Something Just Like This Read online

  It’s been a while since the thought of dressing up excited me. Landon plans on returning with Abby, and I’ve been looking forward to it all day. He’s off limits, but that doesn’t mean I can’t look. For some reason I couldn’t stop picturing him today, and I even thought about that adorable kid of his. I guess it’s been awhile since I’ve had something to really look forward to.

  He isn’t showing up until about six-thirty. I have a handful of situations to deal with while I await their arrival. One screaming kid, three criers, a parent who pulls their child off Santa’s lap mid-list due to a frantic phone call. I could use a break, but with only a four-hour shift I’m not offered one. I sneak a few sips of water and some pretzels from Santa’s house in between kids.

  The line goes through waves of craziness, and Santa is relieved when downtime arrives so he can steal a few cookies in between kiddos. Right on time, as the line starts settling, I recognize the girl from yesterday and her dad.

  “Sugar Plum!” She races to me like we’re old friends, her eyes widening while she smiles. “Can I see Santa now?”

  “You sure can!” I’m glad she isn’t afraid to ask about Santa. It’s so much easier when the kids will have a conversation with me. I understand they can be shy, but sometimes that can be problematic when I’m trying to move the line along. “Are you feeling better?” She sure looks better. The color is back in her face, her eyes aren’t droopy, and she’s bouncy.

  “I sure am!”

  “You seem like it!”

  “I think she ate a little too much yesterday. It’s not a virus or anything.” Landon places his hand on Abby’s shoulder and squeezes. He’s looking right into my eyes, and that’s when I note the flecks of brown laced with the gentle green. My gaze moves past his eyes to the scruff lining his face. He has the right amount of bristle on his face; the perfect amount to be sexy.

  “Next time make sure your daddy doesn’t let you eat too much before such a big event!”

  She puts her hand over her mouth unable to control the giggle escaping from her. “Landy’s not my daddy. He’s my uncle.”

  He’s here with his niece. His needle moves forward in my Nice-Guy-O-Meter, and when he pats Abby on the head, it moves a few more notches. What a good guy! “Well, Uncle, it’s nice to meet you.” He’s not married. At least I don’t think so as my eyes sneak a peek at his ringless finger.

  “Landon,” he reminds me, though he doesn’t need to. I’ll never forget his name. “Sugar Plum, right?”

  “You can call me Juliette,” I whisper, making sure Abby doesn’t overhear so I don’t blow my cover. I bend down so I’m eye-to-eye with Abby. “Do you want to see Santa now? I can also give you a VIP tour of Santa’s house.”

  “Wow!” Abby exclaims. “Can I, Uncle Landy?”

  “Of course, you can.”

  I reach my hand for Abby’s. Landon nods his head to let her know it’s okay she takes it, and I lead her up to Santa. “Santa, this is Abby. She’s a good friend of mine.”

  The white-bearded man whom I normally call Frank offers a ho-ho-ho. “Hello there, Abby. Would you like to tell me what you want for Christmas this year?”

  She lets Frank pick her up and put her on his lap. She wriggles around for a moment, and Santa waits for her to arrive in a comfortable position.

  “Tell me, Abby, what will make you happy this Christmas?”

  “My Little Pony stuff, an Elsa doll, and for my mommy not to be sick.”

  “Does your mommy have a cold?” Santa asks, as I listen next to him. I turn my head to Landon, who’s face is now pale, like someone is drawing all the breath from out of his body.

  “Abby, where did you hear that?” Landon asks.

  “Daddy and Mommy yell about it. Mommy most.”

  They argue over her having the sniffles? That can’t be. Landon searches for words, looking at me and then Santa and then back at me.

  “She has canza,” Abby says as she makes direct eye contact with me. “Right here.” She points to her chest.

  I haven’t heard of this. What is she talking about?

  Landon mouths to me. “Lung cancer.”

  My mouth drops open, the weight of an anvil smashing onto the ground. He’s lost so much color in his face. Not him, too. I reach for the bucket, but he comes to and races to Abby, scooping her off Santa’s lap.

  “Abby, I’m sorry you heard any of that.” He rubs up and down the back of her jacket as he hugs her.

  My heart crushes as I watch this, and I can see in Frank’s eyes, his does, too. The pain Landon must be feeling is incredible. His love for his niece is not lost in this moment.

  In all my years as an elf, I’ve never fallen into a situation such as this one. Should I say something? What? Santa can’t give this precious little girl what she’s asking for. It’s not possible. I wonder how sick her mom is, why her parents are arguing about it, and I find myself wanting to help. Landon and Abby are basically strangers, but I feel this need to be there for them.

  What would distract me if I were her age? I turn back to Santa, who points to the house set up behind him. “Abby,” I say as I clear my throat to grab her and Landon’s attention. “Do you want a tour of Santa’s Village?”

  “Yes!” She jumps up and down, oblivious to what happened moments before. While Landon is still shaken by what Abby has said, he mouths a thank you to me. I nod back at him, and he knows I’ve got this. Abby takes my hand, and Landon follows behind as Mrs. Claus leads us into the small village.

  The inside is nothing spectacular, at least to me, but to young children, I’m sure it’s amazing. Once we enter through the door, we’re inside a small tent decked out for the holidays. Bright lights hang from the metal bars holding the frame, and multiple Christmas trees can be found throughout. The children help decorate the trees by coloring ornaments. Once they finish their ornaments, Mrs. Claus gives them a small treat package. We even have a makeshift stable for the reindeer.

  “Where’s Rudolph and all the others?” Abby notices right away the stable is empty. With such a small space, we can’t fit fake reindeer in there, so we’ve come up with an excuse.

  “They’re playing. You know how the song says that Rudolph didn’t get to join in on the games? Well, now he does so the reindeer go off and play while Santa visits with all the kids.”

  “That’s cool.”

  I sigh in relief she’s accepted this. Some children argue with me, and one time I even gave up and told him we didn’t have reindeer. It didn’t help that her big brother was trying to prove that Santa isn’t real. The parents didn’t intervene at all, only watched me fail as I tried to contain the situation.

  Even though Abby didn’t make an ornament, I give her a treat bag. She’s such a trooper, and with the wish she wants from Santa, she’s pulled at my heart too much to let her walk away empty handed.

  We exit the village on the opposite side of where Santa sits. “Thanks for showing her around,” Landon says as we both glance at Abby, deep in concentration as she checks out her goodie bag. “She really needs this right now.”

  “It seems so.” The unanswered question of her mother hovers between us. I want to ask questions. I’m a human being, for crying out loud. When someone says something like Abby did, you can’t help but wonder the story behind it. That’s not for me to ask, though, and I’m sure he doesn’t want to tell.

  “That concludes the tour.” I wrap my hands together and let them fall to my abdomen. I don’t want him to leave, but there is nothing else for them to see. I’ve done my job. “Thanks for stopping by.”

  Those green eyes of his twinkle as the silence bounces between us like a game of Pong. I think he wants to say something, and I want to hear what he has to say. He’s a field of energy pulling me toward him. I take a deep breath, catching myself before I fall because I could really fall for this man.

  “So do you work here every night?” His voice breaks through the force-field of silence between us, and I have him for
a few more moments at least.

  “Mostly. I have off tomorrow though. Santa keeps me pretty busy during the holiday season, but his elves need a break sometimes.”

  He cocks his head to the left as his lips curl into a smile. “Oh?”

  “Yeah. Despite what they say, Santa doesn’t work us twenty-four-seven.” I couldn’t do this job more than I already do. The elf costume, the holiday music, it’s enough to drive me mad. But, I do it for charity. The money I’m donating makes every despising moment worth it.

  And Landon is certainly helping.

  “Would you like to join me for the holiday tree lighting tomorrow?”

  His question throws me off guard. Did he ask me out on a date? I hoped he would, but I didn’t think it would actually happen. But the holiday tree lighting? No! I avoid the area the entire day when that’s happening. The streets are filled with people, laughing and enjoying their time as they ramp up for the holidays. Going, though, meant I’d see Landon again, and that’s all I want.

  “Sure. That sounds great.” The only great thing about it is that I will be there with him. “I’m done with work at five.”

  “I thought you had off tomorrow.”

  “I do. From this job. This isn’t my real job.” Did he think I dressed up like this every day of the year or something?

  “Of course. How silly of me.” He shakes his head, a little embarrassed he thought that. “I can meet you downtown at about six-thirty. There’s a bench on the west side of Main Street where the road forks. It’s my favorite spot to sit.”

  “That sounds great. I’ll find it.”

  Abby tugs at Landon’s jacket, ready to go. I can’t believe how long she stood patiently and waited for us to finish our conversation. I really like her.

  Landon smiles and taps me on the elbow. “Awesome. I’ll be waiting.”

  And as he walks away, I can only think maybe my waiting is finally over.

  6

  Landon

  The tree lighting has been a tradition for many years around town. The first Wednesday after Thanksgiving the whole town gathers in the park for the special ceremony. I don’t know what came over me asking Juliette here. Okay, I guess I sort of do. The way she comforts Abby is right there on top of what I like about her, but the thing that draws me to her is her genuine smile. These days I find it hard to come across a real smile. People are polite, say hello, and give a small nod. But her smile is so bright, and her entire face glows, her cheeks puffing out, and her nose curling up. She’s sparked something within me, something that makes me think about her all the time, have her star in my dreams, and make my heart beat triple time when I’m around her.

  Knowing very well I take the chance of seeming too eager, I arrive downtown early. I don’t care if I have to wait an hour for her in the cold. She’s worth every second. I need to get out of the house, too. My entire day I tried not to be too upset with my sister. I didn’t confront her when I brought Abby home last night though I should have. The way Abby described what’s happening at home, and with Arthur’s reaction the other day, I’m starting to think my sister may be the problem.

  My eyes are tired after looking at the computer all day. In between my bouts of anxiety over Courtney, I spent hours losing myself in online job searches. I miss the days when jobs were posted in the old-fashioned newspaper. They still are, but they’re scarce. What seems to be even more difficult is finding something in my field.

  The freshly fallen snow is perfect for the occasion, and I use my gloves to clean off the bench. I hope it’s dry enough for her to sit down. I don’t want her to be cold. One more run down the bench with my gloves, and I sit down. The air is crisp, the chill finding its way into my nose, the hope of Christmas coming along with it. The scene on Main Street is picturesque, and I can’t wait to add Juliette to the backdrop.

  I’m waiting for about fifteen minutes, wiping her seat down a few times as the snow falls. Even though I know I’m early, I can’t help but wonder if she is standing me up. Any other time I’ve been on a date, the woman has shown up ahead of me. This is new territory for me.

  As though it will make any difference, I check my phone about six times in case I misread the time. Perhaps I’m even more early than I thought. I’m not, though. Right when I’m about to accept that I’m being stood up, I see Juliette come out of the coffee shop down the street, a to-go mug in each hand. I smile and jog over to help her.

  “Landon, hi!” She says as soon as she sees me. I love how she says my name, the L sliding off her tongue like it was meant for her. If she could repeat it over and over again, I’d listen for hours. “Thank you.” She hands a steaming cup to me, and even through my gloves it’s super hot.

  “Dark roast with half and half. I hope that’s okay.”

  “It’s perfect.” I’m not talking about the coffee, either. She’s smoking hot with her hair back in a ponytail and the knit cap on her head. Her slick jacket is tight against her body, and even though she’s on the shorter side, her knee-high boots work for her. The only thing missing from her outfit is my arms wrapped around her.

  “I have to say that while I hate driving home from work in the dark, and in the snow, on nights like this, I’m grateful for the moon making an early appearance.”

  Christmastime in our town is what it should be in every town across the country. Lights wrap around the leafless trees, wreaths hang from the lampposts, and holiday music provides a constant soundtrack. Beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe it. Breathtaking? No. I don’t think a proper word even exists. Now, with Juliette smiling at me, and the moon glowing behind her, the magic of Christmas has never been more clear.

  I offer her a seat at my favorite bench after I wipe it down one more time. It’s not too wet, and I hope she doesn’t mind. She sits and grips her coffee between her hands.

  “How was work today?”

  “Good. Thanks for asking. Busy. With my recent promotion, they’re piling on the work.”

  I realize that I don’t know what she does for a living other than her side hustle as an elf catching puke and breaking up arguments. “I’m sorry, Juliette, but I don’t know what you do.”

  “Of course!” She laughs, that beaming smile warming me. “I work at a financial firm, Booker & Smith. I’ve been there for ten, no eleven, years now. My official title is Senior Financial Advisor.” With a shrug she adds, “I like what I do, I guess. I’m good with numbers. How about you? What keeps you busy during the day?”

  “A lot of nothing,” I admit sheepishly. “I lost my job the day before Thanksgiving.”

  “Oh no! That’s horrible!” She touches my elbow, shooting energy through my body and straight between my legs. “And right before Thanksgiving. That certainly doesn’t leave you thankful.”

  “Nope. Not really.” What I don’t tell her is that I wouldn’t have met her if I hadn’t lost my job. I wouldn’t have been able to take Abby out for such a long day, and we probably wouldn’t have crossed paths. For having met her, I’m thankful. “Before I was let go, I worked in security. Sometimes I think about taking a different path, though, going out on my own.”

  “Still doing something in security?”

  I pull my shoulders into a shrug. “I’m not sure. I haven’t given it much thought. The past few days I’ve browsed the want ads. Sometimes my mind wanders off, and I think maybe I could do something else and be my own boss.”

  “Like a multi-level marketing scheme? You’ll peddle makeup or fitness shakes, maybe some essential oils or erotic toys.”

  “Erotic toys? You can sell erotic toys door-to-door?” I imagine her knocking on doors around her neighborhood asking the people behind them if they want to see the latest model in vibrators or flavored lubricant. I can’t help but blush.

  “Yep.” Her lips touch the tip of her mug cover as she moves her head back to drink. “My cousin used to be in the business. Sales were pretty good.”

  I laugh. “Glad to hear. I won’t be joining up any
time soon though.”

  She snaps her fingers. “Darn. And I was going to sign up and add you to my team.”

  We share a laugh, my mind wandering again, us working together in a sexually charged environment. I have to change this subject before I lose my mind. “We’ll see what happens. My plan is to have this figured out by the new year.”

  “Well, I think you’re brave, either way. I rely too much on stability in my life. Nothing beats a steady paycheck and insurance I can count on. At least most of the time. Every other minute I swear something is changing in the insurance industry. Luckily, it doesn’t affect me too much.”

  It affects people like my sister and her family. I don’t worry about insurance for me. I’m relatively young (I’m only forty!), in decent shape, and single. My costs are fairly low. But I worry about Courtney and if she’ll max out her lifetime limits with her treatments. Then what does she do?

  We sip on our coffee for a few moments without either of us saying a word. I don’t mind. Sitting next to her is the perfect way to spend my time. Even though it’s cold outside, her warmth permeates the area around me, along with the sweet smell of her perfume. Her breath outlines the air as she lets out a sigh.

  “So, I have to ask.” I know what’s coming before she even says it. “About what your niece said…is it your sister who is sick or your sister-in-law? Not that one is more tragic than the other. I’m only curious.”

  “My sister.”

  “I hope you don’t mind me asking. I know we’ve only just met.”

  “No. It’s fine.” We may have only met a few days ago, but I already feel as though I can tell her anything. “Her diagnosis came about a month ago. She hasn’t told Abby yet. Well, at least not directly. She must have overheard them. Courtney, my sister, has been going through a lot, and now she and her husband are discussing separation.”

  “That’s terrible.” She puts her hand to her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”