Page 10 of A Collier First Christmas
I groaned. Was I really that transparent?
“It was just an idea,” I mumbled but the others were all laughing. I rolled my eyes. “Regardless, I love that idea, Milly. Thank you.”
“Instead of spreading all of this out across the month, why don’t we consolidate it down to focus on the pack run and make it extra special,” Marnie Shay suggested.
“Now that’s an idea we could certainly handle,” Cora agreed. “Let’s think this through. S’mores would certainly be perfect that night. The run is scheduled to start at the country club out on the green. We could set up firepits all around and give out hot cocoa and baggies with everything needed for s’mores.”
I started to protest and then considered it. “I love that idea. It’s perfect.”
“A lot of this list is just decorations. We’ve never done a town Christmas tree before, but that is certainly doable. We could even ask everyone to bring an ornament to decorate it,” she also suggested.
The others all looked at me, but I just smiled. I really did love that idea too.
“What about a parade?” I asked.
“It’s pretty short notice, for a parade,” Lotti insisted.
“She might be right,” Peyton conceded. “If we were going to do a parade it should probably be this weekend with thelighting, but if we’re going to be decorating and getting things ready for that, then I don’t see how anyone would have time to pull off a float on such short notice.”
I tried not to pout. I had been counting on the parade.
“I have an alternative idea, though,” Clara spoke up.
All eyes turned to her, and I cringed knowing how much she hated being in the spotlight.
She cleared her throat. “We have that old wagon at the barn that we could hook up horses to and do carriage rides through town and over to the barn for a special Christmas celebration. And if it snows, there are also two sleighs for the horses there too, or at least there used to be.”
“Sleigh rides through town?” I nearly squealed. “I can give up the parade for that… this year.”
“If you really want cookie decorating or gingerbread houses, I can probably swing helping with that. Maybe part of a pre-party for the pack run instead of this weekend though,” Peyton suggested.
“I’m onboard with that,” Kate agreed.
This time I did pout. “I really think it would be best this weekend with the tree lighting.”
“We have two banquets this weekend, there’s just no way we could swing it,” Kate explained.
“Well, there are plenty of others here, we can do this, right ladies?”
I got a few mumbles but no confirmations of help. My chin jutted out and Sydney adamantly shook her head. Okay, so the others didn’t want to help. I would just do it myself and surprise them all this weekend.
Thomas
Chapter 6
Coming home to my girls was always the best part of my day.
“Honey, I’m home,” I yelled with a cheesy grin.
Hanging out with the guys had been just what I needed. And if Cammie would just cooperate and go to sleep at a reasonable time tonight in her own crib, then today just might be pretty close to perfect.
The fact that Lily had laid her down to nap gave me newfound hope for maybe a bit more than just a quickie.
“Lil?”
“In the kitchen,” she yelled back.
As I approached, my nose picked up a burning smell. My heart started to race and my wolf went on full alert.
