“Howdy, Sheriff,” she responded warmly.
“Uh, haven’t seen you today.”
“I was holed up in my hotel room for most of the day writin’ my article. I just gave it to Dean to mail off to my boss.”
Eli looked over at the counter where Dean was. “Does that mean maybe you’ve decided to stay a little longer? I mean, you could just return to Columbus and write your article there. But if you’re mailing it in, then that could mean?—”
“It means I’ve got another assignment,” Goldie lied. “I-I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning.”
“Oh,” he said, clearly disappointed. “I thought maybe you’d stay for the entire Tour of Homes weekend.”
“Me too, b-but this new assignment popped up kinda fast.”
Eli nodded and thought for a moment.
“So,” he said, self-deprecatingly, “the kiss was that bad, huh?”
She glanced around the lobby. Like the evening before, the town was buzzing with tourists. Wanting a little privacy, she took him by the arm and walked him past the Christmas tree and over to a corner near the phone booth.
“The kiss was wonderful,” she said quietly. “You know it was. But I’ve got another quick assignment and then I’ve gotta go home for the holidays. I’m not sayin’ goodbye. It’s more like, a ‘See ya later.’”
That wasn’t true. She was saying goodbye. But she also wanted to spare his feelings. Perhaps she should’ve been more honest, but with the lights from the nearby Christmas tree glowing, people smiling, and the radio behind the counter playing “Winter Wonderland,” acknowledging that she’d never see him again seemed too hard and final.
Eli’s blue eyes examined hers skeptically for a moment, then his face softened. “Look, if ‘See ya later,’ should turn into we never see each other again, I just want to say I really liked knowing you. You drove me a little crazy sometimes, but it was a good crazy.”
“Thanks,” she smiled sincerely.
“There you are,” they heard a voice say. Both turned around to see Stu Frey in his winter coat with the wool collar. He was carrying a large cardboard box.
“Howdy, Stu,” Eli greeted.
“Hi, Stu,” Goldie said more timidly.
“Goldie agreed to help me get ready for my appearance as you-know-who,” he said to the lawman. “Got the costume here, and Maddie and Dean let me change in their office behind the counter, but the boots are a little tight. You’ve got to practically bulldoze ‘em onto my feet.”
“You want a police escort to walk you down to your throne, Santa?” Eli asked.
“Yeah, that’d be great. Go get yourself a cup of coffee in the restaurant, and we’ll be out in a few.”
He looked at Goldie. “See you later?”
“See you later,” she agreed.
A little smile flickered on Eli’s face, then he turned and headed toward the restaurant. Goldie watched him go, then followed Stu around the counter and into the back.
“Help with your boots?” she asked quietly.
“Well, I needed to talk to you privatelysomehow,right?”
“Sure,” she said.
They greeted Dean, who was working the counter, then went behind it and into a short hallway where there was a supply room, the hotel office, and a half bath. They went into the office, and Stu shut the door.
“So,” he said, setting his box down and slipping off his coat, I heard what you said to Eli. I take it you’ve decided to stay?”
“No,” she corrected. “I’m gonna go back.”
He nodded slightly, then paused. “You realize you’re going back to an injured body. It’s going to hurt for a while.”
