I tense for a second, my words from earlier playing on a loop. I told him I’m into someone, and it’s fuck-all complicated. Will he figure out that Isla is that person? But then, the fake-dating plan—when we roll it out—ought to cover that.
Some of the tightness eases as Isla answers nimbly, “A matchmaker who moonlights as a lawyer.”
She handled that perfectly. “And these two ganged up on me and tried to convince me to make an Advent calendar of books,” I say. “Basically, Isla decided she was Mia’s counsel. They twisted my arm.”
Corbin scoffs. “Yeah, sounds like it was real hard to convince you.”
“So hard,” Isla teases.
“Dad, we need to do the calendar tonight,” Mia says, tugging on my arm.
“Yes, we do—and you can read me a chapter,” I tell my kiddo.
“And then tomorrow, you’ll give her another book?” Isla asks, all innocence. She is such an enabler.
Charlotte whips her gaze to Corbin. “Dad, I want a book Advent calendar too. That sounds like a fun idea.”
Corbin looks like his head is spinning. “Maybe show me your ornament first.”
Charlotte displays a ribbon made of Scrabble tiles. It spells D-O-G-G-Y.
I snort-laugh. “I think someone’s trying to tell you something.”
“I even made a calendar for how we can make it work in your schedule, Dad,” Charlotte says, and I laugh harder.
“I, for one, think this D-O-G-G-Y suggestion is an excellent one,” Isla says to my buddy. “I highly recommend Little Friends Animal Rescue. They have an Evergreen Falls branch. I’d be happy to assist.”
Corbin’s face goes blank. Then he turns to me. “Lawyer. Definitely a lawyer.” But his expression clears quickly as he levels me with anotherI see right through youstare. “Complicated, huh?”
It’s asked dryly, a callback to the conversation we had at the North Pole Nook.
Even though Corbin’s not a teammate of mine, I feel like he counts broadly in the teammate category since he’s a hockey friend. Since it’s best I don’t pre-announce that we’re dating before I tell the other guys—or my kid—I practice my best poker face, answering with, “Just a little.”
After he says goodnight and walks down the street to his car, I turn to the two ladies beside me. “Do you want a ride?” I ask Isla, even though I’m pretty sure the answer is going to be no—she probably has her car with her.
And my heart already feels a little heavy when she shakes her head. “I drove.”
“Oh, you’re in the Christmas car! The one with the lights. I want to ride in it again!”
“I would love to take you,” Isla says, letting her down gently. “But your dad has his car. But I promise—I’ll take you another time. Would you like that?”
Mia’s smile turns a little impish. “Maybe you could give me a ride tomorrow to a Christmas tree farm…and we could hang this ornament on a tree?”
Shit. A tree. I’ve got to deal with a tree here in Evergreen Falls, where I usually get away with avoiding trees inside since we’re surrounded by them outside.
While there are certain things I’m liking about Christmas a lot more this year, thanks to Isla, a tree isn’t one of them. Still reminds me too much of my ex. I’m about to tell my daughter we can get a tree at my parents’ place when they arrive in a couple days…except when I look at her hopeful eyes, I can’t keep disappointing her with my bah humbugs.
I want to make my daughter happy at Christmas, evenif it’s not the most wonderful time of the year for me. And really—is a tree such a terrible thing?
“Do you want to look for a tree?” I ask.
Isla gasps quietly at the same time that Mia’s face lights up brighter than any holiday display. “Yes!” Mia says. “Tomorrow, please. But I want Isla to come. She is my Christmas lawyer, after all.”
I glance at Isla. Her blue eyes dance with a secret thrill. They say, too, that she knows what a big deal this is. That she’s…fuck. It’s like she’s proud of me.
“Would you like to?” I ask. “We have a contest thing tomorrow, but maybe we could go?—”
“After,” Mia finishes for me.
