“No, sir.”
“Please, call me Cameron,” I said, smiling.
“No, Cameron, I am the day shift,” he said. “It usually gets pretty busy in here when everyone is done with family and needs a drink. They have a night crew coming in for that. We all drew straws to see when we would work.”
“That stinks,” I said. “If you are going to work, you should at least be given a decent money shift.”
“Just part of the job.” He smiled. “What about you? What are your plans for the day?”
“Well, so far, I am planning on continuing to drink these beers and keep you company.” I laughed. “I travel, so I am usually never in my hometown for Christmas. I am used to it, but with my buddy being gone, I have decided that this is as good a day as any to drink my way through the jingling bells.”
“If I didn’t have to work, I would join you.” He laughed.
“I appreciate the sentiment.” I smiled. “I may take a slight break, halfway through the day, and take to the slopes for a couple hours, but that really depends on how many whiskeys I decide to have between beers.”
“Well, here is your first,” he said, pouring me a shot. “This one is on the house. A Christmas gift from us to you.”
“I feel terrible. I left yours at home.” I laughed.
I drank the shot and set down the glass, closing my eyes and feeling the warmth flow through me. I guessed it was a little pathetic to be getting drunk by myself on Christmas, but I had nothing better to do with my time, so I thought, why not? Besides, was it really considered getting drunk alone when the bartender was there with you? I smiled at the thought of Glen surrounded by his family this morning, unwrapping some terrible socks and some even worse sweaters. As the thoughts ran through my head, I opened my eyes, feeling a hand lay softly on my shoulder.
I looked down at the pretty, red fingernails and smiled, smelling Bea’s sweet scent. I turned in my seat and looked at her. She was standing there with her beautiful hair curled into ringlets and pulled back with a red bow. She was wearing a mid-length white dress with bells on the hem, and her lips were painted crimson in color. She looked absolutely breathtaking. I reached out and took her hand, pulling it to my lips.
“Merry Christmas,” I said, smiling.
“Merry Christmas,” she replied, her cheeks glowing bright red.
I couldn’t remember the last time I looked at a woman and felt completely blown away by how beautiful they really were. This time, I could barely speak. Bea was a vision, standing there, ready to sit down and spend at least a moment of her Christmas by my side. She was a more than welcomed vision, and I was excited to see her standing there.
“May I b
uy you a drink?”
“I would love that,” she said, pulling out the stool and sitting down.
“Anything that the lady desires,” I said, winking at the bartender.
“I’ll have an Irish coffee,” she replied, turning toward me. “It doesn’t count if it’s in coffee, right?”
“I never saw a thing,” I responded with a deep laugh. “So, what brings you down to the lounge this Christmas morning?”
“I figured I’d find you around here somewhere,” she said, laughing.
“You know me too well already,” I replied with a smile, glancing up at the TV and seeing the little boy all dressed up in his snow gear. “Look, it’s you, the first time I ever talked to you.”
“Very funny,” she said, slapping me on the arm. “Wasn’t that the first time you ever saw me, too?”
“No, actually,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I saw you for the first time when you arrived here. I immediately tried to find you, knowing I just couldn’t go another day without speaking to you, but then I lost you. I went out to the courtyard, seeing you down there, but by the time I got there, you were gone.”
“Wait, so I was who you were looking for?”
“What?”
“After the courtyard, I came inside and went upstairs,” she replied. “As the elevator doors closed, I saw you walk in front of them, standing there looking for someone.”
“Yes.” I laughed. “I was looking for you.”
“Well that is very serendipitous, don’t you think?”