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Annie sniffs her drink, then tastes it.

ANNIE

Is this pumpkin spice?

JAMES

Yes. But don’t tell anyone. I have a

reputation to uphold.

ANNIE

Just for me?

JAMES

(smiling)

Just for you.

Chapter 19

Ellie

I’m bouncing in my seat and singing “Here Comes Santa Claus”the whole drive home. The cabin isn’t too far from the tree farm, but Mariah takes it slow so we don’t lose all the needles off our little friend strapped to the roof. I can’t believe I get to have a Christmas tree—a real one, in July! And of all the people to put this together and make my Christmas wish come true, it’s Mariah. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say her little Grinch heart has grown ten sizes since we first met. And I think it’s all because of me.

Watching the wind tousle her blue hair as she fights the smile on her face, her cheeks pinching together and lips pursing as they do, it makes me want to reach across the seat and tickle her. I refrain, as I also don’t want to get in a car crash.

We pull up to the cabin and I leap from the car, immediately working to untie the tree. Mariah takes a bit more time with the knots on her side, always measured and careful, before helping me lift it down. We work together to carry it in and set it next to the wood-burning stove.

“We didn’t really think this through, did we?” Mariah states, hands on her hips.

The tree, though small, takes up every square inch of free space in the already crowded living room. With the oversized ’70s furniture and Mariah’s couch popped out into a bed, there is literally zero room to walk around.

“Maybe if we...?” I gesture at her bed awkwardly, not wanting to insinuate she sleep with me, but also insinuating that shecouldsleep with me.

She nods, wordlessly removing the blankets and pillows tofold it back up. I do my best not to jump and dance, but I’m too excited and can’t help a subdued hop and wiggle. With the bed folded back into the couch there’s room to stand and walk.

“I think it’s perfect.” I inhale the nostalgic scent of pine. “That’s gotta be one of the best smells in the world.”

“It’s up there. So, how do we...” Mariah gestures at the thing, searching for words, before deciding on, “Erect it?”

I laugh, slapping my knee. “Oh my god, erect the tree.”

Mariah sighs, fighting a smile of her own. “You know what I mean.”

Still wheezing from my laugh, I explain, “We need a tree stand.”

“Okay, where is it?”

“I didn’t bring one.”

“Oh.” Mariah pulls at her bottom lip. “I didn’t think about that.”

I shrug. “We’ll figure it out.” I walk around the peninsula and dig through the cupboards in the kitchen, then find an old Dutch oven that’s seen better days. Bringing the pot back to the tree, I get Mariah to lift it up and place it inside. Then, I go outside and source some rocks to stack up inside the pot to give it support. It works well enough, keeping the little guy upright. After some back and forth we decide to lift the tree and set it atop the wood-burning stove since the thing isn’t on anyways. Doing so brings the top of the tree up just past Mariah’s height, giving the illusion that it’s a real big tree, and also clearing up more space in the room.

“It’s perfect,” I murmur, standing back to appreciate our work.