Page 10 of Tied Up In Tinsel
“Can I get you coffee? Hot chocolate?” Annie asked, her voice brisk but carrying that faint warmth I’d noticed last night.
“Hot chocolate’s good,” I said.
She let out a short scoff, though there was the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips as she moved toward the counter.
“You and Ruby will get along fine. You like hot chocolate, that’s an automatic win with her.”
“You said she’s not home?” I asked, watching her work.
Annie poured milk into a mug and slid it into the microwave.
“Nope. She’s out with my elderly neighbor, helping gather gifts for her grandkids. I wanted to meet you first before I introduced you to her. She’s a bit…” Her voice drifted off as the microwave dinged.
She turned, pulled the mug out, and got busy stirring cocoa into the steaming milk. When she slid it across the island toward me, I wrapped my hands around the ceramic, letting the heat soak into my cold fingers before lifting it to my lips.
“She’s…?” I prompted.
“A bit much,” Annie admitted. “She’s fiery, judgmental, and has been known to pull pranks on people that have made grown men cry.”
“Well, lucky for you, I can take it. Plus, I don’t cry.”
That earned me a smile—small but genuine—before she leaned her elbows on the island and fixed me with a curious look.
“First, I’ve got a round of rapid-fire questions for you.”
I set the mug down and gave her my full attention. “Shoot.”
“How old are you?”
“Thirty-two.”
“Why are you in Snowberry Peak?”
“I love Christmas and wanted to spend the holiday in a magical place.”
Her brows arched. “Your resume said ‘entertaining experiences.’ Please tell me that doesn’t mean male stripper.”
“Nope. Rodeo clown.”
She paused, tilting her head like she wasn’t sure if I was serious. “Are you joking?”
“Nope,” I said with a grin. “It’s a real job. I entertain the crowd and help keep the riders safe. It’s equal parts comedy and chaos.”
Her gaze swept over me, slow and deliberate, before meeting my eyes again.
“I just didn’t think rodeo clowns were so… good-looking.”
“Well,” I said with a shrug, “being unattractive isn’t in the rule book.”
That drew a laugh from her.
“Are you on the registry?” she asked, smirking.
“My God, no.”
“Can you really make balloon animals?”
“Yup.”
