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She parked in front of the shop, and she could see warm light spilling from the large front windows. Through the glass, she caught sight of Henry himself, navigating around towering stacks of what appeared to be every type of Christmas decoration imaginable. She got out of her car and approached, pausing for a moment at the door. The shop was crammed with lights, she saw—elegant icicle lights, colorful strands in every hue imaginable, sophisticated warm white nets that could transform any surface into a winter wonderland, wired animal shapes covered in lighting.

It was impressive, Nicole had to admit. This wasn’t some fly-by-night operation run out of someone’s garage. Henry had clearly invested serious time and money into building his business, and it all looked like high-quality displays. He was on the phone with someone, she saw, and she bit her lip, her nerves fluttering faster now.

Through the door, she watched him gesture animatedly as he spoke into the phone, occasionally pausing to untangle a particularly stubborn section of lights with one hand while continuing his conversation. Even from outside, she could sense the controlled chaos, and she felt a familiar flutter of recognition. This was territory she understood—the constant balancing act of clients, scheduling, and problem-solving.

Maybe this wouldn’t be so different from her old job after all.

Nicole pushed open the door, setting off a cheerful chime that announced her arrival. Henry glanced up and nodded in acknowledgment, holding up one finger to indicate he’d be with her in a moment. She used the opportunity to explore the space more thoroughly while he discussed the color scheme of a display with whoever was on the other end of the line, marveling at the sheer variety of decorations he had in stock.

There were lights for every conceivable application—indoor and outdoor, battery-powered and plug-in, smart lights that could be controlled by smartphone apps and vintage-style bulbs that cast warm, nostalgic glows. One entire wall was dedicated to extension cords and power strips. Another section held what appeared to be every possible mounting solution: clips, hooks, staples, and devices she couldn’t begin to identify but assumed were essential for the process of professional holiday decorating.

As she wandered, Nicole found herself wondering what exactly her role in all this would be. Would she be manning the phone, booking appointments and managing Henry’s calendar? That would be right in her wheelhouse. She’d been coordinating complex schedules for years. Maybe she’d be helping with inventory management, or assisting with the business side of operations, finances and taxes and such. Those were skills she could definitely bring to the table.

“Sorry about that,” Henry’s voice interrupted her thoughts as he ended his call and approached her. “Mrs. Holcomb wants to add three more trees to her display, and she wants them done before her Christmas party tomorrow night. Sometimes I think people believe Christmas lights just magically appear overnight.”

Nicole turned to face him, a professional smile automatically settling into place. “No problem at all. I was just admiring your setup here. It’s really impressive.”

But even as the words left her mouth, she could see Henry’s expression shift as he took in her appearance. His gaze traveled from her perfectly styled hair down to her tailored blazer, lingered on her pressed slacks, and came to rest on her black leather heels with obvious skepticism. The look on his face was one she recognized from her past in the business world—a polite assessment that came before a gentle but firm rejection.

“I’m ready to get started whenever you are,” Nicole said quickly, hoping to project confidence despite the sinking feeling in her stomach.

Henry ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, a gesture that definitely looked uncertain. “Nicole, I’m afraid you might have misunderstood what this job involves,” he said hesitantly.

Nicole pressed her lips together falteringly. “Well…” she said slowly, careful to sound patient and calm, “you never really gave me a detailed job description. I just had to think of what might be best.”

The comment seemed to catch Henry off guard, and he had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. “You’re absolutely right. I’ve been so swamped with work that it completely slipped my mind to go over the specifics with you. I guess I just assumed…” He trailed off, gesturing vaguely at her outfit.

“Assumed what?” Nicole prompted, although she had a pretty good idea where this conversation was heading.

“I’ve never actually had an assistant before,” Henry admitted. “I’m not altogether sure this arrangement is going to be a good fit.”

The words hit Nicole like a physical blow, even though she’d already had a bad feeling about where this was going. After all the walking around town, seeing how difficult it would be to get a job right off the bat in a place like Fir Tree Grove, she couldn’t bear the thought of this opportunity being over before it even really started.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit unfair to decide that before you’ve actually let me try?” she asked, fighting to keep her voice from wobbling. “I mean, I showed up on time, I’m ready to work, and you did offer me the position yesterday.”

Henry’s expression softened slightly, and she could see him weighing his options. “You’re right, that’s not fair. I just want to make sure you understand what you’re signing up for. I could definitely use help with managing the appointment calls and keeping the schedule organized. And it looks like that’s the type of job you’re used to. But mostly, what I need is help with the actual Christmas light installations. That means working outside in all kinds of weather, carrying heavy equipment, climbing ladders, and spending hours untangling lights that seem determined to tie themselves in knots.” He frowned. “Heels and pantsuits aren’t really the attire for that kind of job. And I’m guessing you don’t have a lot of experience doing all that.”

Nicole felt a moment of genuine panic as she processed what he was telling her. She’d never climbed a ladder in her life, had no experience with electrical work, and her idea of manual labor was rearranging the furniture in her house. Carl had always been responsible for all the handyman tasks around the house.

But she also knew that this was likely the only job opportunity she was going to find in Fir Tree Grove, and she couldn’t afford to let pride or inexperience stand in her way.

“I understand,” she said firmly. “And I’m still interested.”

Henry studied her face for a long moment, clearly trying to assess whether she was being realistic about what she was committing to. “The work is physically demanding, Nicole. We’ll be outside for hours at a time, often in cold weather. Yesterday was actually one of the warmer days we’ve had this week. And some of the installations are challenging even for people with experience. You’re not going to be doing anything alone, of course, but I need someone who can keep up and make sure I have everything I need.”

Nicole could feel her carefully constructed composure beginning to crack around the edges, but she forced herself to maintain eye contact with Henry. “I’m tougher than I look.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Henry said gently, although his expression did, in fact, look a bit doubtful. “But being tough and having the right skills for the job are two different things. I can’t afford to have someone get hurt, or to have an installation go wrong because of inexperience. Everyone counts on me this time of year.”

It was clear that he thought she was going to be a liability. Nicole felt her spine stiffen. Suddenly, she felt equally determined to prove otherwise. Before she could stop herself, she started moving toward the pile of tangled Christmas lights Henry had been working with when she arrived.

“You know what?” she said, scooping up an armful of the twisted strands. “How about we skip the theoretical discussion and just see what happens? I’m here, I’m ready to work, and you clearly have more business than you can handle on your own.”

Henry’s eyes widened in surprise as Nicole headed toward the door, the lights draped over her arms like some kind of festive boa constrictor. “Nicole, wait⁠—”

“You said you need help with installations,” she called over her shoulder, pausing with her hand on the door handle. “Well, I’m ready when you are.”

The silence that followed her declaration stretched long enough for Nicole to second-guess herself. Maybe she was being ridiculous, marching off to a job she knew nothing about in an outfit that was completely inappropriate for the task. Maybe Henry was right to have doubts about her suitability for the position.