Page 6 of The Christmas Keeper

He frowned, then dug out a couple of crumpled ones that he slapped on the bar. “I’d like to say that I don’t take charity, but obviously I do, but Icanafford to pay for my soda.”

“Okay, I didn’t mean to offend.” Some of the tension left his jaw. “So, did you know this song is the most popular jukebox song?” He shook his head, causing some curls to fall into his dark eyes. My cock was now at half-mast. “It is.”

“That’s cool. I love classic country.”

“Me too,” I lied. Well, it wasn’t a total lie. I did like the older stuff like this song. Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. The rebels. I just didn’t tend to listen to the genre when I wasn’t at work. My customers sure liked it though, which was why there were so many of the golden oldies on the Rock-Ola. Silence fell then as Patsy finished and Kenny Rogers began to tell a tale about a gambler. “I like classic rock too.”

“Mm, same. Early Eagles are golden.”

“Yeah, for sure.”

Ugh, this was uncomfortable. I tossed down my soda. My head and body were not playing well right now. I needed to get him upstairs and me home before I did something stupid.

“Let me show you to the office. It’s not fancy, but there’s a couch and it’s warm. There is a sink and toilet up there and you can find some snacks on the shelves.”

“That’s fine, thank you for your kindness. I’ll be out of here in the morning.”

I stalled, my foot missing a step, at the thought of him rolling out of town without a goodbye, which was asinine. The man could go where he wished. Ireallyneeded some distance and time to summon my inner grumpy old man. Lewis Black was my spirit animal. I needed to remember that, especially now.

“No rush.”

That was all I could say that wouldn’t sound weird. Once we reached the second floor, I showed him my office. It was small,with a desk, a light, an old Dell desktop, and a sofa to rest on at the end of the day. I’d slept on it many a night when I’d been too tired to drive home. One of Nonna’s crocheted blankets hung over the back of the couch and an ugly pillow with a matching green and yellow cover, also from Nonna, rested against the arm.

He gave me a look that was hard to read. I knew how hard it was for a man, or woman for that matter, with pride to accept help. God knows when I’d fallen to bits after Paulie, I’d been reluctant to ask for any aide, and so I hadn’t until my sister had arrived from college to sort my shit out as only Nora could have done. But crying on your sister’s shoulder was a far cry from accepting a handout from a total stranger.

“There’s a phone downstairs if you need to call out,” I said to break the heavy, awkward silence of the moment.

“Thanks. I have a cell phone, but no plan.” He sat on the sofa, back rigid as a fence post, his worn wet sneakers side-by-side on the old tile floor.

“Oh, well feel free to use the Wi-Fi if you want. Password is alehouseba96.”

“That is such a hackable password. Your business, your initials, and the year you were born,” he tossed out, peeking up at me through lashes too thick for a mortal man.

“Dude, listen, if you get into my banking app, you’ll be bitterly disappointed.” He graced me with a smile that went right to my balls. “I’m robbing Peter to pay Paul as my dad likes to say.”

“Same,” he softly replied. “I’ll leave things as I found them. You won’t even know I was here.”

That was highly doubtful.

I made a manly sort of huffing sound, gave him a nod, and backed out of my office, releasing a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding once the door clicked shut.

***

Fred and Wilma were quite glad to see me. They were tucked into their little coop, fresh hay and water, the food dish empty. Since it was dark now, I’d not feed them as it would only put food into the mouths of the mice that scurried around my little shed/coop, scaring the living shit out of me. There was no petting of goose heads. My two weren’t the type to sit on your lap. Though they were the kind that would come when called. Wilma would take lettuce from my hand, Fred would not. Fred didn’t quite trust me since that time I had to give him liquid antibiotics a few years ago when he had cut his foot on a broken beer bottle someone had chucked down into the creek where they played. I was furious, obviously. Stupid people truly grind my gears.

After that ten-day course of unhappiness for all, Fred now stayed just out of reach, which was fair. If some dude had sat on my back and forced my mouth open I’d…well, I’d probably not object if what he was putting into my mouth was his cock, which would be impossible as he was on my back but the point stood. I made a mental note to buy Mr. Blum—and no, he was not a bloom like a flower he liked to joke—an extra bag of corn on top of the bag I owed him for tending to my geese. Mr. Blum fed the crows every morning so the extra shell corn would be appreciated.

My house was chilly, so I built a fire in the woodstove to save on burning gas, threw my dirty clothes into the hamper, and changed into fleece pants and a sweatshirt bearing the logo of my new brother-in-law’s team. I made a cup of coffee, flopped on the couch, and checked my phone. Nora had sent me a short message asking if I’d made it home safely because I was late checking in. Honestly, she and my mother were clones. Right under my sister’s text was one from Mom saying if she didn’t hear from me soon, she would send the state police out to look for me. Hey, go for it. A man in uniform did things for me.

As did a soft-spoken singer, it seemed.

While I sent off texts to the worrywarts, I pondered why I was so drawn to Kenan. He was not my typical type. Paulie had been my type. Big, buff, and athletic. Not a creative bone in his large body. Paulie, and in all honesty, anyone over the age of ten who insists on being called Paulie instead of Paul should be avoided so bad on me, was a pipeline worker for a fracking company. Tanned from working outside, muscular, and unable to keep his dick in his pants as I had found out.

So yeah, Kenan was the anti-Paulie. Oh. Oh, there it was. I smiled at how clever I was. That was the draw. Now it all made sense. I found the man sleeping in my office so hot because he was the exact opposite of the guy who had kicked me out of our place on Christmas Eve after I’d come home to find him being fucked by the crew’s driller. À propos, eh? Drilled by the driller. You can’t make up this kind of shit. Nor would anyone want to.

Given what had taken place with Paulie and Newt—yes, his name was Newt—was it any wonder why I’d be attracted to Kenan? No, it was to be expected. And once he moved on, my dick would simmer down, my head would clear, and my secure little life would resume. All I had to do was see him off in the morning, conscious clear to doing a good deed during the holidays, and on the world would turn. Easy. No sweat.

Damn, I was clever.

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