She seemed completely unfazed by Grady’s mood, and Suzanne wished she could be half as cool and confident. But then Grady stripped off his heavy coat and hat, hanging both on a hook near the door, and Suzanne was just grateful for the ability to make words at all.

He didn’t bother to ruffle out his hair, which was suffering somewhat from being confined in his hat, because Grady didn’t appear to give a shit what his hair looked like.

“How did you get them on the cabin without breaking your damn fool necks?”

Had Suzanne been in her right mind, she’d have told him women could do all kinds of stuff, including finding and climbing ladders and using tools like hammers, and very few broke necks or nails doing it. But the way his plaid shirt and jeans fit his body sapped all her fight.

“Burl helped us.”

Grady grunted. “Of course he did.”

They’d run into Burl in Credence when they’d stopped at the feed store to check out the Christmas trees in the lot that was apparently used for this purpose every year. Burl, knowing Grady would be out all day, had offered to help transport the tree they’d purchased and, when Suzanne had said she was decorating the cabin as a surprise for Grady, he’d stayed on and helped with the myriad lights. Suzanne was damn pleased they’d taken him up on his offer. The lights alone had taken Burl a few hours of pottering to complete, which had freed up her and Winona to complete the indoor decorations.

Suddenly, as if becoming aware of his surroundings, Grady’s eyes skimmed the room. They landed on everything. Acres of garland and tinsel hung from every surface possible. From the exposed beams of the ceiling to the edge of the mantelpiece to the kitchen bench and the coffee tables. His gaze took in all the tinsel and holly and mistletoe, his eyes widening as he saw the lurid paper chain of butt-ugly fish in elf hats fringing the bottom of Zoom’s tank.

Ornaments graced almost every flat surface. And not classy, elegant ornaments like her mother might choose if she ever slipped and hit her head and decided Christmas was worth celebrating. These were cheap, made-in-China imports, all plastic and tacky. Suzanne’s favorite was fat Elvis in his worst kind of Vegas gear, including cape and a Santa hat, riding a reindeer. That one was in pride of place on the mantelpiece and actually played “Blue Christmas.” Her next favorite was a snow globe with a Dunkin Donuts shop in it.

“Oh dear god,” Grady said, his gaze growing ever wider as he pivoted slowly around. When there were very few surfaces not touched by Christmas, it was a lot to take in.

“Isn’t it perfectly, horribly wonderful?” Winona enthused. “Just needs the tree decorated now, and it’ll be complete.”