Page 18 of A Little Christmas: Rivi
“How young?”
“Twenty-one.”
“Ah, he just passes the cut off, then.”
Trent raised a dark eyebrow. “It's more about him being inexperienced.”
“Well, if he was shopping in a store where one of your posters was advertising the club, it had to be an adult store of some sort. Maybe he's not as inexperienced as you think?”
“I know Rivi well. He is very shy. This is a safe place. I've worked hard to make sure. And I've talked to Ozzy about looking after him. He'll be fine. But what's with all the questions? I mean, you are a little old for him, Briar....”
“Hmm. You warned me off him at dinner, didn't you?”
“I just asked you to be careful.” That severe eyebrow of his was still raised and aimed right at me.
“I'm always careful, Trent. I don't even play anymore. At least, not that much. It's all work for me. I'm dedicated if nothing else.”
“Rivi is special.”
“Duly noted.”
“At the party on Saturday night there will be plenty of men if you want any kind of action.”
“Singles?”
“Some. And some with open relationships. You'll do well.” He smiled but it looked a little forced.
I couldn't tell if he didn't trust me or if his protectiveness of Rivi was a little over the top. Irrational, even. This guy must have been very important to him in his family. I wished I could know more but I didn't want to grill him. Trent was a friend, but also a very private man. I didn't even know he had a nephew and I'd known him for eight years.
“Thank you. And I'm grateful you invited me. I probably would have just gorged myself on take-out and whiskey on Christmas Eve. Alone.”
“We can't have that, can we?”
I laughed. “Nope.”
But why the tension? Rivi was of age. So what if I looked at him and liked what I saw? A sweetheart of a boy with big glasses that looked too heavy on his face. Big dark eyes full of wonder and youth and a desire for something more.
Well, we would see how the next days panned out.
The Christmas treedecorating gala was a big deal at the Winterbourne estate. Or so I'd heard. I'd never been to one, but I'd heard Trent went all out with food booths, games for kids and prizes. If, that was, the weather cooperated.
I woke earlier than normal since I was a day sleeper. It must have been because of the nap I'd had yesterday afternoon. It was8:30 and I could smell bacon and eggs freshly cooking from the kitchen.
When I went downstairs to the dining room I found a buffet of every kind of breakfast food you could imagine, and a young guy cooking omelets to order. About twenty people were gathered around or eating at the long table. Automatically, I looked for Rivi.
I made a full turn before spotting him sitting at the table nearest a big window overlooking a forest of snow caked pines. That was the part of land where the farm was. Rows and rows of perfectly shaped pine trees we're waiting for competing teams to go out and decorate them. Booths had already been set up along the back road behind the house. People were putting finishing touches on them. Crates were stacked along the rows of trees which I assumed contained the decorations.
The sun was shining even though it was freezing out. But that was good. It meant the ground wouldn't be slush. The gate opened to the public at ten a.m..
I loaded a plate with food, then looked in the direction of Rivi. I thought twice about going over and sitting next to him. After my conversation with Trent last night, I felt I might be pushing our friendship.
But then Rivi, with his big glasses, looked up and right at me. He smiled so sweetly that something turned over hard in my stomach, and like the sun, I was drawn straight to him. I'd stopped thinking. I moved with the more emotional part of my brain. The part that realized I'd been lonely for far too long and a sweet baby boy like this one was just the thing I needed to wake me up inside.
“Hey, there.”
“Hi.” He glanced up at me and then down at his food.
“Mind if I sit here and admire the view with you?”
