Chapter 6

“I got a date.”

“No way. For when?”

“Thursday.”

“Thursday? That’s Christmas Eve. Who’re you going out with, Prancer or Dancer?”

“He’s more of a Prancer,” Samir plays along. “It’s Kerry.”

“Our Kerry? This Kerry? The Kerry who’s coming towards me with a glass of wine and the shit-eatin’est grin I ever did see? That Kerry?”

Samir nods. He’s proud, he’s nervous, he’s so hot for the kid he’s damn near giddy. He’s vibrating in the booth when Kerry offers Lisa her usual along with a smile, suddenly shy but too amped to sit still.

But the bar has gotten busy and Kerry doesn’t linger. He tosses Samir a wink, which elicits another giggle, then scampers off.

“Where you gonna take him?” Lisa asks.

“Who cares? My house, if this Santa of yours is any good.”

“And they say romance is dead.”

“Hey, I’ve got candles. I’ve got wine. Romance loves coming to my house.”

Lisa raises her eyebrows over the rim of her glass. I stand corrected.