Page 21 of The Mistletoe Makeover

I burst out laughing. “My minion?”

“Of happiness,” she repeats. “I don’t take care of cats or do dishes.”

“Tabby and Blackie will be very disappointed to hear that.”

“I know, but I more than make up for it with my special talent for putting together amazing playlists.”

“You mean a mix tape?”

She nods. “Only better. Just give me a few songs, and I’ll put together an entire soundtrack for our drive.”

I suggest an eclectic mix of country, jazz, and classic Christmas numbers, and she quickly swipes through the options, calling the playlist,Your Christmas Mix Tape.

Pretty soon, we’re careening through the snowy hills while listening to Elvis’s “Blue Christmas,”a country version of “Jingle Bell Rock,” and a slow jazz version of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”Before I realize it, I’m humming along to them and in a much better mood than when we left. I’d hate to give her the satisfaction of actually being right, but this list is amazing.

It’s so good that I hardly notice how much the road conditions have deteriorated in the last hour. I can barely see the road ahead of me.

When I slow down for a curve, my tires hit an icy patch, and the Jaguar breaks loose, sliding sideways. I turn the wheel in the other direction to correct my slide, but my maneuvers are no match for the ice, and the curve is too sharp. It’s like I’m careening across a hockey rink.

“Hold on,” I say, trying to avoid the steep ditch on my right.

Mia instinctively braces as we hit a bump before the vehicle pitches forward into a shallow ditch, whipping us both forward.

When we finally stop, I immediately glance over at Mia. “You okay?”

She’s breathing hard, staring at the enormous tree we missed by a few feet. “Just saw my life flash before my eyes, but other than that, I’m fine.”

“That curve was all ice. Let me try to back us out.”

I put the car in reverse, but the tires spin uselessly in the snow.

“Stay here for a second.” I climb out to survey the situation. The vehicle looks fine, but there’s no way I’m getting this out of the ditch without a tow truck. I bang on the window and call through the glass, “We need to call a tow truck.”

She looks over at me. “In this weather?”

“You have a better suggestion?”

She shakes her head.

For the next thirty minutes, I google tow trucks while Mia and I tag-team, calling every number with no luck.

One tow truck driver laughs when I tell him I need pulled out as soon as possible.

“So do hundreds of other people.”

“But we need to get to Evergreen today,” I plead.

The man roars with laughter. “Every road to Evergreen is closed because of the weather. The region has declared a travel emergency. You’re not going anywhere.”

“Then how much do I have to pay you?” I beg, willing to fork out whatever it takes.

“I don’t take bribes.”

“It’s not a bribe,” I explain. “I’m Jace Knight.”

“Yeah, right,” he says, before hanging up on me.

I stare at my phone in shock. “Can you believe that guy?”

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