“Are you trying to intimidate me to write a puff piece?”
He grins slyly. “I don’t think anyone could intimidate you. Especially with you carrying around deadly weapons.”
I roll my eyes at his dramatics. “As of now, my only priority is to be truthful. I want to visit the local farms and meet the people who run them, along with interviewing the mayor, business owners, and tourists. I’ve done some research and read a few blogs. As of now, I don’t believe it’s all that it’s cut out to be.”
“I can’t believe they sent a Christmas-hating journalist to one of the jolliest places on the planet who also happens to have the last name Joy. Do you find the humor in that at all? Or is your heart really made of coal?” He laughs, taking a bite of eggs.
“That’s so funny coming from a guy with the last name ofWhite…whose family owns a Christmas tree farm and is obsessed with reindeer and Santa.”
He taps his temple. “It’s called smart marketing, baby.” He shoots me a wink, and I hate how heat rushes through my body when he looks at me like that.
I finish eating, then place my plate in the sink. “Thanks for breakfast.”
“You’re welcome. I’m making it my personal mission to get you to like this holiday before you leave. You’ll be singing Christmas songs in no time.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. Christmas has been dead to me for years,” I say without thinking as I make my way to the stairs.
“Wait, what?” he calls out, but I go to my room and ignore his question.
I wish I could call Taryn and tell her what’s going on and how memories of our childhood flood my mind every time I stare at one of these trees. But since I can’t do that, I open my laptop and pull up a blank document.
At least we still have electricity…for now.
First impressions are everything, and based on what’s happened since I’ve arrived, this place seems more like a winter hell than a wonderland.
So I place my fingers on the keys and do what I fall back on anytime I get overwhelmed—I write.
CHAPTERFOUR
LEVI
Getting stuckduring a blizzard with a complete stranger who maced me while I was buck-ass naked was the last thing on my Bingo card.
But here I am, isolated with Little Miss Seattle and her Christmas-hating attitude.
There's no telling how long cell service will be out. My best guess is at least until the wind dies down. The last time a storm this big came through, I didn't have reception for a week.
I pray that isn't the case this time.
Only a few hours have passed, and Fallon's already driving me crazy because sheneedsto get ahold of her assistant or boss or whoever-the-fuck knows. The girl couldn't live off the grid if her life depended on it.
After we eat lunch in awkward silence, I go outside and make sure the generator is ready in the event we lose power. The lights have been flickering, so I have no doubt it’ll happen.
The cold doesn't bother me, but given that Fallon's already wearing two layers, I assume she’s not a fan.
After I look everything over, I contemplate hopping on my snowmobile to check on my parents. The snow is falling heavily, and I can’t risk getting stuck at my folks’ and leaving Fallon here alone. Only God knows what would happen to her, and I can't bear that responsibility.
Plus, my mom and dad have been through countless blizzards, so I know they're fine.
When I walk inside carrying as much wood as I can, Fallon’s pacing the living room like reception will magically appear. I stack the logs neatly by the fireplace, wondering if I should make another trip outside.
“This is unreal,” Fallon mutters, tossing her phone on the sofa with a huff. Her laptop is open on the coffee table, and she curses under her breath. “How am I supposed to charge my laptop if we lose power?”
“What will you need it for if there's no internet?” I ask.
With a hand on her hip, she twists and glares at me. “I can still write, but I won't be able to make much progress if the battery dies.”
I scrub a hand through my hair, biting my tongue by how worked up she is. “If the electricity goes out, the generator will automatically kick on to run the fridge, a couple of lights, and the water well pump. There’s one plug that’s connected, but should only be used on an emergency basis. If it’s overloaded, we could overheat or destroy the generator completely. That’d leave us in complete darkness and without food. However, if you need to charge your computer for an hour, that should be fine.”