Page 47 of Santa of the Creek
The woman turns to me. I greet her in very basic Italian, but she looks pleased at my attempt. Thankfully her English outweighs my feeble Italian.
“I can say hello and what can I get you in ten languages, and that’s it,” I say.
“Helpful when you’re a bartender,” Dean agrees.
I look around. Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling are interspersed with empty Chianti bottles and dried sausages. She shows us to a table in a corner, and we sit. I notice the place is empty, and yet we’re sitting right at the back, near the restrooms. I frown, not sure I like the implication.
“I don’t like being on show,” Dean murmurs. “They always sit me here to give me privacy.”
That’s nice of them, but maybe in future I can persuade Dean to come out into the light a little more. I’m not keen on sitting near the restrooms, no matter how clean they are. I liked the table by the window, currently decorated in starlights.
Dean follows my gaze. He leans forward and kisses me on the cheek. “Baby steps.”
I nod, stroking the back of his hand. My man needs time. I can give him that. “Baby steps.”
Then Mrs. Tomoso comes toward us with appetizers.
My belly snarls just at the idea. “I’m so hungry,” I confess.
Dean gives me the brightest of smiles. This man makes my world light up. Can I keep him?
Chapter Ten
15th December
Dean
In every generation there is a chosen one…and this December, it appears to be me.
To play Santa Paws…
I fold my arms across my chest as I regard my brother. We’re in his personal gym in the basement of his house for our regular morning workout. I’d missed a few sessions since Echo and I have gotten together. A fact Danny doesn’t hesitate to remind of me every time I see him.
“You want me to do what?” I’m glad I’d finished the weights before he dropped this bombshell on me.
My brother smiles at me brightly as he runs his usual 10k on the treadmill. “Play Santa Paws for the old folks and their doggies in Collier’s feed shop. You might get a few cats, but I doubt it.”
“No.”
“You know I’m gonna get what I want, Deano.”
I know he is, but I have to try. “Coercion is a nasty thing, Danno.”
“It’s a good thing it’s not coercion then. Heather Treebe was going to play Mrs. Santa Paws—you know how she loves the dogs—but she caught a chill at the Tree Lighting Ceremony and is in bed.”
Danny slows the treadmill to a walking pace and glances at me. “It’s an hour, tops.”
“Okay.”
He narrows his eyes as if he doesn’t believe what he just heard. “Okay?”
“You want me to do it. I’m not going to get out of this; I know that.” I stalk up to the treadmill. “But you listen to me. I’m not gonna be your puppet again, Daniel Hobart. You get me this month, and then I’m done.” I stop, waiting, expecting an argument. But he says nothing. “Did you hear me?”
“I heard you.”
“And?”
“Your man already told me to back off.”
