Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

KRIS

“Kristopher, are you even listening to me?”

My brother Kevin elbowed me hard in the ribs, and I glared at him while I rubbed my side. “What the fuck, dude?”

He nodded to where my mom was standing at the head of the large dining table, her arms crossed over her Fair Isle Christmas sweater. The rest of my siblings, all five of them, were similarly dressed and all staring at me from their places around the table. Eye roll. And while I, too, had the same sweater, I patently refused to wear it, opting for a black T-shirt and a green and black plaid flannel. It was vaguely holidayish, and it was the best my mom was going to get.

“Mom’s been trying to get your attention,” my brother hissed from the corner of his mouth.

Great. Zoning out while Mary Kate Kringle was trying to dot I’s and cross T’s was a cardinal sin in the Kringle household. “Sorry, Mom. What were you saying?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Kristopher, I know you think all of this”—she gestured at the full-scale model of the Christmas tree farm and Santa’s workshop experience laid out on the table in front of her—“is silly, but we need to figure out a traffic pattern that works better than last year, and since the Christmas trees are your domain, your input is required, assuming we can pull you away from whatever it is you’re doing over there.”

I peeked down at the printed agenda in front of me, taking my eyes off my mom for the briefest second. I’d been sketching out ideas for a new commission I’d received. In my spare time, I made custom, historically accurate ships in bottles, and with the holidays approaching, maritime enthusiasts of all types were reaching out with requests.

I’d also been daydreaming about Levi. For some reason, I couldn’t get him out of my head, and even a day later, I could still feel the spark of heat that jolted through me the second we shook hands.

But I wouldn’t be sharing any of that with my mom. At least not today when she was in full-on holiday battle strategy mode.

“Uh, I’m going to have to give it some thought.”

She nodded. “Okay. Good. You do that, and bring your plans on Thanksgiving or before so we can get the signs for the parking lot set up.”

I nodded and gave her a salute, and she smiled, temporarily pacified, then she segued into interior plans, which had nothing to do with me. Thank god. They’d tried to make me play an elf when I was in my teens, but after I made three kids cry because they didn’t like the “grumpy one,” they reassigned me to the tree farm, which was more than fine with me.

Ten minutes later, my siblings were in deep debate about the type of evergreen garland they should hang over the barn doors when my dad walked in.

“What do we think?” He held his arms wide and spun in a slow circle. “This is the new workshop outfit. Thinking I might also wear it for the chamber of commerce pancake breakfast.”

Kurt Kringle looked like he’d been born to play Santa, complete with a full white beard, requisite rosy cheeks, and delicate gold wire-rimmed glasses that habitually sat low on his nose. All his padding was authentic, and his costumes were custom-made by a lady in New York. It wasn’t unusual for kids to walk up to him in town and lay out their Christmas lists even in the dead of summer when he was wearing shorts and sandals with socks, a habit my mother had been trying to break him of for years.

“Oh, honey!” My mom clasped her hands to her chest, and her eyes twinkled with unshed tears. “You look fantastic! Mirabel has outdone herself!”

“I think so too. It fits like a glove.”

My siblings and my mom all ran over to where my dad was modeling his new ensemble. I stayed right where I was, reluctantly turning my attention to the scale model and pushing the little Matchbox Christmas tree truck around the parking lot, trying to visualize traffic through the lot and where we could put the baler to keep traffic moving.

“Kristopher!” My mom’s angry voice cut through my concentration.

“What? I’m working on the traffic pattern like you asked me to.”

She blew out an exasperated sigh and pointed at me. “Do you see, Kurt? This is what I’ve been dealing with all day.”

My dad pushed through the crowd and put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Son, your mom and I were just talking about how maybe it’s time to start getting you fitted for your own costumes.”

The mini tree truck in my hand fell to the table with a thunk before it rolled off and landed on the floor.

“What? Me? Oh hell no.”

“Kristopher!” My mother glared at me again. “You’re going to have to take up the mantle sooner or later.”

I held up a hand. We’d had this argument too many times to count. “No. No, I absolutely do not.” I scanned the crowd for my brother. “Kevin is rocking a dad bod, and I know he wants to do it.”

My brother shook his head. “You know I can’t grow a beard for shit.” He rubbed a hand over his baby-smooth jaw.

“Get him a fake beard.” A collective gasp echoed around me, and I rolled my eyes again. Heaven forbid the Kringle Family Santa’s Workshop experience be anything but one hundred percent authentic. “Fine, Keith can do it.”

“He’s too young.” My sister Kimmy rested her hands on her baby bump.

I crossed my arms defiantly. “I’m absolutely not doing it. You put me in charge of the tree farm for a reason, remember?”

Their faces twisted into winces.

“He has a point.” Kennedy, my youngest sister, nodded. “I mean, it kinda ruins the magic if the kids are crying.”

Everyone nodded, and my dad squeezed my shoulder again. “I think you just need a little romance in your life to loosen you up to the idea. The holidays are the perfect time for finding love.”

A vision of Levi standing in his shop in his punny T-shirt flashed behind my eyes.

My dad dropped his hand and stepped back, looking at me curiously. “Kris, is there something you want to tell us?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

My sister Karla, the shortest of us, pushed through to look at me. “Are you seeing someone?”

They all leaned in closer.

“Just because you’re all partnered up doesn’t mean we all have to be.” But even as I said the words, I realized I was looking forward to seeing Levi again. Hopefully soon.

“Oh, there it is again!” Karla bounced on the balls of her feet, her dark brown braids swinging. “Who is he?”

“Who is who?” I was starting to get annoyed. I’d barely met Levi, and my family had already picked up the scent, hounding me about someone who was barely an acquaintance. And they wondered why I never brought anyone home to meet them.

“Whoever it is you keep thinking about.” Kimmy rubbed her belly.

“I’m not thinking of anyone. Leave it alone.”

But they didn’t. Instead, they started talking among themselves, working their way through all the eligible bachelors in town.

“Oh! I know!” My youngest brother’s voice cut through the din. “Is it the new guy setting up the record shop? Kori said he’s cute AF. Apparently, he’s stopped by Mizu Mizu for dinner a few times.”

I felt my cheeks go hot against my will.

“That’s it!” Kennedy crowed. “Is it true? Is he cute? Are you guys dating?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Pump the brakes there, Ken.” She scowled at the hated nickname, which was exactly why I’d used it. “He’s literally been in town for, like, two minutes, and I just met him yesterday afternoon.”

“He’s new in town?” my mom asked. “Does he have family here?”

I shrugged. “Like I said, I just met him. We haven’t gotten into family history and blood type yet.”

My mother shook her head while a few of my siblings giggled. It had been just as bad for them when they’d started bringing their significant others around.

Not that that was what Levi was.

But that zing I’d felt when we touched wasn’t nothing.

So maybe we could be.

He was gorgeous, all lean lines and broad shoulders, a full swimmer’s body, and his golden amber eyes were stunning. With as much time as I’d spent thinking about him since yesterday, I was definitely interested in getting to know him better.

“You should bring him for Thanksgiving,” my dad said, and I shook my head before he even finished speaking.

“No way. I’ve literally spent five minutes with Levi. I’m not bringing him for Thanksgiving so you can put him to work.”

“Fine, but if he doesn’t have any family around, the least we can do is extend an invitation to Christmas.” My mom nodded like it was final. “If you don’t invite him, I will.”

It wasn’t an idle threat. If I protested, she’d pick up her pocketbook and head out to invite him to the Kringle holiday festivities right now. I pushed back from the table and stood. “I’ll get back to you on the traffic pattern, but I have lecture notes I need to prepare, so I need to get going.”

I gave my mom and sisters quick kisses on their cheeks as they all tried to convince me to stay for dinner, but I’d had enough family time for now and politely declined.

In the relative safety of my truck, I took a deep breath. I loved my family. I really did, but spending time with them was exhausting sometimes. Key in the ignition, I put my car into drive and pulled away from the curb.

Lifeboat wasn’t a big town, and while my family lived on one side and I lived on the other, the whole trip only took about fifteen minutes, depending on whether I hit a red on both traffic lights in the center of town. When I turned onto Main Street, my eyes immediately fell to Levi’s record store. The storefront was dark, but there was a light on in the apartment above the shop. I wondered if that’s where Levi was living. Probably. It made the most sense.

My stomach rumbled as I hit the intersection of Main and Pine, and the white neon sign over the door for Mizu Mizu caught my eye. Some miso soup and crab rangoon would definitely hit the spot, and the second I turned the corner onto Pine, a parking spot opened up right out front like it was some sort of sign.

The restaurant always smelled the same, the warm scents of ginger and chili floating on the air. I took a deep breath, letting the warm scents drive the chill from my body. This was one hundred percent the right decision.

“Hey, Kris.” Kori greeted me from behind the host’s stand. He and his older brother owned the restaurant, but he preferred to spend his time in the front of house while his brother, Tai, manned the kitchen. “How are you?”

“I’m good. Craving some miso soup.”

He smiled knowingly. “Had to deal with your family today?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

He shrugged. “I’ve known you for a while, buddy. Miso soup is your comfort food after you have to spend time at holiday headquarters.”

A half smile tugged at my lips. “I didn’t realize I was that transparent, but you’re not wrong.”

“You want the crab rangoon too.”

“You know it.”

The phone rang, and he grabbed it. “Give me just a sec.” He hit a button on the handset and held it to his ear, holding up a finger and ducking behind the cash register.

The door opened behind me, and my hair stood on end from more than just the cold. Electricity buzzed in the air, and I knew before I turned around who had come in. A quick glance confirmed it, and I spun on my heel to face the object of my daydreams over the last twenty-four hours.

“Levi. Hey.” I held out my hand again, hoping he’d take it and either prove that the jolt I’d gotten when we first touched was a fluke or confirm there was something sparking between us.

He looked at my hand, then up at my face, then at my hand again before taking it, and once again, that spark passed from his palm to mine, making my blood hum and my heart beat too fast.

We held each other’s gazes, our hands still interlocked, and for a long moment, I totally forgot the rest of the world around us.

Until Kori cleared his throat.

“You guys want a table, or are you both taking your orders to go?”

Levi gave my hand a squeeze, then released it and said something in a language that sounded a little like Japanese.

“I’m good to grab a table, but no pressure.” Levi returned his attention to me. “I don’t want to keep you from something important if you were just grabbing dinner to go.”

I wanted to have dinner with Levi more than anything. I wanted to get to know him. Even if I had a million other things to do, I would have made time for this.

“No, I’m good. We can grab a table.”

Kori clapped his hands and picked up two menus. “Not that you two really need these. I bet you know the menu better than I do with how often you both eat here.” He led the way into the dining room that was only half full, and sat us at a table near the window, and we settled into our seats, shrugging out of our coats. “One of the servers will be over soon. Enjoy.”

Levi said something in Japanese that made Kori laugh as he walked away.

“You speak Japanese? That’s really cool.”

Levi’s brow furrowed. “What?” He glanced at Kori’s retreating back. “Oh. Oh. Yeah, Japanese. Right.”

“Where did you learn?”

“Uh, in Baleen. It’s pretty common there.” Levi fiddled with his water glass. “So you eat here a lot, huh?”

Hello subject change. But I wasn’t ready to let this drop. I wanted to learn more about Levi before he’d shown up in Lifeboat.

“Where is Baleen?”

“The northwest coast of Ireland.”

I stared him down, waiting for him to elaborate. He was wearing another squid pun T-shirt. This one had a picture of a squid in a cowboy hat and leather chaps, holding a bullwhip and six-shooters in his tentacles, with Billy the Squid written under it in a Western font. His arms were exposed, his intricate tentacle tattoos on display, and this close, I could see the design was a little raised, the linework done in shades of blue, purple, and green. I wanted to run my fingers over the lines to see how the texture of the tattoos contrasted with the rest of his skin, but I held on to the edges of my menu instead.

Levi finally caved. “It’s a very…diverse community.”

I nodded. “Cool. Why did you move?”

He sat back in his chair. “Needed a change of pace. My whole family is there now, and there were a lot of obligations and pressures. I wanted to do something new.”

A laugh tumbled from my lips. “Oh, yeah. I know all about that.”

“Is your whole family here?”

“Oh yeah. My parents and all five of my siblings. My grandparents passed away, but they used to live here too. Both sets. The Kringles have lived in Lifeboat for as long as any of us can remember.”

Levi’s brow creased again like he was trying to puzzle something out, then he shook his head slightly. “So what do you do, Kris? I mean besides hand out flyers for the local KELPS events.”

“About that. You don’t have to come. I mean, the guys would love it. They want to recruit three new members this year, but even one new person would be great.”

“No. I’m coming. Trust me. I want to.”

“Okay. I promise I won’t be offended if you change your mind.”

Levi smiled. “I’ll be there. Now answer my question.”

I held my hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. I forgot for a second that you haven’t been in town long. My family and our family business is kind of infamous around here.”

“Infamous? Do you run a criminal enterprise or something?”

“God, I wish. That would be so much better than the reality. Alas, no. My family owns a Christmas tree farm and Santa’s Workshop experience, and in the offseason, my mom runs a wine and paint studio out of the workshop. I’m technically in charge of the tree farm since I’m not really into the whole Christmas thing.”

My impromptu date tilted his head to the side, studying me. “The whole Christmas thing?”

“Yeah. My name is Kris Kringle. It’s kind of a curse. In elementary school, all the kids used to call me baby Santa. My family’s business didn’t help. The number of times a kid passed me a note that was actually just their Christmas list was kind of ridiculous. At any rate, the whole thing kind of put a damper on the holidays for me.”

“I don’t celebrate Christmas, but I guess I can see how the magic was kind of ruined for you.”

“Yeah.” I held up my thumb and index finger with the tiniest space between them. “Just a little.”

“So you run the tree farm all year round?”

Before I could answer, a young man scurried over. “Oh my gods, I am so, so, so, sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Shoal. Please accept my deepest apologies.” He bowed his head a little like he was showing Levi respect.

“Uh, it’s totally fine. Not an issue at all.”

“No. It’s definitely a problem, sir. You’re, well, you’re you.” He beamed at Levi. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll have the shrimp udon and an order of pan-fried gyoza.”

“Anything to drink?”

“The house hot sake, please.”

“Yes, of course.” He bowed again, then turned to leave.

“Uh, did you forget something?” Levi asked, and the server turned around, looking completely confused.

Levi gestured to me, and the server, who hadn’t given his name, glanced at me for half a second before looking back at Levi. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were with someone.” He looked at me again and made a slightly sour face, then asked. “What are you having?”

“I’ll do a double order of crab rangoon, a large miso soup, and a pot of green tea.”

The server nodded cooly, gave Levi another glowing smile, and hurried away.

When he was out of earshot, I studied Levi, looking for signs that he’d thought that whole exchange was just as strange as I did. “What was all that about?”

My date chuckled uncomfortably. “It would take far too long to explain, but the general overview is that my father is a bit of a celebrity in certain circles, and sometimes that bleeds over into my life.”

“Family shit, huh?”

He nodded. “Family shit.”

“What were we talking about before he came over?”

“You were telling me about the tree farm.”

“Oh, right. There is stuff to do year round, but the busiest time is from Thanksgiving to Christmas. The rest of the year is more hands off, so I’ve found other things to occupy my time.”

“Like?”

“Well, I teach a few college-level classes. I have a master’s degree in history, and I’m an adjunct professor at a few colleges along the coast. My subject areas are pretty niche, and it’s hard to find people with my specific areas of expertise, so I teach a lot of special topic courses online.”

Levi leaned forward on the table. “What kind of things do you teach?”

“Maritime history, nautical cartography, and”—I felt my cheeks heat a little—“nautical lore and legends.”

His mouth dropped open. “Nautical lore and legends. Really?”

“Yeah. It’s not as weird as it sounds.”

This time he held his hands up in surrender, his muscles rippling under his inked skin. Our server returned, balancing a tray, and set Levi’s sake pitcher and cup in front of him, waiting until he’d decanted a small amount and tasted it before he set my pot of tea and a slightly larger cup in front of me. After assuring Levi our food would be out shortly, he disappeared again.

Levi took another sip from his cup, keeping it between his palms. “For the record, I swear I wasn’t judging. I think a nautical folklore class sounds really cool. What sorts of things do you cover in the course?”

“A ton of worldwide folklore about kelpies, sirens, merfolk, kappas, and others. We touch on some Greek mythology at the beginning of the semester and end with my favorite topic, the leviathan.”

Levi spat the drink of sake he’d just taken all over the table.