Page 5 of Dad Bod Snow Job

Every reason I should say no crowds my throat. The age gap. The business. The whole damn town watching. But seeing her in my world, bringing color and life to everything she touches...

“Tomorrow,” I say firmly. “Eight AM. Proper boots.”

Her face lights up, and something warm unfurls in my chest. "I mean, yes. Eight AM. I'll bring coffee."

The smile she gives me could power the whole damn mountain. She practically bounces on her toes like it's Christmas morning, and I just gave her everything on her list. Before I can react, she leans in and presses a quick, soft kiss to my cheek.

"You won't regret this!" she whispers, already pulling away, pink staining her cheeks.

The words—and the ghost of her lips—hit somewhere beneath my ribs.

She hurries down the path toward her car, that ridiculous dress swishing beneath her coat. My body moves on instinct when she hits an icy patch, but she catches herself. The shy smile she sends over her shoulder sucker punches me right in the chest.

I watch until her taillights disappear before heading to my office. Focusing on invoices and bank statements feels impossible. A text from an unknown number lights up my phone.

“Found these boots! Crisis averted. See you at 8! ”

The Christmas tree emoji mocks me. I should delete the text. Should set boundaries. Keep things professional.

Instead, I save her number and grab my coat, hoping that the effort of moving trees will knock some sense into me becauseHolly Carter is sunshine and Christmas spirit and everything I can't afford to want.

And I'm already in trouble.

Chapter 3

Holly

“You've got this,” I mutter, blowing a strand of hair from my face. “Only a few more feet of lights, and then I can show Nico the Instagram mock-ups.”

The ladder wobbles beneath me as I stretch to wrap another strand of twinkling lights around the massive display tree. My first official task as Bennett's Tree Farm's newest employee—try not to die while decorating.

Late afternoon sun streams through the freshly cleaned windows, making the newly organized shop sparkle. Not bad for my first day.

The temporary shop looks nothing like the chaos I walked into yesterday. Ornaments sorted by color and theme line the shelves I discovered under boxes of tangled tinsel. Price tags hang neatly on every pre-cut tree.

Even the ancient cash register sports a festive bow—though I'm hoping my social media pitch might convince Nico to upgrade to something from this century.

My hand brushes the spot on my arm where Nico steadied me yesterday, and warmth blooms in my chest. Who knew cominghome would lead to working for my teenage crush? Although “crush” barely describes how my body reacts around Nico.

Get it together, Holly. Sure, Nico Bennett starring in my teenage dreams was one thing, but now I need to be professional. This job is about building my savings and launching my business. If I can prove my marketing skills by helping his farm succeed... that's just good strategy. No matter how distracting his forearms are.

A sharp bark draws my attention. Through the frost-kissed window, I glimpse Bear, Nico’s massive German Shepherd, stalking toward customers browsing the pre-cut trees.

But I'm a bit preoccupied with my own predicament. My foot is caught in a loop of lights, and suddenly, I'm doing an awkward dance six feet up. “Come on, you sparkly little menace.”

I tug at the strand wrapped around my boot. The ladder wobbles precariously. I grab the top rung, desperately holding on so I don't crash into the carefully arranged displays below.

This is what I get for thinking I could handle the giant display tree solo. At least the lights aren't plugged in. Yet. Although electrocution might be less embarrassing than having my new boss find me trussed up like a Christmas turkey on my first day.

A blast of cold air hits my legs as the door swings open. Heavy boots thud against the wooden floor, followed by the click of claws. I freeze mid-wobble, still tangled in the string of lights around my ankle.

Nico fills the doorway, snowflakes dusting his dark hair and broad shoulders. His presence makes the shop feel smaller somehow, like all the oxygen gets sucked toward him. Bear pads in beside him, both of them taking in my predicament.

I try to look casual, like getting trapped by Christmas lights is totally part of my decorating strategy. The ladder creaks ominously beneath me.

“Hi!” I chirp, aiming for professional but landing somewhere between breathless and squeaky. “I'm almost finished putting the finishing touches on our main display. What do you think of the?—”

Nico's sharp blue eyes sweep the room, taking in the transformed shop. His expression remains unreadable, but something flickers in his gaze as he notices the well-organized shelves, the clean windows, and the neat price tags.

---