Page 75 of Santa of the Creek
Now I squint at her. “Aren’t we going to a party? I’m only going in your car.”
“My car might break down,” she says, thrusting everything at me.
I pride myself on not dropping anything. Hey, I can juggle. Then she’s herding me out the door almost before I’ve gotten my keys from the hook.
“You were a sheepdog in your previous life, weren’t you?” I grumble.
She shrugs. “I’ve been called worse.”
Ariel isn’t anywhere to be seen.
“I should feed the cat.”
“Already done,” she says cheerfully. “She’s a fussy girl just like me.”
I keep my mouth shut. I would never have said that to Gloria’s face in a million years, just saying.
It’s cold outside but not as bad as I expect. Still, I snuggle into my jacket and can’t hold back a yawn. Gloria stays with me as I limp down the stoop. I don’t need her help because Dean has kept the stoop and drive free of ice and snow for me, but I appreciate it anyway. He’s also helped two of my elderly neighbors with their drives. The man can’t help himself.
“Where are we going?” I ask as we slid into the seats. I shiver a little. Gloria’s right. It’s cold out here. “Why all the Secret Squirrel shit?”
Her grin is downright wicked. “Because it really annoys you.”
“You’re just mean.”
She leans over and kisses my cheek. “But you love me.”
I huff. I love someone else too, but he’s not here.
Gloria usually drives like a NASCAR racer, but thankfully she takes it slowly today. Real slow. Gloria never drives like this, even in bad weather.
I turn to her. “Why’re you driving like my grandma?”
Her focus remains fixed on the road. “I’m under orders.”
I furrow my brow. “What orders?”
“To get you there in one piece.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say.
She releases her clutch on the wheel to pat my left thigh. Gently. Otherwise, I might have screamed. No, it’s not that bad now, but my ankle has its moments. Just ask Dean about last week when he went down on me in the shower before I was ready, and I kicked the tiles using my dodgy ankle. I spent the next five minutes clutching onto him trying not to cry like a baby.
We drive down Main Street, and I love peering in the windows at the Christmas decorations.
“It’s so pretty here,” I murmur.
Gloria flicks a glance at me. “You like it here.”
“I do. I’m glad Aunt Hebe persuaded me to apply for the job at Randy’s.”
“New job, new friends, new boyfriend.”
I can’t help my smile. Dean is top of my best things about Collier’s Creek list.
“Here we are,” she says, and she sounds relieved for some reason.
I look around. We’ve reached the town square. There’s a party here? It looks pretty empty to me. Last time I saw the square was driving past the Christmas Bash and it was bustling with people. Now there’s just one lone person dressed in a red coat, gazing up at the tree. The breath hitches in my throat. Not a red coat. A red suit. A Santa suit. I knew that suit so well.
