Meeting Mr. Christmas (Collier’s Creek Christmas)

Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jed draped his arm around Noel’s shoulders as he surveyed the crowd. It was the biggest he could remember and, shifting and surging as it waited for the parade to pass by, it would be easy for him and Noel to get separated. He looked up into the sky, clear and without a cloud in sight, the town lights failing to obscure the brightly pulsing stars. No wonder it was so icy, but the snow was forecast to be back with a vengeance in time for Christmas Day.

“Jeez, I’m so cold I think my balls have frozen.” Jed stamped his feet, and Noel chuckled.

“Only your balls? Count yourself lucky.”

Jed smiled. This was good. This was how it should be. This was how the tree lighting should have been, just him and Noel, just like always. They’d go to the beer tent after the parade had gone past, maybe grab something to eat. And visit that stall he’d spotted on the way, the one selling winter hats, because he was sure he’d seen one with a cute dachshund on the front who looked a little like Peter. Noel would love that. Maybe there was a matching scarf and mittens?—

“Hey, Noel. Good to see you.”

Jed’s shoulders tensed. Kent, and just feet away. If the guy thought he was going to be muscling his way back in, he could fuck off. He pulled Noel in closer.

“Jed. You too,” Kent added, his gaze resting on Jed’s possessive arm, his brows raising the smallest fraction and matching the little smile that looked more like a smirk.

“Hi, Kent. Welcome to your first Collier’s Creek Christmas?—”

“Here you go, hun.” A guy pushed his way through the crowd, carrying two hot drinks, looking from Kent to Jed and Noel and back again.

“I think there’s more space over there. Good seeing you both again. Happy Holidays.” Kent hustled the guy with the drinks away, earning irritated looks and complaints from the pressing crowd.

Jed followed their progress. Kent looked back, and Jed caught his eye, before Kent whispered something to the other guy, who looked back at him and Noel with interest before the two of them laughed and turned away.

“If Kent met that guy on the app, he’s having more luck than me. You okay? You’re looking pissed.”

“You still using that thing?” Jed spat out. Still tucked under his arm, Jed felt Noel jerk in surprise. Fuck it, because that wasn’t the only jerk around here.

“Erm, no. The two times I have, it hasn’t been what you’d call a resounding success. But maybe I should give it another go? You know what they say about third time lucky? Look, the Mayor’s about to open the parade.”

An enormous cheer went up. It saved Jed from answering, from saying what he really wanted to say, that Noel didn’t need that stupid app to meet yet another asshole boyfriend.

The discordant sounds of the high school band filled the crisp winter air. It didn’t matter that it was out of tune and out of time, as they played popular carols that had the good-natured crowd cheering and clapping. Camera phones flashed and proud parents waved. The younger band members waved back while the older kids tried their best to pretend their embarrassing moms and dads didn’t exist.

“Do you remember when we were in the school band?” Jed, still holding onto Noel, leaned in, his lips brushing Noel’s earlobe, which was peeking out from under his Santa hat. He felt the rumble of Noel’s laughter before he heard it; it seemed to shiver up through Noel, and Jed shivered in response.

“You were truly terrible and only joined so that you could try to impress that new girl. Do you remember, she was from out of state? What was her name?”

Jed shrugged. “I can’t remember, but what I do is that you always wore a bowtie to every practice session. Said it made you feel like a maestro.” Jed grinned. It was black and shiny and soft to the touch, and came from an expensive store in the mall over in Boomfurt. It had fastened at the back, and he’d batted Noel’s hands away so many times when Noel had got his fingers knotted up, before turning him around by the shoulders and making sure it was straight.

Noel groaned. “Don’t remind me. Pretentious, moi?” He laughed. “No wonder I was easy prey for the likes of Christopher Bastard and the other bullies. Only glad you were there to stop my ass from getting beat.”

Every muscle in Jed’s face stiffened as he tightened his arm around Noel. “No way was I going to let that happen.”

“Well, we weren’t members for too long. Wasn’t it suggested that your talent was better directed towards the football team, and that maybe the chess club was more suited to me?”

Jed chuckled. “You’re right. I’d forgotten that. Were we really that bad?”

“Worse. We made these kids look like the Boston Symphony.”

The local veterans’ association followed the band, marching in strict formation, each sporting a sprig of holly in their hat and saluting when the crowd greeted them with raucous and enthusiastic cheers. Coming up behind them was one of the local kindergartens, the kids all dressed as elves, being both ushered along and pulled back in line by a harassed Mrs. Claus and her helpers.

“Oh, my god. I’ve not seen that before.” Jed pointed to what was being transported on the back of a large truck.

“I’m not sure if it gets worse each year, or better. A giant inflatable of Jake Collier wearing a Santa Claus hat?” Noel shook his head as the truck drew level before making its stately way past. “Sometimes the veneration of our noble founder goes a little too far.”

Jed laughed. “You should listen to Lucian some time. He calls the town’s revered and noble founder St. Jake of The Blessed Creek. At least when there are no customers around. Come on, I’ve had enough of this. Let’s get something to drink.”

The crowd carried them forward, most heading for one of the two beer gardens that had been set up. Both of them groaned when they saw the line snaking its way out of the tent.

“By the time we get to the head of the line, it’ll be the summer fair. Maybe the food trucks won’t be so crowded?” Jed steered Noel away, but they were no better.

“Ouch!” Noel stumbled forward, almost losing his footing as Christopher Bastido shoved through the crowd.

“Watch what you’re doing, asshole.” Jed squared his shoulders.

Christopher jeered in response, and Jed went to grab him but he was pulled away by Noel in one direction as Christopher got caught by the drag of the crowd in another.

“Leave it. He’s drunk. Didn’t you smell him? It was like he had a bath in Jack Daniels. And anyway, Sheriff Morgan and Deputy Sheriff Warren seem to be taking care of him. Look.”

Taking care was exactly what was happening, if taking care meant being cuffed and marched out of the square.

The crowd buffeted and pressed in on them. Like the tree lighting ceremony, there seemed to be more people here than ever. It was uncomfortable, almost claustrophobic, and all Jed wanted was to get out of the crush and breathe.

“What do you say we head out of here, get some take out and beers and go back to your place?”

Noel answered with a wide smile and an enthusiastic nod, the little silver bell on the tip of his Santa hat making a light, tinkling sound. But escaping the crowd wasn’t easy. As they pushed their way through, they bumped into friends and neighbors, every one of them wanting to stop and chat, impeding their way when Jed only wanted to storm through to get back to Noel’s where the two of them could hunker down together. Finally, they managed to escape. It had been like swimming against a strong and relentless tide. Noel’s hat had slipped to the side and clung to his head through pure willpower, and his scarf was coming adrift.

Without thought, Jed straightened Noel’s scarf before he rescued the hat from falling off, tucking Noel’s soft dark hair beneath the thick white faux fur brim.

“Hey, you gonna wipe my nose and make sure I’ve got my lunch money, too?” Noel laughed.

“Somebody’s got to look after you.” Jed tucked away another small hank of errant hair beneath Noel’s hat. Looking after Noel… it was a nice thought. More than nice. “Come on,” he said, pushing Noel forward before he could think too long or too hard. “I need that pizza and an ice cold beer.”