Mom smiled and eased back on the couch with her cup of tea. “There are so many. We used to watch them as a family. Every Wednesday at the library, they continued some kind of classics series. Your Aunt April had the biggest crush on Carey.”
“You mean Cary Grant?” I covered my mouth so I didn’t spill any tea from grinning. The first-name use of the actor’s nameand her wistful smile implied she shared the infatuation. “He was pretty dreamy.”
Nodding, she gazed at the TV, though I wasn’t sure she was really seeing what was onscreen. “Tall, dark, and handsome. Smart. Very classy.”
“Just the way I like ‘em.” I blew on my tea and winked.
Mom widened her eyes. “Is Harvey…? Mm, never mind.” She sipped her tea.
“Yes, he’s all those things.” I grinned and sat cross-legged. “Maybe he’s a little less ‘classically’ charming than Cary, but he’s also a lot sweeter, I think.”
She nodded firmly. “Good.”
Good!
Hey, she approved of something. Or at least somewhat respected the assessment of the guy I was dating. I smiled to myself and kept watching the movie. The protagonist visited a sick child, and without thinking, I said, “I wish the mall would let us keep the outfits. Not just for parties. I could probably use it to visit children’s hospitals or something. That’s what some of our Santas do with their own suits.”
Mom nodded slowly and sipped her tea, her gaze darting to the closed blinds before training back on the TV. “That would be interesting.”
Was that code for 'weird?'
I guessed it didn’t matter, because the outfit was going back within a week of my final shift, packed away along with all the other Christmas decorations.
At least I’d still have the poinsettias Harvey got me. In lieu of smelling his delicious bread at the shop every day, I’d have to invest in some cinnamon tea. Hopefully, I could afford to get little reminders of our adventures this season to keep me sustained on magical memories.
I texted Harvey, “Good morning” with a bunch of kisses, sunshine, and heart emojis.
He texted back, “It’s only good because I get to see you later.”
I grinned, hugging my phone and a pillow. Love made the tiniest gestures more extraordinary. No matter what happened to Sugarplum, I knew I’d be okay as Shelby.
37
Beauty and the Grinch
A few days later, I went in for my last shift: Christmas Eve.
I drove past the main lot, where customers were already waiting at the gates and rubbing their mittens, then parked in the employee lot. A group of people walked past my car, their shoulders hunched to their ears.
“Can’t believe I had to work today,” one said.
The other shrugged. “Hey, at least we get holiday pay.”
And for some of us, a bonus check. I marched into a steady stride behind them.
“At least it gets me away from my in-laws…” Their conversation trailed off into other grumblings, but my mind wandered to the possibility of meetingHarvey’sparents.
Tomorrow, he’d be with them at his uncle’s house. If it wasn’t so far, I’d have loved to take him up on the invitation to join him. Not that my family would spare me. It wouldn’t be the best time to meet the Hamlins, anyways. It was the biggest holiday of the year and my first day of unemployment.
I adjusted my old backpack, the curled toes of my elf shoes scratching my shoulders through my puffy coat. I’d also brought a change of clothes for when I had to turn my uniform in at the end of the day. Sighing, I shuffled across patches of cleared, salty pavement, dragging my feet.
“Heads up,” someone called sharply.
A ball of cold wetness blasted against my calf. Shrieking, I whirled around, my heart beating fast. Nowaythis would happen on my last day.
A familiar tall man in an olive hat shook droplets off his hand from three rows back. “Sorry. I thought I saw a grinch slinking through the parking lot.”
“Harvey.” I laughed and ran over to him, jingling all the way.
