Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

December 7th

Dean

I ’m asleep, dreaming something weird about cheese, when I feel a kiss pressed to my forehead. After a week, I know it’s Echo by my side. Isn’t that weird? We’ve been together a hot minute, yet I expect him to be there.

I hum at the feel of Echo’s warm lips, then freeze as I hear his next words.

“No, I can’t tell him that.” That’s definitely Echo and he’s annoyed about something.

He brushes my lips with his mouth so I’m assuming he’s not annoyed with me.

“Boss, he’s taken care of me and done your role as Santa. I can’t ask him to do another one. Why can’t you do it?”

I wait, because I know I’m not going to like Randy’s answer.

“You can’t blame me or the suit for getting out of it,” Echo says heatedly, then he sighs. “Yeah, yeah, I understand. I’ll ask him but I’m not promising anything. No, I’m not flashing my naked butt at him to make him agree. Ew, that’s gross.”

“I don’t know,” I murmur. “You have a fabulous ass.”

“I know I do,” Echo snaps, “but that’s blackmail. Wait, you heard all this?”

I open my eyes and blink to focus on him. He’s naked, like me, sitting up in bed. He looks like he’s ready to throw his boss down, his eyes sparking with fury. This is not Echo’s normal reaction to a conversation with Randy.

I run my hand down his spine. “What do I have to do now?”

He looks at me, his mouth pinched, clearly annoyed. “The kids’ entertainer Randy booked has food poisoning, so he’s in the hospital. Randy is asking if you would step in and help at the kids Christmas party at work. I’d forgotten it was today to be honest.”

It’s Echo’s day off if I remember rightly. I roll onto my side, prop up on my elbow, and hold my hand for the phone. He hands it over reluctantly.

“Morning, Randy. You remember I’m not a kids’ entertainer, right?”

“Morning, Dean.” Randy sounds like a man on the edge of a precipice. “You work at the school.” Clearly he’s going on the offensive.

“I help kids who can’t read. It’s not the same as tying poodle balloons and cracking jokes.”

“The mayor said you’d be free.”

Yet again my brother throws me to the wolves without bothering to check that I’m actually free or willing to do it. I close my eyes as I listened to Randy babble on.

“It’s a bunch of kids. How hard can it be? Just be here at three, give out the presents for an hour and we’ll deal with the rest.”

Then he’s gone, and I hand the phone back to Echo. “This is a disaster waiting to happen. I’m serious. Randy thinks I can amuse kids for an hour, but I’m not an entertainer.”

Echo presses his lips together. “We can buy party stuff from the store. Randy will pay for it.”

I stare at him; not sure I’m hearing him right. “You heard the part where I said I’m not an entertainer, right?”

Now fear starts to coil in my stomach at the thought of being faced with kids to entertain.

He sucks in a breath. “Okay, Randy needs help. I can be Santa if you want.”

“You’d do that for me?” I know my voice is breathy.

Echo entangles his fingers in mine. “I’d do anything for you.”

I tug him down so I can kiss him. “Thank you. Run away with me from Collier’s Creek? We can find another town to live in.”

He brushes his lips over mine. “You want me to run away with you?”

“I do.”

Echo pulls back, his eyebrows knit together as he thinks. “Or you could let me be Santa or, even better, make the balloon poodles and play straight man to my comic sidekick.”

I stare at him. “Wait, you know how to tie balloons?”

Echo shrugs as he climbs out of bed. “I need coffee, and I was a children’s entertainer way, way back.”

“Why didn’t Randy ask you?”

“I never told him.” He taps his nose. “You never tell Randy anything. He’ll always remember.”

“You’re a man of many talents.”

His answering smile is so sweet as he leaves the room, it makes me want to puddle into goo. I stare up at the ceiling, panicking if I’m being honest, until Echo returns with a tray of coffee and pastries. We’d bought food the previous day, so we didn’t have to go out. It could just be him and me, curled up in bed watching TV and…other things. Now we’re going to spend the whole day playing Santa and Elf. I can’t help my smile. I guess we’re still together whatever happens.

“We need an elf suit and a selection of props,” he declares, putting the tray on the nightstand.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” I mutter.

“I never thought I’d do this again, for sure,” Echo agrees. “I’ll find an elf suit, and we’ll go to the store. I’m sure Georgia sells balloons. I can do balloons and magic. You give out presents and run two games.”

“What games?”

He grins at me. “By the time we face the kids, you’ll know exactly what you’re doing. Can you dance?”

“Dance? Are you high?” Then I sigh and admit the truth. “I can. My parents insisted we learned how to dance.”

“Then we’ll rock around the Christmas tree, and Santa will fall over. I’ll stay on my feet just in case.” Echo settles next to me and kisses me on my cheek.

“Why do you get to stay on your feet, and I don’t?” I protest.

“Because you’re a nice boyfriend, and you know I’ve got a dodgy ankle.”

I growl at him. “You know I expected to spend the day in bed with you.”

He sighs. “Me too, but I can’t let Randy down.”

“This is your day off.”

“You can always say no,” Echo points out.

I scowl at him. “You’re just mean.”

Echo kisses my cheek as he hands me the cup. “You’re welcome. Drink your coffee, and I’ll make a list of what we need.”

I take a deep breath. How bad can it be?

I regard the full cart in bemusement as Echo purses his lips at an astonishing number of packets of glitter tacked to the wall. I think we’ve been wandering around the store for an eternity. It’s not even that large. Georgia waves at us every time we go past the checkout.

“Please tell me we’re finished soon,” I whimper.

“Soon,” he promises, but I know he’s lying.

JoBeth told me that the only reason she and Danny stayed married was they didn’t go shopping together. Otherwise, they would have been divorced within the first six months. I used to laugh and agree, but I didn’t really understand it. After shopping with Echo, I understand.

I have a simple approach to shopping. Home delivery. And if I can’t get it delivered, I’m in the store and out in the shortest time possible. Echo now, he looks at everything, studies it, thinks about it, walks away to think some more, and then returns to it…maybe.

“I thought we were dancing, and you were making balloons,” I say weakly.

“Oh, honey, you have no idea how many props an entertainer needs.” He huffs as if I’m trying his patience.

I’m never going shopping with him again. Life is too short, and I’m too old to deal with ten-minute perusals of glitter.

“But I’m not gonna use glitter,” he decides. “It’s a nightmare to clean up, and I know Randy would make me do it.”

I give him a steady look. “I’m not cleaning the bar with you, okay? I’m not paid to do that.”

“You’re not paid to play Santa,” he points out, then gives me a speculative look. “Randy was gonna pay the entertainer.”

I hum. Maybe there was room for negotiation on this. “He pays for all the props and a small fee to go to an LGBTQ charity of our choice.”

Echo patted me on the butt. “Good idea.”

I flush at his proprietary action and glance around, but no one seems to be taking any notice of us.

He leans closer to me. “We’re okay, I promise.”

Flushing, I take a deep breath and try to relax. “Can we get out of here?” I beg.

He smirks. “You hate shopping.”

“Almost as much as I hate Santa,” I assure him.

“I love shopping.”

I give him the side-eye. “No, really?”

“Boys, need any help?” Georgia asks as she joins us. She laughs as I turn to her in desperation.

“If it will get me out of here any quicker…”

She winks at Echo. “Next time leave Dean at home.”

Echo grins at her. “Is he always this cranky when he’s in here?”

“Always,” she assures him. “He was the same when he was a kid apparently.”

I think about denying it, but that would just make me sound even crankier.

“You’re in luck,” he tells me. “We need to get over to Will’s to pick up the elf costume before we head to the bar.”

Georgia waves her hand. “Okay, guys, see you at the checkout.”

She leaves us alone and thankfully we take a slow stroll along the aisle.

“How do you know Will has an elf costume?” I ask.

“I asked on the WhatsApp chat. He had an old one from when Mav was younger.”

I’m not on the WhatsApp chat. I know of its existence. Most of the gay guys are on there. No one has ever asked me. I look up to see Echo watching me carefully.

“I can add you to the chat if you want,” he says.

I shake my head. “No, it’s okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’d just make people uncomfortable.”

“You or being related to the mayor thing?” Echo asks.

“Both,” I admit. “But they’ve got to get used to me being…” I hesitate, finding it hard to get the word out.

“Gay?”

I nod. “Being gay.”

Someone snorts, and I freeze. I turn to see Burl Montgomery, the cook from Twisted Pine Ranch smirking at me. He’s pushing a trolley full to the brim with what looks like Christmas dinner.

“Son, take a breath,” he says. “It’s a surprise to no one in Collier’s Creek except you.”

It’s the same thing Danny has been telling me for years. Echo keeps trying to fix this in my brain. But it never stays, you know? If I tell myself no one knows I can cope. I start to panic, but Echo steps closer to me and runs soothing circles around my lower back while my brain hops on a hamster wheel with a continual, They know. They know. They know.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Dean. I just thought…now…” He looks between Echo and me.

I lick my lips. Echo’s lack of response is making it clear he wants me to answer this. I can do this. “Burl, meet my boyfriend, Echo.”

Burl’s smile is wide, and he tips his head at Echo. “Good to finally meet you.”

“Morning, Burl,” Echo says, holding out his hand to shake the older guy’s.

It distracts me enough to take another breath. I hold out my hand too, just following Echo’s lead. Burl’s grip is firm, his hands calloused.

“You look like you’re buying for the entire year,” I say, seeking anything to distract us all from this awkward conversation.

Burt chuckles. “This is just the fun stuff. We’ve got a lot of guests over Christmas. You should join us. Hebe and Heather would be welcome too, Echo.”

“That’s kind of you,” Echo says, “but I think Randy’s gonna have me working every hour he can.”

I grimace. Echo’s already told me his shifts over the Christmas and New Year, and I’ll be lucky if I see him.

“You make sure you get time off to be with your boyfriend,” Burl says. “Just ‘cause Randy is a workaholic doesn’t mean to say you have to be. Okay, I have to go. Arlo promised me a ride home as my truck is in the shop.”

“Good to talk to you.” I smile at him, and for the first time, I mean it.

Will doesn’t bother to hide his amusement when we turn up on his doorstep. “So you need an elf costume to go with the Santa suit?”

I wrinkle my nose. “If I tell you the reason, is the whole town gonna know before the day is out?”

“Probably.” At least he’s honest.

Echo glances at me, and I shrug my shoulders.

“Long story short, Randy hired a children’s entertainer who is ill, so he asked me to step in.”

“He didn’t so much ask as demanded,” Echo growls.

“So I’m not an entertainer, but I do happen to know one who assured me with an elf costume and props we’ll make Randy a very happy boy.” I jab a thumb at Echo.

Will’s eyebrows rise. “You?”

“I’ve got skills you don’t know about,” Echo drawls.

“I’m sure that’s true, but I’ll let your boy here make the discoveries.” Will disappears for a moment.

“Boy?” I mouth.

Echo shakes his head. “Okay…um…no.”

I have no issue with relationships as long as it’s legal and consenting, yadda yadda, but I’m no one’s boy.

Then Will returns, holding out a garment bag. “It’s fine, nothing wrong with it, although it might smell a bit musty.”

Echo takes it. “Why have you never gotten rid of it?”

Will looks sheepish. “I forgot about it. I remember buying it for a party. Mav must have been about five. You don’t have to give it back. Keep it. Maybe you’ll do it again.”

“When hell freezes over,” I assure him.

But we thank him, and then we’re on our way.

I look at him in my Ford. “So we have the suit and the props, what now?”

Echo glances at the clock on the dash. “We go back to my place and practice our routine.”

I groan. This is going to be a complete disaster.

He pats my right thigh and gives it an affectionate squeeze. “Take a deep breath, honey. You’ll be fine.”

I glower at him. “You’re just telling me this so I don’t run away.”

Echo smirks at me. “You know me so well.”

“Isn’t that an old song?”

Echo squints, and I give up. It’s not my fault my pop culture stopped when I was eighteen. Although to be fair, that song was my parents’ era, and I’ve got the title incorrect.

I jolt as he strokes my cheek. “Huh?” I ask.

“Where do you go?” he asks, his voice soft.

“I don’t understand.”

“Sometimes you go off in your brain. I’ve got no idea what you’re thinking.”

“I spend a lot of time on my own, just thinking,” I confess.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind,” he assures me. “But remember you can talk to me too.”

He leans over to kiss me, and I turn my mouth to meet his. My brain is shrieking “I’m in public kissing a man.” But you know what? I’m sitting outside Will’s house and I’m ninety-nine per cent convinced he’s watching us. It might have been the twitching drape that gives it away.

Echo pulls back and smiles at me. “Let’s go practice.”

“I can’t do this,” I complain as I miss the step again.

“You can,” Echo says. “You just have to pretend to stumble over me.” He holds up his hand, and I haul him up. We’re both dressed as Santa and his elf and I’ve got to admit, he’s so hot dressed in green. The man has fabulous legs in those tights.

We go through the routine again and this time, I don’t screw up the stumble. Echo is amazing, and I tell him so.

“You should do this for a living.”

He shudders. “I’d rather deal with drunk adults than young kids, but I don’t mind doing this once in a while. Think you’ve got it? Because we’ve got to leave soon.”

I shrug. “It’s only an hour, right?”

“Knowing Randy, he’ll have charged the parents for at least three hours.”

I hold up my hand. “Randy can do the other two hours. Santa and Elf are here for one hour and one only.”

Echo grins at me. “One it is.”

He reels me in, and we kiss. I think he wants to give me a chaste kiss, but it gets kind of down and dirty.

I lick my lips when he steps back. “Wow, Mister Elf, can we…uh…do that again sometime?”

“Believe me, I’ve got a lot more planned than a kiss,” Echo assures me.

“Good.” I nod and suck in a breath. “Very good.”

It will be okay. I repeat it like a mantra. It will be fine. Randy will have it under control.

We walk into chaos. The staff have threatened to mutiny if the kids don’t calm down, and Randy is ready to tear what little hair he had left out of his head. So much for he could handle it and how difficult could it be?

Why did I let Echo convince me to do this? I’m faced with thirty kids staring at me expectantly. I ask again, why am I here?

One of the kids squints at me. “I know you.”

Of course he does. We read together every week. He nods as if he knows, but that’s the only thing he says.

“Where are the parents?” I hiss to Echo.

He points at a booth in one corner.

Oh. They are done for the day, glazed eyes staring into glasses full of mulled wine.

I look at Echo. “I guess it’s down to us, Mister Elf.”

“I guess it is, Santa.” Echo turns to children. “Hi there, I’m Mister Elf, Santa’s helper for today. Who wants to meet Santa?”