Page 15 of The Santa Swap

“Well, I found a tree that I’d like to buy but I can’t bring it home by myself. Do you think you could meet me at the tree lot on 4th and 7th?” There was a brief pause on the other end of the line that made Olivia question everything. Maybe she had misjudged the friendship lines. Then Luke began to laugh.

“Did you say a . . . tree?” Laughter punctuated the final word.

“Yes. A Christmas tree.”

More laughter followed. “But it’s only the first week of November.”

“And your point is?” Olivia didn’t think the request was that strange. Maybe she had misjudged their friendship and she was out of line calling him for help.

“Don’t most people wait until after Thanksgiving to put their trees up?”

He had a point. She usually did like to wait a little longer, but Olivia needed something cheerful in her life or she was going to lose her mind.

Olivia reached out to touch one of the branches. She didn’t have to have this tree, but it seemed like a shame to pass up such a perfect shape. “It’s okay. I’ll call someone else.”

She hung up the phone and pulled open her contacts list to see who else would be available. Tara and Gary were an option, but it was right in the middle of dinner time. They would have their hands full with the twins. She had the numbers of a few other co-workers but the friendships hadn’t gone past a simple hello in the hallways when she passed. They would probably all say yes out of a sense of obligation. Not as a favor.

Olivia ran her hand along another one of the branches, telling herself that it was okay to find a smaller, more manageable tree. She certainly didn’t need a seven-foot monstrosity when a simple four-footer would fit better in the apartment anyhow.

It was time to find another choice. Olivia walked along the edge of the lot, admiring the towering trees that would fit perfectly with a vaulted ceiling. That was a “someday in the future tree” when she was more settled. She followed the pathway, passing by trees that got smaller and smaller. When she reached the section of trees that were all shorter than her, she stopped. They weren’t perfect, but one of them was going to have to do.

Olivia searched through the trees to find one that could make her happy. If the tree was going to be short, at least the branches could be perfect. She was testing one of the branches to see how it would spring back when someone stepped up behind her. His voice whispered low in her ear. “You wanted me to come help you carry that? How small are your muscles?”

The voice made her jump, sending all sorts of emotions flooding through her body that had nothing to do with a platonic friendship. She turned slowly to find Luke standing, inches from her face.

“I didn’t think you were coming,” Olivia said.

Luke grinned, a lopsided smile that sent flutters through her chest. “You hung up the phone before I could answer you.”

She opened her mouth to protest but quickly shut it. He was right. “I’m sorry. I just assumed it would be a no.”

Luke stepped over to the tree, circling it to inspect it from every angle. “It’s short, but the branches are nice.”

“That isn’t the one I wanted.” Olivia grabbed his jacket and pulled him over to her perfect tree. “This is the one.”

He nodded once, giving the taller tree the same inspection as the small one. “I’ll hand it to you; this one is much better. I can see why you’d need some help.”

Olivia looked at the ground, waiting for the heat in her cheeks to fade. “I hope it was okay that I called. I don’t know too many people yet.”

Luke reached for her hand, giving it a quick squeeze before letting go. “I’m glad you did. Let’s get this tree home.”

It took just a few minutes for Olivia to pay for the tree. The lot wasn’t busy yet, but she imagined it would be swarming with people in a couple more weeks. Too bad none of them would get the prettiest tree.

She helped Luke pull the tree to the top of her car, where they strapped it down, passing ropes through her open car windows to crisscross over top of the branches.

“Are you sure this is going to hold?” Luke asked.

Olivia laughed. “Not really, but I hope so. This is how my dad always secured our trees, and we never lost one.”

“Alright. I’ll meet you at your apartment.” Luke walked away, which gave Olivia time to gather her thoughts.

“Just a friend, just a friend, just a friend,” she chanted as her car roared to life. “He’s handsome and a good Samaritan, but he’s just a friend.”

The words sounded hollow to her ears. She sternly lectured herself the entire drive home that she was the one who was choosing to not date Luke. He had certainly given her every opportunity to say yes. So, no matter how tempting his lips looked. Luke was off limits.

By the time she was easing into her parking space on the street, Olivia’s heart was in check. She pulled the ropes out of her car windows and rolled them up, grateful that most drives weren’t so cold.

When Luke stepped to her side, she reminded her mind to behave. Together, they pulled the tree off the car, letting it land with a loud thump on the ground.

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