Holiday with You - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,26

got around to thinking about it, the holidays were almost gone. Being a part of the selection process . . . I feel important.

Morgan and Colt look at me expectantly.

“I love it.”

“Time for the tree dance?” Colt asks.

Surely, I misunderstood. The word dance and these brothers don’t go together. At all.

Morgan sets the chainsaw down and holds out his hand to Perry. She slaps her small one in his and grabs Colin’s. He reaches for mine. Colt links the chain around the tree, holding my free hand and Morgan’s.

And then they began to move around the tree in a circle, singing “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” at the top of their lungs.

I join in because if I don’t, I’m going to be run over. Morgan attempts some sort of fancy grapevine step and trips but doesn’t fall. I nearly lose my balance from laughing so hard. And by the time we get to the end of the song, it’s barely recognizable between the giggles.

“You didn’t know when you agreed to come that you’d be picking out a tree with some crazies,” Colin says in my ear.

I’m aware of him in a way I’ve never experienced with another human being. And honestly, I’m not sure what to do with that. It’s almost as if he’s bringing out the me that’s been suppressed by stress and disappointments.

“I had a pretty good idea.”

Perry grabs my hand as we move out of the way to let the guys fell the tree. She squeezes as they haul it to the truck while she dances around like a fairy.

“Can you put the first orma-ment on with me, Unicorn?” she asks.

I have no idea why, but intuition tells me that’s a pretty big deal around their house. And I’m so honored. I haven’t been around many kids. I’m not even sure I’m mother material. Not that I’m thinking about being a mom.

I just didn’t realize kids were so honest . . . and how refreshing that is.

“I’d love to, Fairy Perry.” My voice is scratchy, but I manage to get the words out.

Once the tree is secure, Colin loads Perry into the back seat. I climb into the cab and rub my hands together to get warm.

For an entire day, I’ve forgotten about my life in LA. It’s as if it doesn’t exist or is another person’s life I read about on the internet.

Maybe there’s more out there than I thought. Maybe I can have more.

Chapter Fourteen

Colin

My sisters might live in the city, but they get wind of everything happening at home. The next morning, my phone rings at seven o’clock. I grunt when I see Clarissa’s face. What did I do to deserve two annoying sisters?

I slide my finger along the screen and answer. “Are you dying?”

“No,” she answers with a confused voice. “Aw, someone needs to get laid—again.”

“What do you want?” I grind my teeth.

“Can’t a sister just call her favorite brother to check on him?”

She’s checking on the gossip. Back when I was living in New York, she didn’t pay attention to what I did. Now with all her friends watching me, I can’t move a finger without her—or Elisse— finding out.

“Colt might believe your BS, but I’m not that gullible,” I say, getting out of the bed. “I know you well, sweetheart. What do you need?”

“There’s a rumor that you’re going out with the pretty newcomer,” she says, mockingly. “I wanted to share some wisdom before you pull a Colin.”

I exhale and scrub a hand along my face. I go back to the bed and sink down. This is going to take longer than I thought. I wish she was calling to offer to pick up our parents and keep them until Wednesday. The four-hour drive back and forth isn’t a walk in the park.

My options are limited to listening to her or hanging up and waiting for Elisse to call me within ten minutes.

I stare at the ceiling and growl. Why do all my siblings think they have a say in my life?

“I appreciate your concern, but—”

“This is important, Colin,” she interrupts. “This Audrey sounds like fun. She spent yesterday with you guys.”

“Which you girls missed,” I remind her. “It’s a family tradition, and you couldn’t be bothered to come.”

“We had to work,” she says defensively. “Business is booming. We can’t just cancel a job because my brothers want to cut down a tree. As I told Mom, we’re not even in Denver. We’re in Steamboat. We could’ve found a tree