hooked on and then tugged a sweatshirt over my head. It was all slouchy, comfy clothes, so I wasn’t going to complain too much.
In the living room, Archie held out one of my reusable coffee mugs filled to the brim, and I downed it gratefully as Coop pulled on my socks.
“I’m not five,” I told him. In fact… “I tied your shoes when we were five.”
He shot me a grin. “Then call this making up for it.”
“Why are you two so happy?” And why weren’t we waking up Jake and Ian?
“Because we are going to hit the sales, we’re going to see what there is to see, and we’re going to people watch,” Archie said, his eyes dancing. “This is like the first Christmas in forever that I’ve been excited for… We need to get you a tree.”
“Um, we usually get one like the week before—”
“Yeah, that doesn’t work for me,” Archie said, grinning. “I want to do a tree, we can pick out any color you like. You can get a rainbow one.”
“Then we’re going to set it up in here,” Coop picked up the thread. “And we’ll all decorate it.”
They were certifiable. “When did we make this plan?”
“Last night, while you and Bubba were ignoring our text messages.” Archie told me with a grin, then dropped a kiss on my nose. “I asked Bubba if he wanted to go when you were getting ready for bed. He said if he woke up on his own, sure. Otherwise, he was going to sleep.”
“Jake would rather have his teeth pulled than go shopping today,” Coop said as he snagged a jacket and pulled it on. “So that means it’s just us.”
And apparently, I didn’t get a vote. Then again…they were both so adorably enthusiastic.
“I demand more coffee.”
Archie’s grin widened. “And you will get it.”
Thankfully, their enthusiasm proved contagious, because there was a freaking line outside our first stop. Even bundled up, I huddled between Coop and Archie as they began “observing” the crowd.
Oh, hopefully no one heard us, because by the time they did open the doors, I was giggling so hard I was almost crying.
Coop snaked a cart, and they began wandering, almost idling as others around us dashed madly. Thankfully, the store had a coffee shop and they opened early. Archie put an order in on the app as we made our way through electronics and the guys debated the latest new gaming systems.
Then another sweep through clothes, and they both paused at the ugly sweaters.
I cracked up.
The first one had a reindeer on it and said Dat Ass Doe. They got progressively worse from raunchier to funnier and to just pure groaners. “We should get matching ones,” Archie said, giving me a speculative look.
“Sure, why not?”
“Because I think you’d look cuter in this one,” Coop argued holding up what looked like an oversized hoody sweater in brown and white. He twisted it so I could see the little tail and the ears. It was a doe sweater that would cut off at mid-thigh. He waggled his brows playfully at me.
Maybe it was how early it was or the lack of caffeine, or the fact that I was still high on all the endorphins from the day before but I grinned. “If you’re daring me to wear it, I will.”
Both boys gaped at me for all of thirty seconds before Archie snagged it from Coop’s hand, checked the size and dropped it into the basket.
“Sold,” he declared. Though we weren’t done. We ended up with ten ugly Christmas sweaters, some for me, most for them, and at least two I had every intention of stealing at some point.
It was absolutely ridiculous.
We split up while Archie went for the coffee, and Coop directed me back to the Christmas decorations. Then the crazy shopping really began. When Archie joined us with the coffee, I settled in to be entertained as they debated every single Christmas tree on sale.
“I don’t really need a seven foot tree,” I’d argued. Not that either of them listened to me. I don’t think I’d ever had a large tree.
“All the more reason you should have one,” Archie pointed out.
“Besides,” Coop said, siding with him. “When we all get that place for school, we’re going to need a tree there, too. Consider this an investment for future Christmases.”
Uh huh.
Still, while they argued the differences between the fake fir trees and the blue spruces, green or white—there was also a dark blue one that was really pretty—I