Santa's Secret

“Look, we had breakfast, nothing more. I called him over to my table because he was by himself and I was alone. I don’t understand why everyone looks for a hidden meaning when there isn’t one. A long time ago, in a land far far away, Aiden and I were a couple… but that was back in high school. I left. He got married and had a daughter. It’s not like either of us has spent years pining away for each other.” I look at my mom, future sister-in-law and my best friend. Each of them has a smirk on their faces, which boggles my mind. I’m either incredibly dense, or they’re up to something. Shaking my head, I get up and head toward the bar, taking the first stool available. I sigh heavily and raise my finger to get the attention of the bartender.

“Sounds like a heated conversation,” the man next to me says. I close my eyes and nod.

“You have no idea. Why do people meddle or make a big deal about nothing?”

He finishes his drink and sets his tumbler down. Strangely, he never turns to look at me, and for some reason, I find this mildly refreshing. This man wants to have a conversation and not try to pick me up or flirt. “For some, it’s what they do; it’s how they survive. For others, it’s their way of caring.”

“Well, the caring is a bit overboard in my opinion.”

“What can I get you?” the bartender asks.

“Baileys please and whatever the gentleman is having.” I motion toward the man who seems to speak with reason.

“Thank you,” he says. “It’s been years since a woman has bought me a drink. Usually, it’s the man who offers.”

“I didn’t exactly offer. I suppose I should’ve asked if you wanted another.”

This time he does turn, and when we make eye contact, he smiles. Except, there’s something about him I find familiar, and it’s not an oh-I’m-so-happy-to-see-you feeling. It’s the stranger-danger-move-with-caution sense, which instantly makes me regret buying this man a drink. I take another look, wondering where it is I know him from. Certainly, not from around here and if he were friends of my parents, surely he’d go over and say something to my mother. I shake my head, trying to clear the cobwebs, to no avail. Still, something about him and the way he’s speaking has the hairs on my neck standing at attention. Oddly enough, I haven’t felt this way since I had a stalker, who is safely under observation elsewhere. The only thing I can deduce is that this man is paparazzi, making me thankful Calvin is with me… I try to smile, but it’s forced, and I feel like he can sense this. Even as I turn away, I can feel his gaze still focused on me. I was stupid to suggest Calvin go with the guys tonight, but I wanted him to have fun and not resent me for ruining his vacation.

The bartender returns with my drink, and I pull it close to me, guarding it against errant hands that may come toward me. “Can you put this on my tab?” Surprisingly, my voice remains calm, even though the fight or flight senses are starting to kick in.

“You got it,” he says.

“Well, enjoy your drink,” I say to the man next to me, still being polite despite my need to run back to the safety of my group. He holds his glass up in salute as I slide off the stool. As quickly as I can, I rush back to the sofas we’ve been using for the evening.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” my mom says as I sit down with her and Eileen.

Shaking my head, I make an ill-fated attempt at grinning. “I don’t know. There’s something about that man at the bar. I get the impression I know him or at least have seen him, and our meeting wasn’t favorable.”

“Paparazzi?” Mindy asks.

“No, I don’t think so. I mean, why would they come to Ramona Falls?”

Eileen pulls her phone out and aims in his direction. “What are you doing?” I pull her hand down before he can turn around.

“What?” She shrugs. “I can run him through facial recognition on the web and see if he comes up.”

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My mom gasps. Mindy claps. I roll my eyes. “You can’t do that… or can you?” Now my interests are piqued.

Eileen grins like a cheshire cat. “Definitely. When my sister brought her boyfriend home, I snapped a picture of him and loaded it to see if he showed up in places he shouldn’t.”

“That’s rather sneaky,” Mom says. “But I like it.”

“How do I not know this? You could totally revolutionize the dating game.”

Mindy laughs so loud; others turn to see what’s going on in our section. “ I can see it now, ‘Hollywood Starlet makes any potential suitor vying for her attention post personal photos before agreeing to a date.’”

I toss the throw pillow in her direction but completely miss her. “Laugh now, but think of the heartache it would save.”

“You’re, right D. You would’ve known Trey was an epic douche,” Mindy says.

The cheerfulness I had been feeling quickly subsides until I play back the week prior. Mindy’s right. If I had known, I would’ve never dated him. I suppose we all learn from our mistakes at some point in our lives. “Well, Trey is happily doing whatever…” I trail off, knowing our break-up was for the best.

Sixteen

Aiden