“Can you help me get this tree inside our house? The ladies are tough, obviously, but they aren’t trying hard enough. This is one of those battles I refuse to give up on because the whole damn time they yapped about it being too big for the house. Man-to-man, you see my point?”
Regardless of my thoughts, I nodded. I wanted to be around their joy, around my wife, and if that meant helping Steve with this task, then I’d do it. “Sure.”
“Good man.” He nodded but then reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “I know this is a hard season. I’m not sure what the future will bring, but I support a guy trying, and I know that’s what you’re doing here. My daughter is stubborn and brilliant, and I’m on her side no matter what, but we love you too, Connor, so don’t give up too quickly.”
My throat prickled from the kindness of his words. “I won’t.”
“Good. If you tell either of them I said that, I will find a way to hurt you. Now come on.”
He marched back into the garage, and sure enough, a huge-ass evergreen tree sat halfway shoved into their house. There was honestly no way it’d fit through the doorway, but I couldn’t miss the chance to help.
“Hey, can we use your back entrance? It has double doors that open.”
“Smart man. Yup.” He clicked his tongue. “Let’s drag her out. Honey! Open the back door. We’re coming in that way!”
“What?”
“Unlock the back door, please!”
“Unlock what?”
Oh my God. If Laney were here, we’d make eye contact and laugh our asses off. These two were like characters in a sitcom.
“Sherry Marie, I swear on Laney’s life, you can damn well hear me. Now, I’m marching around and breaking the door down myself!”
My lips twitched as we yanked the tree over and over. It was stuck in the door, and my muscles tensed as I changed my grip. The wood cut into my skin, and the smells of evergreen and sap filled the air.
“Steve, it’s pretty tight.”
“No. Don’t bail on me.” He grunted and pulled hard. So hard that he stumbled backward and landed on his ass. He howled. It wasn’t a quiet one either. It was like a coyote, and Laney ran into the garage, eyes wide.
“What happened?”
“Your dad busted his butt.”
“Dad, are you… Wait, Connor, why are you—”
“You foolish man.” Laney’s mom walked in with a smile on her lips. “You are such a moron, but I love you.”
“My ass needs ice.” Steve pushed up with a groan. “You win. I’ll saw the tree down.”
“Laney and I can move it,” I piped up. She stared at me with her eyes hooded, her teeth on her full bottom lip.
“We’ve moved trees larger than this, haven’t we?”
She nodded, but her frown grew. “Why are you here?”
“I asked him for help, but it was no use. I pretty much broke my tailbone, and the tree is still in the doorway.” Her dad ran a hand over his butt.
“Come on. I’ll get you ice and put on a rom-com.”
“The kissing ones?”
“Yes. Your favorite.” Her mom chuckled as she rolled her eyes. “Never boring with you, Steven. That’s for sure.”
Laney’s mom and dad walked inside. The front door closed with a thud, leaving Laney alone with me in the garage. She wore an oversized sweater and jeans that I loved. Her hair was up, she had no makeup on, and she looked beautiful. Her bare left hand pissed me off, and I could tell she wanted to tell me to leave. So I used a trick I had up my sleeve: her competitiveness.
“So, you think you can help me move this thing, or no?”
