Can't Love Christmas

Eight

It had been three days since Ash met Rowan at the bar, and she had finalized their plans. She went to the pub on her way home from work.

Rowan looked up when the door opened, a look of surprise crossed his face before he schooled his expression into a polite smile.

"Hey Cinders. How are you?"

She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow at the nickname, and he kept his gaze steady while she hopped onto a barstool and placed a folder on the bar in front of him. "I'm good. I've got plans."

"What kind of plans?"

"Bet winning plans!"

"Doubtful, but go on."

She opened the folder and turned it so he could read the contents. "Here's what we do."

He thumbed the stack of papers and closed the folder without reading any. "Damn, Cinders, this looks like a lot."

"Is that a problem?" She bit her lip. "If I'm going to get you to like Christmas you need to experience all the good things."

"Are you saying it's more than just killing a tree, hanging garbage on it, listening to crappy music, spending an obscene amount of money on obligations to prove you love someone, and just creating a huge amount of packaging waste? Then you eat a big dinner and pretend you're all happy to be together, until someone says something stupid and everyone gets mad?"

Ash was horrified. "Is that what you really think of Christmas?" He shrugged. "Wow. I really do have my work cut out for me. I guess we better start this weekend!"

"This weekend?"

"Do you have plans already?"

"I'm working."

"When?"

"Well, considering I own a bar, Friday, Saturday, Sunday."

"Oh. How about the morning?"

"I can free up a few hours."

"Okay great! So here's what I was thinking..."

He snatched the folder and shoved it back to her. "I'm going to stop you right there. Give me your phone."

Ash narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?"

"I'm going to put my number in it." She unlocked it and passed it over, and he quickly typed in his number. As he handed it back, he continued, "You are going to text me times and places a couple days before, and if I need to bring anything or dress a certain way. Don't tell me too much in advance because I won't want to do it. You are teaching me the magic of Christmas, so you do all the work. I'll make my work schedule as flexible as I can, but sometimes things come up and I can't help that."

"Okay. You really don't want to know in advance so you can get ready?"

"If I did that, you really wouldn't stand a chance of winning. It's better that I be surprised."

Her mouth dropped open. "Oh my gosh. I'm working with a real life grinch!"

"I guess you have to be Cindy Lou Who this year." Ash's eyes widened at his comment and a grin spread across her face. He shrugged. "What? Just because I don't like Christmas doesn't mean I can't make pop culture references."

"You're just full of surprises aren't you?"

"I'll be full of surprise if you win this bet."

Ash shoved the folder back into her bag. "You really don't want me to tell you things in advance?"

He shrugged. "Not really. Except." He stared down at the bar.

She gave him a moment to finish that sentence. When he didn't look like he was going to continue, she prodded, "except?"

He took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't want this to sound... bad... but, how much are all your plans going to cost me?"

Ash's smile brightened again. "Oh! Well, most of them won't cost you anything, but there will be optional ways to spend money. Which there is no obligation for you to do."

"Okay." He rapped his knuckles twice on the bar. "Now, is there anything I can get you, or did you just stop in to bombard me about Christmas?"

"Christmas. As instructed, I guess I will text you about everything else. I've got to get home for dinner."

"Okay. Bye, Cinders."

"Bye, Rowan. Get ready to love Christmas again!"

She walked to the exit, and looked back over her shoulder. Rowan leaned back against the bar with his arms crossed across his chest, in a position that enhanced the look of his arms and chest. His eyes were on Ash, but the hint of a frown graced his lips. She pushed the door open and headed out into the cold.