Page 2 of Honkers Under the Holly

I turned to see a blur of white feathers zip past, followed by a flash of blonde braids and blue dirndl. Sara Jayne, her face flushed and hair escaping its neat plaits, was in hot pursuit of what appeared to be... a goose?

The bird honked indignantly, weaving between legs and tables with surprising agility for something that looked like an angry pillow with a beak. Sara was close behind, muttering what I assumed were German curses under her breath.

Without thinking, I stepped into the aisle, arms outstretched, despite the twinge in my bum shoulder. “I got it.”

The goose, apparently not impressed by my heroic stance, darted between my legs and made a beeline for Tommy’s table. In a move that would have made any football coach proud, it leapt onto the bench and used Tommy’s broad, unconscious back as a springboard, launching itself toward freedom.

“Oh no, you don’t,” I growled, lunging after it. My fingers closed around nothing but air as the goose banked hard right, letting out a triumphant honk.

Sara skidded to a stop beside me, cheeks pink from exertion. “He’s heading for the beer.”

Sure enough, the feathered menace was making a dash for the row of tapped kegs along the back wall. Foamy beer geysers and angry German brewmasters was not a scenario I wanted to face.

“Not on my watch,” I muttered, breaking into a run.

I vaulted over a table, scattering pretzels and narrowly avoiding a face-full of brats and sauerkraut. The goose was just yards from the kegs now, its webbed feet slapping against the sawdust-covered floor.

With a desperate dive that would have made Tommy proud, if he were conscious, I launched myself forward. Visions of my second to last play in my senior year of college in the championship game flashed through my mind as I sailed through the air, arms outstretched, fingers grasping.

Then, contact. My hands closed around a warm, feathery body just as I crashed to the ground, sliding the final few feet on my good arm, to bump gently against the kegs.

“Gotcha,” I wheezed, tightening my grip on the squirming goose.

Cheers erupted inside the tent. I rolled onto my back, holding the indignant bird against my chest, and found myself looking up into Sara Jayne’s beaming face.

“Mein Held!” she exclaimed, dropping to her knees beside me. Before I could process what was happening, she cupped my cheeks in her hands and planted a kiss squarely on my lips.

For a moment, I forgot about everything—the goose, the crowd, even the fact that I was lying on a beer-soaked dirt floor. Sara Jayne’s lips were soft and warm, and tasted faintly of cinnamon and something uniquely her. I returned that kiss, one hand still firmly grasping the goose while the other found its way to the back of her neck and then into her hair.

When we finally broke apart, both a little breathless, reality came crashing down in the form of an angry honk from the bundle of feathers on my chest.

Sara Jayne’s eyes widened, but there was a sparkle in them, and a blush flashed across her cheeks. “Oh, sorry, I got carried away, I?—”

The way she stifled a giggle, she wasn’t one bit sorry, and neither was I.

I grinned up at her, feeling more alive than I had in months, maybe years. “For a kiss like that, I’d happily offer my goose-catching services anytime you need them.”

She laughed, the sound sending a warm tingle down my spine. Then she focused on our new feathered friend, her expression softening. “Oh, you poor thing. Don’t worry, you’re safe now.”

I sat up, still holding the bird. “And why did I just tackle this fine piece of poultry? What are we saving it from?”

Sara Jayne bit her lip, a mix of embarrassment and determination crossing her face. “I may have... liberated him from the catering company’s pen out back. They were going to...” She drew a finger across her throat.

“Ah,” I nodded, looking down at the goose. It glared back at me with one beady eye. “Well, congratulations, buddy. You just got a stay of execution.”

Sara Jayne beamed at me, and I felt my heart do that odd little polka again. “Thank you so much for your help, Mac. I don’t know what I would have done if he’d gotten away.”

I carefully transferred the goose to her arms, trying to ignore the disappointment running through my skin as she moved back. “Always happy to help damsels and waterfowl in distress. Although,” I glanced around at the mess of scattered food and spilled beer, “I’m not sure the festival organizers will be as understanding about your jailbreak.”

She made that oh-shit grimace. “Scheiße.Yeah. I’m pretty confident I’m fired. I just couldn’t bear the thought of this little guy ending up on someone’s plate. Hopefully, this is a golden egg laying goose and will help me manifest a new job.”

The goose honked. It had better be laying her a dozen golden eggs for the way she just forfeited her job for its life.

I stood up, brushing sawdust from my clothes, and held out a hand to help her up. “Tell you what. Why don’t we get this guy somewhere safe, and then I’ll help you smooth things over with your boss? I can be very persuasive when I need to be.”

Sara Jayne took my hand, juggling the goose as she got to her feet. “Why would you do that? You barely know me.”

I shrugged, feeling a grin tug at the corners of my mouth. “I’m a sucker for a pretty girl with a kind heart. And, well, I’ve already got one challenging client to manage. What’s one more?”

---