Chapter 4
"S o?" Nicki gazed at Keely expectantly. She'd texted earlier, announcing she would be literally sitting on Keely's doorstep to hear all the details when she returned home. "I didn't get an emergency text so I figured things were fine."
They settled at the kitchen table, their usual spot, after Keely set out a tin of mini pecan pie cookies that were Nicki's favorite. All of their important discussions required cookies. How did anyone figure stuff out without them?
"You made a great security detail," Keely said. "I saw you casually walking by outside the first five minutes and then completely forgot you were there."
"After I was sure things were okay, I left. But, since I had to miss the last," Nicki studied her watch, "hour and a half, fill me in. Was he as fun as on the phone? Is there more coffee in your future, or was this a one-and-done deal?"
"I thought you'd say 'or are you switching to decaf?'"
"Dammit! I should have. Let's rewind—"
Keely shook her head. "I'm not switching to decaf. We're going to meet again in a couple days."
"That's good. None of that bro-code 'wait this many days to call' craziness."
"There's definitely a spark," Keely admitted. "I worried there wouldn't be. You know, it works when we're faceless and can flirt with abandon. But it was more than that. It was actually hard to say goodbye. For both of us."
"Guess it helped when the barista said they were closing."
Keely laughed. "Yeah, that was a good motivator."
"I couldn't see all his finer points, since I was trying to walk quickly past the window and not stare." She began to nibble on a cookie. "Give me the details."
Keely couldn't stop the sigh. "He has a lot of finer points. Like this blond-ish hair that was cut to look disheveled, and it was perfect. I've never liked those haircuts that look like you could plop them right onto a Ken doll's head."
"Me neither. His sounds like you already know what it looks like when he gets out of bed."
"Nicki! Stop that."
"Why? It could be in your future."
"If I start thinking about that, I'll get nervous. You know how I am."
"Yes, I do. So let's get back to the details. What about his eyes?"
Keely grinned. "He has two of them."
"Adonis material then. What color?"
"A leaf-green color. Something you'd never forget. And I loved how his humor showed through them. Along with his lips."
"Stop licking yours. I know what you're thinking."
"You don't. I'm not. He definitely had very kissable lips. I'm sure there have been plenty of women who've enjoyed them."
"Maybe you will, too."
Keely gave her an exasperated look. "Didn't I tell you not to make me nervous?"
But it wasn't exactly nerves that were fluttering in her stomach. It was more like lust. Or at least something lust-adjacent.
It had been a while since she'd had these kinds of electrical shocks floating through her body, short-circuiting her brain cells when she needed all of them working at full capacity so she didn't do something crazy.
Now she understood why no one in her family wanted to be the sane one. There was too much good stuff to miss out on.
Nicki waved a pretend magic wand over her. "You're no longer nervous. Now, was he tall? He was sitting down, so I couldn't really tell."
Keely remembered them standing, both reluctant to leave, and he was probably four or five inches taller than her. "I think six two. And clearly when he's not sitting at his computer talking to customers, he works out."
"No jolly old Saint Nick characteristics." Nicki pretended to check an item off her list. "Most important. Did you like him?"
Keely couldn't stop another contented sigh. "Yeah, I did. A lot."
"What are you going to do about it?"
Before she could reply with her typical, "I'll take things nice and slow", her phone dinged with an incoming text. Keely glanced down. "It's from Travis."
"He's not wasting any time. What does it say?"
Keely read the message and her initial excitement drained away. She slumped against her chair.
"What?"
"He wants to ask me a really big favor."
"That didn't take long." Nicki's lips twisted wryly. "I was hoping we could enjoy his perfection for at least a minute. Before he asked you to help pay medical bills for his wife and five kids in Bulgaria."
"I'm sure that's not it."
Keely hated how quickly the doubts crept in, though. A good example of why she tended to lean toward the cautious side of life. So surprises couldn't sneak up and pinch your ass while you were looking the other direction, filled with optimism for the first time in forever.
She typed back: What did you need?
Travis: I'm playing Santa at our company party and I hoped you wouldn't mind being Santa's helper.
Keely grinned, filled with relief, and touched by the sweetness of the invitation.
Nicki said, "Don't make me ask what again."
"He wants me to be Santa's helper. And he's Santa."
"Roleplaying already? I like it."
"Stop it," Keely laughed.
She typed: I don't have an elf costume. Or pointed ears. But I'd love to help out.
Travis: Thanks! No worries about the costume. Pointed ears not needed either. I won't be Santa for the whole party. It should be fun.
Keely: I'm looking forward to it. Thanks for asking me.
Travis: I'm looking forward to it, too. I'll call later with the details.
Keely sat back, unable to halt the dreamy expression that she knew was on her face.
"Just coffee, huh?" Nicki gave her a knowing look. "This might be the best Christmas ever. You're finally going to throw caution to the wind."
Keely frowned. "I'm not going to throw caution to the wind. But I am going to give it a night off."
Nicki leaned forward. "Good. And remember, like most things in life, caution is on a continuum."
"Yes, Grandma and my cousin Fiona are at one end, and I'm at the other."
"There's nothing wrong with scootching closer to their end. We know there isn't a chance of a family reunion in the middle. But you can still enjoy yourself without being locked down against every imaginable calamity."
"You mean enjoy Travis."
"That goes without saying." She winked. "But I like saying it. So yeah, enjoy Travis. This is like the beginning of the Twelve Nights of Sassmas."
"Twelve? I'm nervous about one."
"That's the beauty of this. If you don't want it to go past the holidays..." Nicki dusted off her hands, as if getting rid of something pesky and annoying. "You just say you're done."
"No! I mean, yes, I like having that option. But I can't think of an expiration date. Not now, when things are just starting up. There's all this potential, and possibilities. Who knows what might happen?"
"That's the spirit!"
Nicki grinned and Keely realized she'd been outmaneuvered. They both knew there wasn't a chance of Keely adopting Nicki's no-strings-attached philosophy. But her best friend had ensured Keely's cautious side wouldn't be running the show either.
"You know," Keely said, "I can't remember the last time you mentioned anybody who intrigued you. Not even an honorable mention or runner-up."
"Too many contenders to list them all." Nicki winked. "Now let's figure out your Santa's helper outfit."
"Something sassy."
" And sexy."