“So, what other plans do you have while you’re in town?”

“I dunno.” She shrugged. “Probably work mostly. I’m sure Mom will make plans for us all on Christmas Eve.” She said it like that was the most torturous thing to ever happen.

“That’s it? You’re here for two weeks—“

“Twelve days.”

“And that’s your plan? Just work?”

I could think of a hundred amazing things she could do here in twelve days and only a couple of them involved us possibly getting naked. Which is when it hit me. The greatest idea I’d had in a long time.

“I’m gonna give you the twelve days of Christmas.”

“What?” She looked up from her drink with her cute mouth in a frown.

“I’m. Going. To. Give. You. The. Twelve. Days. Of. Christmas.” I repeated it word for word. What was so hard to get?

“I don’t want a bunch of birds.”

I scoffed. “Who said anything about birds? I’m talking about keeping your plans completely open, and I’ll give you the best Christmas ever. It’s the twelve days of Aspen! No. It’ll be the twelve days of Finn. All inclusive.” I winked at her.

It was her turn to scoff. “It sounds stupid.”

“Well gee, thanks. You are really bad for my ego, you know?”

“I think you have enough ego to spare.”

She was probably right but still, it was odd to have someone consistently say no to me. I had cute cheeks with a dimple as a plus. Combine that with sweet manners, and I could get just about anything I wanted. Which is why I got ice cream before dinner at least once a week growing up.

“Well, you may be right there. But, seriously, what do you have to do that’s better than my wonderful idea of twelve days of me, or Christmas. Same thing.”

Suddenly her drink must have become very interesting, because she played with her straw and stirred the ice around, ignoring me.

“It’s not that I have anything better to do, and it’s nothing against you. I just was planning on coming here and working from my laptop, seeing my family a few times, and dipping out. I didn’t plan for any of this extra Christmas event stuff.” She said it like I told her we were going to a cheese museum or something.

“Olive. You act like this is going to be torture. It’s called fun! You don’t have to plan fun; you just go have it.”

She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. “Tell that to anyone who showed up to Disney World without reservations.”

“Come on, Grinchy. Give Cindy-Lou a chance.”

That made her give me the small, one-corner-lifted grin I had become so fond of the last couple of days. “I’m not saying yes…but I’m not saying no. We’ll see.”

I smiled brightly at her; she was totally saying yes. And thankfully, I could read between the lines to see that. I had a million ideas running through my mind of where I could take her.