Christmas in Bayberry

After he’d tried on the sweater, the salesman peered at him through his bifocals as he handed Wes five more sweaters to try on. And Kate, after learning his size, handed him a stack of jeans from slim fit to loose fit. Some were a dark wash, some faded, and one pair had a greenish tint.

He looked at Kate. “I don’t think I’m going to need all of these clothes. I’m not staying that long.”

“I thought you were here until Christmas.”

“I am, but—”

“Then you need them.” She smiled. “We can’t have you getting sick or anything.”

When all was said and done, Wes walked out of the Men’s Store with four sweaters, four pairs of jeans, warm socks, waterproof boots, lined gloves, a knit cap and a lined winter coat. He was already wearing some of his purchases. There was no point in freezing if he didn’t have to. He wiggled his warm toes in his new boots. He was certainly prepared for whatever winter weather was thrown his way.

They headed up Main Street to Mel’s Grille to grab some supper. Wes knew he should be back in his room inputting data into spreadsheets, but he told himself that even he couldn’t go long without eating, especially on this snowy cold evening.

When they walked in the restaurant, the dinner crowd turned as one and called out Kate’s name. She waved. Wes smiled and shook his head. He felt like he’d walked into the middle of a sitcom, where everybody knew her name.

Once they were seated at a table, he said, “I don’t know how to thank you. Let me know if there’s some way I can pay you back.”

“Glad to have helped.” She worried her bottom lip as though unsure if she should say something or not.

“Go ahead.”

Her gaze met his. “What?”

“You have something on your mind. Go ahead and say it. I think if we’re good enough friends for you to help me pick me out a new winter wardrobe, we can talk about whatever you have on your mind.”

She leaned back in the chair. “Did you really mean it when you said you wanted to pay me back?”

He suddenly got an uneasy feeling. “If this is about the work I’m doing for your aunt—”

“It’s not. I promise.”

He breathed a lot easier. “Then tell me what it is. Maybe I can help.”

“I need Santa.”

He smiled, thinking she was joking. “And you would like me to, um, just phone him?”

Her eyes twinkled. “That would be helpful. Do you have his number on hand?”

Wes smiled and shook his head. “Kate, what are you talking about?”

“Well, Fred was supposed to be our Santa, but now that he’s injured, I need a new Santa for tomorrow night at the sale.”

Wes held up a hand to stop her. “And you think I would make a good Santa?”

She shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

“For one, I’ve never played Santa. And for two, I don’t have a Santa suit.” He would do almost anything for her, but dressing up like a big red elf wasn’t what he’d had in mind. He shook his head. “You’ve asked the wrong person.”

“Please.” Her green eyes begged him. “You’re the right size to fit in Fred’s suit. Most of the other men in town are too tall or too short.”

“But I’m just right?”

She nodded. “It would mean so much to me and to the whole town. After all, what’s Christmas without Santa?”

Why did he find it so hard to turn her down? When Kate stared at him, as she was doing now, he fell under her spell. And all he could think to say was, “Okay. I’ll do it.”

“You will?” Her whole face lit up as she shifted in her seat.