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I made small talk with Theo, which felt a little disloyal to Henry, but I wasn’t going to freeze out the guy It was Christmas, and he seemed a little lonely I almost asked hi, but he left before I could

Then Etienne appeared, and he grabbed , I slapped his back, and a snow, I inhaled that faint, fa with his unique scent His neck was still dahtly, the hug going on

And on He slapped my back this time “Merry Christmas, man”

“Merry Christmas!” Bree exclaimed She held out her arms, her hair tucked under a purple toque

I had to let go of Etienne to hug her It was probably getting weird at that point anyere bros, not long-lost lovers like the ones on that tied Bree and her boyfriend, Tim He was very tall and quiet, and he adored her As he should

I went to grab ain to Alice Soon enough, Etienne and I were alone We followed a ploalking path through the trees, big snowbanks on either side

“Wow, there’s so reen Christmas”

Etienne grimaced “It’s not Christmas without a ton of snow I always hated that in Vancouver Hey, how’s your grandfather doing?”

“Not bad! Still won’t wear his hearing aids, but he seeht him over to the rental house for dinner They all say Merry Christmas, by the way”

“Sa a barbecue”

“Cool” I wanted to ask what they thought about Chloe and Phillipe co that up on Christ about it the last couple of weeks I guessed he was processing, and I didn’t want to push

The path was lit with strings of golden fairy lights wound around wooden railings I supposed it was like a boardwalk in su cabins with lots of space between them and covered porches I squinted “Is that a hot tub?”

“Yeah All the cabins in Le Bois-du-Nord have thee and the Skyline”

“And Spruce Grove?” I asked hopefully

He cut h there’s a communal sauna for each block of cabins Could be worse”

Etienne ledunder our boots as we veered deeper into the forest There were no Christ the staff area, but with theon the snoe didn’t need them