Two
“Ouch!”Flinching, I flick my hands. These pine needles are pricking me to the point of exasperation. Why Bianca feels the need to wrap every branch with lights is beyond me. It’s a tedious, painstaking process. My back is aching, and my fingers are sticky from sap. I tried wearing gloves, but they’re too big and make me so clumsy that it’s impossible to do anything with them on.
Why did I let Harmony talk me into this?
Axel’s not even here.
I’ve been at this for four hours, and I’ve only managed to wrap lights around two ten-foot-tall trees. I have twelve more trees to go. At the rate I’m going, I’ll end up doing the same thing all over again tomorrow and probably the next day for a good eight or nine hours. And the worst part is that Bianca’s not paying me a cent. She’s the one coming out like a bandit in this deal—getting free labor.
After the lights are all strung on the trees, they have to be decorated. Bianca has a long list of instructions for each one. Going off the mile-high stack of plastic bins in the garage, it’sgoing to be a grueling week. Will Axel be here tomorrow? Who in the heck knows! This whole thing is a waste of time.
I glance around at the modern living room of steel and glass with large windows and a tall ceiling stretching to the second story. A ginormous fireplace with a mounted flat-screen TV is the focal point. When Bianca let me in this morning and gave me my marching orders, she mentioned that she had decorated the home. While the woman is haughty and condescending to her help, she certainly knows her stuff when it comes to design. My gaze lingers on the buttery-soft leather sectional and massive coffee table. The furnishings are masculine with homey touches in the comfortable-looking pillows, rugs, and throws.
I look at the infernal tree. Time to get back to work! These trees aren’t going to decorate themselves. It’s Monday, and the party’s on Saturday. As Bianca reminded me umpteen times, there’s no time to waste. One thing I can say about decorators is that they sure know how to suck the enjoyment out of festive activities. I have so many fond memories of decorating the tree with my mom and brother. However, we simply draped the lights over the branches, and in ten minutes or so, we were done and could get to the fun part. This is torture. I never knew one tree could have so many branches.
When Bianca showed me around the house, I noticed several cameras. Too bad because I would’ve loved to do some snooping. Oh, and some playing. On Bianca’s tour, I noticed a sweet-looking music room with a drum set that has been calling my name ever since I stepped foot in the home.
My phone buzzes. I retrieve it from my pocket and crinkle my nose. It’s Harmony. Should I answer or let it go to voicemail? I’m not in the mood to talk to Harmony right now. But if I don’t answer, she’ll just keep calling.
“Hello,” I bark.
“Hey, there. How’s it going?”
“Do you really wanna know?”
“That’s why I asked.”
“Painstaking and painful.”
She sounds surprised. “Painful? How so?”
“These pine needles are sharp, and my back’s killing me.”
“Are you making any headway on the story?”
Axel has security cameras, but I wouldn’t think any sound is being recorded. Still, it’s better to be cautious and not divulge any incriminating information. “Not yet. Just tackling the lights on the trees. I’ll be at it the rest of today, tomorrow, and probably Wednesday.”
“It’s taking you that long just to put up lights?”
“Yep, every strand has to be wrapped around a branch—Bianca’s orders.”
“Oh, wow.”
“I’ll be at this for three days before I can even start decorating the trees.”
“Have you been able to talk to Axel?”
“Not yet. I’m the only one here.”
“Hopefully, you can get some info soon.”
“That’s the plan.”
“Hang in there. Just keep thinking about that mega story you’re about to get.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
“Bianca told me that Zoe Reynolds is leaving tomorrow for Aspen, Colorado, to do a segment on skiing for her YouTube Channel. That means you’ll have Axel all to yourself this week.”
