“Because you’re beautiful? Because you’re so pretty, one hunky boyfriend is not enough, you need one for each arm?”
Fitz opened his mouth to reply, but Merry thrust his hands in Fitz’s direction.
“Look at you! Look at your hair! I mean, do you wash it with the tears of angels? Do birds come to your window every morning to wake you with their song? Who has cheekbones like that? And why do you always smell like flowers and sunshine? It’s not normal!”
No one had ever angrily shouted compliments at him before.
Fitz smiled warmly at Merry. “Honey, he wanted to talk about you.”
Merry opened his mouth as if to argue, then closed it. “Wait, what?”
With a chuckle, Fitz started to remove his coat. “Why don’t you make us a couple of those amazing Christmas-in-a-cup mochaccinos, and we can talk about it.”
Since Jack was making good on his promise to take care of himself, he’d slept in this morning, and Fitz woke up to his man’s sweet kisses. They’d fooled around a little, and afterward, Fitz told Jack about Merry and Noel and how when Fitz saw how hopeless Merry was around Noel, he’d decided to do everything in his matchmaking power to help Merry snag himself an early Christmas present. They’d agreed Fitz would meet Jack at the Ice Castle afterward.
Fitz draped his coat over the back of a chair, thanking Merry for his heavenly drink. They sat at the small table. “Noel asked me to dinner because he wanted to talk about you. He’s been smitten with you since you arrived but doesn’t quite know how to approach you.”
Merry scrunched his nose. “You mean because every time he so much as looks at me, I freak out?” His expression softened. “He’s really interested in me?”
Fitz nodded. “He asked for my help.”
“He did?” Merry’s face lit up, and his cheeks flushed pink. He inhaled deep through his nose and exhaled through his mouth. “Okay. Just tell me what to do. I can do this.”
“That’s the spirit!” Fitz checked his watch. “Noel is going to walk through that door in ten minutes.”
Merry’s eyes went huge, and he let out a squeak. “What?”
“He’s going to walk up to the counter and order a black coffee. You’re going to pour him that coffee and hand it over. Let’s go practice.” He got up and motioned for Merry to stand behind the counter. Fitz told Merry exactly what to say, and Merry practiced over and over. The time came, and Fitz hid in the kitchen behind the counter. The little bell above the café door rang, and Fitz turned to Merry.
“Ready?”
Merry shook his head. “I can’t do this.”
“Sure you can,” Fitz whispered. “We practiced. Remember?”
“I can’t. I’m going to mess it up.”
Fitz took hold of Merry’s shoulders and met his gaze. “You can do this. I know you can. Just go out there, and when he steps up to the counter, you say exactly what I told you to say.”
“Um, hello? Merry?” A deep, rumbling voice asked.
“That’s your cue,” Fitz said, gently shoving Merry. He bit his bottom lip and watched through the small window in the door as Merry’s big, tall, handsome lumberjack crush stood at the counter, waiting for his coffee, as planned.
They were starting small. Simple.
Merry stood on his side of the counter looking adorable with his tousled blond hair, big blue eyes, and flushed cheeks. He forced a big smile, and Fitz cringed. Not exactly like they practiced. Merry looked a little unhinged, but they’d work on that later—one step at a time. Merry opened his mouth, and no sound came out.
You can do this.
Merry promptly closed his mouth, seemed to gather himself, then opened his mouth to speak. “Haaaoooono.”
One word. That was all Merry had to say.
Merry spun on his heels and power-walked back into the kitchen.
Oh dear. Fitz might have underestimated the severity of the situation.
“Can you give him his coffee?” Merry pleaded as he paced the small kitchen. “It’s next to the espresso machine.”
