Page 28 of Mine For The Winter

Kris wrinkled his nose. “I always think people are talking to Dad when they call me that.”

Gabe laughed. “Right? We’re too young and hip to be called Mister anything.”

Kris lifted a brow. “Young and hip, right.” A smile pulled at his lips as he jumped to the ground, dusting his palms off as Gabe flicked the switch and the lights flooded the tree. “Hey, Cole, you okay?”

“Sure am.” Cole gave him the widest smile. “What you doing?”

“I got a list of jobs from my cousin.” Kris pulled Alaska’s list out. It made him smile because his grandmother, Candy, always used to write him lists. “Gotta go change some bulbs in the Inn next.”

“Can I come?”

Kris blinked. “Ah, I don’t think so.”

Cole’s face fell. “Oh. My friends are supposed to be meeting me here but they’re gonna be late. I don’t know what to do.”

And now he felt bad. “Tell you what, you can come help me get some tools out of the attic if you’d like.”

“Why are your tools in the attic?” Cole frowned.

“I guess that’s where they got stored when I left town.” Alaska had told him they were there. Most of them were probably useless by now but he wanted to look at what he had before he used the newer tools the Inn had in the workman area. “

“When did you leave town?” Cole asked. “And why?”

Kris chuckled softly. The kid was full of questions, the kind nobody else around here would ask. Not even his brothers.

“It’s a long story. You coming?” Kris inclined his head at the Inn and started walking.

“Of course.” Cole’s feet thudded against the ground as he chased after him.

The foyer of the Inn was bursting. They had to brush past guests and staff to get to the banks of elevators. Everybody was waiting for the official opening of the trail. Alaska was at the front desk, along with Holly who caught his eye.

“Ready?” she mouthed.

He nodded and she grinned.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please follow me outside. We’re about to open the Christmas Trail.”

“You sure you wouldn’t rather go do the trail now?” Kris asked as they reached the elevator.

Cole shook his head and leaned forward to press the button.

Well okay then.

The elevator car arrived and more people spilled out, talking excitedly as they followed the crowd out of the Inn toward the trail. Kris stepped into the elevator car and Cole followed as Kris hit the button for the highest floor. And then a thought pushed into his mind.

“You should probably ask your mom if it’s okay to come with me to the attic,” he said.

Cole shrugged. “She doesn’t mind what I do. She trusts me.”

“But I’m a stranger. It’s not good to be with strangers.”

“You’re not a stranger. You know my mom and my dad. You’re a trusted adult.”

The car pinged as they reached the top floor and they walked out. The attic was at the end of the hallway, through a door marked ‘staff only’, and he let out a relieved sigh when he saw his cousin Everley walking toward them.

“What are you two up to?” she asked, her lips pulling up into a grin.

“You got a few minutes?” Kris asked her.

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