Me:I don’t care if you are here or not.
Nemesis:But Keegan does and if he is upset, Nik will be upset, so I think you really do care. See you at 10.
Me:I dislike you so very much.
Chapter Two
Balfour
I stretched my feet out, wiggling my toes happily, and gave a contented sigh. Leaning back in my recliner I grabbed the remote, aiming it at my seventy-inch TV screen.
Being Santa’s head elf had its perks, as did being head of the electronics department in the workshop. Like getting the first pick of all the latest electronic gadgets on the market. For testing purposes, of course. We couldn’t deliver an inferior product for kids to wake up to on Christmas morning.
I had a little time before I needed to teleport to the human realm and pick up Kendrick, thanks to the time difference.Scrolling through my streaming services–thank you satellite dishes–I contemplated if I wanted to catch up onThe Great British Bake Offor dive into the craziness that wasThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsbefore I needed to go pick him up or call him with his weird fake emergency. Running a hand through my long locks, I decided to settle on the zany rich women.
I needed some escapism after the last week of one problem after the other, the conversation with my parents this afternoon, and knowing I was going to have to ask Kendrick to play along with my teeny tiny, little white lie.
Besides, I always felt slightly better about my life when I watched any of the housewife franchises. Not that I watched that many of them. Just Beverly Hills, New York (before they revamped the entire cast), Dallas (before it was canceled), and Dubai. Really, that wasn’tthatmany.
Settling my large bowl of popcorn in my lap, I grabbed a handful, pausing mid-way to my mouth at the knock on my door.
Sighing deeply, I shoved the popcorn in my mouth, contemplating my choices as I munched. Maybe if I stayed really quiet whoever it was would go the fuck away.
No one had any reason to be at my door. If there was an emergency I was needed for, they could text me like civilized elves. And since the workshop was closed tomorrow for the holiday there should be no emergencies. Since I had stayed until after six working on reports, I knew the workshop was empty.
The knocking came again, only this time instead of the three short raps before, it was a long continuous knocking that didn’t stop. Scowling, I flipped off the TV, pushing the foot of my recliner down.
There was only one person in all of Santa’s Village that could be that annoying when they knocked.
Walking over to the door, I forcefully opened it, glaring down at the smiling redheaded omega, who was holding my adorable pink-cheeked nephew.
Keegan Mallory-Kringle beamed up at me, opening his mouth to say something that was sure to annoy me.
“No.”
And with that one word, I shut the door firmly in my best friends’ husband's face. Not even the sight of sweet baby Kieran was enough to make me open the door to find out what Keegan wanted.
“Bal!” Keegan called, starting up his incessant knocking once more. “Can we talk?”
“No!” I called, sinking back into my comfy recliner and reaching for my popcorn bowl again.
“Open the door, Bal,” Nik Kringle, said best friend–and my boss–ordered, his voice deep and brooding no argument.
Dammit. Figures the little redheaded, always smiling, thorn in my side would have brought back up with him.
“Candy canes!”
Muttering all the way back to my front door, I stomped like a sullen two-year-old.
Now I kind of understood why Kacey stomped around when she was mad. It did sorta make me feel better. Throwing the door wide, I waved a hand, indicating they should feel free to invade my personal, private space.
Keegan beamed his bright smile my way–his cheeks had to hurt all the fucking time–handing the baby off to me as he passed. Hoisting my nephew in my arms, I grinned down at the dark-haired angel. Kieran gave me a big toothy smile, patting my chest with his chubby hands and babbling baby nonsense that, at a year and a half, only he understood.
Nik trailed behind his husband, waggling a pointed finger my way. “Be nice.”
Shrugging, I closed the door with more force than was probably needed. “You’re the ones that just showed up uninvited.”
Keegan perched on the edge of my extra-long sofa, giving Nik a soft smile when he angled his long form next to his mate. Nik bussed a quick kiss across Keegan’s lips, and the omega’s cheeks bloomed with color.
