Page 36 of Icing on Top
“I did! I had a gorgeous nineteen-foot Noble Fir from up north scheduled to be delivered Friday,” she replied, angrily swiping her hair from her face. “They just called to tell me it won’t be coming. The tree hasn’t been cut yet, and now, with the blizzard that just hit them, they can’t get out there to cut it. It wouldn’t matter if they could because, thanks to the blizzard, the roads are too much of a mess for them to truck it here safely. What am I going to do? There isn’t enough time to source another large tree.”
I contemplated the problem for a minute and realized that it might be one I could solve. “Ok. Let me make some calls. I’ll get you a tree if I have to steal one,” I joked.
She rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched into a brief smile, which was what I was looking for. “How?”
“You don’t accumulate as much money as I do and not meet some useful people along the way. I have connections all over for all sorts of things.” I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found the one I was looking for. Mick was a helicopter pilot and a damned good one. He answered on the second ring.
“Holy shit. Grant Cromwell, is that you on the other end of my line?”
“It’s me, Mick.”
“Who died?”
“What? Nobody died.”
“Then who needs to die? The only reason you’re calling me is if you need help with a dead body or making a body dead.” Mick laughed at his joke, making me roll my eyes.
“You always have enjoyed your humor more than anyone else. I need a favor.”
“What kind of problem could Grant Cromwell have that he needs my help with?” Mick asked with genuine curiosity. It was usually him needing a favor from me.
“The kind that involves a blizzard and a nineteen-foot Christmas tree stuck out in the forest,” I replied. Dead silence was on the line for thirty seconds before he started to chuckle. Mick’s laugh was infectious, and I couldn’t help the smirk that crept across my face.
“Who is she?” he asked.
“Who is who?” I replied, trying to deflect. Nova stiffened in my lap, and I rubbed her back to reassure her. I wasn’t dodgingthe question because I was ashamed. I avoided the questions because Mick sometimes didn’t know how to shut the hell up.
“This has something to do with a woman. No way in hell that it doesn’t. Spill or my answer is no,” Mick said, serving his ultimatum with glee.
I sighed. Mick just had to be difficult. “Her name is Nova. She owns the local cupcake shop and is coordinating this weekend’s Christmas festival.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. You’re serious. What’s she like?”
I looked at Nova, still perched in my lap. She returned my gaze, and I could see the curiosity in her eyes over how I would answer. “She’s perfect. Everything I didn’t know I needed.”
Nova’s eyes softened, and her body melted into me a little more, increasing my awareness that I had her delicious body in my lap. I needed to get this phone call over with to take full advantage of it.
“Now, if we could get back to that favor—“
“What do your brothers think?” Mick interrupted. He was already trying my patience.
“You really are a nosy mother fucker, you know that? They feel the same way I do,” I replied.
His laughter over my statement died as the meaning behind my answer sank in. “Nova must be one hell of a woman to put up with all three of you.”
“She is. Can we get to the purpose of my call, or do you want to continue gossiping like a teenage girl?”
“Lay it on me,” he replied. I explained our situation and had Nova relay the specifics to him.
“Do you think you can do it and have it here by Friday?” I asked.
“Sure can. I know a guy who likes risky ventures and can chop down trees. I’ll call this tree company and tell them to get out there and mark the tree off in a visible way, or I’m flying up thereand taking the biggest tree I can find. You’ll have your Christmas tree in time,” he assured me.
“Thanks, Mick. You’re a lifesaver. Just send the bill to Triple Tech and make it worthwhile. We’ll pay.”
“Nope. Consider this a pro-bono favor for the woman who took three of the richest reclusive bachelors off the market. I look forward to meeting her on Friday,” he replied firmly.
“Mick, while I appreciate the gesture, I can’t let you do that,” I protested.
