“I don’t want to be with someone who likes me just because of how I look.I’m tired of being just an object.I’ve tried dating guys before, and that’s all they seem to care about.They just wanted to ogle me and show me off.I guess…you’re one of them, too.”
Tom opened his mouth to say something, but this time, he had no words.He realized that Randall was right.He assumed hot people are shallow, but maybe it was the rest of us who chose to put them in this box.Tom didn’t want to be like those other guys, but before he could respond, Randall walked out of the store.People watched him go, wondering if that was the Santa they’d heard so much about.
Tom pulled himself together.Anything he was feeling would have to wait until his lunch break.A customer needed help retrieving a candy dish from the top shelf, and that was his priority.Not the Hot Mall Santa.
CHAPTER14
One week until Christmas
The Décor Storewas in a state of controlled chaos.The mad rush was in for procrastinators to get presents on time, but it was nothing Tom couldn’t handle.He knew what to expect on this last week of the holidays, and he appreciated the chance to stay so busy.
Hot Mall Santa continued to pack the crowds in.Tom heard of four women thrown out for flashing him and a rumor that a modeling agent had slipped him his card.Tom didn’t care if it was true.He did as much as he could to not think about Randall.No more walking past South Wing.No more eating at their not-so-secret lunch spot.Those were givens.But trying to wring Randall out of his mind was proving to be difficult.The things that Tom remembered the most were moments of them talking, of them driving through Veronese Estates, of the way Randall would look at him as if Tom were the most interesting man in the world, and of how Randall was the most interesting person he knew.The guy had been to how many states, and he was hung up onTom?It sounded completely implausible.
Tom had heard another rumor that the mall manager had offered Randall a good chunk of change to come back for Valentine’s Day and play mall Cupid.Oakville Mall had never done something like that, but it seemed like a no-brainer.Randall in nothing but a diaper?They’d have money coming out of their ears.
“This can’t be happening!”A male customer wearing an ascot yelled at Tom four days before Christmas.“How are you completely out of the cobalt blue decorative spheres?I drove all the way here from Des Moines for them, and now you’re saying you don’t have them?What am I supposed to do?”
“You drove all the way here from Des Moines, Iowa?”Tom asked.
“Yeah, and you should have decorative spheres!”He didn’t seem the least bit concerned about driving five hours to Oakville for literal blue balls.
“I can call up our Des Moines store and see if they have it in stock.”
“I don’t live in Des Moines.”He looked at Tom like he was crazy.“Who cares about Des Moines?”
Seriously?
“I want you to know that I am never shopping at your store again, and I’m going to write a letter to your CEO.He’s my cousin.He’s going to shut this whole store down and fire you.”
“If your cousin is CEO, he could probably track down one of those spheres better than we can.”
“He’s busy.He’s on vacation.He has four kids.”
Tom nodded carefully.The CEO of The Décor Store was Margaret Wallis, who had one daughter, if Tom remembered the company newsletter accurately.He liked to joke that his customers were nutty, but then sometimes, they were legit nuts.It was never a dull day in retail.
“You know what?This whole store can lick my asshole.”The customer put on sunglasses (it was nighttime) and stalked out.
“Don’t you just love the holidays?”Kirsten came over carrying rugs to restock.They frayed and left her apron covered in orange fibers.
“To paraphrase Green Day, wake me up when December ends.”Tom took half her rugs and helped her stack them in the rug aisle.
“How are things?”she asked, and she was not talking about customers.
“It’s fine.”
“Have you gone to see him?”
“Why would I do that?He made it clear he does not want to see me, and it’s for the best because he’s leaving town.This was just a holiday fling.”
Kirsten gave him a hard look.Neither of them believed that.
“Tom, you’re taking it awfully rough for it just being a fling.”
“You’re the one who kept saying that we should all just hook up with Hot Mall Santa because it’s the thing to do.”
“I did.”She placed a rug on the bottom shelf.“And maybe I was wrong.”
Kirsten?Admitting she was wrong?Tom must need to clean out his ears.
