Page 58 of The Dreidl Disaster

Of course, that was the moment where she stood in front of him, gorgeous under the lights in a way that took his breath away. “Hi,” he managed when he could pull himself together.

“Hi,” she said.

She was someone who usually had a bunch of words to use in most situations, but here, standing in front of him, he could see she didn’t.

Which meant he had to jump into the conversation and make something clear before she headed into the backyard. “I’m apologizing in advance for this.”

She raised an eyebrow, and he hoped she wasn’t going to jump into whatever car she came in and leave before she entered the party for real. But now it was his time to watch her pull herself together, to reel in her emotions and put them away where they belonged.

“For what?” she asked.

“For my friend’s immature behavior caused by the inability to not introduce you.”

The noise he’d heard from her was a strange one; he’d guess it was a combination of a laugh and a snort. Or something. “Well,” she said, clearly taking the reins of the situation. “Olivia Nachman. Mayor of Briarwood, invited guest. You can call me Liv.”

“Leo Fratelli,” Leo interjected, taking the offered hand like the gentleman he was capable of being. “Friend of this dude, and friend of the dude whose house this is.”

There was silence, and the Look on Liv’s face was…

He had to do something.

Quickly.

But his friend was smart; they’d known each other forever.

“No matter what other capacity you may know me in,” Leo said with a smile, “this friendship with this guy, is the most important one.”

“I’ve known this guy since we were in fifth grade,” Artur interjected, somehow mirroring the words Leo had yelled back in front of the Pasta Station. “He didn’t participate in the latke fry-off.”

“But I did introduce the final challenge,” Leo interjected.

“Don’t mention that challenge,” Artur said before turning to Liv. “That was the one Abe lost on. He had to be brought back by the people’s…”

“Ricotta latke,” Leo said with a large grin on his face. “I own Fratelli’s restaurant in Rivertown and we do a Hanukkah menu every year in conjunction with the Hollowville Festival and Rivertown’s events.”

“And yes,” Artur said, adding the thing he’d asked Leo randomly a few weeks before, “he’s willing to extend the discount to those who enter with a Briarwood stamp. Or a receipt or a ticket from some event that you and he can figure out later.”

She blinked, surprised but the smile on her face was welcome. And a relief. “Thank you,” she said.

“You’re welcome. I’m a good guy,” Leo said. “Better than he thinks I am.”

Which made Artur snort.

“You guys are so close,” Liv said, clearly falling back into the situation, as if Leo had managed to successfully diffuse the tension mentions of Briarwood had created. “And it’s nice to meet you.”

Which was when the couple who’d been behind them joined them. “So, Liv,” interjected another voice, “should you introduce us?”

“Yes,” Liv said, smiling. “This is my sister Naomi and…”

“Jason,” the guy interjected, giving Leo a look. “Jason Greenblatt of the Michigan Greenblatts. And of Manhattan and Briarwood.” He grinned. “I don’t truck with the chamber either. Too many ears here watching out for—” he pointed a backward thumb at Liv “—her.”

“My best friend since fifth grade,” Leo said. “Nothing is more important.”

And just like that, as a peace and a boundary was established, conversations about the chamber of commerce and who deserved that information forgotten in favor of the joy of knishes, Artur found himself relieved.

And nervous, knowing the rest of the night still lay ahead.

*

---