by Nancy Naigle
“You have a carrot in that box?” Ryan asked smugly.
“Well, it’s a wooden carrot, but it works.”
“You are very prepared.”
“Have to be. It’s part of the Evergreen Code of Christmas Conduct.”
“How big of a snowman are we going to build?” Zoe asked.
“Big! Big enough to wear this top hat.”
“Big as you?”
“Sure. Let’s get started.”
Ryan plopped down in the snow and started pulling snow toward him like a human excavator. In a matter of minutes, he had a huge base started. Allie and Zoe joined forces on the middle one. Packing and rolling, they built the icy ball up to a generous size.
“Ready to stack that one?” he asked, trudging through the snow toward them.
“I think so,” Zoe said.
Ryan and Allie rolled the medium snowball over to the big bottom and then lifted it on top. They gave it a good twist and pat to wedge them together so they wouldn’t fall apart.
“What do you think so far?” Allie posed in front of it.
“It’s the headless snowman,” Zoe teased. “I’ll start making the head.” When she had a snowball the size of a big hug, she asked her dad to do the honors.
“It’s perfect!” Zoe ran over and grabbed the top hat. “Put on his hat and scarf!”
“It’s looking good,” Allie said.
“You do the face,” Zoe said.
Allie grabbed all the fake coal buttons and started placing them on the snowman: two for eyes, and five in a curving row as the mouth. She twisted the wooden carrot into the middle of the face. Ryan put the sticks in for the arms and then lifted Zoe onto his back to put the gloves on them.
“Frosty!” Zoe skipped in a circle around him. The snowman was a good few inches taller than Allie. Probably five-feet-six, if Ryan had to guess.
“Awesome,” Allie said, digging into her pocket for her phone. “I’ve got to get a picture.”
Ryan and Zoe mugged for the camera with Frosty.
“All right. Ready?”
Ryan jumped in the air, and Zoe lunged in front.
“Another pose,” Allie cheered them on. “One. Two. Three.”
They both did a leaping high five.
“Selfie!” Allie ran to get in front of the snowman, extending her arm out as far as she could. “Scoot in,” she instructed. “Say ‘Frosty!’”
“Frosty!” they all yelled.
Allie then held up her fingers in a peace sign as she blew a kiss, while Zoe clapped the snowman’s hand, and Ryan photo bombed them right before he stole the top hat and plopped it right down on Zoe’s head.
Zoe giggled out of control.
“I want a picture in the hat, too,” Allie said.
“Here. Let me take the next picture.” He grabbed the camera, and Allie danced around the snowman with the top hat as Ryan snapped photos.
Allie grabbed the camera from Ryan and took a close-up of him. Her phone played a tune. “Oh, wait! I’m getting a call.” She glanced at the phone, then looked up with a half smile, raising a finger in the air. “I’ll be right back.” She stepped away.
“Come on, Zoe,” he said. “This will be fun.”
Allie tucked herself off to the side, out of the wind, next to the large nannyberry bushes. “Hi.” She held her hand over her other ear so she could hear better.
“Hey. Are you at the airport?” Spencer asked.
“No.” Allie hated to give him more bad news. “The storm last night shut down the highway. I’m going to be here another day…at least.”
He cleared his throat. “Why didn’t you stay in Burlington?”
He was mad, but she didn’t have any other options. “All the hotels were booked. I would’ve had to sleep in the truck.”
“Okay.” Spencer sighed. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Well…” She watched Ryan and Zoe and the fun they were having in the snow. Without knowing when the roads would open, her time in DC was getting squeezed. “I’m thinking at this point it might make more sense for me to stay here.”
“Allie, what about Christmas?”
“Spencer, my folks are talking about retiring. This could be my last Christmas in Evergreen.” It might have been anyway, but now it seemed even more important.
“I mean…” Spencer’s voice was tight. “I was just really looking forward to spending it with you is all.”
“I know. Me too. But I’ll be there after Christmas, and we can have plenty of time then.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Okay?” Allie asked.
“Okay,” he said.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Bye.”
Allie put the phone in her pocket. He sounded so disappointed. Had she made the right decision? It wasn’t like she could change anything right now, anyway. Until the road opened back up, there were no other options.
She walked back over to where she’d left Ryan and Zoe and saw them both sprawled out in the snow making snow angels. Her heart took an instant leap for the better.
“Allie!” Zoe’s arms and legs scissored like they were motorized.
“Hey. Look at you guys!” Allie drew closer.
“We’re making snow angels!”
“They’re gorgeous,” Allie said.
Ryan sat up and then his face twisted. “Mine looks more like a snow gorilla.”
Allie put on a serious expression. “A Christmas gorilla.”
That made Zoe giggle. “It’s so much fun here.” Zoe slapped the soft snow from her gloves. “We should do something nice for Barbara. She’s been so nice to us.”
Ryan turned to Zoe, looking proud of her. “That’s really sweet.”
“I’ve got an idea,” Allie said.
He gave her that I-bet-you-do look.
Well, he’d just have to wait and see.
Chapter Fifteen
Ryan looked at Allie with interest as they hiked down to her house to get her truck. How was it that he felt this comfortable around someone he’d met by accident after a brief interaction? She’d not only made sure they had a place to stay, but had made the stay extra special by sharing her traditions with them. It was like they’d known each other forever. And her interactions with Zoe were just as easy.
It was true her trip was cancelled too, but her family was here. She had plenty of other things to do besides spend her time with them, but he was thankful that she was.
“So, what is this big idea you have?” he asked when they got to her house.
“We’re going Christmas tree shopping.” Allie started the truck, and they all buckled up.
“Are we going to the tree farm near Henry’s farm? Near Snowflake?”
Allie shook her head. “No, they’re closed at this time of night, but there’s a nice tree lot right here in town. We’ll find a very pretty tree there. Plus, the proceeds go to help with school programs for our students here in Evergreen. A win-win.”
“That’s nice,” Ryan said.
Allie drove up the road, making a couple of turns, then pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store. Off to the far right in an empty lot, there was an old Airstream motorhome parked next to a well-lit area filled with Christmas trees. There were still quite a few to pick from this close to the holiday.
“I think Dad and I should pick out the tree,” Zoe said. “I mean, you already said you pick out the scrawny ones, and Barbara deserves a big, pretty tree for her living room.”
“Awww. Scrawny trees need love, too,” Allie said as she climbed out of the truck.
But Ryan was in full agreement with Zoe. “I agree, Zoe. How about something like this one?” He walked stra
ight over to a conical-shaped tree.
Zoe curled her lip. “That one is too skinny.” She ran over to a super-tall tree that had a blue ribbon tied to its top branch. “This one?”
Ryan shook his head. “That one is way too tall. We’d have to cut three feet from the bottom of it just to get it in the door.”
Zoe put her finger to her lip. “That wouldn’t be good.”
Allie clapped her hands to get their attention and thumbed toward a small tree to her right.
Both Ryan and Zoe said, “No!”
“Fine.” Allie stroked the top branch of the pitiful little tree.
Zoe skipped between the rows of trees. “I think this is the one, Dad.” Zoe had sidled up to a full tree that rose to about seven feet tall.
As he got closer, the aroma put him in a holiday mood. The shape of this tree was ideal, too. Wide at the bottom with a perfect taper. The trunk was straight all the way to the top, where the angel or star would shine. “I think you’re right,” Ryan agreed.
“What do you think, Allie?” Zoe looked hopeful.
“Thanks for asking.” She gave the scrawny little three-foot tree an apologetic nod, then started laughing. “It’s beautiful. I think Barbara will love it too.”
“Perfect!”
The lot attendant walked over. “Did you decide on a tree already?”
“We did,” Zoe spoke for the group.
The tree lot guy seemed impressed, giving Ryan a high five as he called one of his helpers over to cut the tree from the post. The helper shook out the loose needles and leaves, then wrapped it and put it in the back of Allie’s truck. Ryan pulled out his wallet and paid the man.
The lot attendant checked the tree to make sure it wouldn’t fly out of the back on the ride home, and then closed the tailgate. “All set.”
“Thanks!” They climbed into the truck. It started right up, thanks to her lucky charm passengers. She might need them to ride shotgun more often. Allie fiddled with the radio to find some Christmas music. As if special ordered, the next song that played was “O Christmas Tree.”
Zoe was so excited on the short trip back that she never did even turn around and sit right in the seat. “Barbara is going to love this tree.”
“She’s going to be so surprised.” Allie pulled her truck into the driveway at Barbara’s Country Inn, trying to get as close as possible to the front door.
They got out of the truck, and Allie dropped the back tailgate with a thud, hoping the loud clunk hadn’t roused Barbara all the way inside the house. They waited a minute, but after a moment, it was apparent they hadn’t spoiled the surprise. Thank goodness. With no sign of Barbara, they got to work.
“This is going to be great!” Zoe danced around the side of the truck.
“It was a very thoughtful idea.” Ryan smiled at Allie. “Both of you.” He wrestled with the huge tree.
“Let’s get this inside,” Allie said. “I’ll help.”
“Me too,” said Zoe.
Ryan slid the tree out of the bed of the truck and then set it on its trunk. He lowered it horizontally, positioning himself at the heavy trunk end. “Allie, you can grab the middle, and Zoe, you can balance the top.” They got into position and marched to the front door.
“Left. Left. Left-right-left,” Zoe chanted.
At the porch, Ryan stopped and let the trunk rest on the ground. “Zoe, you’ll have to get the door.”
“No problem.” Zoe twisted the doorknob and gave it a push. “Surprise!”
“Ho. Ho. Ho,” Allie called out as they breezed in with the tree in tow.
The fireplace mantel was already decorated with tall glass hurricane shades filled with shiny silver ornaments. Barbara was in the middle of pinning handcrafted stockings to it now. The fire burned brightly with dancing orange, yellow, and blue flames. The blast of warmth thawed them as they stood there holding the tree.
Barbara turned around. “What’s this?”
“Well, we figured since we have to impose on you for one more night, the least we could do is get you a Christmas tree.” He stood the tree up in the room. It was the perfect height.
“You didn’t have to do that!” She rushed over to get a closer look. “But I’m glad you did.”
“Can we decorate it?” Zoe asked.
“Of course,” Barbara said. “Let’s go get some ornaments.” She took Zoe by the hand and disappeared into another room.
Ryan peered around the tree to Allie. “Shall we trim it up?”
“Let’s do it.”
“Okay.” He took the tree in a big bear hug and toted it to the corner of the room that had been cleared all except for a chair. “Looks like this is where she planned to put it.” He balanced the tree and had Allie hold it while he moved the chair out of the way.
Barbara came back in, carrying the large red-and-green tree stand. “That’s perfect. I brought the stand.”
“Great,” Ryan said. “Drop it right there. Allie and I can get her secured.”
“Thanks,” Barbara said. “We’re gathering the ornaments.” She left as quickly as she’d arrived.
Allie open and closed her hands. “That tree is sappy.”
“It’s fresh. Do you know that’s the first time I’ve ever bought a fresh tree?”
“No way. Really?”
“Yep.” He positioned the tree in the stand. “I guess out of convenience. We always had artificial ones. This has been an amazing day.” He was laser-focused on making Zoe’s Christmas the best possible, and yet, here he was, experiencing new things and having more fun than he’d had in a very long time. And with a complete stranger.
“It has,” she enthused, then her expression softened. “So great.”
He swallowed hard. “Um. Is the tree straight?”
“Oh. Yeah. Hang on.” She backed up. “A little more to the right. Yes! That’s perfect.”
Zoe and Barbara came in carrying boxes.
“Are there lights in any of those?” Allie asked.
“I hope so,” Barbara said. “There should be.”
“We can put those on while you all are gathering the rest of the ornaments,” Ryan offered, then stoked the fire to keep it going.
“I won’t argue with that. The lights are the hardest part.” Barbara lifted the lid off the tall box. “And here they are.”
“I love these old-style lights.” Allie pulled out the top strand. The green cord separated the large white bulbs. She plugged one end into the receptacle nearby, and it came to life. “Got one!”
Zoe and Barbara clapped, then headed out of the room to retrieve the rest of the ornaments.
Ryan pulled out strands, trying to keep them from tangling, plugging each strand into the outlet one at a time to test them. Only one strand was a dud, and they seemed to have plenty of lights to fill the tree without it. He wrapped the lights around his elbow and palm in a nice, organized roll.
“Start at the top,” Allie said, tiptoeing and reaching as high as she could.
He didn’t even need a ladder. He draped the lights around the uppermost branches until he got down to where she could reach.
He handed the coil of lights to her, and she draped and pushed them deep into the branches, securing them along the way. She got around her side and then passed the lights back to him; their hands touched as they wrangled the tangle of lights back and forth. They continued until they got all the way to the bottom.
“Let’s plug them in and see how we did,” Allie said. He plugged the end into the wall.
Allie gasped. “This is the fastest I’ve ever been able to put up lights. And they’re perfect.”
“I’m kind of an old pro.”
“You must be.”
He touched her arm. Her sk
in was soft and warm. He crouched to her height. “I always say you have to put the squint test on it to be sure you have enough lights and no gaps.”
Her giggle sounded nervous, but she followed along. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” he said. “Face the tree. Now squint your eyes. You shouldn’t see any big gaps.”
“Oh my gosh. You’re right. It does work. There’s one little spot right…”
“Here,” he said. “I noticed that too.” He reached between the branches and repositioned a few of the lights.
Allie squinted, squinching her face. “That’s it!”
“It is,” Barbara echoed. “How did you do that so fast? It’s beautiful even without the ornaments.”
Zoe shook her head. “Oh, no. We need the ornaments.” She put one of the boxes down on the floor next to the tree and started trimming the tree. “These are so pretty, Barbara. I’ve never seen ornaments like this.”
“That’s because many of these are older than you. Older than me even,” Barbara said. “My parents bought them in Germany. My daddy was in the army over there. They are very delicate. I always end up breaking a couple each year and it makes me so sad, but now I save all the broken pieces and put the pretty colored glass into those clear ornaments to hang on to the memories.”
“That’s a neat tradition,” Zoe said. “Dad, we need some traditions.”
She was right. And being here, they’d just shared a ton of new ones. It was more than just the holiday. It was the community, and sharing. “Traditions are good. I think trimming a tree with friends three days before Christmas is a pretty good one.” Ryan hung a glitzy magenta, turquoise and white ball high on one of the top branches.
