Page 21 of Christmas Wishes

I bit the inside of my cheek as I watched him stare at the paper. It wasn’t my moment, and I wouldn’t rush him, no matter how badly I wanted to. I was so curious who he thought it was about. Sparky was an adorable nickname.

Riggs turned the paper over in his hand for several long moments. It was killing me to stay quiet, but I didn’t want to ruin the moment. I repeated the alphabet in my head to calm the fuck down.

“You being so quiet is unnerving.” He didn’t take his eyes off the paper.

“I want you to take your time.”

His eyebrow arched. “Do you?”

There was a hint of laughter in his tone. At least he wasn’t annoyed. Riggs seemed to understand me without judgment. At least so far. How badly could I get on his nerves after only a few interactions? Okay, so I’d annoyed people in far less time. He’d tire of me eventually, but for now, it was nice.

“I’d like you to open it. Please and thank you.”

He chuckled, and I seized the victory. The lightness in him evaporated as he read the note. His face whitened like he’d seen a ghost.

“It seems sweet. Did he write that?”

“Nicolas—Nico—did. Meddling old man.” Riggs sounded almost bitter.

I didn’t get it. Then it hit me. “You’re Sparky.”

He nodded and folded the note back up. He blinked away the glassiness in his eyes.

“Playing Cupid from the grave.” I grimaced. “Sorry. That was crass. That damn lack of filter.”

“Filters are overrated,” Riggs said in his gruff voice while staring into the distance. “It’s refreshing. Most people tiptoe around me since Nico died.”

“I don’t know how to tiptoe.”

Riggs’s lips twitched ever so slightly.

“Do you know why he wrote it down?” Sort of an odd thing to write on a slip of paper with holly graphics in the corners.

“Part of the festival. There’s a box for Christmas wishes.” He twisted his glass of water in his hands. “It’s a silly tradition, but Nico loved that sappy shit. He used to play Santa at a few events. Said it was his birthright as a Nicolas.”

That time, silence came easily. I didn’t want to so much as twitch and interrupt Riggs talking. I soaked up every word about the mysterious man. He came off as gruff, but he seemed to care deeply about Nicolas.

“Last year, he told me he was going to swing by the town square to drop off his wish, but there was an issue with the lights on the big tree. He must’ve gotten distracted before dropping it off.” He shook his head and pushed his plate away. “Thanks for dinner. I’m going to head to bed.”

“You’re welcome. Get some rest.”

“Yup. ‘Night.” He avoided eye contact as he put his plate in the dishwasher.

“Goodnight.”

I wanted to console him with a hug, but I doubted he would appreciate it.

I stayed at the table for a while, trying to think about how to help Riggs. Then it hit me. I could finish Nicolas’s wish and help Riggs find someone worthy to take care of him. A steady guy like Riggs needed some vibrancy in his life. All I needed to do was figure out the kind of guy Riggs liked.

Chapter12

Riggs

I tuckedmy arm under my head and tried to relax on the bed as I flipped through photos of me and Nico on my phone. The one of both of us laughing while Nico worked the barbecue was one of my favorites. It was hard to believe that’d been less than two years ago.

“What are you playing at, old man?”

I couldn’t believe Nico had made that his Christmas wish last year. He’d always taken that tradition seriously, and to use a wish on me? I shook my head.

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