Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
Jim
The Christmas tree lot in Pacific Palisades smelled like cinnamon, pine, and manipulation.
Warm salt air from the coast drifted through the rows of trees, carrying the sound of laughter, the distant bell of the cider stand, and the faint shimmer of a saxophone from a hidden speaker.
The glow of string lights flickered against polished car roofs lining the valet lot, throwing reflections like tiny gold coins across the asphalt.
Avery didn’t know it yet, but I’d orchestrated this entire day for one purpose: to stall her.
By the time she realized why I suddenly felt the need to replace our usual tree with a real one, she’d understand that two could play these little games of stalling each other’s plans.
Having learned—thanks to Jake’s loose tongue—that Avery had used Spence and the Madrid deal to derail me from focusing on mine and the girls’ party, I’d simply found an entertaining way to return the favor.
The plan had the sparkle of a prank and the precision of a business strategy, which made it almost festive.
By the time we were done today, Avery would not be ahead of me, but one step behind.
My adorable wife was planning to use one of Paramount Studios’ lots to build an elaborate set for her company party.
I had no idea what the hell she was building or why a Christmas celebration required a soundstage at Paramount Studios, but I did know one thing—you always needed to be ten steps ahead of permits and construction crews, since they loved missing deadlines.
With Cat at the helm, it was unlikely her teams would miss a single date.
That made this even more enjoyable. Cat Veléz was the definition of precision—organized, ambitious, and frighteningly good at what she did.
Nothing ever stopped her from meeting her goals or deadlines.
But when her client’s husband just happened to be her competition and the one who was needed for signatures for both company parties?
Well, that was a game even Cat didn’t know how to play.
Now that I knew Avery’s move to slow me down, it was time for mine: Avery and Cat needed my signature on two permits for her set builds. With the Madrid deal demanding every second of my attention, I’d simply “run out of time” to sign Cat’s permits while there—blaming back-to-back meetings.
Spencer, of course, had offered to handle it, but I’d told my double-crossing VP that he’d already helped enough, and what he could do to help me, rather than my scheming wife, was to inform Cat that I’d sign them upon my return—which would’ve been today.
Saturday. The day I suddenly decided we needed a real tree, something I honestly couldn’t have cared less about.
So, with all of us now heading to the Christmas tree farm for a family tree, it looked like Cat and her team would have to wait until Sunday or Monday for my signature.
In the world of studio construction, that meant at least four full days behind schedule.
That put me even, since I’d already lost four myself—and if you knew anything about set production, four days could easily stretch into seven.
I was back in the game, and Avery was no longer cheating her way to the win.
Avery couldn’t exactly be angry with me, could she? She’d practically supported the whole push-him-out-of-the-country scheme to get ahead in planning.
I was almost disappointed she hadn’t brought it up yet. Maybe Cat hadn’t called to remind her I was supposed to sign today. Unfortunately for both of them, nothing could stop our newest family tradition, family day at the Christmas tree farm.
“All right,” I said, putting the SUV in park. “No cell phones, remember?”
“Oh, Dad, c’mon,” Addy said, trying to whine but eyeing me through the rearview because she knew her role to play.
We needed Avery not to check her phone until after we were done here. There was no way I was going to let Cat throw this all off when the planner realized my signature hadn’t been faxed over to her yet.
“You promised,” Izzy said, trying not to giggle.
“I’m going to need mine, though,” Avery said. “Just in case. Cat said there might be—”
“Now, now,” I placed my hand gently over to cover hers, gripping her phone. “I thought you hired the most insanely sought-after planner for a reason, my love?”
She eyed me, “I did.”
“Good,” I smiled. “Cat solves everything for her clients and takes care of issues like there were never any problems to begin with. She’s known for her skilled effort in not allowing her clients to sit by their phones and worry over her planning.”
“But, I just—”
“If you don’t want to be part of our family day of getting a real tree this year,” I arched an eyebrow as I guilt-tripped her, “then stay with your phone. We’re going to go pick out a tree.”
“Lord,” Avery said, shoving her phone in the console where I placed Addy’s.
“Your phone, too,” Avery pressed.
“Unfortunately, Cat isn’t my planner, and because the ink is still wet on the de la Vega paperwork, I need that phone until I’m assured it’s dry.” I smiled when she rolled her eyes, “I promise you that I will not be on it unless I get a call from them.”
“Let’s go get the tree,” Addy said, setting us into motion to waste the entire day.
This would most definitely have me holding off on signing those permits until Monday, and Avery and Cat officially pacing alongside me in our party planning war.
The lot was packed. There were families snapping pictures under garlands, kids dragging trees twice their size, and the air thick with fake snow from a machine some overzealous vendor thought would make Los Angeles feel festive.
“Dad!” Addy called, darting between rows of firs. “This one’s huge!”
I followed her voice, Avery close behind, while Izzy rushed over to another tree.
The farm was adorable, its acreage spanning miles, with Christmas trees, horse-drawn wagons, and vendors selling caramel apples, as well as a variety of things riddled with holiday spices.
It was just as festive as I’d hoped, and as huge as I’d requested when I’d asked Jake about the largest lot where we could waste an entire day finding a tree we didn’t need.
Thank God my brother felt a little bad that Avery had sent my ass off to Madrid. I could certainly use him and Collin on my team. Didn’t think I’d land those two, but somehow, I managed, and they would be here any minute to ensure this would stall us in the manner I needed it to.
I walked over to the tree Addy stood next to, which was enormous, crooked, and shedding faster than a dog in July.
I crouched, pretending to study it. “Hmm. Lean’s too far west.”
“Huh?” Avery blinked. “West?”
I could tell that since the phones were in the car and she was now out of contact with Cat, she’d probably settle for a brittle, dying tree, just to leave the lot and return to the safety net of her party planner.
“Trees have directions, gorgeous.” I pointed to the tilt. “You don’t want a tree that leans west. Throws off the balance of the whole house.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re making shit up.”
“Am I?” I asked, straight-faced.
Izzy snorted into her hot chocolate she brought from the house. “Mom, I think he’s serious.”
“I think he’s bored,” Avery shot back.
I straightened, brushing my hands together. “Bored? No, sweetheart. I’m just committed to excellence. It’s what you love most about me.”
She gave me the look that meant I was pushing it, but I could see the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
The next hour of waiting for Jake and Collin to show up with their families was an art form of inefficiency.
I rejected trees for being too symmetrical, too piney, not photogenic enough for the living room’s lighting.
I made Addy test pine scents. I timed Izzy shaking snow off branches to see if it was worth the mess to have a flocked one or not.
You know, stupid bullshit that no one cares about, but today I used my linear mindset to not close business deals, but to be the most obnoxious bastard at the Christmas tree farm.
I did note that Avery checked her watch every ten minutes. It cracked my ass up to see how concerned she was with Cat stating things were on track, when I personally knew they weren’t.
“Jim, this is ridiculous,” she said finally, pinching the bridge of her nose. “We’ve been here two hours. Two.”
“Good things take time, love.” I crouched beside another tree, tugging at the branches. “You can’t rush greatness.”
“I’m not rushing greatness. I’m trying to get home before dark.”
I feigned thoughtfulness. “Do you think the house is east-facing enough for a Douglas fir?”
She stared at me, jaw slack. “What?”
“Sunlight affects needle retention.”
“Jim. You’re high.”
I grinned, unbothered. “High on Christmas cheer, lover. You know, the thing you said I didn’t have a couple weeks ago?”
“Is that what this is about? Everyone calling you Scrooge?”
I shrugged, examining another tree, “Nah, I’m proving that I want to enjoy this day with my family.”
Around noon, I “accidentally” steered us toward the on-site food truck section.
“Kids,” I said, “it’s tradition to eat a fresh cinnamon roll before finally deciding upon the proper tree.”
“Tradition?” Avery repeated, exasperated. “We’ve never done this before.”
I shrugged, handing her a peppermint mocha. “Guess we’re starting one.”
“Does it bring us Christmas luck?” Izzy said, unsure if I was full of bullshit or if it was true.
We hadn’t gone over the nonsense I’d be making up to keep Avery on the lot all day.
“It brings the Christmas magic that your dad tried to dismiss this year, Izzy,” I heard Collin say from behind where we’d sat at a wooden picnic table.
“Laney,” Avery said with a smile. “This is a surprise. I’m so happy you’re here!” She smiled, and all worry about her planning vanished as soon as Jake and Ash filed in with their kids behind the couples arriving. “Hey, Ash!”
I watched as Laney and Ash embraced Avery, and the ladies took over with ordering more cinnamon rolls, peppermint mochas, and fully indulging in the family experience of the Christmas tree farm.
“So?” Jake said with a chuckle. “You have two more hours to stall out of signing those permits, so Cat has to wait until Monday morning.”
“I’m running out of bullshit to say, man,” I answered, bringing the black coffee to my lips for a much-needed sip.
“That’s why we’re here, good man,” Collin clapped me on the back, “to take over the bullshitting part for you, and waste another two hours.”
“What do you plan on doing?” I questioned.
“Thinking outside of the box, unlike your boring ass,” Jake said. “Hey kids, who’s ready to load up in a horse-drawn wagon to journey up into those hills?” he pointed to where rows and rows of trees were filled with families searching either on foot or using these wagons to search for one.
“Oh, shit,” Avery said, looking up at the endless rows of trees, “we don’t have to go that route. Jim found one that points west with needles that won’t fall until after Christmas.”
My mouth tightened, trying not to laugh at her falling for the shit I’d made up about the trees. She made it sound more believable than I did.
“Points west?” Collin looked at me. “No, no, no. That’s all wrong. It has to point on a north-easterly pattern.”
“Right,” Jake played along. “It must feel as if it were in its former environment when it’s set in the house.”
“Is this shit for real?” Avery said. I could tell she wanted to rightfully tell us we were all a bunch of fucking morons, but she was unsure since the guys didn’t skip a beat. “Why?”
“Because the needles will last longer, of course,” I answered. “It’s what I was trying to say when I was examining them earlier.”
“Do you guys do this when you’re picking out real Christmas trees?” Avery asked Ash and Elena, who were staring at the rest of us as if we were just the usual dipshits they were used to.
“No,” Laney answered with a laugh. “In fact, it’s our tradition since my and Collin’s first date to rescue the brown trees that are dying and won’t make it to a home this year.”
“Oh, now that’s an idea,” I said. “How about we decorate the Malibu house with rescues?”
“Jim, you’re not serious. That was Collin and Elena’s joke,” Avery said with a laugh of disbelief. “Dead Christmas trees aren’t shelter dogs needing homes for Christmas.”
“We also have a tradition,” Jake added, ignoring Avery arguing with me. “We always sing Christmas carols while deciding on our tree. It just adds sort of an alpine-scented touch of magic to the one we choose to place our gifts under for the holiday season.”
“Sort of like blessing it with a Christmas welcoming into our home,” Collin smirked.
“Ah,” I added. “So, once the tree is chosen…”
“We celebrate and bless it with our family’s Christmas carol and sing before cutting it down and bringing it off the lot and to our homes,” Jake said, trying not to laugh.
“Of course, you two would do this type of shit,” Avery laughed.
Collin frowned. “Why wouldn’t we? What the hell do you and Jim do?” he questioned, acting perplexed that his ludicrous idea wasn’t being taken seriously.
Avery eyed me in humor. “We just have the staff pull our artificial one out of storage and set it up for us like it is right now.”
“And you don’t sing for it? Like, to the tune of Oh, Christmas Tree?” Jake questioned.
I sighed. “Sadly, it’s not a real tree sacrificing its life for our family at Christmas,” I said, pretending to be a pathetic bastard.
“True,” Collin said, while Laney and Ash stayed busy with the kids and Avery focused on my brother and his best friend picking live Christmas trees for their homes.
“That’s why we’re thrilled that this whole ‘screw the company over for Christmas’ plan ended up making you go down this road with our families and the live-tree chaos. ”
“That’s what this is all about?” Avery finally said, looking at me. “Your guilt?”
“I just couldn’t bear anyone believing I was Scrooge, my love,” I said, extending my hand toward her. “Let’s go sing carols and get the first traditional and perfect Mitchell family Christmas tree.”
“Don’t forget,” Collin added, “no one comes to a Christmas tree farm with me and takes the perfect tree without rescuing a brown one from the chipper.”
My lips tightened at how perfect this had ended up. Instead of being pissed, Avery had fallen in line with all the nonsense, and by the time it was too late to sign permits, we were all singing Christmas carols around the tree to bring it Christmas magic.
The best part of all this wasn’t slowing Avery down; it was the fun of doing ridiculous stuff that let me ease my mind, forget about business, and just watch my wife laughing with our incredible girls and her friends.
It was festive, completely ludicrous, and somehow, it all made perfect sense.