“Yes, I get them all the time.” I open the freezer, popping my head around the door. “Do you want some ice cream? We have mint.”
Her expression grows from concerned to happy. “I would love some.”
“Two mint chocolate chips coming right up.” I grab bowls and begin scooping the treat into them while Summer walks to her purse and pulls out a piece of paper.
“It’s good we have a chance to talk because we need to go over the upcoming schedule.” She sits at the bar, flattening her paper on the counter.
“What’s that?” I place the bowls in front of us.
“I made you a calendar of all the planned holiday events you need to attend.”
I glance at the paper as I sit down. It’s a Christmas calendar, something you can make on your computer. She even added clipart in the squares to match each event. I smile at how adorable it is. The sweetness and innocence of it perfectly matching Summer.
“Why are you smiling?”
I eye her. “Did you make this yourself?”
She gives me a pointed look. “No, I had a Christmas elf make it.”
“That would explain the little graphics.”
She punches me in the shoulder. “I like the graphics.”
I grab the side of my arm where the sting of her punch is barely detectable. “I do too.” I point at the paper. “There’s a tree for the Noel Night tree lighting and a cookie with Christmas Cookie Decorating. It’s cute.”
“It is cute.”
“That’s what I said.”
She rolls her lips together, giving me a skeptical expression, as if she doesn’t believe a grown man like myself can think a Christmas calendar with holiday clipart is cute. But when Summer makes it, it is cute.
She points at the paper. “Well, looking ahead to next week…”
Instead of following her finger, I take a second to breathe in her smell, wishing for the life of me I knew what it was. My eyes cast over her blonde hair and the perfect waviness that complements her short haircut.
“Next Wednesday is Noel Night.” She glances up at me excitedly, and I quickly flip my gaze to her eyes, hoping she didn’t notice I was staring at her hair. “Have you ever been to Noel Night?”
I shake my head. “Nope.”
“You’re going to love it. Everyone in town gathers for the lighting of the ski tree.”
“Please tell me Bob Irvine is going to be there. I’d like to officially meet the man, the myth, and the legend.”
Her eyes glow. “I can’t believe you just threw out Bob’s name.”
“Your family talks about him so much. I need to meet this guy.”
“We do talk about him.” She smiles with that same gleam in her stare. “And he will be there. He’s in charge of lighting the bonfire.”
I would expect nothing less from Bob.
“After the tree lighting, we’ll ride the gondola to Mountain Village for ice skating.”
“Bob Irvine, a ski tree, and ice skating? It sounds awesome. But it’s been fifteen years since I went ice skating. I think it was a cruise ship when I was thirteen years old.”
Her eyes study me and my smile. “Thank you.”
I’m surprised by her sudden seriousness. “For what?”
