Tyler said as he watched me try to yank my new purchase through the front door. Needles sprayed like confetti. I gave it another tug and managed to wedge it solidly in the doorway. I let go. My leather gloves were sticky with pine sap. “I thought it would look nice in the living room by the French doors.” Tyler sipped from a coffee mug. “Looks like it’s gonna stay right where it is.” The frigid morning air whistled through the gaps in the doorway. “You could at least give me a hand.” He sipped again. “Do you have a tree stand?” “Tree stand?” I stared at the wedged tree. “I didn’t even think about it.” Tyler set his mug down and slipped his hands into his back pockets. “You could always string some lights around it right there. Might look kind of nice from the road.” “Ha ha.” I glared over at him. “Now, get over here and help me.” After a few agonizing moments, he walked over to his jacket and pulled out a pair of heavy work gloves. He wrapped his hands around the base of the tree.
