water and set the glass down carefully. “Did you talk to him, or just decide he was the enemy before he opened his mouth?”