This was about the last thing he ever expected to be doing, but he was having a surprisingly good time. The tree, nearly nine feet tall, had a fresh, piney scent, and the exertion of carrying it from the car and up the steps gave him the kind of mild endorphin high he associated with working out. Then there was the fun of Christina herself, pink cheeked and exuberant. She was wearing a loden coat with bright buttons and her hair had slipped a bit from its usual twist; the soft tendrils fell appealingly around her pretty face. Andy liked how well she kept up her end of the load. “Careful,” she said as she maneuvered the pointed tip through the double doors. “You don’t want to catch it on anything.” “I’m good back here,” he said as he gently eased the fragrant mass inside. Once they had it safely in the parlor, she shucked off her coat and went in search of the tree stand. Andy sat down to wait. In addition to the tree-buying expedition, she had invited him to both the party she threw on Christmas Day and to church the night before.
