Abby met her gaze without returning her smile. “Do you have a second?” she asked in a clipped tone.

“Sure.”

Then Abby glanced at Jeff. “In private?”

Nic got up and brushed off her knees. “I guess I can take a break.” She took her gloves off and knocked them against the side of her jeans to clean them. “Messy job today,” she explained.

“Mulch?”

“Yeah. One of the guys called in sick so I thought I’d help out.” She smiled at Abby, a charming smile, she hoped. “How nice to run into you. Or rather to have you running into me, I guess.”

Abby moved away and she followed. Abby seemed tense and she’d swear that her teeth were gritted.

“Everything okay?”

Abby turned to her then. “I’d like you to…to reconsider going with me to Red River.”

Nic frowned. “Umm, I offered to go. I believe it was you who turned me down. So, in essence, it would be you who would need to reconsider.” Yes, Abby was definitely gritting her teeth.

“I mean, I’d like you to reconsider your reason for going. Your…your counteroffer.”

Nic gave a quick laugh. “You mean sex?” Yep, clenched jaw and gritted teeth. She laughed again. “You want me to waste ten days of my life celebrating Christmas with you and your family—all strangers to me—so that Holly doesn’t try to get into your bed. And all I get out of the deal is a free ski vacation, which would be great and all if I actually knew how—or wanted—to ski. So basically, I’m getting cold weather, snow, ski lessons—hopefully I won’t bang into a tree—and having to pretend to enjoy a holiday I absolutely loathe. You want me to reconsider all of that?”

“You don’t like Christmas?”

Nic shrugged. “It was always a crappy, depressing day when I was a kid. It holds no fond memories for me, that’s for sure.”

“You said you’d cancelled plans with your uncle,” Abby reminded her.

“He likes to pretend it’s a tradition with us. I usually play along with him.”

Abby tilted her head. “Why uncle and not parents?”

Nic stiffened a bit. “They’re not in the picture anymore. Long story.” She twisted the gloves in her hands. “So?”

Abby sighed, then pulled her phone from her pocket. She held it up to her. Nic read the text, then glanced at Abby. Then she read it again. Then she smiled.

“That’s from Holly?”

“Yes. Please go with me.”

Nic met her gaze. “My offer is still on the table. When are we leaving?”

“Seriously? That’s my choice? I go alone and chance Holly sneaking into my bed, or I go with you and…and…”

“And have me in your bed. If I were you, I’d choose the latter. Much less stressful than sleeping with your brother’s fiancé.”