Nic nodded. “Good morning. Have you been out? It’s beautiful.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Holly said. “It’s your first time for snow. How did you like it?”

“Like I said, it’s beautiful. And cold. Abby has promised me a snowball fight later.”

Abby laughed as she poured them coffee. “You wouldn’t stand a chance. I’m sneaky quick with those things. You’ll be beaten to a pulp.”

“Maybe we should do teams. Get Aaron and Holly to play too.”

Holly smirked. “A bit too childish for me.”

“Childish? Or do you mean childlike? I, for one, hope I don’t ever lose that childlike enthusiasm. Especially about something as fun and innocent as having a snowball fight. I won’t apologize for jumping in with a youthful exuberance.” Nic smiled at Abby. “Seeing as how I’ve only seen a dusting of snow here and there in my lifetime, this is certainly special. I wouldn’t want to waste a minute of it.”

“Snowball fights are fun,” Sandra chimed in. “When Aaron and Abigail were kids, they’d chase each other around outside. Abigail, despite being four years younger, was—like she said—sneaky quick. Poor Aaron got pummeled by them.”

Abby glanced at her brother. “I guess I should confess. I used to go out early and make hard, tight snowballs, then stash them in different places.”

Aaron laughed. “Like I didn’t know that.”

“You did?”

“Of course.”

Abby actually smiled at him. “And you still let me win? That was sweet of you.” She handed Nic a cup of coffee. “Here you go.”

“Thanks, babe.”

“So, Nicole, tell me more about this company you work for? You know, in case we want to hire you sometime.”

Nic slowly slid her gaze to Holly, hoping her expression was as bored as she felt. “Bennett Landscaping. My uncle’s company.”

“Yes. Your uncle. What is it that you do?”

“Why so interested in Nic, Holly?” Abby asked as she sat down.

“Well, I’ve just never met a…a landscaper before.”

“Landscape artist,” Nic corrected with a smile. “I thought you said Aaron has a crew that comes to your house now.” She sat down beside Abby. “Most companies are pretty much the same. If you’ve met them, you’ve met us. We have more commercial contracts than residential, though.”

“But what do you do?”

“What is it you’re asking? I thought we covered this last night. Or did you not get in enough digs about it yet?” She felt Abby stiffen beside her, but she calmly took a sip of her coffee. “For the record, for as much disdain as you obviously have for my profession, I can match that for yours.”