Coop gets the text while he's wrapping up some paperwork at the clinic and smiles when he sees that it's an invite from Raleigh. He writes back a teasing message about how he's hurt that he isn't worth a personal invitation, stuck instead with being included as one of the masses, but adds that he'll be there as soon as he's finished up with work and is true to his word. He has gifts for her back home, but he doesn't want to stop there to get them and besides, it's not even actual Christmas yet so he figures he can just shoot give Joel or Spencer a call later to see if stopping by on the holiday will be okay. He doesn't imagine they'll say no. Plus, he wants to see the tree he'd helped them set up last week because he's only got a janky one at home since the dogs are way too fucking mischievous for their own good.

So he shows up at the bakery after a quick run to the store for a bottle of Grey Groose--he'd gone in for wine but he and Raleigh have had fun with Grey Goose before so it'd caught his eye instead--and walks into the already upbeat atmosphere in Orchard House with a wide grin. He's been burying himself in work again, just like he always does when he's avoiding reality, but this is good. This is a better kind of escape, one that he thinks he'd like to stick around for as long as he can, and he sets the Grey Goose on the countertop while he scans the room, looking for the host or another familiar face.