“You got it, boss,” he gruffed, scratching the back of his head and looking down at the floor. “See you later.”?He walked down the stairs, and Pickle hurled herself out of the tree and on to my lap.
“What are we going to do about him?”?
She licked her lips and twirled twice before falling asleep on my thighs.?
“Believe me, girl, I wish I could kiss him again. But we’re just going to have to keep dreaming.”?
I sat in the quiet for a while, just watching the room move with the quiet twinkle of the lights. I wondered briefly what would make someone do somethingso extravagant, so out of this world? Why would someone do something so crazy for someone??
Love. Loyalty. Friendship.?
?And I knew, deep down, those were the reasons why I was doing the crazy, extraordinary thing that I was doing, too.?
Later that night, I had Sutton on speakerphone while I flipped through bridal magazines, my stomach a circus of butterflies and nervous energy.
?“Did you get the picture I sent of the tree?” I asked.
“I did. It really is beautiful,” she sighed wistfully. “I hope you weren’t an asshole and thanked him properly.”
“Of course I did. I was very kind once I stopped sobbing.” I added a sticky note to the top of the page I was perusing, scribbling a quick “maybe.” “What do you think about dusty-rose for your maid of honor dress? Is that too springy? February’s so hard because technically it’s still winter, but it’s the South, so it could be ninety degrees that day.”
Sutton grumbled. “Throw me in a garbage bag. This whole thing is trash anyway.”?
“Sutton, stop. Besides, you know I would do that to you just to spite you, so don’t test me.”?
“I’m bringing Ryan as a date, I think. I don’t know. We’ve been running on the river together. He’s kind of cute but like so, so goofy.”?
“Sounds like a match to me.” I faked a laugh, trying not to get upset. On one hand, I was happy for Sutton. On the other hand, I wished things were simple for me like they were for her.?
How nice it would have been to date Dane, figure out he was a jerk on my own, kick his ass to the curb, and free up my heart for the person who would treat it right.?
Thinking like that could get me in trouble, though. I had to save the bar. There was no other way around it.?
My throat tightened a bit, and I threw the magazine down on the coffee table.?
I felt trapped.
“I’ll be there in the morning. I got a super cute dress off Amazon that looks like a decorated tree. It has a star on one wrist with tinsel and ornamentsup and down the sleeves. When I hold my hands above my head, I’m a goddamn balsam fir. It’s magical.”?
“I can’t wait to see.” I could practically see my friend prancing around the bar, throwing her arms up like she was auditioning forAmerica’s Next Top Tree. The mental image was so ridiculous, I couldn’t help but snort-laugh. “Thanks for helping out during the trolley stops. It really means a lot to me. I’m glad we’re on better terms. I really don’t know what I’d do without you or your questionable fashion choices.”?
I could hear her grinning on the other end of the line. “My hope is, by New Year’s Eve, we’ll all be exactly where we’re supposed to be.”?
Chapter thirty-one
MAGNOLIA
Lee was the first one to arrive on the morning of the Historical Holiday Trolley Tour. We quietly danced around each other, and I tried to keep my distance. After finding the Christmas tree in my apartment the night before, I didn’t want to let on that my heart was calling out to him. But, the way he was acting, I was pretty sure he could hear it as loud as a siren.?
I could feel the weight of his gaze following me around the bar as I hurried to ready the space. He was standing there, hands shoved in his pockets, trying to look casual but clearly brimming with anticipation. His eyes, still that intense blue, kept flicking over to me as if searching for any hint of how I felt.
He had this self-satisfied grin on his face from last night’s big stunt, like he was waiting for me to confirm that it had worked, that it meant something. I could see the mix of hope and nervousness behind his smile, and it twisted my heart more than I’d care to admit.
I tossed a handful of beer koozies that looked like tiny, knitted ugly sweaters onto the bar. “Are you going to help me out today, Lee, or are you just going to stand there giving me googly eyes all day?"
Lee smirked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Well, I was trying to see if my googly eyes would get me out of manual labor, but it looks like you’re not having any of it.” He stepped closer, grabbing a box of festive cocktail napkins and giving me a mock salute. “Alright, boss. What’s next on the to-do list?”
Charlie showed up next with bacon and biscuits, and Sutton, Jordan, and Doyle weren’t too far behind. Soon, we were all assembled, and I felt a little more comfortable now that the gang was all together and Lee and I weren’t alone with the swirling emotions that had me on edge.
