Page 65 of Twice Shy

Chapter Seventeen

Charity Christmas Market, Saturday December 14th

“Luis. Luis! You have to put your shoes on because we’re going to see Santa,” Rory patiently explained, while Ollie tried to wrestle the screaming toddler into his shoes. “Don’t you want to see Santa? He’ll give you a present.”

Luis, red-cheeked and over-tired from teething, was not interested in Rory’s logic. “No,no,no,no…”

“Fine!” Ollie snapped, finally losing his patience. He shoved the shoe into his coat pocket, scooped Luis up—one shoe off, one shoe on—and said, “Rory, put your coat on. We’re going to be late.”

“Late for Santa? Will he leave?”

“No.” Ollie took a breath. He’d had a miserable Luis in bed with him since two o’clock in the morning, and neither had slept. So he was tired and grouchy, his head muzzy and limbs jittery with fatigue. He’d been looking forward to today, to hanging out with Joel and the boys at the market, and now he felt too tired to enjoy it properly. Tired and pissed off and trying not to show it. He fixed on a smile. “But we’re helping Mr. Morgan set up the stand in the market first, before the singing around the tree. So, come on. Can you grab Luis’s bag for me? Good job, Rory. You’re a big help.”

With Luis still wailing and struggling in his arms like a landed fish, Ollie picked his way carefully downstairs to the hallway. He hadn’t even had time to collapse his bed this morning and hated leaving the apartment in such a mess. But at least he wouldn’t need to bother making the bed up again later. He’d crash out as soon as the kids went to sleep. Assuming Luis slept.

Please God let him sleep.

It had snowed earlier in the week, and although it was warmer now there were still piles of slushy gray muck lingering at the edges of the parking lot. Including the slumped remains of Mr. Frosty, the snowman he and the kids had built together after work on Thursday night. His carrot nose had slid down to a rather unfortunate location and Ollie had to bite back a sudden, welcome, laugh at the sight before he fought Luis into his car seat.

He shut the door with some relief, muting the sound of Luis’s protesting howls. Well, this afternoon would be fun. But a promise was a promise, and even if he hadn’t been looking forward to seeing Joel again, he didn’t let people down: he’d told Jackie he’d help, so help he would. Anyway, it had to be better than sitting around the apartment with a grizzling two-year-old. Maybe the distraction and cold air would settle Luis enough to sleep, which is what the poor little guy needed. And not only him.

Once Rory was buckled in, they set off. Ollie was getting too used to driving Joel’s car and rather liked its low electric hum. It felt good to know that he wasn’t pumping out carbon and particulates every time he took Rory to school. Had he been able to afford one himself, he’d definitely have bought a low emission car. For the sake of the two boys in the back seat as much as anyone else; they deserved clean air in their pristine young lungs.

Of course, he didn’t have that luxury and needed to figure out how the hell he was going to get his old gas guzzler back on the road. He couldn’t drive Joel’s car forever. But the thought of that, of the money it would involve, spiked a flare of anxiety and he shoved the problem aside. He couldn’t think about it now.

One advantage of arriving early was that he snagged a parking spot on the street outside Dee’s Coffee Shop, opposite the parking lot where the market was being held. He’d noticed the enormous Christmas tree go up yesterday and this morning it was wreathed in multicolored lights with a star twinkling on top.

“Hey, look at the tree boys,” he said as he parked. “See how tall it is?”

“Can we have one that big?” Rory asked.

Ollie laughed. “There’d be no room left for us!”

The drive had soothed Luis somewhat and Ollie managed to get him into the stroller without too much resistance. “Hey,” he said as he crouched down, buckling him in, “Rory, can you see what’s behind the tree?”

“Santa’s sleigh!” Rory exclaimed, jumping up and down. “He’s here already! He’s here!”

The night from hell melted away under the warm flow of affection and he wrapped an arm around Rory, tugging him close and kissing his soft hair. It was too long and needed a cut, but oh well. He kissed him again. “I think Santa might be having a coffee or—”

“Duh!” Rory said, squirming out of Ollie’s grip. “Santa doesn’t like coffee. He likes milk and cookies!”

Ollie bumped his own forehead with the heel of his hand. “Stupid, Ollie! Of course he does. I’ll bet he’s doing that right now and fixing some carrots for the reindeer.”

Rory made a face. “Carrots are gross.”

“Rudolph doesn’t think so,” Ollie said, pushing back to his feet. “And neither does Luis. He likes carrots.”

“Luis is a baby.”

“Ilike carrots.”

Rory didn’t have a reply to that. Smiling, Ollie took his hand and they crossed the street to the market where several stalls were already setting up. Among them Dee’s Coffee Shop had a stand selling hot beverages and festive cookies. Next to it he spotted a book stall with a beautiful painted wooden sign that read ‘Bayside Books’. Behind the table sat a familiar figure: Alfie Carter, the mechanic who’d towed Ollie back to town after his accident.

“Hey,” Ollie said as they passed. “How’s it going?”

Alfie was a handsome man, the kind of guy who’d probably been captain of the high school football team. He had that easy confidence about him. “Pretty good,” he said, standing up. “I’ve still got your car.”

Ollie made a face. “Yeah, I know. Sorry, I—” He glanced down at Rory. “The insurance isn’t going to cover the repairs and I don’t know—”

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