This was it. An opening for the old man to admit he was Rudolph.
Behind me, Nick groaned.
“I love Christmas. Yes, I do.” Mr. Abernathy’s smile seemed worn out. He spared my empty hands a glance. “Can I help you find something, miss?”
He doesn’t remember me?
The chances of him being Rudolph dropped to zero.
“Allie wants a Christmas card.” Nick plucked one from the display – a white, cartoon cat hiding in the branches of a Christmas tree.
“Ah, for the Sleigh Café Christmas box.” Mr. Abernathy chuckled. “Carol tells me the store has been selling more Christmas cards this year because of you and your mom, Nick.” He leaned over the counter and stage-whispered to me, “They’re cheaper in a box of ten.” He pointed to a nearby display.
I took that as a challenge of sorts. How many cards would it take me to figure out who the card sender was? Surely, not ten. “I’ll start with a single, thanks.” I paid and we left. “I think he was daring me.”
“Daring you?” Nick moved in front of me, turning to walk backward. “To do what? Be his secret pen pal?”
“Yes.” I lifted my chin, trying not to feel foolish. “I’m going to write back. And when I do,Rudolphis going to give me a much better message next time, one that will give away who he or she is.”
Nick shook his head. “You’re missing the point completely, Al.”
I grabbed his hand before he could raise it to his nose. “Don’t wiggle your nose at me, Nick.”
“Allison! Hey, Allison!” A man called to me from across the street. He jogged his way across, raising a hand to halt traffic as he jaywalked.
There was something I recognized about the way he carried himself, like a tight end holding out a hand and rushing through a crowded football field. Except…
Recognition dawned. “Bixby Daniels?” My high school crush? The guy hadn’t noticed I was alive back in the day and now he not only knew my name, but he was stopping traffic to reach me?
Be still, my heart.
Bixby leaped on the sidewalk and jostled Nick aside. “I thought that was you.”
Something in the universe shifted. The sun came out from behind a cloud, rays drawn to Bixby’s short golden hair, sparkling off his bright blue eyes, bouncing off his puffy, white jacket and nearly blinding me.
I held up a hand against the sudden glare of brilliance, feeling my cheeks heat the way they always did in the school hallway when Bixby nearly ran me over because I was invisible.
“Really, Al?” Nick mumbled from somewhere beside me.
“My mom told me you were back in town after rave reviews on Broadway.” Bixby looked me up and down.
All that manly attention directed my way… I thought I might melt.
Nick did, too. He grabbed hold of my arm as if I needed the support to keep standing. “Hey, Bixby.”
“Stocking,” Bixby acknowledged Nick by his last name with barely contained chill. He checked his cell phone. “My latte this morning was subpar.”
“You were at the Sleigh Café today?” I blinked in surprise.
“While you were on a bio break,” Nick answered for him.
I sized up Bixby as a potential Rudolph.
“Oh, come on,” Nick muttered. “Your dad came in today too, Al. He’s more likely your man than this guy.”
“Really?” There were starting to be too many suspects.
“I’ve been looking for you, Allison.” Bixby blessed me with a golden smile that wiped all thoughts of reindeer and holiday cards from my head. “It’s good to have you back in town. I thought you and I could get together to catch up. You know, for old times’ sake?”