Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

“I can do it,” Danny said as he hobbled around the kitchen on his crutches, determined to make his own coffee even if it was one-handed.

“I know you can,” Marissa said, shaking her head at him. “But why should you have to when you have your beck-and-call girl here?”

“You’re hovering again,” he said, raising his eyebrow at her. He’d been back at her house for days now. And while he appreciated all of her help, he was ready to get on with a life where he wasn’t just lying in bed being waited on hand and foot.

Marissa held her hands up and took a step back. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to smother.”

“I meant to tell you that Zach found a golf cart today for us to use,” Danny said, turning around and leaning against the counter, his mug in hand.

Her eyes lit up, making her look happier than she had in days. Ever since the accident, Marissa had been subdued. Not quite herself. At first, he’d chalked it up to her being worried about him, but now he wasn’t so sure. Was she having second thoughts? Was she regretting letting him stay with her? He’d definitely been a burden to her. Not only had she been cooking and cleaning up after him, but she’d also insisted on going into work with him to help in the gallery while he finished his custom orders that he had to get done in time for Christmas.

It was no wonder she was tired of him.

He knew it was a lot to deal with when they were just getting to know each other again. He just hoped that he hadn’t scared her off. Because now that he had her back in his life, he wasn’t sure he could handle letting her go.

“Your cousin is amazing. Remind me to tell him the next time he comes into Sleighed that the drinks are on me.” She glanced down at Pumpkin. “Did you hear that, girl? Looks like Danny is going to be able to accompany us to the Paw-mas parade after all.”

Pumpkin let out a bark of approval and then ran around in a circle, demonstrating her pleasure.

Danny laughed at her. “Do you want to be a reindeer or an elf this year, Pumpkin?”

The dog looked up at him with a quizzical expression, making him laugh harder. “Reindeer it is.” He held the dog outfit up and said, “You’re going to be the best dressed with that scarf your mommy made for you.”

Marissa was looking at him with amusement in her eyes. “I can’t believe you’re so into this. Clara and Felicity told me I’m on my own with this one. ”

“Who doesn’t want to participate in a Christmas dog parade? What is wrong with your friends?”

“Oh, they want to participate, only they want to do it from the bar as they watch the puppies go by. They don’t want to walk in it. Of course, they turned me down before they knew we’d have a golf cart, so that’s their loss.”

“Do either of them have a dog?” Danny asked.

“No, but we have Pumpkin.” Marissa reached down and picked up her pup. “She’d be more than happy to have more than just us as handlers. Wouldn’t you, girl?”

Pumpkin gave her a big kiss, licking half her face.

Danny laughed. “That right there might explain a few things. Not everyone wants to bathe in dog kisses.”

“What?” she cried in mock surprise and then laughed as she put Pumpkin down. “You might be onto something. Anyway, let me get Pumpkin dressed and then we’ll be ready to go. Do you need anything first?”

“Nope. Not a thing. I have my crutches and one good leg. I’ll manage.”

Her lips curved down into the tiniest frown as she narrowed her eyes slightly, and he couldn’t help but wonder once again what was bothering her.

“I’m fine. Really,” he said again.

She nodded once. “I know. I do.” Then she forced a smile before she headed for the hallway, calling for Pumpkin to join her.

“Oh. Em. Gee!” Marissa exclaimed. “Just look at how cute everyone is.”

Danny glanced at her and didn’t miss the heart eyes she had for all the puppies that were lined up along Main Street just waiting for the Paw-mas parade to start. Not only did the parade include dogs, along with their humans, dressed up as everything Christmas, but the people who came to watch also brought their dogs and dressed them up, putting in as much, if not more, care for their costumes as the parade walkers did.

“This is fantastic,” Danny said, steering the cart his cousin had secured for them into the line behind the other parade participants that had chosen eclectic vehicles. The line was broken up into walkers and riders, and then the coordinators would indicate which would go at which time so that the parade itself was intermixed with both on a regular basis. “I can’t believe I never knew about this.”

“It’s mostly a locals thing,” Marissa said. “Some tourists show up for it each year, but one has to be a resident of Christmas Grove to be a part of the parade. That’s what keeps it from becoming commercialized. Otherwise, can’t you just imagine this parade being broadcast every year right after the annual dog show?

“Doesn’t that happen on Thanksgiving?” he asked.

“Yeah. And they’d make us move this just so they could air it to that captive audience.”

“Okay,” he said, chuckling. That sounded a little dramatic, but it wouldn’t be the first time some producer had decided it was time to capitalize on the wonders of Christmas Grove .

“Look,” Marissa said, pointing to the golf cart in front of them. “That Lab is dressed up like a Christmas tree.” Her voice went very high pitched as she added, “Look at the red balls hanging off his tail.”

“He’s lucky that’s the only place they’re hanging from,” Zach said as he strode up to them. “Mia, my daughter, tried to tied them to his ears, too.” He snapped his fingers and the dog in question hopped off the cart and came running. He sat obediently at Zach’s feet, his tongue lolling out. “Danny, meet Spruce. The best dog in the world, who should earn a medal for what he puts up with from the Frost household.”

“What’s that? Table scraps and more belly rubs than he can handle?” Marissa guessed.

Zach let out a loud laugh. “Yeah. That and being locked up in the house, unable to terrorize the Christmas tree farm customers for an entire month. He’s not much of a fan of that.”

“Can’t say I blame him.” Marissa ran her hand down Pumpkin’s back. “I wouldn’t want to be cooped up either. Although I do thank my lucky stars that Pumpkin’s idea of a perfect day is to cuddle up by the fire.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice,” he said, sounding wistful. “Though he is a great hiking partner, I’ll give him that.”

“Here Comes Santa Claus” started to play over the loudspeakers, and Zach said, “Time to roll.” Then he looked at his dog and added, “Don’t chase the snowmen this year. If you do, they’ll ban us for good. Understand?”

Spruce ignored the question and bounded back into the cart, eager to get the show on the road .

“He chased the snowmen last year?” Danny asked.

Marissa laughed. “Yep. They walk the parade and dance when the music plays. Spruce decided he didn’t like their dance moves and chased one up the giant tree in the middle of the square last year. It was the talk of the town for days afterward. He’s kind of a legend.”

“Wow.” Danny looked at Pumpkin. “Don’t embarrass your mother like that, okay? We’re more respectable than that.”

Pumpkin let out a little yip that he interpreted to mean she most definitely would not be chasing anything.

Twenty minutes later, he found out he couldn’t have been more wrong.