Page 23 of Santa Is A Sl*t

Nico runs a hand through his hair. “I’m supposed to be done at the end of the year.”

I inhale and exhale, willing some of my anger to leave my body. My plan was to enter this room and have a conversation about our future. Instead, I’m learning that maybe there was never meant to be a future for us at all.

“When were you going to tell us, Nico? All of us depend on this job in some way.” It occurs to me as I’m speaking that maybe not all of us were in the dark.

Eve and Kane have been close with Nico much longer than I have. Did they know this was possible?

“I didn’t want anyone to know, Noel. I was hoping to find a way to fix this before it ever got to this point.”

And maybe if that were the only problem here, I could easily move past it. But he’s also planning to leave us and didn’t say anything about it.

“Was this job always temporary? Why didn’t you tell us that?” For as many of those stupid memos he sent out, one of them could have included this information.

He looks at me like I’m silly for asking. “You and everyone else here wouldn’t have respected me or the changes that had to be made if you thought this was all temporary. It was my uncle’s idea.”

I hate that he’s right. I never would have abided by any rules he set because I would have assumed they’d change again the moment he left.

“Maybe. But that doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t tell me sooner. Or Kane and Eve.”

“Tell us what?” Kane’s voice startles me from where he stands behind me in the doorway.

He and Eve are holding coffee cups and pastries, something I imagine they thought the four of us would be sharing.

“That he’s leaving. That SantaScape is failing financially and he never planned to be here long enough to see the dust settle after it all crumbles.” I paint the picture exactly as it looks in my mind.

Eve sets the items in her hands down on Nico’s desk before making her way beside me, grabbing my hand as she looks at Nico with betrayal on her face.

I guess she really didn’t know either. Which means whatever conversation they had the other day, he didn’t even give her the courtesy of telling her the truth.

Kane leans against the wall, drinking a cup of coffee that is probably full of sugar and cream and little caffeine. He looks casual but his shoulders are hunched enough to give him away. “Is that true, Nico?”

Nico rounds his desk and collapses in his chair. “That’s not how I was going to break it to everyone, but yes.”

“How else is there to say it? How did you plan to sugarcoat your leaving to the three people you’ve been fucking?” I say with anger biting through my voice.

He groans. “It wasn’t like that. You all knew my uncle was retiring and someone was supposed to take over. It was going to be my cousin, Jack, but he had some problem over Halloween weekend that led to him needing to wait until the new year.”

Eve tries to lead me to take a seat on the couch but I don’t feel like sitting. That seems like a calm reaction and I definitely am not feeling calm.

“So they called and asked if I would fill in until he could get here. My uncle didn’t let me in on just how much trouble he was in until I got here and I suspect he thought with my skillset that I could fix it. But I don’t know if I can.”

His voice is filled with defeat as he says “Then I met Eve…and Kane…and you, Noel. I thought we’d all have some fun and…”

“And then you’d leave.” Eve is the one to say it.

I’m glad it wasn’t me because the words send a jolt of pain through my chest. I’m no stranger to casual hookups and fun times but the other night felt different.

They made it seem like it was different.

Nico speaks up again, “At first, yes. That’s exactly what I planned to do. Now, though, things are different. We talked and I want this, we can figure it out.”

I’m over this conversation. I need to leave. I need to run away and never come back here. “Well, it doesn’t have to be different. This was fun and all, but I’ll see you around. Or not. Whatever.”

I realize I’m being an asshole to Eve and Kane who don’t deserve it but I need to protect the slice of my heart I was willing to give to this arrangement before it shatters even more.

“Don’t leave this way, Noel.” Kane pleads as he tries to block the door.

“Let me go, Kane.” I hold back the tears in my eyes but I know he can see them. “Please,” I beg.

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