Keep Me In | DR3 | BOOK 1

09 - The Perfect Tree

"My husband has informed me you invited Daniel and Michael to dinner."

"I did not invite them. Dad did, I couldn't have said no"

--

I pulled into the parking area of the Christmas tree lot, parking my Audi E-Tron in a prime parking spot right by the entrance. Much to the disbelief of my family, I had found a Christmas tree lot that still had trees in La Turbie, a short (and well worth it) drive from my home in Monaco.

The placid drive through the winding roads was just what I needed to distract myself from the nightmare I had. I decided would dedicate all of today to driving around finding Christmas decorations. Deflect for as long as necessary.

Plus, it would be a nice surprise for my family to walk into a winter wonderland. There were many ways that this would prove to be a good use of energy.

I grabbed my coffee from my car and paid the donation fee to enter the lot, walking my way through, prospecting for the one. Ideally, I wanted one that was not too tall, not too short, wide enough to decorate, but not too thick.

After about an hour, I found a tree that hit just the right spot for me. It was the perfect height for my ceiling, and just the right circumference for the space I had in mind. I put on my protective gloves and tried my very hardest to hoist the thing up and onto my shoulders, but between the branches poking out in every which direction and the sheer weight of the thing, I was floundering. Hard.

"C'mon, tree. Work with me here," I grunted as I set it back on the ground.

"You need help over there?" I turned around, a guy who already had a tree on his shoulder had asked.

"I mean, I'd love a hand. Yours look pretty full though," I responded, pointing to the tree in his hands.

He laughed back, "I can bring this to my truck and come back for you, if you've got the time to wait," he flashed a full smile. Who was I to say no to help from a gracious stranger? I nodded, fixing a couple of stray hairs on the side of my face in an attempt to make myself more presentable.

My tree savior, who's name I learned was Mason, had come back for me in a matter of short minutes. He threw my tree over his shoulder with ease and I walked him back to my car, where he loaded it in as I paid.

"Have you paid for yours yet, Mason? Let me cover it, it's the least I can do." I asked before heading to the till.

"Very kind of you to ask, I've paid already," he said as he closed my trunk. "Maybe you could take me out for coffee sometime instead? You live in the area?" He asked, leaning against my car.

I smiled and bit my lip, "I live in London, actually. But I've got a place in Monaco," his eyebrows raised, "On the beach. Im hosting the family for Christmas. I'll be here until just after New Years."

"I'll definitely need to catch you before you leave then. Let me grab your number," Mason handed me his phone.

Flattered, I put my name and number in his phone, "Alexa 🎄", before handing it back to him. "Make sure you text me yours, don't be a stranger."

He looked down at his phone, "Will do, Alexa."

I smiled at him before climbing into my Audi and pulling out of the lot, onto my next Christmas mission. I left feeling accomplished; I found the tree that everyone told me I wouldn't find, and I met Mason.