Page 34 of Cross Check Christmas
"Look up." He tilts his chin toward the sky.
Above us towers the most magnificent Fraser fir I've ever seen. It's at least fifteen feet tall, with lush, well-spaced branchesand a gently tapering top giving it a classic, elegant silhouette. Snowflakes drift down around it like nature's own Christmas lights. I don’t even care that it’s bigger than I wanted. It’s perfect.
"See?" Hendrix's voice is soft near my ear. "I told you the perfect tree would find us."
12
COLETTE
"Ijust don't understand why he won't leave." I adjust the 'Save the Christmas Pageant' sign on our booth for the hundredth time. "The carolers were genius. Pure genius."
"Honey, you sent children to sing at him." Daisy arranges her holiday cookies on the display. “You need to step things up.”
I straighten as a potential customer approaches. "Hi! Would you like to support the school Christmas pageant?"
The woman picks up one of our hand-painted ornaments, then sets it down with an apologetic smile. "Maybe later."
I slump against the booth as she waddles away. "That's the fourth person who's left without buying anything. At this rate, we won't even afford paper for the programs."
"You're too nice, Col. That's your problem."
"Being nice is a problem now?"
"When you're trying to drive someone out of town? Yes. You need to channel your inner mean girl. Really make Hendrix miserable."
"I can't be ruthless like you. The most aggressive thing I've done is change the WiFi password at school so he can't stream hockey games in the teacher's lounge."
"That's... actually pretty devious." Daisy looks impressed.
"I know. I felt guilty and changed it back after an hour."
Mrs. Emerson strolls by, picking up one of Daisy's signature gingerbread cookies to examine the gorgeous piping work. Daisy’s cookies are almost too pretty to eat.
"Four dollars for a cookie?" Mrs. Emerson squints at my handmade sign, setting the cookie back on the table. "That's a dollar more than at the bakery."
"All proceeds go to the Christmas pageant fund," I explain, forcing a bright smile.
She purses her lips. "I'll just get them at Daisy's tomorrow."
"But I'm right here!" Daisy calls after her retreating form. She slumps against our festively decorated booth. "I know for a fact she doesn’t blink an eye at Tucker’s coffee prices."
I sigh. "I really don’t know how I can be any more assertive with Hendrix."
"Assertive? Please. You need to be downright diabolical."
"I'm not built for scheming." I fiddle with the ornament display. "Besides, what am I supposed to do? Hide his whistle?"
"Girl, you're overthinking this.” She pulls her quilted jacket tighter. "All I'm saying is, if you want to win this bet, you need to stop playing nice." Daisy's eyes narrow. "Unless... you don't want him to leave?"
"Of course I do!" I straighten my Santa hat defensively.
"Oh? Then tell me again what happened at the Christmas tree farm."
I feel my cheeks heat up at the memory. "Can we not talk about that?”
"Focus on the mission," Daisy says. "Get rid of Hendrix, and the hockey team's budget is all yours."
"I can barely maintain eye contact with him without wanting to throw something."
