Page 71 of Santa of the Creek
I slap my hand over my mouth, trying not to laugh at her indignant expression, and attract Kathy’s attention. “What do you do with the cakes?” I whisper so Kathy can’t hear me.
“Torture the local wildlife.”
I stare at her in horror, and she sighs. “I throw them in the dumpster. I’m not that mean to the birds.”
I chuckle, and she joins in. “What cake is it this time?”
“Red velvet cake. It looks better than her other attempts.”
Looks can be deceiving. I chew the solid mass for a moment, aware of Kathy’s eyes on me. I swallow hard, wishing I had a glass of milk or something to wash it down.
“It’s up to Kathy’s standards,” I assure her.
She smiles like I’d made her day and flings her arms around me. “I knew it was a good cake.”
I catch JoBeth smirking at me over her daughter’s head. “I’ll never forgive you,” I mouth.
“You’re welcome.”
After the cake torture, JoBeth makes me a coffee to wash it away, and I spend time with two of the favorite women in my life. Apart from her lack of baking skills, Kathy is a fun and happy late teen, without a lot of angst that seems to accompany teenage years. She takes after her mom in that regard. I adore JoBeth, and she loves me even if, as she tells me frequently, I drive her nuts. I know all she wants is me to find the love of my life. Maybe one day soon I can tell her I’ve found him, because I think Echo is that man. He makes me so happy I want to hug myself.
An hour later, I leave them with kisses on the cheek, half a block of red velvet cake, and a promise I’ll see them on Christmas Day. I don’t promise to see them at the church servicein the morning. Most years I join them because Danny insists I come, but this year I’ll see what Echo wants to do. He’s my number one concern now. I smile to myself, then look up to see Kathy watching me. I raise an eyebrow.
“Happiness is a good look on you, Uncle Dean.”
I’m halfway down the road when it hits me like a two by four. I’ve never told Echo that I love him. Never. What an idiot I am. I smack my forehead hard. I yelp because that hurt, but I deserve it. My man deserves better than me.
I stop, turn the car around carefully without totaling it and me on the ice, and drive back to my brother’s. I pull up to the driveway and stare at myself in the mirror. I must be crazy doing this. Full on, outright, lost my mind crazy. But I get out of the car and hammer on the door.
“Coming,” JoBeth calls out.
It doesn’t matter what time of day or night it is, she always sounds as if she’s happy to be disturbed.
I hear her trot down the hall and open the door.
“Hi…Dean?” She furrows her brow. “Why is there a red mark on your forehead?”
Trust her to spot that. ‘I’m fine.”
But she doesn’t look reassured. “Is something wrong? Did you crash the car in the two minutes since you left?” She peers behind me and spots my truck, intact.
I take my courage in my hands, praying she doesn’t laugh at me too hard. “JoBeth, may I borrow the Santa suit again?”
Chapter Fifteen
Christmas Eve
Echo
Still wearing my robe over my pajama bottoms and faded ancient band T-shirt—yes, it’s nearly noon, sue me—I slump down onto my couch and close my eyes. I worked the past six days so I could have today off.
Two days off. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Just me and Dean. And Ariel of course.
At the moment, she’s eyeing the small Christmas tree on my coffee table. I work most of December so it’s my concession to the festive season. It even has lights. As long as no one looks too closely they won’t know they’re penis lights, will they?
“How could I forget my baby?” I croon, giving her a tickle under the chin.
That seems to please her, and she rolls over on her back for a belly rub.
