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The weight of exhaustion pressed down on his shoulders as he looked around his workspace, getting ready to pack up. Boxes of lights were stacked against every available wall surface, sorted by color and style, extension cords hung from hooks like holiday garlands. He had all of his tools ready to go, he just needed to sort out what lights and decorations would be right for each job, pack them up, and head out.

By the time he got back, he had a feeling he’d have several more voicemails from clients who wanted to set up meetings and times to work on their installations. He was having trouble keeping track of it all.

The demand for professional holiday decorating services in Fir Tree Grove had grown exponentially, and he’d been foolish enough to think he could handle it all himself. Daisy would have been proud of him for being so in demand, he thought with a pang in his chest, but she also would have told him to get help. Or just helped him herself.

He’d put up the ad, but there had only been a few applicants, and none of them had been right. It would be so much easier to get everything done if he had someone to help speed up the process of each house, or at least hold down the fort in the shop while he was gone. But he hadn’t found anyone yet, and it was bittersweet. On the one hand, he didn’t really want an assistant. On the other, he could admit that he needed one.

He was picky about who he would hire. It needed to be someone who he got along with, who didn’t mind his quiet and letting him work in peace, and someone who listened and learned quickly. He’d been able to tell right off the bat that the few who had applied wouldn’t be a good fit.

He picked up a coil of warm white LED lights and tested the connection, watching as they flickered to life in his hands. The soft glow reminded him of why he loved the work in the first place. There was something magical about transforming ordinary houses into winter wonderlands, but that magic wasn’t helping him to keep his calendar organized or talk to customers who came into the shop while he was gone. It also wasn’t solving the problem of having more work than one person could reasonably handle.

All of the applicants had been younger, which was part of the problem. One fresh-out-of-high school applicant couldn’t stop checking his phone long enough to answer Henry’s questions, and another who was home from college admitted to being afraid of heights right off the bat. The third applicant, a middle-aged man named Dan, had spent most of the interview complaining about his previous employers and asking about vacation time and benefits for what was clearly a temporary seasonal position. Henry had politely declined and wondered if he was being too particular about his standards.

He didn’t think so though. And he’d rather be run ragged than spend all day for the next few weeks with someone who drove him up the wall. His work was technical too, and even if he’d still be handling the light installation, he didn’t want to risk sloppiness. He couldn’t afford to take chances with someone who didn’t understand the importance of doing things right.

He loaded up the truck with the supplies he needed for the afternoon jobs, double-checking his list against the boxes in the back. The December air bit at his cheeks and neck, and he pulled his work jacket tighter around his shoulders. Snow flurries were dancing in the weak afternoon sunlight, promising more snowfall later that night, probably. Beautiful, but a real pain for anyone trying to string lights on a roof.

He was just reaching for his keys when he heard the soft chime of the bell above his shop door. He paused as he saw a woman walk in—a remarkably beautiful woman, he thought out of nowhere. She seemed familiar, and he frowned as he came around the counter to greet her. Another potential client, he thought with something approaching dismay. Normally he’d look forward to a new project, but he didn’t think he could take on any more, even though he hated the idea of disappointing someone.

She didn’t really look like a local though, he thought. She was dressed more elegantly than that, in pressed slacks, a soft-looking sweater, and a tailored plaid coat with low-heeled boots that weren’t really suited for the weather. “Can I help you?” he asked, a little more gruffly than he meant to. “I was just heading out for the afternoon. If you’re looking to schedule a decorating service, I’m afraid I’m completely booked through Christmas Eve.” Saying it pained him, but he really couldn’t take on any more. Especially when he wasn’t sure he was going to actually find any help.

The woman’s smile was polite, but he thought it looked a little nervous. “Actually, I’m not here about decorating,” she said quickly. “I’m Nicole Peterson.” She extended a manicured hand, and Henry took it, shaking it firmly and noticing that she did the same. “I’m staying at the Hearthside Cottage Bed and Breakfast, and I saw your advertisement for an assistant position. I was curious about maybe… interviewing for it?”

Henry blinked, certain he’s misheard. “I’m sorry, did you say assistant position?”

“That’s right.” Nicole’s chin lifted slightly, as if she was bracing herself for rejection. “I know I probably don’t look like your typical applicant, but I’m very interested in the job.”

Henry stared without meaning to for a long moment. This polished, sophisticated woman wanted to work as his assistant? Stringing lights in the cold, hauling heavy decorations up ladders, dealing with tangled extension cords and demanding customers? It didn’t make a lick of sense, he thought.

“I have to ask,” he said slowly, “what’s your experience with this kind of work?”

Nicole chuckled. “Honestly? None whatsoever. But I do have experience managing complex projects, coordinating schedules, and working under pressure. I spent the last fifteen years working as an office manager for an architectural design firm.”

Well, Henry thought as he took that in. That certainly explains the fancy clothes and the formality. He cleared his throat. “That’s a good bit different from what I need for this job. I’m looking for someone to manage my schedules and appointments, yes, but I also might need help with the job itself. And I doubt you know anything about electrician work or what my customers might need booked.”

“That’s true,” Nicole admitted. Her determined expression hadn’t faltered, although he could see the nervousness in her eyes intensify a little. “But I think I have skills that will be helpful for this job. Organization, attention to detail, customer service, problem-solving under tight deadlines. I’m also not afraid of hard work or getting my hands dirty.” She tilted her chin up. “I feel confident I can manage this. Otherwise I wouldn’t be wasting your time.”

Henry studied her face. She looked so determined that he felt bad not giving her a chance. And there was a hint of desperation there too—but the kind that made him think she might need a fresh start.

“Why Fir Tree Grove?” he asked. “And why this job specifically?”

Her composure slipped for a brief second, and he thought he saw a glimpse of vulnerability in her expression—a moment where he thought she was going to spill whatever was going on—before she recovered. “Let’s just say I needed a change of scenery,” she said with a smile. “As for the job, well, there aren’t exactly a lot of opportunities in a town this size. I’ve been looking since I got here, and this is the first posting I’ve seen for someone actively needing help.”

Henry thought he could tell that there was more to the story. She was choosing her words carefully, and he could see the slight tension around her eyes. But he wasn’t about to open up to this woman about his grief, he reasoned, and whatever had pushed her to relocate, it wasn’t really any of his business. He doubted it was anything that would affect her working for him.

“This isn’t easy work,” he warned. “Long hours, physical labor, working outside in all kinds of weather. And it’s only temporary. Once the holidays are over, I won’t need someone managing things for me any longer. It’ll all go back to a more manageable schedule.”

“I understand,” Nicole said firmly. “I’m not looking for a career change, just something to keep me busy while I figure out my next steps.”

Henry glanced at his watch. He should be on the road already, while he had the daylight to complete his scheduled installations. But something about Nicole Peterson intrigued him, despite his better judgment. Maybe it was how much she seemed to want the job, despite obviously being out of her element. She was the first applicant who genuinely seemed to want and need the position, enough so, perhaps, to do things his way and not argue. And if she’d been a manager for a big-time firm, she’d be punctual and hardworking, he thought. Unless she’d been let go for not being those things, but fifteen years working somewhere meant it was probably something else.

“The pay isn’t great,” he said. “Fifteen dollars an hour, and I can’t guarantee consistent hours from day to day. Some days I might need you later than usual, and some days we might finish up early.”

Nicole nodded. “That’s fine.”

“And I need you to be willing to do whatever needs doing. Whether that’s sitting here answering calls and handling walk-in customers while I’m out, or coming along with me to assist.”

“I expected as much.” She smiled. “I’m not afraid of hard work. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll be happy to learn and get it done.”