When I lay eyes on Sugar Staple sobbing in the grocery store, I know she’s the woman for me.
Sexy and so damn sweet.
She’s also a woman in trouble.
Her mom just stole her inheritance and swiped her dreams along with the cash.
Sugar is too gentle to ask me for anything, but damn, I’d give her the whole world.
I’ll start by giving her what I know she’s craving: some icing on her cookies.
Next, I’ll make her Christmas wishes come true.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
RAINIER
“Sometimes you guys just work me to the bone, I swear!” my little sister Cookie exclaims as she hastily stuffs more freshly pasteurized milk into the crates.
“You know how it is, my semi-sweetheart,” Dad says, always smirking at his nickname for her. “The better business is, the harder we all have to work.”
“I’m already covering for Hood, he’s supposed to be handling the bottling process.”
“You only have to cover for him today.”
More scoffing from my sister.
Dad and I are busy tending to the cows as we always do. Working at a dairy farm is hard work, and it’s never gotten any easier. We all have to pitch in where we can. It’s a family business, and family always comes first.
Cookie hoists up another rack of bottles and carries it over to the truck, slamming the tailgate as she turns and heads toward the driver’s seat, looking slightly sour.
“Be careful, dear,” my father calls out.
As she turns to glare at my father, another truck rolls up.
The source of all her complaints, our brother Hood. How dare he have a routine doctor’s appointment?
“Showing up right after the work is done, huh?” our sister smarts.
“I can’t help if this was the only time my doc could get me in, Cookie.”
She blows a raspberry at him before climbing into the truck, turning the engine, and rolling down the road to go and do her deliveries.
“What’s gotten into her?” Hood asks as he scratches his head.
I shrug. “Just a rough day with the extra work is all.”
“Hard to avoid that from time to time,” our old man says. “Just part of life on a farm. It helps to know what you’re working for, and what you want to come home to.”
“Like what?” I ask, crossing my arms.
“What’s gotten me through some rough days is knowing that your mother will be waiting for me back home. And knowing you boys and my darling daughter are there. I always knew who I was busting my ass for – my family.”
Hood laughs. “Trying to say that she needs a family?”
“Maybe at least a boyfriend. Something to get her going.”
I share an exchange of glances with my brother. We’d been kinda vigilant in taking care of our little sister in the past few years. Way too many would-be suitors eyeballing her in high school only for a notch on their bedpost. We knew high school boys pretty well, since we’d just been high school boys ourselves.
We can’t protect her forever, and we both know it.
Hood nods. “I’m thinking that’s what we all need, to be honest. A special someone in our life to make it all worth it.”
Dad laughs. “Sorry boys, I think I already have my special someone, you’re on your own for this.”
My brother and I exchange amused glances.
There’s a lot of truth in it. I’m sick of being single, of only meeting women who aren't for me. I wish I could find the one who would be willing to skip the bullshit and just do the damn thing. But I’m not an idiot and know that there’s no genie that’s going to pop up and grant my wish of the perfect wife to be with me for the rest of my days.
Hood helps me and Dad finish up tending to the cows. All of them seem to be doing pretty well for the winter, getting through this until the spring allows them out on the field to graze again.
“Heading to the store,” I declare, stretching my arms out for a job well done. “Need anything?”
“Mm, I think we’re good, but I’ll let your mother know and she can text you,” Dad says as he heads toward the house.
“I’m good, bro, thanks,” Hood says, slapping me on the back.
I head to my truck, scooting in and turning the ignition, letting the engine get going. It’s been pretty cold, which is no surprise since it’s nearing Christmas. There’s a light layer of snow all over the ground already, and all the forecasts are predicting more for the holidays, if not an outright blizzard.
We’re used to it, of course. My dad has raised my brother and me to be good, decent mountain men, able to take the harshest things Washington state will throw at us. We’ve got thick beards, hard bodies, ready to endure the worst.
I roll down into Linesworth, the small town that’s not far from our family farm – the Crumble Dairy Farm. We provide the town with milk and we’re pretty well known around here. I park at the local supermarket, step out and head in. I’m here for a case or two of beer to enjoy during the holidays. Christmas is coming fast, and I never had much of a taste for eggnog. That’s my father’s thing, all I want is a pretty basic pilsner.