“I haven’t decided.” But Ava finally managed to let out a chuckle. The first one in hours. “How are you so much calmer than I am?”
Brayden shrugged. “I guess all my panic is inward. My mother isn’t going to approve of you, but that’s not unexpected.”
“Why won’t she like me?” Ava reached for her coffee and took a generous gulp now that it’d cooled. “I happen to think I’m pretty great, you know. Or is this one of thoseno one is evergoing to be good enough for her babythings?”
“She didn’t pick you,” Brayden explained. “But it’s more.”
“More?”
Brayden nodded, turning his attention toward the stacks of holiday boxes.
“There you go again with the vague explanations,” Ava mumbled. “That’s your single most annoying quality, did you know that?”
“Look at us, going at it like an old married couple already. We should be able to pull this off without a hitch. Unless you want to back out?”
“Two words. Nonrefundable ticket.” It wasn’t lost on Ava how easily Brayden skirted her prying. He was a master at it, but she had more important things to worry about than Brayden’s mysteriousness. Like getting all of these decorations out and up. Starting with the tree she’d meant to replace for years. “I’m not backing out. And neither are you. You’ll be the only true buffer I have from my mom. Your most important job is to keep her nose out of my store business.”
“What about your brother? Or your friend who’s engaged? Can’t they help?”
“Kinley’s elbow-deep in wedding plans. I’m not troubling her with this. And Chase, he’s way too amused to be reliable.” Ava pulled a thin tree from its box, horrorstruck by its pitiful nature.Worse than I thought. She’d been meaning to get a new tree for the past three years. But there’d never been time.
“You’re not seriously putting up a Charlie Brown tree, are you?”
“It’s not—”
Elsie let out a loud bark from the window.
“Squirrel.”
“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Ava asked. “The tree?”
“My mom won’t like you, and there’s not much I can do to help you there.”
“That seems like quite the disadvantage,” Ava cut in. “But what does that have to do with my tree?”
“Trust me, if youwerethe type she approved of, I never would’ve asked you out on that date.” Brayden didn’t give Ava time to do more than blush before he went on. “But if you put up that tree, she might have a heart attack. From the sound of it, your mom might too.” Brayden grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the stairs. “We have to get you a different tree.”
“Now?”
“We have less than forty-eight hours before our mothers descend on our lives. It’s go time.” Brayden waited for her at the front door, shrugging into his coat. How could she tell him she couldn’t afford a new tree without the whole dire money situation coming up? Whether he knew the truth or not, now was not the moment she wanted to have that humiliating discussion. Maybe Harold would let her put it on a tab.Just this once.
“If we’re going to the hardware store—the only place in town that sells trees—I’m bringing one of my Christmas baskets. Elsie can stay here. I don’t mind.”
“I’ll get the truck out.”
Ava waited for Brayden to close the front door behind him before she released a deep breath. This was a mess. This whole thing was nuts. If they’d just stuck to sending overbearing parents to voicemail, none of this would be happening. Now she had to survive not onlyhermother but another one doomed to hate her on principle?
“Elsie, I don’t think there’s a Christmas miracle big enough for this year.”
ChapterFour
Brayden
During his time in Sunset Ridge, Brayden had become intimately familiar with Davies Hardware store. He might even dare to call the owner, Harold, a friend. When it came to his woodworking supplies, Brayden shopped local when he could and only made the occasional trip to Anchorage when the local hardware store wasn’t able to order what he needed.
When Brayden’s corporate career gained momentum, he lost sight of small places like this store. Places his grandpa swore by. He stuck to convenience when he had time to shop at all. But living in the small town for over nine months reminded him of who he always wanted to be. Someone who gave back, like Grandpa had.
Brayden welcomed the clamor of bells as he held the door open for Ava.
