With the window behind it, the tree will be visible from almost all angles. And the shop isn’t terribly big, but the tree will pack a lot of punch since the counter is a focal point for the lights and the shelves.
“Oh, it’sperfect,” she sighs happily as I place it down.
“We just need one more thing,” I tell her. “Stay here.”
I always keep a couple of extra tree stands in my truck for the folks who don’t have one yet. I grab one and head back in to find her pulling a bag out from behind the counter.
“Lights,” she says, holding them up. “Oh, a treestand. I didn’t even think of that. How much do I owe you?”
“No charge,” I tell her. “But you have to let me help you decorate.”
“Deal,” she says, turning those luminous brown eyes my way. “But we’re gonna need some music.”
She switches on the radio and Elvis is wailing “Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me.”
“Such a good one,” she says happily.
When she starts humming and dancing a little as she pulls strands of lights out of her shopping bag, I’m half-tempted to sing along with The King myself.
But I’ve still got a little pride, so I apply myself to expertly winding the colorful lights around the little tree instead.
“Should we do the shelves too?” she asks.
“How about I put one around the ceiling?” I offer. “We can do the shelves once you’re sure you have them where you want them.”
“Perfect,” she says.
I grab a ladder from my truck, and when I get back she offers me hot cocoa.
“That’s an offer I can’t refuse,” I say.
I start hanging lights and by the time I’m done, she’s holding out a mug of hot cocoa.
“Would you like to do the honors?” she asks, indicating the outlet where I’m about to plug in the lights.
“It would be my pleasure,” I tell her.
The night has taken on a surreal quality. I’m not a hundred percent sure it isn’t some kind of dream.
She flips out the lights in the shop and then makes a drum roll sound with her tongue as I plug the cord into the outlet.
Just like earlier in the tree lot, it’s magical. The whole shop is glowing and the little tree looks incredible with the big lights out. All she needs is some ornaments.
Before I can suggest it, there’s an electricthunkand all of a suddenallthe lights are out.
“Oh no,” she murmurs.
“I should have seen that coming,” I say. “We probably overloaded a breaker. Stay here, okay.”
I slide my phone out of my pocket and touch the flashlight icon just as Taylor does the same.
“It’s kind of spooky in here with just these,” she whispers.
“You okay on your own up here for a minute?” I ask her. “You could wait over in the lot with Buck if you want.”
“I’ll be fine,” she says. “Just hurry back up, okay.”
“Look through the window at all your pretty lights,” I suggest.
