“Follow your heart, babe,” I told her. “The sixth baby sense will tell you when it’s the wrong flavor combo.”
“The sixth baby sense?” Luca asked.
“You know, like when the baby makes you nauseous and is likeOh no you don’twhen you smell or eat something,” I explained.
Winnie laughed a little and pulled my arm closer around her, causing something in my chest—and pants—to rumble.
Luca sipped his cherry limeade margarita. “Sì, certo. That actually makes sense.”
“If people knew how smart I was, it would scare them,” I told him without a funny bone in my body.
“I really appreciate this unearned confidence,” Sunny said as she bopped her head to the music. “Also, you don’t have to speak Italian to us, Luca; you’re not in Italy right now.”
A desolate sip of margarita. “Don’t remind me. My beloved is there, pining away for me.”
Sunny was still bopping. “Did you tell your beloved in Italy that while he’s toiling away at his new animation studio, you’re at a strip club with hisdad?”
We all looked over at Teddy, who was standing at the bar getting a glass of white wine.
“I did,” Luca said. “Angel asked me to chaperone. He thinks Steph might try to take advantage of Teddy’s innocence.”
“It’s hard to think of the man who madeCamp Stepbrotheras innocent,” I said, stroking Winnie’s arm. Her head was now on my shoulder.
“You take that back!” Bee shouted. “Teddy is a giant Care Bear!”
“Good people of Christmas Notch,” the DJ called from the side of the stage. “Tonight we’ve got a special treat in store for us in honor of the Hope After Dark cast and crew party! Give a hardy welcome to Donner and Cupid!”
Two girls in monster high heels and the kind of reindeer onesies people buy for their whole families to wear on Christmas sauntered out onto the stage.
“Hello, ladies!” Bee called before letting out a whoop.
“God, I love when they come out with a ridiculous amount of clothing on,” Sunny said. “I have such a lady boner right now.”
I leaned down and whispered to Winnie, “If this is weird, I’d be happy to take you back to one of the private rooms for an encore.”
She giggled. It was a sleepy giggle, something I’d had the deep pleasure of becoming familiar with over the last several days. “Not that I don’t always want a private dance from you, but I just went pretty hard on those Irish nachos and I don’t know how long I’ll be for this fully conscious world. Plus... it’s kind of sexy to be here with you... as a patron.”
“I like it,” I nodded. “I like it.”
“Seriously, though.” She yawned. “I may need to get back to the inn.”
“Aw, babe,” I said, squeezing her. “The party’s just getting started. See?”
Donner and Cupid each took a pole on either end of the stage, leaving the middle one empty as the music transitioned into a soft, sultry voice singing, “Santa, baby...”
The whole table gasped as though it was the most shocking thing in the world that two strippers named after Santa’s reindeer in a Christmas-themed bar were dancing to a song that just so happened to also be the title of the movie we’d just wrapped.
The girls zipped down their onesies and effortlessly kicked them off and into the laps of eager onlookers to reveal Mrs.Claus outfits underneath, which consisted of sequined triangle bikini tops, matching thongs, and aprons so tiny they could fit on Tamara’s old American Girl dolls.
“I might have to get myself one of those outfits,” Winnie yawn-whispered.
“Oh, trust me when I say this one-hundred-percent Jewish guy has a bona fide Santa kink now.”
She looked up to me. “You can be my ho, ho, ho.”
I grinned and pressed a kiss to her lips. How could one person be so smart and funny and stunning and perfect all at once?
Bee leaned forward over her glass of Grinch Punch. “Come on, Santa! Show these girls what you got!”
