Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
I look out the windshield, searching for the horse-drawn carriage.
“That’s too bad. Maybe some annoying-ass woman will show up at his property, and she’ll sneak into his bed.”
Oakley lifts a brow. “Wouldn’t he be so lucky?”
I flash her a wink. “He’d be the luckiest man alive.”
Just as we unbuckle, I see our ride in the distance. Oakley’s eyes light up when she sees the Clydesdale horses.
“They’re gigantic,” she says, eager to get out of the truck. We wait for the sleigh to come to a stop and the people to unload, and then we step on. It’s big enough to fit eight people, but we’re the only ones waiting for it now. The midmorning rush is coming, though, especially now that the main lot is full.
“So is Levi Santa?” she whispers in my ear, and I let out a hearty laugh.
“If he is, he knows you’ve been very naughty.”
Once we take off, the bells on the horses jingle as they trot. The driver gives us a quick hello, and we make our way to the main area.
“This is a real wood sleigh. Been in Levi’s family for decades. I think his great-grandpa built it.”
“Seriously? Wow,” she says, enjoying the sweeping views of the snow-covered hills as the sun greets us up above. We take a small trail that runs perpendicular with the road, and I think Oakley’s disappointed when it comes to a stop by the gift shop because she was actually enjoying the ride.
I tip the driver, and when we step off, Levi greets us.
“So where do you keep the reindeer?” Oakley asks him, and he gives her his best belly laugh. He’s way too good at that, and of course, she eats it up.
“Ready to pick your tree?” he asks her, then hands me the axe.
“Wait! We’re cutting it down on our own, like the freaking Griswolds?”
“That’s right, City Girl.” I swing the axe over my shoulder.
“Lead us to the best ones,” I tell Levi, and he takes off.
I hold Oakley’s gloved hand and glance at her with a grin. She waggles her brows, and Levi shakes his head. “I knew I’d be third-wheeling it.”
Soon we’re in an area full of beautiful evergreens. “You can pick,” I tell Oakley. “Any size you want.”
“This is incredible. I almost feel bad chopping them down. But then I feel bad for the ones that don’t get picked.”
She walks by different ones, holding her hand out to brush it across the needles. Oakley’s like a kid in a candy store and keeps up her pace as Levi and I trail her.
“I forgot to tell you what happened with Aspen,” he says, lowering his voice.
“Oh yeah.” I totally forgot that he and Jessa hauled her ass away the day Oakley came back to me.
“She kept talking shit to Jessa. So you know what your cousin did?”
I shake my head. “I can only imagine.”
“There was duct tape on the back seat of the truck, and she literally took a strip and slapped it over Aspen’s mouth. Then she told her if she dared to rip it off, she would make me pull over and leave her on the side of the road in the snow or she’d stuff her dirty sock in her mouth.”
“Fuck,” I whisper-hiss. “Jessa never told me any of this.”
“She made me swear I’d keep it to myself.” He chuckles. “Whoops. But also pretend you don’t know because she’s scary.”
I laugh. “Apparently.”
“Anyway, Jessa forced me to drop Aspen off at her parents’ house in her bra and panties, and her mother lost her shit. Jessa politely explained Aspen broke into your house and refused to leave.”
My eyes go wide, knowing how strict her parents are, even at her age. “Yikes.”
“Don’t think you’ll be hearing from her ever again. Not after that. I actually felt sorry for her, and that’s saying a fuck ton.”
I don’t even know what to say. Aspen’s parents were always very religious, and their daughter lied a lot to appease them. Can’t imagine that went over well at all.
“This is the one,” Oakley announces, looking up at a tree that towers over Levi.
My mouth falls open as I realize how tall it is.
“What?” Oakley places a hand on her hip.
“Nothing, babe. If this is the one…”
“It is. Size matters,” she purrs. “Even when it comes to Christmas trees.”
“Please don’t talk about my best friend’s dick with me right here.”
Oakley snorts at Levi, and I walk over with the axe and get to work. Teenagers on four-wheelers drive around to tag the cut trees. They also pick them up and take them up front.
“Timber,” I say as it falls over with a thud. Oakley interlocks her fingers with mine as one of the teenagers who works on the farm loads it.
“Bennett, right?” he asks me, putting it on a candy-cane-striped tag and plopping it on the back rack of his ride.