Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Max
Narrator: Do you smell that?
Is love possibly in the air?
The beginnings of a budding relationship?
From the hearts in Max’s eyes when he was recollecting his time with Betty, I’d say there’s a budding relationship, even if he’s clueless about it at the moment. He’ll get there, trust me, he’ll get there.
But Max isn’t the only one playing a ruse.
No, now with Storee’s firsthand observation of how Max talked about Betty, she’s on a mission of her own.
A mission to get the two together. Because she’s known Max for a few years now, and she’s never seen him talk about someone the way he spoke about Betty.
Because squirrels, really? He was gushing about squirrels?
Our boy has it bad.
Let’s see what Storee has planned.
Max: I’m sweating. Cole’s going to be pissed.
Storee: I’ll handle him. You worry about yourself. Bring your A game. Got it?
Max: I will, but . . . Cupid Christmas Night? This is your sacred night with Cole.
Storee: I wouldn’t call it sacred. Now stop worrying. See you in a few.
I pocket my phone and sit on a bench in Ornament Park. The exact bench Storee told me to sit on to wait for Betty to show up.
I can see this being a disaster. The other night, we went over a few ideas, and she was stuck on this one, said it would be perfect, but I had my doubts, still do.
Cupid Christmas Night is a special night Kringle puts on every year.
The date varies depending on the calendar and vendors, but it just so happened to land on tonight.
Every year, the town comes together and centers the event around the theme of love during Christmas. It’s for couples only, no kids, and there are themed cocktails, mistletoe everywhere, shareable foods, and even a walkway called Lovers’ Lane.
I’ve brought a few dates over the years—no one too serious—but this was the night that Cole and Storee kissed—reluctantly—for the first time, so I’m not sure how my best friend will feel about this.
Hands stuffed in my jacket pockets, I watch couples walk hand in hand around the different vendors set up in Ornament Park.
It’s a little different this time. In the past, they’ve made maps to direct individuals to each business in town, which was great, because it brought in an impressive amount of business.
But from what I’ve heard, there’s been a lot of overcrowding in the past few years, given the popularity of the event with people coming from out of town, so they’ve brought some of the businesses into Ornament Park.
They’ve each set up a booth to represent their business and offer a few different options from their offerings rather than all of them, which is harder work in a temporary site.
From what Tanya was telling me, everyone likes this format better.
“Oh, Atlas, what are you doing here?” Storee asks, startling me out of my thoughts.
“Hey, you two,” I say, standing from the bench. “My brothers told me to meet them down here.” I look around, playing up my acting skills. “But it seems like maybe they were teasing me and have left me alone on Cupid Christmas.”
“Were you going to romance the night away with your brothers?” Cole asks, looking me up and down.
“No.” I adjust my reindeer hat. “They were bringing dates and were going to bring one for me.”
“Ouch,” Storee says. “Stood up by someone you don’t know.”
“Yeah, kind of afraid she got one look at me and bolted.”
“I could believe that, since you’re wearing that hat,” Cole says.
“Cole,” Storee chastises him. “Be nice. He’s clearly upset.”
“He doesn’t look too upset,” Cole says, studying me.
“Trying to keep it together, man, but thanks for the concern.”
“Do you want to join us?” Storee asks, right on cue.
“Uh, no,” Cole says, shaking his head. “Not happening. He does not want to join us.”
“Cole, he’s your best friend.”
“Yeah, and this is not the first time he’s been stood up,” Cole says.
Uh, I beg your pardon.
“He’ll be fine. This night is about us.”
“When have I been stood up before?” I ask, offended.
Cole shrugs. “I don’t know. Just seems like something that would happen to you.”
Fucking rude.
“I think you’re remembering your past dating life, not mine.
” I rock on my heels. “This fella is a real ladies’—Betty,” I say, surprised to see her this early in the night as she approaches Storee, looking cutely confused.
“You’re . . . you’re here, in Ornament Park.
That’s . . . uh, that’s swell. Great to, uh, see you.
Looks like you’re all bundled up and warm, which is important because it’s a cold one.
Very cold. Cold enough for shrinkage, you know? ”
Betty looks at me, a little frightened, slightly startled. I don’t blame her, because shrinkage? Really, man?
“You know, because we talked about shrinkage last time we saw each other. Just bringing it full circle.” I loop my finger around and let out a whistle. “Um, anyway, comedians do it, but I’m not much of a comedian, are you? Eh, don’t answer that. Anyway, um . . . hey, nice shoes.”
As a group, we all glance down at her boots and then back up at each other.
“Umm, thank you.”
Cole leans in and whispers, “You were saying something about being a ladies’ man?”
“Shut . . . the . . . fuck . . . up,” I whisper through clenched teeth.
Betty glances around our small circle and asks, “Uh, did I get the night wrong? As I was walking over here, it seems like this is a special night for couples?”
“Oh my goodness, did I tell you to meet me tonight?” Storee asks. “Ugh, I’m sorry. I meant tomorrow. Gosh, the lack of sleep is getting me these days. I’m sorry.”
“Oh. That’s okay. I can, uh . . . I can meet up tomorrow.”
“No, no, don’t be silly. You look so nice,” Storee says. “Why don’t you stay? Atlas was actually just telling us how he was stood up . . .”
“What are you doing?” Cole asks, leaning toward his wife.
Ignoring the looming ogre at her shoulder, Storee claps her hands together and says, “Ooo, maybe we can all hang out together.”
Cole’s grumpy expression deepens.
“I would hate to have wasted your night, and Atlas is feeling kind of glum from being stood up. Might be fun.”
“I could think of something more fun,” Cole adds, not being subtle at all. What a friend. I’ve been fake stood up, and he doesn’t seem to care.
“I mean, I wouldn’t mind some company,” I say, joining in on the plan that Storee and I worked up together in the tree house.
Everything seems to be falling into place.
Just need Betty on board. It’s a long shot, but there might be a chance she stays, and if she doesn’t, I know Cole is kicking my ass to the curb.
Hell, I think he wants to do it right now, by the way he’s looking at me. He’s trying to communicate silently, telling me to go home and leave him to a peaceful night with his wife, child-free. Sorry, man, a guy’s got to do what a guy’s got to do.
#MustSaveTheFarm
Betty glances at all of us, but then her eyes land on me. “Were you really stood up?”
I shrug, trying to play it off as if I’m not too hurt about it. “Yeah. My brothers were playing a trick on me. Should have known. Told you they weren’t fun to be around.”
“Oh, that’s not very nice.”
“Yeah, they’re not very nice guys,” I add. And then just to really pull off the sad-guy effect, I toe the ground with the tip of my boot.
“So what do you say?” Storee butts in. “We can all walk around, make a night of it. I can treat you both to some dinner since we had to ditch you last time we were all together.”
“I mean, I don’t want to intrude,” Betty says.
“Me either,” I add, attempting to portray a solemn appearance.
“Oh, you’re not at all.” Storee waves us off. “It’ll be fun. Come with me, Betty. We’ll start the night with some drinks.”
She takes Betty by the arm and directs her toward the Prancer’s Libations booth. It’s the local bar in town run by one of the beloved couples, Frank and Thachary Lamb—and no, not the Frank from Idaho Springs.
When they’re out of earshot, Cole gets really close to me. He could practically lick my neck if he wanted. “What the fuck was that?”
Taking a step back, because, dude, personal space, I answer, “What was what?”
“That ambush.”
“What ambush?” I play dumb, and trust me, I’m good at it.
“The one where I’m about to enjoy a nice evening with my wife, and then you go and show up.”
“Uh, excuse me, I didn’t show up. You two ran into me while I was licking my stood-up wounds. I’m sorry if my brothers are dicks and set me up for failure. You know how they can be.”
Cole sighs, because he does know. Cole has always been more of a brother to me than my actual brothers.
They’re closer in age, they started a business together, and they’ve always been two peas in a pod, while I’ve been the outsider.
I truly believe it’s one of the reasons why I attached to Cole the way that I did, because he felt like the brother I was always looking for.
“Yeah, I know.” He drags his hand over his face. “Can you at least . . . depart after, like, an hour? Give Storee and me some time alone?”
“I can manage that.”
“Thanks.” He sticks his hands in his pockets and then asks, “What was all that rambling about shrinkage?”
“Dude, don’t ask.”
Betty
Okay, this is awkward.
This is a night for couples—it clearly states that on the signs I saw when I was walking toward Ornament Park. Cupid Christmas. And from the drink themes alone, I know this is a night for lovers, and I really shouldn’t be here, but Storee clearly wouldn’t let me just walk away.
“Are you sure you want me to stay?” I ask Storee as she takes our drinks from the bartender and hands me two cups.
“Of course. I feel so stupid that I mixed up the nights. I think I was just thinking, Oh, I get to get dressed up for two nights, and completely forgot what I was doing.”
“It’s fine. I seriously can just meet up tomorrow.”
“Don’t be silly. This will be fun.”