Not that I go to any fancy dinners or have to worry about multiple forks…

“Hey you.”

Another feminine voice sounds from behind me and I turn to find the new girl standing there with a pleasant smile on her face. We’ve never really spoken to each other before unless you count the occasional hello and head nod when we walk past each other.

“Hi,” I tell her, unsure of what to say next. Am I that out of the game that I can’t even come up with something to say? Pathetic.

She smiles. I’d bet she’s younger than me, but not by much. Her nose is pierced with a tiny silver hoop and I stare at it for a moment, wondering if that hurt.

“You doing okay?” she asks.

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“You seemed a little…out of it just now.”

“Oh. Yeah. Just tired.” My smile is faint. “Been a long day. Taking a little break, I guess.”

“It’s really busy today.” She looks from her left to her right before returning her gaze to mine. “So many people.”

“Yeah, get used to it. It’s our big season.”

“I’ll say.” She takes a step forward. “I’m Kendra, by the way.” She usually works in the tent, selling wreaths and the flocked trees. She only just started a few weeks ago, and she’s a good worker. Keeps busy. Keeps her pierced nose out of trouble.

“Isaac.” I nod and take her offered hand, giving it a shake. Notice that I feel nothing, but hey, I can’t base anything off that. It’s not always about instantaneous chemistry. “Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, you too. Everyone’s always rushing around this place, no one hardly talks to me, you know?” She lifts her brows in question.

“Starting now, it gets a little crazy, and it’ll stay this way right up till Christmas,” I explain. “It’s not that we aren’t friendly here. We just—barely have time to breathe.”

“I had no idea Christmas trees were such brisk business,” she says, sounding truly surprised.

I briefly check her out as she glances around the farm. She’s pretty enough. Brown hair, brown eyes, good figure. Really nice rack, if I’m being honest. Seems nice, but I don’t know. There’s something about her that’s not clicking for me. I don’t think she’s a bad person or anything, but I get the sense she’s not my kind of person.

“Sir! We have a question. Can you help us, please?” This comes from the mom of the family I was just eyeing.

“Just a second,” I tell the group before I turn to face Kendra once more. “Duty calls.”

“Yeah, it does.” She smiles. “Nice meeting you, Isaac. I’ll see you later.”

“See ya around,” I say, waving before I walk away.

I think about Kendra as I help the family choose a tree, their three kids running circles around us as if they’re high on sugar. Judging from their candy cane-stained faces, I’d guess my assumption is correct.