Page 18 of Kit
I gave him my hearty ho ho ho. “I’m Santa. I know.”
He giggled.
“Now, you be a good boy and go home and go to bed. I’m sure it’s long past your bedtime. Get a good night’s sleep and we’ll meet tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait!”
“All right, then. Off you go.”
His smile vanished, but he obediently nodded.
Kit walked through the crowd, again without a candy cane or a toy. But this time he had a little skip to his step.
I smiled inside my beard. I had done the right thing breaking character. I knew it. Kit wasn’t just any little boy; he was special.
I’d forgottenthe Sunday church crowd would make Rue’s quite busy. But I arrived early and got a booth right away. Before I sat, I looked around to make sure Kit hadn’t arrived before me. There was no sign of him, so I sat at an angle where I could keep an eye on the door.
When he walked through the entryway wearing his torn blue jeans and button up shirt beneath a parka, I stood and waved.He raised his eyebrows and headed past the host podium toward me.
“Kit.”
He gulped. “Santa?”
I nodded and motioned for him to sit.
“Wow. You look nothing like I thought you would.”
“What did you think I’d look like?”
He shrugged. “Maybe someone I recognized from the club. But I do recognize your eyes and forehead. And I figured you’d have brown hair because of your eyebrows, which is true.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Kit. On real terms now.” I held out my hand across the table. “My name is Parker.”
He took my hand in his and we shook.
“Parker,” he repeated. The light caught in his blond hair. “But I like Santa, too.”
“My first critical review,” I said. “Thank you.”
“You really are good. Your Santa costume is awesome. The best I’ve ever seen.”
“Believe it or not, I met someone at a Renaissance Faire who sewed it for me. The seamstresses who make garb at those events are the best of the best.”
“You go to Renaissance Faires?”
“I had a friend who was into it for a while. When I got the gig, I knew who to contact for the best. She came through. Mr. Winterbourne okayed the expense, which wasn’t cheap. I love the costume, too.”
Kit’s mouth pressed in a guilty smile. “When I met you, I was impressed.”
Praise from a little was one of my kinks. A job well done. “Thank you. And now?”
He ducked his head. So cute.
“Still impressed.”
“Good. Let’s order and then we can talk.” I picked up my menu. “Oh, and I’m buying.”
“Thank you.”
