Page 8 of Home for the Holidays

“You handled it like a pro.”

“Do you need anything else?” Heidi placed her hand on Charity’s shoulder. The younger woman was by far her favorite employee. She never missed a shift and had worked her way from dishwasher to manager. If only all her staff were as reliable.

Charity shook her head. “Nope, I’m good. By the way, your hair is on point today.”

“Wow, um, thank you!” Heidi said as she turned her head back and forth, moving her long locks from side to side. “It wouldn’t curl this morning to save my life. I was going to pull it back. Guess I’m glad I didn’t.”

Charity nodded emphatically. “And I love these jeans.” She pulled back and gave Heidi a once-over. “Have you lost weight? You look so trendy. I love it.”

Heidi placed her hands on Charity’s shoulders and turned her so they were face to face. “You poor thing. We need to get eye insurance here, don’t we, so you can afford new glasses.”

“Nope, I’m on my parents’ insurance still. So,” Charity said before sticking out her tongue.

“What do you want then?”

“What do you mean?”

“You must want something because you’re complimenting me way too much.”

Charity laughed. “I swear I don’t want anything. I’m just telling you I like your jeans and hair. That’s all.”

“Okay, I don’t believe you, but whatever.” She patted Charity’s shoulders, then walked past her to handle the next crisis.

“Oh! Heidi, your friend Sandy is in your office. I meant to tell you that.”

“What?” Heidi stopped in her tracks and spun around. “For how long?”

“Just a few minutes. I’m sorry. I got all sidetracked with this new point-of-sale system.”

What the hell was Sandy doing there? Heidi’s nerves instantly started to tingle. She made her way through the bustling café as quickly as possible, saying her hellos to regulars as she maneuvered through the crowd. When she finally got to the kitchen, she could see Sandy sitting on her desk from the doorway. She was in conversation with Donna about something.

Great. There was only one reason why Sandy would be here. She wanted to talk. And Heidi did not have time to talk—especially not about whatever was on Sandy’s mind. As Heidi approached, she made eye contact with Donna. Sharp as a tack, Donna was. It had been clear as day for a while that she knew something weird was going on between Heidi and her best friend. So far, Heidi had done a great job of deflecting the older woman’s questions, but her piercing stare now meant she’d put it all together.

“Hey, what’s up?” Heidi asked casually as she leaned against the doorframe of her office. “Everything okay?”

Sandy looked like death. Her hair was a mess, and her makeup was smeared, as if she didn’t bother washing it off last night before bed nor this morning when she rolled out of it. “Can we talk?”

“Um…” Heidi looked at her watch. “Quickly, yeah.”

“Great,” Sandy said as she slid off the desk and over to Heidi. “Thanks for the pep talk, Donna.”

“Oh yeah, anytime, honey,” Donna said. She was glaring at Heidi as she mouthed, “No drama at work, remember?”

Heidi rolled her eyes as she led Sandy into the team meeting room. She closed the door behind them and made sure to stand in front of the open blinds of the window so Sandy wouldn’t try anything. “So, what’s up? What’s going on?”

“I’ve been thinking, and I don’t like to think much, you know.” Oh no. Sandy was fidgeting. This was going to be big. Heidi didn’t have it in her forbig. “But I think I would like this to be more than what it is. I know you’re busy for the next week, but I’d like to, y’know, try this. Or at least talk about it?”

Heidi let out a puff of air. “Sandy, seriously?” She looked around, completely beside herself. How many times did she have to have this conversation? And why did Sandy think now was a good time? Of all the times in the world, now was not it. “It’s one of the busiest days of the year, and you’re telling me this now?”

“I know, I’m sorry. I won’t see you for the next week, though, and I needed to get it off my chest.”

“Oh my god,” Heidi said under her breath. “So you put it onmychest? Listen, I’ve told you that I can’t give you what you want. You agreed that it was okay with you. If that’s not okay anymore, then we need to stop. But I can’t…” She stopped talking the second she saw the sadness of rejection creep onto Sandy’s face and into her posture. “I’m sorry. I really am, but Sandy, this is a lot for me.”

Sandy pulled a face. “It’s okay.”

“Is it?”

“No,” she said with a tiny puff of air. “I mean, it is. I—I don’t know what’s going on with me. Last night just threw me.”

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