Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Nolan’s arms tightened. “I might know nothing about magic, but I’m happy to stand in the snow with you and heckle those two lunatics.”
Chuckling, Sky turned in Nolan’s arms and kissed his chin. “I’m happier inside, where it’s warm. Kisses are much better than making fun of them.”
As he snuggled Nolan, Sky felt a tiny magical pop. He flinched and lifted his head from Nolan’s shoulder.
“Everything okay?” Nolan loosened his hold so he could meet Sky’s eyes.
“Yep. They must have got things sealed up. It felt kind of like my ears popped.”
He’d barely finished speaking when they heard a rustling in the living room. They turned together to see the tree’s lights suddenly blink out. The branches fluttered softly, and some ornaments swayed. A tiny, inquisitive, trilling noise rose from the tree.
“That’s new,” Nolan murmured.
Sky nodded. Could the tree also feel the shift in magic? Sky was going to go with yes.
The tree pulled its roots out of the water pan and scuttled through the living room, moving for the front door.
“Shit!” Nolan hissed. He released Sky and lunged forward, trying to catch up with the tree.
“I’ll guard the back door,” Sky called, hurrying to the other door to block the tree’s exit. He had no idea what the tree was trying to do.
“Hey! Hey! You can’t go out there!” Nolan’s voice echoed down the hall, and Sky had to hold in a giggle. “They’re putting in a tree where you used to be growing. If the neighbors discover you’re missing, they’ll freak out.”
Well, freak out might be a bit of an exaggeration, Sky thought. His neighbor would bitch and moan, but it wouldn’t be that big of a problem. Unless he noticed the same tree growing in Sky’s yard later that spring. Then it would be an enormous problem.
More noises came from the tree. This time, though, they sounded more like anxious begging and whimpering. Was this a tree or a golden retriever? At least it didn’t sound pissed, like when it had discovered the artificial tree.
“Sky?”
“Yeah?”
“I think it wants out to see what Mad and Red are doing.” As Nolan spoke, Sky could hear the scratching at the front door. “Do you think we should let it out?”
“Let me call Red. If we surprise them with the tree, Red will scream and wake everyone.” Sky pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed Red.
“Oh my fuck, it’s cold out here,” he greeted in a harsh, chattering whisper. “What’s up?”
“We’re sending the tree out.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“Shit! Keep your voice low,” Maddox growled. “I’m almost done.”
“The tree wants to come out and see what you’re doing,” Sky explained.
“Um…how about no?” Red replied.
“It’s scratching up my door. It’ll behave. Just don’t attack it, and it won’t attack you.”
“This is a horrible idea,” Red muttered as he ended the call.
Sky giggled and put the phone into his pocket. “Come here, baby! I’ll let you out the back door.”
He’d barely finished talking when the tree thundered through the hall in a flash and nearly pressed its branches against the door.
“Now behave. Don’t hurt the new tree or my friends, or you’re staying outside permanently. You got it?” The tree made a little noise that Sky couldn’t decipher, so he shrugged and opened the door, letting the tree outside.
Nolan joined him at the window, and they watched as the tree hurried across the porch and into the yard where Red and Maddox were in the deep shadows, replacing the neighbor’s missing tree. Sky held his breath as he watched their tree circle the new tree Mad had brought over. It was like the tree was inspecting its replacement. Once it was content with whatever it discovered, the tree moved on to watch Maddox dig a hole.
After a couple of minutes, Maddox had the new tree in the ground. The Yule tree even helped him tamp the dirt, getting it set. A sigh of relief slipped from Sky’s lips. With any luck, his neighbor would never notice that it wasn’t the same tree he’d planted months ago.
While Maddox grabbed the shovels, Red began running around the yard, kicking up snow. The tree followed him around until they were both sending sprays of snow into the air. Maddox’s shoulders shook as if laughing and then set his shovels aside to join in their nonsense.
“How fucking drunk am I?” Nolan whispered. He stepped away from the window and rubbed his eyes with one hand before looking out again. “Are your friends really having a snowball fight with a tree?”
Sky grinned as he watched Red and Mad make snowballs and throw them at the tree, while the tree had no problem dodging each one. When they were too slow in making new ones, the tree would circle them as if taunting them.
“My friends are weird,” Sky admitted.