His expression was wary, guarded, and she didn’t like it.

“Look, Maybelle. I have to go. Thanks for being willing to go to Harvey’s Farm with me, but I’m going to pass. Love you.” She hung up the phone before Maybelle could say anything further, then addressed Bodie. “Not sure how much of that you could hear.”

“Enough.”

“Then you know I would love for you to go with me to get a Christmas tree.”

He glanced behind him as if looking for a reason to say no. “I need to finish hooking up the plumbing to the tub. Plus, now that I have it here, I’m going put in the vanity.”

She did want him to finish with the bathroom plumbing and the vanity. But at the moment, what she wanted most was for him to go with her to get a tree. The work at the house was important, but so was a tree, she reasoned. After all, how could she have an open house on Christmas Day without a tree?

“How long will that take? I can wait,” she offered, then clasped her hands. “Or, better yet, I’ll help you if you’ll tell me what to do.”

“Like you did with the painting?”

“Hey, I helped,” she reminded, smiling, and grateful that his tense expression had eased.

“Helped make a mess,” he reminded her.

“Yeah, yeah, but painting was a lot more fun with me helping. Admit it.”

“Not going to happen.” He took a step back in what she could only label as a retreat. “Take my truck and get what you need. I have a lot to do today.”

“It’s almost lunchtime, Bodie. We can get something to eat, then go to Harvey’s Farm. Or better yet, we can eat there.”

Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier? Bodie would love Harvey Farms. Or at least, she’d love showing it to him.

“You have to see it to believe it. Christmas trees for miles and miles. Plus, all kinds of Christmas goodies.” She sighed at the memory of going with Aunt Jean year after year. Some years, her dad had gone with them. Some years, he hadn’t been able to due to his pastoring work. The life of a minister wasn’t a nine-to-five weekday one. Aunt Jean had always been there. Sarah had loved going to pick a tree with her each year.

“Go with me to get a Christmas tree and you can put the vanity in while I decorate the tree this evening,” she suggested, wanting Bodie to go with her for so many reasons.

Rather than agree, he just eyed her skeptically. “You didn’t get enough decorating this morning?”

“Nor last night,” she confessed. If it were up to her, she’d have every inch of Hamilton House draped in garland and in the holiday spirit.

And Bodie Lewis in the holiday spirit, too.

“Thank you for helping me carry everything down, by the way. I never would have gotten so much done had you not been here.”