Naughty & Nice (Merry Elf-Mas 2)

Chapter 8

Damon

“ H ave a happy holiday, little friends.” I saw the most recent batch of kids off with a smile. This job was exhausting, but I was hanging in there. As we were getting closer to Christmas, the lines were getting longer and longer. So were the wait times. I’d had to skip my lunch to make sure the others got theirs.

It was crazy how we had posted hours for when Santa was on break, yet people still tried to force their way in. This one asshole had tried to pick a fight with Angel just yesterday. That had been a dumb move on his part. Not just because my boyfriend could put the dude on his ass, but because it was all on camera. Jack himself had told the guy if he didn’t back down, he’d press charges. It was nice having a boss who cared about his employees and not just his bottom line.

With the last guests on their way, I turned to Rolly. “How are you holding up there, Santa? Ready to go to lunch?”

Rolly got to his feet with a groan and rubbed his hip. “Heck yeah. I need to move and feel like I could eat an entire reindeer.”

I chuckled and opened my mouth to see if I could join him for a meal when movement caught my attention. Turning toward the line entrance, I saw an older woman with three little girls and an elderly woman with a walker. The woman looked familiar, but I couldn’t place where I’d seen her. She was glaring at the velvet rope and posted times in frustration.

Damn, and here I thought I was going to get a lunch date with Master. I forced my customer service smile to my lips and approached the group. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we’re closed for lunch. Santa will be back in an hour.”

“Oh, has he gone to lunch already?” The woman pulled her phone out. “Why isn’t he answering my texts, then?”

Was she looking for Rolly? I was just about to ask when something slammed into my legs. Looking down, I found Flora smiling up at me. “Damon!”

“Well, hello princess. What are you doing here?” I bent and scooped the girl into my arms.

“Nana, an Old Nana bring Flora see Unka Rolly.” She pointed at the older woman before turning her attention to my furry collar.

So they were here for Rolly and seemed to be family. I remembered a conversation with Holli about his family dynamic. He’d been raised by his Aunt Lolly and Grandma Dolly. Were these two ladies those very women? Oh shit, was I meeting Master’s mom and sister? I was not prepared for this. Double shit. Angel should be here, too, but it was his day off.

“Try him again, Lolly. I didn’t brave all that snow just to get stood up.” The elderly woman, Miss Dolly, I assumed, pushed her walker closer and dropped in the seat. “Or maybe this young pup can tell us where he is.”

Was this lady psychic? People didn’t just go around calling other people pup, right? Did I give off a vibe? Was it tattooed on my forehead? Okay, now I was spiraling. Get it together, dude. “Uh, yeah. He was just going on break. I can go get him.”

I set Flora down and scurried off before this woman could find me thinking unholy thoughts about her son. Jeez, this was not the way I imagined meeting Rolly’s family. I’d thought it would be a nice, casual affair. Meet up for a meal and ease them into us being in a throuple. I mean, we weren’t there yet, but it was a matter of time. Even with Angel and his this is a onetime thing.

With my mind a mess, I wasn’t paying attention as I approached the break room door. It swung open, and I almost took a blow to my face. Stumbling back, I pinwheeled my arms as I fell flat on my ass. Graceful wasn’t a word I would’ve used to describe myself on the best of days.

“Damon? Oh my goodness, are you okay?” Rolly appeared over with a worried expression and his hand held out to me. He’d removed his robe, so he looked more like businessman Santa than traditional. It was hot. Did I have a suit fetish? Not the point right now.

“Yeah, that just surprised me.” I took his hand and got to my feet. I was certain I was blushing all the way up to my ears. Nothing better for your self-esteem than looking like a grade A goof in front of the guy you were crushing on.

Rolly looked me over as I dusted imaginary dust off my butt. “I was just coming to find you. I was going to ask you to join me for lunch.”

Was that my heart fluttering in my chest? Why yes, it was. Then I remembered why I’d been rushing to find him, and my mood took a nosedive into anxiety town. “About that. I was just coming to tell you that your family is looking for you.”

Rolly gave me a curious look as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He glanced at the screen with a huff. “I told Lolly to go to the food court, and I’d meet them there.” While he sounded exasperated, there was a loving fondness in his voice. Damn, he was so damn cute.

“I wouldn’t want to impose on your family time.” I fidgeted with my costume, hating that I’d missed out on a lunch date with Master.

“Nonsense.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the village entrance. “The more the merrier. Plus, you’re good with kids, so you can help be my buffer.”

There was a playful twinkle in his gorgeous blue eyes, and I fell even harder for him. He acted so gruff but was just a big old marshmallow inside. I drifted on my happy cloud behind him as we met up with his family.

“There you are.” Lolly looked flustered as she pocketed her phone.

“Unka Rolly!” Flora flew at us with her two cousins hot on her heels.

Rolly let go of my hand as he struggled onto one knee and caught all three girls in a hug. “Hi, girls. Kelly, Ashley, have you been taking care of your little cousin?”

The older two nodded before all three of them broke out into a cacophony of chatter. It was adorable, and if my heart hadn’t already been a pile of love goo, it would have melted.

“Good job, pup.” I was startled when a hand landed on my forearm. My gaze drifted to my side to find Dolly smiling at me. When the hell had she gotten there? I hadn’t even noticed, and she had a damn walker. She was like an old lady ninja. Wait, I shouldn’t think of my future mother-in-law like that.

“Um, thanks.” Damn, this was awkward. Could she really read my mind? Don’t think about how you were blowing her son just the other day.

She chuckled as she took my arm. “I like you.” Her eyes glimmered like we were sharing an inside joke before moving to the others. “Rolly, I’m keeping this one. You help Lolly herd those girls.”

“What? But Aunt Dolly.” Wait. Aunt Dolly, so she’s not his mom?

She gave him a dismissive wave. “I have spoken. Come on, pup.”

Flabbergasted, I fell in step with Dolly as we walked to the food court. My mind was tied in knots as I tried to map out this family tree. Did no one raise their own kids in this family?

“Don’t think too hard about it, sweetie. You’ve got smoke coming out of your ears.” Dolly’s tinkling giggle pulled me out of thoughts.

I gazed at her with a million questions dancing on the tip of my tongue. “So he’s not your son?” Wow, that’s the best you can do, Damon? She’s going to think you’re an idiot .

Dolly hummed and tipped her head from side to side. “Depends on how you look at it. In my heart he is, but biologically, no, he isn’t.” She gave a sad sigh as we walked. “I was pregnant with Lolly at the same time my sister-in-law, that rotten old sow, was pregnant with Rolly.” She gestured to her children. “They were raised like siblings. He’s older by a week, but folks thought they were twins.”

“Did he have any siblings?” If Dolly was opening things for me, I was going to soak up everything she had to say.

“No, and his parents didn’t know what a gem they had. All because he wasn’t the son they wanted and had all these ridiculous old-fashioned expectations.” The frosty look that crossed her face was enough to freeze my blood. “He was just thirteen when he came to us in the middle of the night. Half beaten to death by his father.”

I wanted to ask more, but there was a deep pain in her eyes. It wouldn’t take much for me to fill in my own ideas. Same old story, just different characters. All I could do was give her hand an understanding pat.

She offered me a sad smile. “After that, we took him in and raised him. He was such a creative boy. He could paint things that took my breath away.” The pride that filled her voice made me want to see Rolly’s paintings. “We thought he’d go to art school, but instead, he joined the military. The row he and Solly had about that was the angriest I’d ever seen either of them.”

We’d almost reached the food court, so I knew our private conversation was coming to an end. “Thank you for sharing all that with me.”

She squeezed my arm. “Of course. How else am I supposed to show you I trust you boys with my son’s heart?”

That startled me, and we skidded to a halt. I gaped at her and did my best impression of a fish gasping for air. This woman had to be psychic.

“Oh, I know all about you and little Angel.” She gave me a conspiratorial smile. “Jack has a big mouth, and I love that about him.”

Great. Glad to know my boss was up on the latest gossip about me and was telling others about it. “Um, so our age gap and the fact there are two of us doesn’t bother you?”

She burst out laughing, and it reminded me so much of Rolly. “I knew I was going to like you the minute I saw you.” She gave my arm a firm squeeze. “I don’t care about things like gender or age. As long as love is between two consenting adults, I don’t see a problem. Hell, I was sixteen and my Solly was twenty-six when we got married. Back then, no one even batted an eye.”

“Wow, Grandpa Solly was a cradle robber.” I clamped my hand over my mouth in mortification. My mouth should have a sign that said insert foot here.

“That he was, but he was mine. I know by today’s standards, us being together would be frowned upon, but there was nothing wrong with our love.” She reached up and stroked my cheek. “Just like there’s nothing wrong with yours.”

I was going to cry. Just break down right there in the middle of the mall and sob like a baby. Rolly was so lucky to have this wonderful woman as his mom, and I’d do everything to show her I was worthy of them both.