Page 60 of The Holiday Fakers
Reluctantly, I release Piper’s hand, and she stands on the other side of the calendar, holding the bottom corner of the top sheet nearest her.
“In three …” Lola counts down.
“Two!” everyone else cries. “One!”
At zero, Piper and I pull up the sheet to reveal today’s date, and the crowd goes wild like we’ve just won the World Series.
I’m grinning at Piper, filled with the joy of the moment and a buoyant happiness I haven’t felt for years.
“Now it’s time to draw the raffle winner!” Lola announces. “And don’t worry if Brody doesn’t pull your ticket, as everything in the store is twenty percent off this morning, so everyone’s a winner!”
There are more cheers, whoops, and a shout of, “If I don’t win Brody, stick a bow on the little guy!” directed at Marv.
Lola holds an upside-down Santa hat out to me.
Closing my eyes, I affect a look of deep concentration as I fish for a ticket, then hand it to Lola.
“And the winner is …” Lola unfolds the ticket and then snorts. “Number sixty-nine!”
There’s a shriek from the back, and everyone laughs as a woman pushes through the crowd, holding her winning ticket aloft.
Lola presents her with a pink-and-white striped bag, and her friends crowd around to see what she’s won.
“Don’t forget it’s twenty percent offthismorning only, ladies,” Lola reminds them. “And I’ve just taken delivery of some vibrating candy canes. They’re the perfect stocking stuffer, all the pleasure and zero calories for every good girl out there!”
As people move to the shelves, Lola comes up to me and Piper.
“Thank you both so much for this morning. I know it was really last minute, but word gets around Hideaway fast, and I don’t think I would have had half as many people show up if you weren’t here. You can make a break for it now if you like. I just wanted to say thank you before I get behind the counter.”
“It’s our pleasure,” I say. “And an education.”
“I run workshops once a month, so the next time I do one for couples, you must come.”
“Thanks,” I say, even though I’ve got no idea what a workshop here might entail, and if I ever do come back to Hideaway, it won’t be with Piper on my arm.
“And before you go …” She dashes behind the counter and returns with a gift bag, which she hands to Piper. “Toys for the two of you to use together. I think you’ll have lots of fun with them.”
Piper stammers her thanks, her cheeks once again telegraphing her embarrassment.
“And they’re remarkably quiet,” Lola adds. “The loudest thing coming from your room will be your cries of pleasure …”
“Ooh! A gift bag!” Erica says, coming over. “What have you got?”
Piper puts the bag behind her back, away from her mother’s prying eyes.
“I just wanted to see if they’re the same as mine,” Erica replies. “I could give you my review.”
“Mom! Please! Just no!”
Erica and Lola laugh, and before I can stop myself, I take Piper’s hand and gently squeeze.
She squeezes back, then immediately drops my hand to say goodbye to Lola and doesn’t take it again, instead leaving the shop.
I follow her out onto the street, not knowing if hand-holding is now off the table. I can’t ask her, as Erica, Marv, Mia and Cara follow us out.
“I think that went very well,” Erica says happily. “How do the photos look, Mia?”
Mia’s gazing at the back of her camera. “Some really nice ones.”
