I nod, picking up my pencil, and sketch Max in his festive sweater, sitting under a Christmas tree. Doing this is what makes me happy. I lose all sense of time until someone dropping their cup on the floor startles me out of my reverie.
I glance at the clock. Fifteen minutes to get to work.
Back to standing in the cold and trying not to annoy grumpy Santa.
I should at least be resentful at how rude Keaton’s been, but weirdly, the idea of working in close proximity with him makes me feel a little excited.
And I have no idea why.
* * *
ChapterFour
KEATON
It’s so cold outside it’s almost ridiculous. I trudge down Reindeer Runway, through the parking lot and on towards the Candy Cabin, Max bounding by my side. He’s proud to be wearing his festive sweater, so at least one of us is enjoying all this holiday crap. The rink is nearly empty today – seems like most folks have decided to stay inside and keep warm. Can't say I blame them.
My breath clouds up in front of my face as I exhale. Did I make things weird with Melody, by leaving like that? She was only trying to have a light-hearted conversation, after all. My fingers stroke the little reindeer. I’m an idiot carrying it around, but I can’t bear to get rid of it.
Christa’s re-stocking the stand as I arrive. “Evening, Santa Keaton. Cold enough for you? My grandma used to say when the weather got like this that it was colder than a polar bear’s toenails. If it stays this quiet, you guys should close an hour early. Don’t want you turning into icicles when there are no customers. Could you tell Melody?”
“Sure.” I get the suit out from under the counter and replace it with my coat, then pick up the sack, filling it with more candy canes. Hearing her name makes my heart thump in my chest. I definitely have it bad.
“How’re the two of you getting along? You’re good friends with her brother, aren’t you?” Christa knows everyone and everything that happens in Snowflake. If there was an information hotline for this place you could call, she’d pick up.
“Yes. We get along fine. The holidays aren’t really my bag…I’m kind of a grump about the whole thing.” I gesture at my Santa suit as I pull on the white beard.
“Well, don’t be so grumpy that you forget to have any fun at all, ever. Melody could do with a little Christmas cheer. She puts a bright smile on everything, her Mom says, but losing her job like that affected her. And you know what they say…”
“What do they say?”
“Help someone else and you get out of your own head. You should try it.” She laughs.
I nod and pick up the sack, putting Max’s antlers on his head as I walk around the rink. Most people are on the ice and there are very few spectators tonight. After an hour or so, Magnus walks over to me with two cups of mulled wine.
“For you and your lovely friend at the Candy Cabin. She’s offered to design the posters for the animal shelter. My drawing of a dog is not the best, I admit.” He presses the cups into my hands and leaves before I can protest. Max and I walk slowly back to the stand. Melody’s alone, gazing out onto the ice, but when she spots me her cheeks flush and she looks away.
“For you. From Magnus.” I hand her the cup.
“That’s nice of him.” She doesn’t meet my eyes.
“He said you were going to help out with the illustrations for the animal shelter. That’s very kind of you. The shelter is where I got this good boy, isn’t it Max?” I pat his head and his tail thumps.
“Yes, I’m happy to help out.” She takes a sip of the wine.
“Oh, Christa said we could finish early if it stayed quiet. Think the temperature drop made most people stay indoors tonight.”
“That’s good.”
Max darts past me in the direction of the German sausage stand and I follow, trying not to spill my wine. I catch up with him and bump into Jamal, the rink manager.
“Pretty empty tonight…” I say.
He looks despondent. “Yeah. Hope this is a one-day thing.”
The wide-open ice rink gives me an idea.
“Can I ask you a favor, Jamal?” I ask.
