Chapter 12
I don’t hear from any of the men during the week, but when I arrive at the park Saturday morning, four pairs of eyes immediately fix on me from across the grassy expanse that separates the parking lot from the pavilion.
It’s a chilly day, but the way they’re all looking at me makes me feel like it’s the middle of July. Nick and Rudy look like they want to cuddle me and give me kisses, and Felix and Jasper … well, their looks suggest something we definitely would not be allowed to do in public.
All four of them start toward me, then stop and look at each other with annoyance when they realize they’re all headed in the same direction. There’s unmistakable tension in the air when I reach them, but they’re not speaking to each other.
In fact, the Frost brothers seem to be ignoring the Winter brothers, and vice versa. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, especially since we’ll be volunteering together today, but I suppose it’s better than them arguing.
Nick pivots to walk beside me. “How’s your week been, Holly?”
“It was good. A bit quiet. How about you?”
As Nick starts to answer, Felix falls in step on my other side and says, “You should have called us. We’d have taken you out for another bike ride.”
Nick grits his teeth, but keeps grinning, even though his smile is strained. “We had a busy week. Sorry we weren’t in touch. Lots of emergency cases and late hours, unfortunately.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“You look great today, by the way, Holly,” Felix says.
“Thanks.” My neck’s going to get worn out if it keeps swiveling back and forth between the Winters and Frosts.
Jasper winks at me. “That’s my Mrs. Claus.”
“Don’t you need to go get changed?” Rudy says coldly to Felix and Jasper, who are still in their street clothes.
Jasper shoots him a dirty look, and it seems like he’s about to say something rude in return, but after glancing my way, he bites his tongue.
We’re at the pavilion at this point, and I’m grateful when Lisa comes over and gives the men something else to focus on. Even though we’re early, there’s already a small line forming, so we all hustle to get things ready.
I’ll still be taking the pictures, but the two sets of brothers are swapping spots this week, with Nick and Rudy handling the photo framing, and Jasper taking on the role of Santa.
He looks uncomfortable in the costume at first, and definitely not as merry as Rudy and Nick were last week, but as the day goes on, he gets into character, and I smile every time I hear his deep voice say, “Ho, ho, ho.”
Meanwhile, Felix helps manage the line, and he takes the opportunity to whisper a lot of flirty things in my ear when no one else is nearby.
“Ever think of cheating on Santa, Mrs. Claus?” Felix waggles his dark eyebrows as he flexes a bicep. “You haven’t lived until you’ve fooled around with an elf.”
I’m still giggling as I take the next picture.
We have at least as many people visit Santa as last week, and maybe more, but between Felix’s comments and Jasper frequently making eyes at me, the day flies by.
I’m surprised when Lisa appears to close the line for the day. Jasper never even took a break. He’s patient with the remaining visitors, and when the last one leaves, his mood seems brighter than I’ve ever seen it.
Instead of hurrying away to get out of their costumes like last week, the Winter brothers stay close as we prepare to leave.
On the way to the parking lot, Felix is by my side. “Would you like to go ice skating, Holly?”
But Nick and Rudy are right there, too. “We were going to invite you to go to a concert with us,” Nick says.
Jasper aims another dark look at the Frosts, his happy Santa expression suddenly gone. “But we’ve just asked her to go ice skating.”
I stop walking, distressed by where this is heading and not sure what to do about it. “Is there a reason it has to be one or the other? When is the concert?”
“It’s tonight,” Nick says.
“When are you going ice skating?” I ask Felix.
“It can be almost anytime, but we have to work tonight.”
“Then, I say yes to both of you.” Even though they’ve all said they’re okay with me dating all of them, the men shoot begrudging looks at one another. “I realize this is an odd situation, and it’s a new one for me, but I really hope the four of you can try to get along.”
Jasper grumbles, Nick nods, Rudy’s expression is wary, and Felix is back to looking like he wants to eat me up.
“How about tomorrow for the skating?” Jasper asks.
“After church?” I tease, and he gives me a sly grin.
“After church. We’ll be in touch later.” Then, after a challenging glance at Nick and Rudy, Felix steps in and gives me a kiss. Nothing as steamy as the looks he’s been giving me, or the things he’s been saying, but it lingers long enough to make a statement.
Jasper tugs his Santa beard aside and kisses me next. “See you tomorrow,” he says, his low gravelly voice doing things to me that I hope aren’t obvious to anyone else.
As the Winter brothers head to their truck, the Frost brothers put on pleasant expressions, as if they’re trying to pretend none of that just happened.