BAH, HUMBUG!(16)
“And remember that you still have to buy gifts for your family.”
He was still shaking his head in disbelief twenty minutes later as he handed the clerk his VISA card and she swiped it through the reader. Five-hundred-fifty-six dollars and twenty-nine cents worth of Christmas decorations.
Suddenly, the unreality of it all hit him. He couldn’t believe he had just spent money on Christmas decorations.
He looked at Lexi. He’d bought them for her. What was he thinking?
She smiled up at him. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
He shook his head in mock dismay. “It was horrible.”
“It gets better,” she said. “Now we’ll go put them up in your yard.”
He took a deep breath. “That means--“
”Exactly,” she said in a low, conspiratorial voice. “This year, you’re going to Christmas your own yard.”
* * *
“We’d like a booth in the back,” Kyle said.
The waiter led the way past booths of people who occasionally glanced their way and then looked puzzled, as if they thought they had seen them before. Lexi wondered how long before they were recognized.
Lexi slipped into a booth and Kyle sat across from her. They both ordered hot chocolate. And then, because no one could see them, they both slipped off their sunglasses.
Kyle smiled. “I read that Norma Jean didn’t even need sunglasses--she turned Marilyn on and off, becoming invisible when she wanted.”
“Not that we’re nearly as famous as Monroe, but it can still be hard to have a quiet conversation in public.”
They shared small talk for the few minutes it took the waiter to return with their hot cocoa. This time he looked at Lexi with one eyebrow raised, and then at Kyle. His eyes widened. “Are you...?”
Lexi smiled and put her finger in front of her lips. “We don’t want anyone to know.”
“Wow. Will you autograph my book? It’s in my backpack.”
“Sure.” As the waiter left, Kyle shrugged at Lexi.
Lexi picked up her mug of Stephen’s hot cocoa and glanced at Kyle, across the café table from her. “Gotta work on turning it off, I guess. You see that I succeeded just fine.”
He laughed. “I’ll work on it.”
She set down her cup, feeling warmer already. It was nice to be with someone who wasn’t impressed with her television show credentials. Someone who just enjoyed being in her company.
Kyle took a sip of his cocoa. “Listen, I’ve been thinking.”
“I am so impressed.”
“I know. Hard to imagine, isn’t it?” His smiled faded into something more serious. “After all the work you’re doing for this party, I really would like to invite you and your children to join us on Christmas morning to open gifts. If you don’t have anything already planned, that is.”
When he put his hand on hers, Lexi felt a warm shock. What was happening to her? She didn’t want to have anything in her life change, yet she could feel change in the air, in her children, in the hand holding hers. She didn’t pull her hand away.
She didn’t have family. She didn’t have many friends close by. It would be okay to enjoy this camaraderie for a few moments, wouldn’t it? After all, she enjoyed his company. He was turning out to be a good friend. And she needed friends.
“What do you say?” he coaxed. “Christmas morning?”
The thought of having a good friend warmed her heart. “I’d like that very much.”
* * *
Lexi pointed to a spot by the driveway, and the men delivering the large decorations placed it where she indicated.
One of the men even saluted.
“Thanks for your help.” She fished in her pocket for a tip.
“Thanks.” The younger man flashed her an interested look. He was attractive enough, but she wasn’t interested in getting involved romantically with anyone.
The other man called to the younger one. “Come on, Eric. Let’s leave Mr. and Mrs. Anderson to do their decorating.”
The younger man smiled at her once more and the two men drove off, their company van slipping and sliding on the ice-covered streets.
She wondered if Kyle had heard he was now Mr. Anderson. She blew out a breath that turned to visible steam.
“Look, Mom’s a fire-breathing dragon.” Steven raced around her in his new snow attire. Moving from California, they’d had to buy all new warm clothes.
“Actually, I’m more like an ice-breathing dragon.”
Kyle came up beside her. “Being cold serves you right for getting me to spend so much money, Mrs. Anderson.”
The twinkle in his eyes told her that he had heard. And he was laughing as if he didn’t mind the thought.