“Merry Christmas, Gin.” Max turned off the lights, ushering his family to their corners for the night. As he unplugged the Christmas tree, he blinked back a fresh round of tears. Things were perfect; better than he could have imagined in his wildest dreams. Business was good, his family was healthy and happy, and it was his favorite time of year. He looked forward to sharing this feeling with his friends in a few days.
Max loved the residents of this quirky town, but he knew the snow wouldn’t come. There weren’t any white Christmases in their future this year; he was certain of that.
CHAPTER 7
Fa la la la la ... and all that jazz
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“Alice! Addy’s on thephone!” James called out from the studio.
James’s agent and best friend, Addison, usually called him throughout the week as they prepped for shows. Yet when they were in between projects, their conversations dried up to the occasional text message. He didn’t necessarily love losing touch with Addy during these creative periods, but they both understood the process. As soon as the paint dried on a new collection, they became inseparable yet again.
Their personal lives were also busier than usual. Alice was in the midst of her own creative process, with a book going through final edits and a proposal in the works for a new title. Addy was busy with work, but she and Chloe had finally moved in together after years of dating. She’d assured James that all was well in her romantic life, they were both just busy.
Alice sprinted into his workspace faster than a racehorse at the Kentucky Derby, her socked feet sliding across the polished cement, narrowly missing a stack of canvases. “Yeah, don’t worry about those.” He chuckled, moving aside a piece that would likely fetch a four-digit payday.
Completely undeterred, Alice held her hands out, and chanted, “Gimme, gimme, gimme,” until he gave her the phone. “Hey, girl,” she chirped. “Long time, no see.”
Addison huffed a laugh, the sound of her heels echoing through the line. “Alice, it’s been a week since I saw you.”
“And that’s too long,” Alice said, pulling out one of James’s work stools and making herself comfortable. He hastily moved a pile of pallets and brushes to the side before she accidentally elbowed them to the floor. “How’s Chloe?”
Alice and James adored Addison’s girlfriend, nearly as much as Addison did. She was sweet, funny, and kept their type-A friend fun and human. While Addison was an art agent constantly glued to her phone and always looking for the next big name in the art world, Chloe was reserved and worked for a non-profit in New York that focused on helping teens with tough home lives.
“She’s fine. Still saving the world and making me proud. The stuff she deals with amazes me, yet she’s always smiling.”
“Chloe’s a quiet powerhouse,” Alice agreed.
“Right now she’s not too happy with me, because we’re still trying to figure out what we’re doing for Christmas.”
“Do I need to buy you a calendar?” Alice asked, unable to hide her judgment. “It’s three days away.”
“Thanks for the update, Julius Caesar.” Addison’s footfalls stopped, and Alice heard her mutter something before a series of beeps. “And I’m about to enter the subway, so you’ll probably lose me. I just wanted to say hey. I miss you two already. Do you think you’ll make it up to NYC after the holidays?”
“For sure. I need to confirm my book signings with the publisher, and James wanted to check in with one of the studios you mentioned.”
