4

“So, your actual full name is Christmas? For real?”

“Chris for short,” he shrugs as we head into the hardware store, “it’s not a common name where I come from, but I’ve never really questioned it.”

“Huh.”

“And your name is Merri,” he grins, “so together we make Merri Christmas.”

“Yeah,” I mutter sarcastically. “Hilarious.”

Before we enter the store doors I turn and straighten his clothes. Being Winter, it hadn’t been as hard as I’d imagined to disguise his wings. I’d simply purchased an oversized coat from the thrift store up the road. He’d assured me that once his wing didn’t hurt quite so much he could retract them both and pass as human — apparently it was how some angels had walked undetected among us for aeons. But right now one was bent at an uncomfortable angle and couldn’t be hidden.

“How do I look?” He smiles as he studies my eyes.

“Like a hunchback,” I shrug, “but at least you can pass as human.”

‘Albeit an extraordinarily handsome, supermodel type human.’

“The bells, the bells,” he moans, rolling his eyes and dragging a leg as he walks.

“Stop it,” I guffaw, “try not to draw attention to yourself.”

“You have a beautiful laugh,” he says as we walk in the doors.

I shake my head and look down to pull my list from my purse, coming up short as I bump into a woman leaving the store. I try not to groan out loud when I see who it is.

“Merri!”

“Joan,” I smile stiffly.

“Oh, Merri,” she moves in to give me a quick one-armed hug, the other hand full of bags of what looks to be Christmas decorations. I stand stiff in her embrace, thankful when she steps back. I’m no hugger, but then, she knows that.

“I was devastated when I heard about James. Just devastated,” she rushes on. “You know my Mindy went to school with that little Jezabel, Wendy. I always knew she’d come to no good. But you have to keep strong. James will be back, I tell you now. He’ll soon see the mistake he’s made and come scuttling right on back where he belongs.”

I shrug and paste on a smile, but underneath I want to crawl back to the parking lot and roll underneath my car like a lost penny, never to come out. Gossiping, small-town, small-minded women are exactly why I prefer my own company. And the fact the news had already spread about James leaving me, within literally a day, makes me want to scream.

“Thank you, Joan,” I respond tightly. “I’ve got to keep going. You have a great Christmas.”

“Oh, no, Merri,” she holds me by the arm to keep me in place. “You can’t get away that easily. You need to let me buy you a coffee. I won’t have one of my friends feeling alone and abandoned like a used tyre in the holidays. Not on my watch.”

I flick a quick look up at Chris where he stands beside me.

“She’s not alone,” he says quietly.

Joan’s eyes widen as she takes in the angel’s face.

“Oh, well, that’s wonderful, Merri,” Joan gushes. “I had no idea you had family visiting. I don’t think we’ve met.”

She holds out her hand to Chris and he flashes her his blindingly sexy smile as he takes her hand and squeezes it gently.

“I’m not family,” he murmurs, “and no, we haven’t met. I’d remember you if we had.”

“Oh,” she breathes, her face flushing.

I try to hold back a snigger.

“Well, you know, you’re very welcome to join us for coffee, Mr…ah…”

“It’s Chris,” I answer for him, “and we can’t go for coffee, Joan, I’m quite busy. Maybe another time.”

“Chris,” she simpers, ignoring me. “Are you in town for business or pleasure?”

“Definitely pleasure,” Chris smirks.

“It’s strange I haven’t seen you,” she says as she leans forward and briefly touches his hard bicep. “My husband and I run the local hotel down by the lake. Most people who visit our little slice of paradise stay there. Where are you staying?”

“I’m shacked up with Merri,” Chris murmurs throatily as he gives me a smouldering look.

I make a choking sound as Joan gasps.

“Anyway, we really must fly,” I say quickly, biting my lip to stop myself from bursting out laughing.

She’s still standing exactly where we left her when I turn to cast a quick look back as we walk away.

“That will be all over town by lunch time,” I mutter to Chris as we head down the timber isle.

“I hope so,” he murmurs. “Friend of yours?”

“I don’t have any friends.”

“She seemed very interested in your life, for someone who’s not a friend.”

“Just one of many in this town,” I sigh.

“You should have told her you were getting timber,” he chuckles, raising his eyebrows up and down comically.

“Oh, stop,” I snort.