“Fine, okay. It’s… smug,” I allowed. “But that’s still fourteen trees you’ve rejected—”
She shook her head sadly. “Make that fifteen. This one’s just too… pretty.”
“How can a tree betoopretty?” I demanded. “Isn’t prettiness actually a good quality in a thing you plan to sit andstare atfor hours on end?”
“That’s a very shallow way of looking at things,” she said with such droll sincerity that I couldn’t really be impatient… except, no wait, I actuallycould.
“You can look at three more trees,” I began.
“Thirteen,” she shot back.
“What?Five.”
“Twelve.”
“Hazel.”
“Fine, eleven. Because that’s a good compromise,” she said happily. “You’re almost as good at this game as Daddy.”
“Ten,” I said. “Because I’m better at this game than he is.”
“Absolutely.” She turned to Angela Ross, who was standing at the cash register nearby, along with Micah and a guy in a Santa costume and beard I figured was Constantine. “Ms. Ross, where are your best trees?” she called. “Not the prettiest ones but the ones with personality? I’m going for a certain aesthetic.”
An aesthetic. Jesus.
Angela flipped her black braid over her shoulder and grinned at Hazel. “You know, I think I havejustthe one you want at the end of this row. Come see if it’s the right fit.”
She held out a hand, Hazel took it, and they walked away, chattering happily. I shook my head as I watched them go.
“You’re sunk,” Micah said gleefully. “Kidlet’s got you wrapped around her finger.”
“Who, me?” I turned to look at him. “Nah. It’s fine. I play the compromise gamewell.” Better than Liam.
“Dude,” Con said, pulling down his white beard. “She just got you to agree to look at ten trees when you saidthree. You might be better than Liam,possibly, but my money’s on Hazel every time.”
I scowled. He might have had a point. Still… “She’s a good kid. She’s just got a thing for trees. Actually, all Christmas decorations.” I paused, considered, cleared my throat. “And tea parties.”
“Tea parties?” Con laughed. “Tell me she’s got you sitting on the floor sipping tea.”
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “I like tea.” Ihatedtea.
“Con, baby, while you’re mocking Gideon over there, did I or did I not find you sitting out in my sister’s backyard a few weeks back, wearing a sparkly, horned headband and drinking pink soda with Olivia?”
Con ducked his head so he could glare up at Micah from under his eyelashes. “That was aunicornparty, Micah.Jesus Christ.Totally different.”
“Ah,” Micah said, nodding. “Apologies.”
“Besides, I’m not mocking Gideon!Much. I think it’s adorable.” He winked. “I thinkGideonandLiamare adorable.”
I rolled my eyes as another Santa Claus came sauntering up and bumped Con on the shoulder in greeting. “Oooh, Gideon’s dishing about Liam? I arrived just in time.”
“Parker, your hat is tilted,” I said, gesturing to his perfectly straight hat.
“Is it?” He reached up to straighten it and ended up knocking it off-kilter. “Better now?”
“Mmm. Much.”
Micah ducked his head and snorted.
