Page 79 of If You Give a Grump a Christmas Tree Farm
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Rebecca—
The guys knock at the first door and immediately belt intoRudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, which in truth, may be the only song they all know.
The young couple who opens it are so thrilled by the performance that they pour us all some spiked eggnog in red plastic to-go cups.
“All right, you did it, and it was glorious.” I laugh and bow to the men. “Well done.”
“This eggnog is pretty good. Maybe we should just do this street?” Hammer suggests, and his brothers nod in agreement.
By the time they reach the end of the street, they’ve been given Christmas cookies, a shot of spiced rum, and some sugared pecans.
“Damn, this is better than trick-or-treating.” Griz pops another pecan into his mouth.
“It wasn’t even that bad,” Brayden agrees.
“Isn’t da worst we dun, no.” Cajun bites the head off an angle cookie.
“Don’t,” JJ says, sending daggers his brothers’ way.
“What else have you boys done?” Brayden asks the group.
“Do you not understand what the worddon’tmeans?” JJ throws his hands up.
“Well, now I have to know,” I insist, waggling my brows at him.
“One time for a charity, the ol’ ladies got the brilliant idea to have us make a calendar,” Hammer explains.
“A calendar?” I tilt my head. “That doesn’t sound so—oh. Was it one ofthosecalendars? Like the one that firemen used to do for charity?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” JJ admits.
“Oh, I have to see this,” I practically squeal.
“Hey, I think we looked pretty good in it.” Griz strokes his jawline like he’s showing off. “Especially, December. A few of us dressed in Santa hats.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.” I roll my eyes.
“Only Santa hats,” Griz corrects.
“Oh.” I feel my face flushing.
“We had pillows,” JJ practically shouts. “Fur pillows that we used to cover our junk.”
“Where can I buy a copy?” I take his hand and squeeze, practically jumping up and down.
“Unfortunately for you, they sold out.” JJ squeezes my hand back.
“I can get you a copy,” Hammer whispers from my other side and JJ throws him a glare of death, which Hammer just chuckles at.
We head up the street, and Hammer and I end up at the back of the pack.
He throws his arm around me and lifts his chin toward JJ and whispers in my ear, “Don’t give up on this lug, darlin’. You two make a cute couple and I think you’ve had a really good effect on him.”
The two of us fall back a bit from the crowd, and JJ turns.
“Hey, what are you two doin’?”
