“Haven’t you seen the movie?”
Uriel scoffed. “What’s the rule, Joe?”
Joe’s groan of disdain echoed through the empty street. “If the question starts withhave you seen, the answer is no. I can’t believe you don’t watch television or movies.”
“I read.” Uriel braved another sip of coffee before handing it over to Joe.
“I’m well aware. Well, if you’d seen it, you’d know that the guy in the movie gets a lamp that looks like the streetlamps. The box says fragile, but he says it’s fra-GEE-leh and must be Italian.”
Uriel opened the door to Peppermint Condition Mechanics, his cousin’s shop, before looking down at Joe. “And that’s funny?”
“This is why we watch the movies, Uriel. It’s funny when youseeit, not when Itellyou about it.”
“Show not tell. Got it,” Uriel said.
He found the ladder in York’s storage closet and pulled it out as Joe snuck a sip of his coffee. He choked and held it out with a betrayed look on his face. “What isthat?”
“Strong coffee. Not a peppermint mocha latte with extra peppermint, chocolate sauce, and whip.”
“Aww,” Joe said, batting his eyes and looking ridiculous, “you remember my coffee order. My hero.”
“You’ve forced it upon me. I’m not sure it qualifies as heroics when you held my book hostage until I memorized it.”
“True,” Joe said, braving another sip. “This is going to make a man out of me.”
Uriel grinned and took the cup back. “Pretty sure the manliest thing you’ve done today is ring my doorbell at four in the morning. Very brave. Not even my cousins would have dared such a travesty.”
Joe shrugged. “That was panic mode. Did you notice that Eldon didn’t even speak to me?”
“I didn’t notice.”
Joe sighed as they reached town square again. “Well, at least I’m here. That’s something, right?”
“It’s more than enough. This isn’t your responsibility, and it isn’t mine either.”
“But we’re members of the community. We run businesses here. That means we should pitch in when something like this happens.”
“I don’t jump at thegumdropof a hat, especially not for that brace of cousins. Oh, that’s better. I like that one.”
“Brace, as in a brace of ducks? Honestly, Uriel, I’m disappointed in you right now. Why don’t you like them, anyway? They’re nice. Nyall is always helping me develop new recipes for Snowda Cones, and Eldon gave me a job when I didn’t have the experience. Linus teaches me about Mistletoe Falls, and Oberon let me move in to the carriage house when he moved out, even though it’s still his.”
“They’re clearly on Santa’s nice list this year. And I like them perfectly fine. Just not when I’d rather be in bed or when community service is required.”
“Well, we can’t let visitors see the streetlamps looking so wildly inappropriate. It would be bad for both of our businesses.”
“I suppose you have a point.” Uriel opened the ladder beneath one of the streetlamps. “I’d hate for you to disappoint all the sticky fingers.”
Joe rolled his eyes again. “You are not climbing up there in your pajamas.”
“Yes, I am. Hold on to the ladder.”
“Fine, then we’re taking turns and I’ll go up for the next lamp.”
Uriel managed to get the lampshade off without doing too much damage to his ego. Detaching the garters holding up the fishnet stockings, on the other hand, nearly defeated him.
“Your laughing is not helping,” Uriel griped.
“Just unsnap the thing.”
