One Night with a Nutcracker (Reindeer Falls)

I focus on that as we keep walking, looking at the lights and listening to the carolers. We slowly wander the streets, enjoying the dulcet tones of perfectly harmonized carols, punctuated by the shriek-bleats of the goats.

It’s lovely, and the only thing that makes this evening more perfect is ending it with Jake sharing my bed back at the Airstream, as we continue our ‘catastrophically bad’ timekeeping.

One more night.

Or maybe two. Three max.

Enjoy the moment, Sutton.

Chapter Twelve

“Lexi, I don’t know what to do,” I groan. “This… whatever it is between Jake and I has been going on for nearly a week. He’s clearly ruining my life… but he looks so damn good doing it.”

Lexi and I are walking through one of the three different Christmas tree farms that exist in Reindeer Falls. It’s the week before Christmas, which means that it’s time for Lexi’s annual tradition of rescuing a Christmas tree. Much to Maggie’s chagrin, Lexi is convinced that this is the best time to buy a tree. And it’s not because she’s cheap. It’s because Lexi worries these are the leftover trees and they deserve just as much love, and she’s just the girl to give it to them.

At least she’s getting a Christmas tree. They don’t really fit in my Airstream, so I’ve never had one. I usually visit my parents on Christmas, so it’s never really mattered since they always have one. But this year, my parents decided to go on a two-week Christmas market tour in Europe.

Thus, I’ll be home with the goats on Christmas, which wasn’t going to be a big deal before. I’d planned to watch Christmas movies and call Maggie and Lexi, but now, now I’m not even sure I have a place to park my home. And nobody wants a buzzkill on Christmas.

“These guys.” Lexi blows out an aggravated puff of air as she checks one of the trees. “They’ve really put a wrench in a perfectly lovely holiday season, haven’t they.”

I nod my head. They really have. And it’s not fair.

“It’s like they don’t appreciate what they’ve been given,” Lexi grumbles.

“Exactly,” I agree. “I mean, how could anyone inherit a perfectly decrepit old barn and think they’d prefer a golf course?”

“Right.” Lexi nods. “And Carter’s inherited the perfect dog. Perfect. But does he appreciate Rudy? No.”

She huffs as she moves onto another tree. I raise an eyebrow, wondering if she’s ready to admit there’s something more to their fake engagement pyramid scheme. Or whatever it is they’re doing.

“Uh, Lex?” I ask. “Anything you want to talk about?”

“Nope, nope.” She shakes her head. “I’m just peachy. Oooh, speaking of, do you have any peach soaps left?”

“Peach is a summer scent,” I tell her. “So no.”

“Ugh,” she says. “Why can’t it be summer? Summer is so uncomplicated.”

“Don’t let Maggie hear you say that,” I say, looking around like Maggie might pop out from behind a tree and hand out a violation. “Besides, what complications?”

“It’s nothing,” Lexi says. “Really. Let’s keep talking about you.”

“I just have to face the Christmas music,” I admit. “Jake’s going to turn Reindeer Falls Goat Farm into a golf course, and that’s that. And seeing as golf courses and goats do not mix…”

We’re done.

“You don’t know that yet for certain,” Lexi says. “It’s not over until he knocks that barn down or it falls over. Maggie would tell you that it’s not over until the fat elf sings.”

“Is that a thing?” I glance at Lexi, confused.

“I don’t think so.” Lexi shakes her head. “But I was trying to make a Christmas pun work for Maggie’s sake. The point is, this is a moment for optimism.”

I shrug. “Normally I love optimism, but it didn’t exactly work out for her, did it?”

Lexi sighs. “And I was really starting to believe in those two. I really thought Ryan would stay. But—ooh, there it is! That’s my tree!”

Lexi points to a Douglas fir in the back that’s leaning to the right side in a way that’s almost cartoon-y. She grins as she waves over the salesperson, and then she turns to me.

“You know, you should get one of those tiny ones,” she says, nodding to where there are three mini-trees left. “The Christmas Fairy can’t grant wishes unless you have a tree.”

I laugh. “You definitely made that up.”

“It’s true,” Lexi protests. “I read a book about it,” she adds with a wink.

“And you,” I reply, “are turning into Maggie.”

Lexi just shrugs. “I’m telling you, if anyone needs some Christmas sparkle right now, it’s you. Plus, the goats could eat it after!”

I’m pretty sure they might be poisonous to goats, but I don’t say it. Instead, I stare at the mini-trees as Lexi goes off to pay.

Is she right? Do I need a little Christmas sparkle right now?

No. What I need is a Christmas miracle. And, okay, it’s probably really, really stupid to wish for a Christmas miracle, but for a minute, I do. I wish for it as I stare at those forlorn, abandoned trees.