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“Soulless,” said Piper quickly. “I like the higgledy-piggledy look, like this.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I haven’t heard that expression in years. You’re calling my tree higgledy-piggledy?”
“Oh, absolutely. We should go the full job and put some popcorn on a string too and wind it around.” She moved over to the table and picked up the box of popcorn, taking a handful. “My trouble is, I’m too keen on eating it to waste time putting it on a string.”
“I can tell,” he agreed, putting his hand into the box and pulling out some popcorn, too.
Piper was still admiring the tree. “It has charm and character. Just like a tree should.”
She held up her bottle of beer and Dawson clinked his next to it. “Cheers, thanks for the help.”
“Anytime.”
His laptop let out a ping from the table and they both turned. He leaned over as the screen lit up, signaling an email from a shelter he’d messaged earlier that week.
Piper’s eyes widened as she saw the picture. “You’re getting a dog?” she asked in amazement.
Dawson cringed. “I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about a rescue dog or cat. I just made some casual enquiries. I’m not quite sure if it’s right for me.”
“Don’t they do some kind of assessment?”
He nodded and held out his hands. “My apartment would likely suit a house cat better than a dog. I don’t have a yard, so am not sure I’d be considered suitable for a dog.” He leaned over and looked at the email which had some images attached. He let out a loud groan. “But what do you do when they send you pictures like that?”
Piper smiled as she looked at the pictures of a small white and brown mongrel with part of its ear missing, an angry-looking cat, and a scrawny grey mixed breed.
She put her hand on her heart. “Wow. Have you visited?”
He shook his head. “I’m not sure I’m ready. I don’t know what made me look. I’d need to think about how to work things with my job—and the estate if we solve all the clues. If we end up with that land and I want to think about a training area for kids, I’ll likely spend all my free time down there.”
Piper blinked. “You’d be down there, and I’d be in the greenhouses. I’d be happy to have your dog, or cat around.”
“You would?”
“Of course. I love animals. Just don’t have any of my own.” She looked a bit wistful. “Just haven’t got around to it.” She looked back at the screen of the laptop. “But I can see the attraction. There’s just so many animals out there that need a home.”
Dawson pointed at the angry-looking cat. “Even the cross ones?”
“Character,” she said with determination. “That cat has character. I like that. As long as you know you’d no longer be boss in your own home, I don’t know what could possibly go wrong.”
The doorbell sounded and they both jumped.
“You expecting someone?”
He shook his head. “Unless someone has read my mind and decided to send us pizza.”
He buzzed open the apartment door, coming back a few minutes later with a wrapped, very large, Christmas parcel with the name Dawson McLeod on the tag.
Piper put her hand to her mouth. “It’s the next clue. It has to be.”
“Do you think they’re currently delivering the same thing to your address?” She bit her bottom lip and nodded.
“Do you want to wait? Will I keep this until tomorrow and we’ll open them together?”
He could see the hesitation on her face before she finally shook her head. “I’m too impatient,” she admitted. “Too curious.”
“Okay.” He sat down at the other side of the table from her, the large parcel between them.
“Beautifully wrapped,” said Piper as she fingered the expensive paper and thick ribbon tied around it.
