I don’t have time to contemplate what he might mean by that. Bridget is grinning at me again. She calls to the photographer and asks her to take our picture with Santa. She keeps hold of my hand and puts her other arm around Hugh’s neck, so I do the same before looking at the camera. I think I’m smiling, but I must not be because Bridget squeezes my hand and Hugh gives me a little nudge in the side, hitting me right where I’m ticklish and making me laugh.
“That’s a great one,” the photographer says. “You can pick it up in the gift shop in a few minutes.”
Bridget’s fingers tighten on mine again and she pulls me to my feet. “Thanks, Santa. I hope we can hang out sometime when you’re off duty.”
Hugh’s eyes are on me as he says, “I’d like that very much.”
*****
Now that Bridget has seen Santa, I’m hoping she’ll be content to eat somewhere else. When I suggest it, she says there’s still more to see and she’s not ready to leave. I suppose I can’t blame her; there really is something enchanting about this place. My initial resistance to spend my day off here was only half-hearted, and I’ve been enjoying myself thoroughly despite…well, whatever that was with Hugh.
We head in the direction of Mama Elf’s Diner. Inside the door, we join the short lineup of people waiting to be seated. All the water and coffee I had this morning is beginning to catch up to me, and I realize I’m about thirty seconds away from doing a pee-pee dance.
“Go,” Bridget says when I hiss in her ear that I have to pee really badly. “I’ll wait and get us a table.”
The bathroom only has two stalls, and they’re both occupied, plus two more people are waiting ahead of me. I contemplate ducking into the men’s room since it never seems to be as busy as the ladies’. Luckily for my bladder, the line moves quickly. By the time I make it out to the dining room, Bridget has been seated. She’s at a table for four, even though there are a couple of two-seaters free nearby. As I approach, I spot three menus on the table.
“Is David joining us?” I ask, taking the chair across from her.
“No, Hugh.”
“Hugh?” I ask, surprise making my voice high-pitched. “How did that happen?”
“I saw him walk by outside while I was waiting for our table, and I ducked out to talk to him. He said he was heading for lunch, so I asked if he wanted to join us. He said he just needed to change out of the Santa suit so people wouldn’t accost us all through lunch.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Okay. This is okay. It was inevitable I’d have to spend time with him. We work together and he’s friendly with the staff.
“What’s going on with you?” Bridget asks. “You’re acting so weird about Hugh.”
Her question makes me realize I haven’t had a chance to tell her about what happened yesterday. God, was that really only yesterday? It’s been the strangest week, with time alternately dragging and flying. I barely know if I’m coming or going anymore, and I’ve only had these odd new work hours for five days. I’ll be a basket case by Christmas.
My gaze sweeps around the diner to make sure Hugh hasn’t arrived and no one’s paying attention to us. I lean forward and Bridget copies the motion. As briefly as possible, I fill her in on my run-in with ‘Santa’ yesterday and how I blurted out my Christmas wish. I omit the fact said wish was prompted in part by my envy of Bridget’s life. I tell her how I officially met Hugh and found out Santa is a hot young guy instead of the old man I’d initially assumed. “Now I feel weird around him. We cleared the air last night at the bar, but when he dropped me off, we had a…I wouldn’t call it a moment, but close enough.”
I expect her to ask me to elaborate, but she probably thinks we’re running out of time before Hugh arrives. Instead, she nods and says, “So now you’re all awkward penguin.”
I scoff. I don’t remember the origin of the term ‘awkward penguin’, but it’s been one of our many inside jokes for years. When I start to like a guy—whether it’s a new attraction or a sudden crush on someone I’ve known for awhile—I have a tendency to become awkward. I try not to let it happen, but I can’t seem to control it. “Doesn’t apply in this case, Bridge. I only go awkward penguin on guys I have a crush on. I don’t even know Hugh.”
“Well, let’s change that, shall we?” Hugh says from behind me.
Oh god. Kill me now. How much of our conversation did he hear? And why didn’t Bridget shush me? A quick look at my best friend shows her eyes wide with shock. Ahh, of course. Despite me telling her Santa is in fact an attractive young-ish guy, she probably wasn’t expecting the hot Scot behind me. I bet he has that effect on a lot of people, especially the first time they see him out of costume.
Hugh pulls out the chair beside mine and takes a seat. My body’s instant reaction to his nearness makes me second guess what I said a minute ago about not having a crush on him. I swallow hard. At least this is better than having him sit across from me, since I can’t stare at him when he’s next to me.
Hugh picks up his menu and sets it down again a second later, looking between Bridget and me. “Should I let you finish your conversation and then come back?”
Shit, neither of us has spoken since he arrived.
Bridget shakes her head. “Sorry. I just wasn’t expecting…you.” She waves a hand in his direction, then quickly adds, “I mean, I was expecting you obviously, but I…I didn’t realize you’re Scottish.”
I can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. Someone’s going to get a gloaty earful later about how I’m not the only awkward penguin when a cute boy is around.
Hugh explains to Bridget what he told me last night about staying in character whenever he’s wearing the Santa suit. “So many people on staff have worked here for years, so I forget new people don’t make the connection immediately.”
The waitress comes over and we all place our lunch orders.
“Where in Scotland are you from?” Bridget asks.
“I’m originally from a wee town in the Highlands called Cromarty.” Between his deep voice and the way he rolls his Rs, I have to sit on my hands to keep from fanning myself. “My sister and I both own homes in Inverness now, though.”
