Meeting Mr. Christmas (Collier’s Creek Christmas)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Curled up on his squashy couch with a steaming cup of hot chocolate, mellow jazz turned low in the background, Noel Christmas flicked through the pages of the Collier’s Creek Chronicle, packed with gossip and tittle tattle masquerading as not very good journalism. Turning to what was laughingly called the Life Style section, the headline hit hard between the eyes. ‘ Love at First Swipe — Dating App Connects Collier ’ s Creek LGBTQ+ Singles. Cupid ’ s romance-tipped arrows have struck the heart of our small town…’

Noel read through the article, which detailed testimonials from couples who’d found each other through the lonely hearts app which had burst on the local scene just weeks before. Photos of smiling couples, all of them effusive in their praise for Love Heartz. Noel snorted. Love Heartz? Really? The name of the app was enough to make him want to gag. Love Heartz, it was claimed, had, with a few clicks, brought romance and warmth into countless cold and barren lives. Noel rolled his eyes. Okay, maybe cold and barren weren’t the actual words used by Honey Sweeting, The Chronicle’s lifestyle guru, but that was the real meaning behind the gushing, saccharine prose.

Peering closely at the least out-of-focus photograph, Noel studied Love Heartz’ latest success story. Bruce and Kevin, hand in hand and wearing matching I Love Collier’s Creek sweaters and cowboy hats, had, according to Honey’s strangled prose, recently announced their engagement and would be celebrating with family and friends at Randy’s Rodeo Grill and Bar, The Creek’s premier ribs and steak restaurant (discount coupon available for parties of ten or more) for an evening filled with love, laughter and line dancing. ‘ Love Heartz is such a breath of fresh air, ’ Bruce, seventy-two years-young, said…’ Noel spat out his mouthful of hot chocolate, spraying the smiling, loved-up couple. Whatever glittering career Honey Sweeting had ahead of her, it wasn’t in journalism. Bruce, dwarfed by his sweater and cowboy hat, couldn’t have been older than forty… ‘ I ’ d given up on finding a true connection and happiness when so many dating apps are just photograph after photograph of anatomy it wouldn ’ t be right to mention in a wholesome family publication like The Chronicle…’

Noel’s cell, sitting on his coffee table, vibrated;reaching for it, the familiar twist of anticipation pulled tight in his chest.

Meet me at CC ’ s in 30?

Sure, see you there :) Noel typed back.

Noel threw aside the newspaper, Collier’s Creek’s lonely gay hearts forgotten. Mid-morning, mid-week, Jed should have been at work in the town’s one and only florist, Floristry by Lucian Blaxston. Noel couldn’t help the involuntary smile pulling at his lips. Jed, tall, broad, muscular, and so damn good looking it should have been a crime, his best and oldest friend, and life long secret crush, wasn’t anybody’s idea of a trainee florist.

Stretching out his stiff shoulders, Noel yawned; he could do with getting out for a while. He’d logged on before 6:00am and been hunched over his laptop for most of the time since then. His tech job, creating and testing applications for mobile devices, not only paid well, it came with the benefit of working from home, but it was too easy, sometimes, to forget to leave his apartment — or it would be if it weren’t for the fur baby.

“Hey, Peter. Wanna go see Jed?” Noel looked down at his miniature dachshund curled up next to him on the couch. Peter wriggled and barked, pushing himself to standing on his stubby legs as his tail whipped from one side to the other. “I take it that’s a yes.”

With Peter wrapped up in his snazzy tartan coat and matching hat, Noel pulled on his big, padded jacket. Ramming on his rainbow patterned woolen hat with tasseled ear flaps and winding his soft, fluffy, bright pink scarf around his neck, he threw a glance at himself in the hallway mirror before he grabbed his keys and wallet. Was this really how a man of twenty-three was supposed to look? He doubted it, but as winter had descended on Collier’s Creek over the last few days, bringing snow and chasing away the last, lingering remnants of fall, he didn’t care because what he did care about was spending time with Jed.