Page 62 of Wedding Bells in Silverwood

“You’re welcome.” Oliver pocketed the money. “You got it from here?”

Viola admired the evergreen. “Absolutely. It just needs decorating now. Go on. Don’t keep your girlfriend waiting.”

“All right.” He waved. “I’ll see you. Have fun.”

Oliver headed toward his car, leaving Viola on the veranda of the Lakeside Chateau. She’d caught a lucky break when Nick had told her there was one tree left from his farm that was the size she needed. She’d lucked out again when Oliver had said he was free to help her stand it up in front of the building.

Viola removed the lid from the container she’d brought and dug out a shiny bauble. When the storm had destroyed the Christmas tree at the venue’s entrance, Viola had suggested Jonas replace it. He had, of course, replied that there was no need since Christmas was over anyway, brushing it off as unimportant. But Viola had insisted that New Year’s Eve wasn’t complete without a Christmas tree and that people coming to the venue would expect to see one. When he’d contended that it probably wasn’t possible to find a tree since Christmas was over, his pessimism sparked an obstinate determination in Viola to prove him wrong. Jonas hadn’t believed she could find one, but he’d underestimated her. As she crouched to grab the string of lights from the box, she grinned, imagining the look on Jonas’s face when he saw the New Year’s miracle she’d pulled off.

Too excited about her project to be bothered by the cold, Viola managed to string the lights and hang the garland before Jonas showed up.

“What are you doing?” Jonas sauntered up the exterior steps of the building.

She smirked. “You said I could set it up if I found a big enough tree.”

He scoffed and shook his head. “How did you find one after Christmas?”

“I have connections.” She raised her brows. “Well, don’t just stand there. Help me decorate it.”

“What? Me?” He came nearer, hands in his coat pockets. “No. I, uh, I don’t really enjoy the whole decorating thing.”

“Oh, right. You’re the not-so-into-Christmas guy.” Viola shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Since he was still watching, she purposely clustered several baubles on one branch, weighing it down.

“That doesn’t, uh … that’s not how you do it.” He gestured at the branch, a subtle flicker of scrutiny passing across his features.

She played dumb. “What do you mean? It looks great.”

“No. You’re supposed to spread them out more.” He approached the tree and rearranged the ornaments. “This is just sloppy.”

Viola bit her cheek. “I see.”

She hung a few more baubles on the same branch.

Jonas clicked his tongue and moved them elsewhere. “No. Like this.”

She laughed.

He squinted. “Did you just manipulate me?”

“I knew you were too much of a control freak to let that go.”

“Control freak?” He sounded exasperated, but amusement danced in his eyes. “I’ll have you know I’m perfectly capable of letting things get out of control. When I feel like it.”

“You? Come on.”

He scoffed. In the next second, he scooped a handful of snow off the veranda railing, packed it up, and whipped it in her direction.

She ducked, but the snowball still pelted her in the shoulder.

“Now you’ve started it.” She retaliated quickly, not caring that the snow was freezing her gloveless hands.

Her snowball hit him in the chest, but he’d already hurled another her way.

She bobbed, making her way down the stairs. She needed more ammunition, and the ground was covered with it.

Dodging heavy snowballs, Jonas hurried down the stairs and dove to the ground. He rapidly got to his feet, but his cashmere coat was marked with white flakes.

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