Page 44 of Just for the Holidays

He hops up off the floor and ushers Stuart to follow him. “I hope you marry Teddy and stay here.” The tweedle-twins rush up the stairs.

“That kid of yours is pretty amazing.” Nichol chokes up.

“Yup,” Katie smirks. “He reminds me of someone else I know.” She folds her arms across her chest and stares into Nichol’s eyes until she’s sure he gets her gist.

Nichol chews his lip, then dumps the last crumbs of chips into his mouth. “I’m gonna go grab that sandwich.” His slight grin stretches across his face.

Katie nudges her shoulder into his, adoringly, as they climb the stairs.

Chapter 26

Teddy

You Spin Me ‘Round

Adense squall of flakes shoots down, like stars falling out of the navy sky, absorbing the truck’s headlights, as they struggle to scout the road ahead.

By the time Teddy reaches the shopping mall, the ground is piling with a heavy blanket of snow. For a moment he contemplates turning back.

I've made the trek, there’s no sense in turning back now.

The Anderson family party is the day after tomorrow and he needs something to wear.

His boots crunch ridged impressions into the top crust and compact the snow down to the parking lot pavement, as he makes his way toward the glowing entrance.

Automatic doors welcome him into the dystopian shopping center, draped in white string lights, and faux evergreen garlands, tied with gaudy red-velvet bows and Christmas music echoes through the cavernous food court.The storm must have scared all the shoppers away for the night.

He makes his way in, past a handful of employees materializing behind food vendor counters, with a lone janitor shuffling about, carrying a broom and dustpan in his hands, intent to tackle any potential messes that might be littering the marble floor.

Teddy ignores several specialty boutiques—blaring dance club anthems—assuming their fashions might be too much for him, aesthetically and financially. He heads for the familiar department store at the far tip of the mall, where he’s purchased practical outfits before.

The squeaky pop diva proclaiming her only want for Christmas—is you—fades back in the main hall, as a smooth transition to a jazz ensemble invites him into the large department store, scattered with fellow last-minute-shoppers roaming about like zombies after the apocalypse.

He veers right, down the trail of masculine presenting mannequins dressed in casual street clothes, then athleisure wear, and finally pausing in front of a trio of porcelain faceless models, wearing button-downs tucked into dress slacks cinched with shiny belts and matching loafers.

“Can I help you find anything?” The slender boy with platinum hair, swept to one side, and big brown eyes sharplyframed with electric blue liquid-liner, smiles broadly, awaiting Teddy’s response.

“Maybe?” Teddy reads his name tag, “Harlow… I need something to wear for a holiday party.” Normally he would dismiss any help with a“no thanks, just browsing”but the impending doom outside makes him want to get in and out of the mall even quicker than normal.

Harlow’s smile is brighter than his hair, glowing under the store’s aggressive spotlights. “Casual or formal?” He folds his arms and pinches his chin.

“Umm… probably pretty casual? I didn’t ask.” Teddy doesn’t do parties often.

“Follow me.” Harlow sashays into the forest of garment racks, weaving gracefully, before stopping at a long section of pants, hung neatly in size and color-coordinated rows. He twists on his narrow waist, eyeing Teddy and asking. “Waist and inseam?”

“Medium?” Teddy jokes. “Thirty-six, thirty-two.” He chuckles at himself.

Harlow smirks and rolls his eyes, pulling several pairs in various colors off the rack, and moves toward a wall of dress shirts, hung like paintings on a gallery wall. He eyes Teddy’s torso, instead of asking, and gathers a bundle of button-downs.

“Let’s go try these on.” Harlow jerks his head, inviting Teddy to follow him to the dressing rooms. He leads him directly into a brightly lit closet, hanging the collection on a hook, behind the slatted door. “Let me know if you need anything, I’ll be right outside.” He gives Teddy a quick customer service smile, then closes him in and his footsteps click-clack away.

Teddy holds up each piece, eyeing the cuts, and feeling the fabrics between his fingertips. He slips out of his fleece-lined denim jacket, t-shirt and jeans, then into a pair of gray flat-front trousers and a crisp white-collared shirt. Smoothing both hands down his torso and he peeks at the right side of the triple-wrap mirrored walls to check how his own ass looks, pleasantly pleased with their hug of his curvaceous glutes.

“Sir?” Harlow softly knocks on the thin door. “How are you doing?”

Teddy swings it open. “Does this look okay?” He wrinkles his face and wings his arms out.

Harlow raises a limp wrist and spins his downward pointed finger, signing for Teddy to give him a twirl, as his blue-lined dark eyes trail downward.

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