Rebecca was pulling up to Higgins' house the same time Ted and Trent were walking up the front walk. She smiled at how ridiculous Trent looked in his Santa hat and wondered if Ted had coerced him into it. Whether it was his own doing, or Ted's encouragement, it was a sign to Rebecca that even though she didn't have the highest opinion of Trent Crimm, The Independent, that Ted and Trent must have high opinions of each other. She didn't know Trent. But she trusted Ted wouldn't put himself out there for someone he thought would try to tear him down.
"I like your hat, Mr. Crimm," Rebecca called out as she stepped out of her SUV. "Very festive."
Ted and Trent stopped walking so Rebecca could catch up. "Thank you, Ms. Welton. After my lack of holiday headwear earlier, I thought I could make up for it this evening." Trent nudged Ted's side and gave a bashful smile.
"And I didn't even threaten him, Boss. He provided his own chapeau, much to my delight. How do you like that? Oh, and he is sans reporter notebook, so you can say whatever you want right now and he can't jot it down. It's a Christmas miracle."
"Is that so?" Rebecca asked, impeccably shaped eyebrows sliding up. "Off the record and no notebook. I hardly know what to say. Are you officially back in line for your roller coaster, Ted?"
Trent immediately looked confused but Ted nodded confidently. "Yes ma'am."
"Okay. Well… you have my full support, of course. Both of you," Rebecca said as she smiled warmly at Ted and politely at Trent.
"Wait—am I the roller coaster?" Trent asked as they all walked toward the door.
"You are not," Ted said. "The day on a whole was the roller coaster. You're the mystery book, remember? And we are an Austen book. At least we were for a few minutes there. Though I wouldn't mind if we tried something like that again if you were up for it." Trent's eyebrows slid up. "Just something to think about."
"Good lord, you two are odd," Rebecca said as she rang the doorbell.
"Thank you, Ms. Welton?" Trent asked, unsure if her insult was an actual insult or a backhanded compliment.
"For fuck's sake, just call me Rebecca. We're not at Nelson Road."
Ted and Trent burst into laughter as one of Higgins' boys opened the door and welcomed them to his home. Trent slid a hand into Ted's as the pair of them followed Rebecca into what appeared to be holiday mayhem.