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Sela leads her into the office, and I join the fellas.
“That little one of yours is adorable,” Norris says as I settle into a folding chair beside him.
“That she is,” I agree.
“She doesn’t seem too upset about your trip being delayed,” he assesses.
“No, she’s resilient. Besides, she likes it here.”
He nods. “I imagine most kids would. It’s a magical place,” he muses.
It certainly is.
Bran takes a seat in front of us. “I’ve been doing some thinking, and I have an idea that could clinch the ribbon for us,” he says.
Norris raises an eyebrow as we both listen to what he has in mind.
“Son, I know about the judges, but the crowd will sure be excited,” Norris tells him.
“I think so too. It’ll be the largest blown globe I’ve ever done. But it will be an eye-catcher.”
The design is simple. We are joining two green kayaks together with a metal frame. The frame will encase a rotating wooden platform that will serve as the base for a life-sized snow globe. Hanging from the top of the thin glass globe will be a large, lit mistletoe. Bran and Hannah will be posing on the platform, giving one another a Christmas kiss, as machines hidden under their feet blow fake snow in the globe around them with a surprise for the spectators.
“It’s brilliant,” I agree.
Bran smiles as he stands. “Let’s get to it. We have a week to finish it all.”
“How are you going to get the glass done without Keller seeing it?” I ask.
“He’s already seen it. I told him I was commissioned by Sun Valley to make a life-sized snow globe for the resort. He didn’t question it.”
“Sneaky,” Norris quips.
“All fair in love and boat wars,” Bran mutters.
The two of them fire up the welding torches, and I get to work on painting the kayaks a deep wintergreen.
We work for several hours, and then Linden comes in, bearing snacks. Bran grabs us all a beer from the small fridge in the corner of the garage, and we take a break.
“The frame is done, and the kayaks are painted. We’ll let them dry overnight, and I’ll hand-paint a snowy mountain scene with tall evergreens on the sides tomorrow once we get back from fishing. Then, Tuesday, we can come back after dinner and attach the frame and the turntable for the platform. We can weld a track to the edges to hold the globe. I’ll need some help loading and getting the glass work over here. It’s not super heavy, but it’s fragile, and we’ll need all hands on deck to set it,” Bran explains.
“How are you and Hannah getting in and out of the thing?” I ask.
“I’m cutting a door in one side, and we can affix a split plastic curtain over it. That way, it’s still transparent but will hold in the snowflakes.”
“We should get a couple of speakers and blast an instrumental version of ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ as you two spin,” I suggest.
Bran raises a brow. “I like that idea. A mic would come in handy too,” he says.
“I’ll run by the hardware store and see what I can find,” I offer.
Bran clasps my shoulder. “It sucks that you got stranded and weren’t able to go on your trip, but I’m sure glad you’re here, buddy. This boat is going to be epic.”
We finish our pigs in a blanket and chips and get back to work.
I carry a sleeping Cobie to the SUV.
She fell asleep on the sofa in Hannah’s office about thirty minutes ago.
