Page 125 of A Very Merry Mistake

My groceries need to be put up. I have a tree lying on my porch. And I have a house full of furniture and decorations being delivered after lunch.

I’m living, and for once, I feel normal. Something I’ve only dreamed of.

CHAPTER 36

JAKE

After work, I’m exhausted from entertaining people for ten hours straight. While it would be nice to go home, shower, and then lounge around and relax, I have an overwhelming urge to talk to Claire.

Seeing her this morning was a pleasant surprise. How it felt to kiss her has been on my mind since it happened. I’d love to meet her for dinner at the café, but she changed her number, and I never got her new one. But, since I’m so tired, I opt for my first option and just plan to talk to her tomorrow.

However, I have a feeling she won’t be randomly buying another Christmas tree in the morning. So I’ll have to go to her.

* * *

The next day at work is exactly like the one prior, except the line of women waiting is even longer. When Hudson sees me, he chuckles.

“It’s not funny,” I explain. “Do you know how many numbers I got yesterday?”

“Five?”

“Fifty,” I tell him. “And they were all like, ‘If you and Claire don’t work out, call me.’”

He slaps his hand on his thigh and laughs harder.

“Dude, maybe you should be escorting them around,” I say. “They actually have a chance with you.”

“Nah, they don’t,” he says.

“I’ll be happy to,” Lucas says.

“Can you please let him?” I nearly beg Hudson.

“They came to see you, though. Customer satisfaction guaranteed.”

“Right, but they’re not cuttin’ the trees. They’re too busy watching me on my hands and knees doing it for them.”

“And that’s why I’m creating a new option. Pre-cut. Cut yourself. Or have a Jolly personally cut your tree for you. The last one comes at a premium.”

“I feel like I’m being pimped.”

Hudson pats me on the shoulder. “That’s a good way to think about it. Now, go get ’em, tiger.”

As soon as I come into view, the crowd screams. I now understand what it feels like to be a celebrity or how Claire felt in her twenties when the paparazzi followed her. Knowing I can’t do this every day of the season, I pull out my Uno Reverse Card.

“Ladies!” I whistle loudly, the one my mama used when we were kids. The last time I had to pull it out was to get Claire’s attention when she was busy being a Stubborn Susan. “Hi!” I yell.

“We can’t hear you,” someone says from the back of the crowd. I walk over to the pay booth where Wendy is happily serving hot cocoa.

“Hey, you still got that megaphone back there?” I ask.

She nods. “One second.” She bends down and reaches under the counter and grabs it, then hands it to me.

I move back in front of the crowd, press the wrong button, and it squeaks. Then I click the other one. “What about now?”

They erupt into applause. “Hi, good mornin’. I’m Jake. My friends call me JJ.”

I hear several of them verbally swoon.

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