Page 46 of Never Sleigh Never
“Do I want to know?”
“She not only decapitated my reindeer but also stole the head.”
“When you say she, I’m guessing Brie?”
“Yep. So I stole her snowman.” I merge onto Frostpine Road. Frosty wobbles and grins at me in the rearview mirror, unbothered by the morality of it all.
A throaty chuckle escapes him. “And you’re going to chauffeur it around?”
“For now,” I deadpan. Mostly because my plan doesn’t extend past stealing her snowman.
“Don’t you think this is getting a bit much?”
My grip tightens on the steering wheel. “She started it. I’m just putting an end to it.”
“I doubt stealing her snowman is putting an end to it. This sounds more like some weird foreplay you two enjoy.”
“Have you ever been in a Christmas war before?”
He shakes his head. “I can’t say I have.”
“Then if I want your advice, I’ll ask for it.”
Another deep laugh comes from next to me. “Alright. I’ll just sit back and enjoy the entertainment.”
I don’t back down from a challenge. I never did while on the ice, and I certainly won’t do it against the Ice Queen herself.
Seventeen
A Festive Truce
Brie
Before I have both feet inside the door of Sip and Sleigh, Sloane greets me with a smirk. “What is this I hear about you decapitating deer now?”
“Shhh.” I scan the shop for eavesdroppers. I lean in and whisper, “Willa told you?”
“Yeah, she stopped in here earlier for her morning supply of muffins and spilled the tea.”
“I’ll have you know it wasn’t a real reindeer! Just a light-up one. And it was an accident that blossomed into the perfect opportunity for revenge.”
She folds her arms and pops her hip. “So you stole the reindeer head. It seems a little passive-aggressive instead of talking it out.”
“Stop being the voice of reason,” I whine. I cross my arms over my chest and pout like a five-year-old. “He started it.”
“How?”
I drop my hands to my sides. “By showing up in town, thinking he’s the king of Christmas because he’s Logan Crawford, who gets everything handed to him on a silver platter.” I flutter my hands. “Oh, look, I’m a famous hockey player who’s not only charming and charismatic but who’s defied Father Time. And somehow, he’s only managed to become more attractive.” Shit. Did I just say that out loud? Spew some more words to cover it up! “It’s not happening while I’m here. The Christmas crown is mine, and he doesn’t get that title. Not this time.” If people weren’t eavesdropping before, they certainly heard me now.
“You think about him a lot for someone you don’t like,” she sings.
I glare at her. “Whose side are you on?”
“Yours. Always yours.” She passes me a coffee and a cranberry lemonade muffin on a plate.
“Thank you. I’m going to take a seat and wait for Lauren.”
Half a muffin later, Lauren breezes in, cheeks pink from the cold. “Sorry! Brad was blocking Mistletoe Street. Just… vibing without a care in the world.”
