Page 2 of Christmas Eve Do-Over
Then he revved his engine and took off, leaving me in his literal dust.
And I'm ashamed to say it, but I watched his fine form ride off into the mass of bodies like a forlorn teen watching her crush leave her for greener, bigger-boobed pastures. My heart was beating like Dave Grohl was in my chest doing one of his solo numbers. My skin was flush like a post-orgasm screen filter. I was all aflutter.
"Did he—" I couldn't even bring myself to complete the question. Not because I was now talking to myself in the middle of a parade on Main Street, but because I couldn't fathom I'd allowed a girl-grabbing Santa to put me in my place. What place, I wasn't sure, but I didn't like it. It felt small and dingy and smelled like bullshit. I wanted out.
"Shasta?" Brinley tugged on my arm, snagging my attention. I shook my head and looked around, seeing that the parade had ended and everyone was moving about, off to finish their last-minute shopping.
"You all right?" Esa was looking at me like I was a bug in her hot chocolate, her nose crinkled up and her diamond flashing in the morning sun as she wrapped her jacket around her tighter.
"Yeah, yeah, just trying to place a face, that's all. Or rather a voice." His words echoed in my brain, not only because of the swift and sharp cutdown, but because of the calm in which it was delivered. Something about the cadence of his smooth voice made me pause. Made the back of my brain sit up at attention, the hairs on the back of my neck joining in on the warning.
I knew Santa.
Or more specifically, I knew that guy dressed up as Santa, I'd bet money on it. But from where, and why were my spidey senses tingling?
"Come on, let's get to Esa's shop so Hessa can get off her feet, okay?" Sage linked her arm through mine and guided me back on the sidewalk. I glanced over at Hessa, seeing her round belly showing through the long coat she wore. She wasn't due until end of January, but tell that to her little girl. Kai, her fiancé, didn't mention he was an eleven-pound baby until their first ultrasound appointment. Hessa and the girls were convinced she would birth a giant. I, for one, couldn't wait to be an aunt. I would spoil that baby rotten.
As we entered Chocolate Dreams to place our gourmet hot chocolate orders, we all talked about what we'd gotten for the baby, even though she wasn't even born yet. Then Esa downloaded us on all the latest plans for her wedding to Ivan on New Year's Eve.
And just like that, all thoughts of a blue-eyed Santa were forgotten with talks of babies, Christmas gifts, and wedding details flying through the air.
