“Are you done standin’ around Santa? Everything’s put away.” Holly chirps at me. “Here, Dave told me to give you one of these.” She extends her arm and offers me one of the two styrofoam cups with steam rising from the hole in the lid.
“I don’t know,” I took it tacitly and sniff it closely. “Maybe I should have one of the baggers at the store take a sip first. Up there you seemed like you’d take any chance you got to slip some poison into Santa’s hot cocoa,” I say with a smirk. She rolls her large brown eyes..
“Don’t say that. There’s a good chance I gotta keep you alive long enough to pay grandchild support. Besides, it’s not from me. It’s a thank you from Dave for staying late and helping pack up for the night.”
Damn, she’s good. “That’s fair.” I take a sip. The night was cold, we were both shivering, but still no snowflakes. The sky was black, but dotted with a few stars, like lint caught on a black carpet. The winters were cold here, but the stars were always worth it.
“Well,” she starts again. “I held up my end of the bargain, now it’s time to hold up yours. Your info?”
I smiled, blushed a little even. “Hold on, not so fast. This is a two-night festival. You have some more work cut out for you first.”
She scoffs, but the slightest trace of a smile on her lips betrays her mock indignation. “Seriously? You couldn’t have told me that before I agreed to help you? I didn’t even just help. I stayed to help clean up too!” Her hands are on her hips now. But her cheeks twitch, she’s trying so hard not to smile. Shame, she has a beautiful smile. Soft, full lips. It’s taking everything in me not to pull her a little closer and stop all those wisecracks with a kiss…
No. I just met her, and not in the most romantic of circumstances. Well, for humans, couldn’t be more perfect for dogs. She’s still looking at me, hands on her hips, fuck I hope she doesn’t realize what I’m thinking.
“Well, you spend all year making toys, what’s one more day of work to you? Besides, at least you get to be outside, in the fresh air, not some dank factory.”
“What are you talking abo-” I glance slightly to her left, and she blushes. “Oh, these.” She cleared her throat. She took the elf ears off one by one, gently tossing them at my chest. I caught both and slid them in the deep pockets of my velvet Santa jacket.
“You’re gonna need these tomorrow. Don’t worry, I can hold onto them for you.” She tilts her head with pouty, pursed lips.
“Well, I suppose I should escort Mrs. Claus back to her chambers. She’ll want her beauty sleep. See you tomorrow, you sneaky, Santa.” She walks away nonchalantly, but Trixie goes in the opposite direction, trying to get back to O’Malley, who I hold back with no effort.
“It’s dark,and late. Let me walk you home.”
“I don’t need your help,” she shoots back, still struggling to make it very far with Trixie so determined to get back to O’Malley.
“It’s not help. It’s just a friendly neighbor walking you home. Besides, she’s not going anywhere O’Malley ain’t.”
She pauses at that. She knows I’m right. “Fine. It’s this way.”
I start in her direction with O’Malley. We walk down the deserted sidewalks, our path illuminated by Christmas lights, some white and stately, others flashing in technicolor. Trixie keeps trying to get to O’Malley, and this girl, whoever she is, doesn’t have the strength to fight too much.
“Here,” I reach for her leash. Our hands brush.
“You okay?” She looks radiant in the flashes of red, blue, green, yellow, white lights that illuminate us. The glow highlights her round eyes, luscious lips curled into just enough of a smile for me to make out her dimples.
“Ye-yeah” I stammer. “So, what do you do?”
“Um, well, I’m a paralegal.”
“Nice, what brings you to Cherry Falls?”
“My aunt-” she pauses, looking at the ground. “My aunt lived here, actually. She had a house here. She died recently, and I guess left me the house. I spent a lot of time here as a kid. For summer breaks and stuff. Most of the year was in Syn City with my dad but I—I always liked it here better. So,” she shrugged with her hands in her vest pockets. “I moved. Never spent the winter here though. Is this fest a thing they do every year?”
“You already can’t wait to help me next year?” I jibed.
She laughs at that, and doesn't roll her eyes.
“I’m not surprised you liked it more than the city. It’s a great town for families, raising children...” Fuck, why did I say that? She w’so protective of Trixie, and so sweet with all the kids. Although she didn’t have to deal with all of them sitting on her all night. But she seems to have a lot of love in her, like she’d be a great mother.