by Hank Edwards
Carter smiled and rested his head on his palm. “You going to be okay, Big Willie?”
A deep breath helped, somewhat, and Will nodded. “I will be. I just plunged right in without thinking this through. I’m not used to doing stuff off the cuff like this. Feels kind of disorienting.”
“Well, if it helps at all, I’m really proud of you,” Carter said.
“Thanks.”
“All that time I’ve spent pestering you to approach men at the bar, or on the street, or in the park has finally paid off.”
“I don’t think I would have been able to do if you hadn’t been encouraging me all this time.”
“Oh how you talk,” Carter said and waved a hand as if to brush off the compliment, but Will could see he was pleased by it. “Okay, I need to finish up my beauty regimen and hit that Grindr app.”
“You be careful.”
“Always. You keep me posted on how things are going out there in Utah.”
“I’m in upstate New York,” Will said with a grin.
“Details,” Carter said. Then he looked right into the camera and added, “You take care of yourself, Will. You’re the best friend I’ve got.”
“Oh, Carter, really?” Will smiled as a warm feeling rushed through him. “I feel the same way. I couldn’t wait to tell you about this craziness I’ve gone and gotten myself into. Thanks for listening.”
“Anytime, mon ami,” Carter said. “Now leave me to my facial while I prep for another facial later.”
Will laughed and disconnected the call. He stayed in place, propped up on pillows in his bed, the phone on his chest and a warm feeling still glowing in his chest from his talk with Carter. He thought about the fun they’d had, both during the time they dated and afterwards as they became friends. With a smile on his face, Will drifted off to sleep.
Will snorted in his sleep and jerked awake. He blinked and squinted in the glare of the bedside lamp and reached out to switch it off. The only illumination came from the courtyard lamps diffused by the sheers. A breeze from the open window billowed the curtains a bit, and Will snuggled deeper beneath the covers and closed his eyes.
The quiet strum of a guitar floated through the window, and Will’s eyes popped open. He sat straight up in bed and looked toward the window.
Rex was outside.
With careful movements, Will got out of bed. He shivered in the chill and grabbed his hoodie as he crept across the room. At the window, he shifted the curtains a bit and looked down into the courtyard. Rex sat at his patio table, strumming his guitar and humming. A gentle snowfall was illuminated in the light of the courtyard lamps, and Will couldn’t think of a more romantic and seasonal scene. Rex’s voice sounded clear and pure in the still, snowy air, and it seemed to wrap around Will’s heart as he sang.
One stocking hangs by the fireplace
But I’m lonelier by far this Christmas Eve
Before Will could even process the fact that Rex had just sung the words Will had written, Rex continued with brand-new lyrics.
You’re so far away, so far from my reach
My heart aches for you, but my mind still believes
You’ll come back to me
You’ll come stay with me
Will let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. It fogged the air before him and drifted out the window. His smile was so wide it almost hurt.
Rex Garland had used his lyrics as a starting point for a Christmas song.
Will had no idea what to do, so he stood and watched Rex play the guitar and sing through the lyrics several more times, his smile growing bigger each time.
The patio door behind Rex slid open, and the man Will had seen him with at breakfast stepped outside. His name was Earl, if Will remembered correctly, and it seemed as if he was Rex’s manager.
“How’s the song?” Earl asked.
“Not bad,” Rex said. “Want to hear what I have?”
Earl crossed his arms tight. “Does it have to be out here? It’s freezing.”
Rex looked up, almost directly at Will’s window, and he took a step back to make sure he wasn’t seen.
“This is the perfect setting for this song,” Rex said. “It’s like it’s Christmas Eve right here and now.”
“Great,” Earl grumbled. “Tell Santa I want your next Christmas residency to be someplace warm with a beach.”
Rex chuckled as he played the guitar. “Where’s your holiday spirit?”
“Someplace warm with a beach,” Earl said. “But I’m glad to see your mood has improved the last couple of days.”
“I guess my songwriting Christmas elf might have something to do with that,” Rex said, then looked up at Earl. “And you swear it wasn’t you?”
Earl briefly held up a hand and said, “I swear,” before crossing his arms tight once again.
Rex played what he had of the song, and Will’s heart felt as if it danced along with the tempo.
“It’s good,” Earl said. “I like it. Can we go inside now?”
Rex continued to play and seemed to be talking mostly to himself as he said, “I need to figure out the chorus, but I like what I’ve got so far.” He looked up at Earl. “What comes to mind when you think of Christmas?”
“Being someplace warm, with a beach,” Earl said.
“Dammit, Earl, this is serious,” Rex said. “Come on, you got me signed up for this Christmas album. Help me out. What makes you think of Christmas?”
“Ugh, let’s see.” Earl looked up into the snowfall. “Stockings, Christmas tree, presents, holiday lights, snow, cookies, mistletoe, family.” He turned for the patio door. “Can we go inside now? Come on, this cold air is doing nothing for your voice, and you’ve still got two weeks of shows.”
“Fine, all right.”
Rex got up and pushed in the chair as Earl fled into the hotel room. Before Rex followed Earl inside, he picked up the stone Will had used to weigh down his envelope and held it in his hand. Looking around the courtyard, Rex said quietly, “Thanks for the assist, Christmas elf.”
He set the stone in the center of the small table and went into his room, sliding the door shut behind him.
Will stood at the window and stared down at Rex’s patio for a long time. His heart pounded, and he couldn’t stop smiling as he watched the snow quietly accumulate on the stone and table. He finally turned away and walked to the bed where he jumped up and landed facedown. Pressing his face into a pillow, he shouted with glee before rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling as he tried to calm his racing mind and heart.
What the hell was going on? Had he actually provided Rex Garland a songwriting nudge?
The song ran on a loop in his mind as he looked at the bedside clock and grimaced. It was going to be a long day tomorrow if he didn’t get to sleep soon.
He peeled off the hoodie and slid under the covers, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to try and get himself into a tranquil state. Eventually, he slipped into sleep, the sound of Rex’s voice echoing in the back of his mind.
5
“You go out drinking last night?”
Will looked up from his breakfast to find Doreen, the hotel housekeeper assigned to his room, looking him over.
“No, just couldn’t get to sleep,” Will said and smiled as he sipped his coffee.
“Oh?” Doreen took a few steps closer and lowered her voice. “Didya get lucky?”
“Nope.” Will grinned. “Just couldn’t shut my mind off.”
Doreen nodded. “I get that too sometimes. Too many thoughts to process before the system shuts down.”
“Right,” Will said. “You sound like you have an IT background.”
“My daughter does,” Doreen said with a shrug. “She’s been helping me with my computer. You done up in your room?”
“Yeah, I’m heading out after I finish this cup of coffee. Oh, leave the window open a bit when you’re through, please.”
“You one of those fresh air addicts?”
Doreen asked, giving him a suspicious look.
“Well, fresh air is nice,” Will said. “But the heating unit is working a bit too well, and the room gets way too warm.”
“Didya have maintenance take a look?”
“I did, yeah, but he wasn’t able to do much with it.”
“Who was up there?” Doreen asked.
“Not sure. He was tall and bald.”
“That was Steve. He’s kind of lazy. I’ll give Sarge a note about it.” Doreen jotted something on her clipboard, then gave him a nod. “You have a good day now. Try some valerian root tea before bed. Smells like stinky feet, but it helps calm your mind.”
“Okay, thanks,” Will said with a chuckle. “I’ll make a note of that.”
After Doreen walked off, Will looked around the breakfast area. No sign of Rex or Earl, just a couple of parents with kids, some intense business types sitting on their own, and an older couple looking through tourist pamphlets.
Will chugged the remainder of his coffee, delivered his tray to the drop-off section, and filled his stainless steel insulated cup with coffee from a fresh pot. Outside, a blast of frigid air made him curse and bunch down into his jacket. He could smell snow in the air and glanced into the wind toward the west. A thick bank of gray snow clouds crept toward the region. Looked like they were about to get dumped on.
Will struggled to focus during his workday. If he wasn’t looking out the window watching the snow fall harder each passing minute, he was quietly humming Rex’s Christmas song and doodling pictures of a guitar and a variety of Christmas-related objects like a decorated tree, wrapped presents, and a whole army of candy canes.
“You a big Christmas fan?”
Will looked up to find Andrew Kuspa, a member of the team he’d been assisting, standing next to his lunch table and looking down at his sketches. Andrew gave off a somewhat sneaky and snarky vibe, which put Will’s defenses up. He sat back and shrugged, hoping it came across as casual as he shifted his hands to cover the doodles and lyrics he’d been writing down, then crossing off.
“I don’t know if I’d call myself a big Christmas fan, but it is one of my favorite holidays.”
Andrew nodded as he stretched a kink out of his neck. He was slender and wiry, his blond hair expensively styled and the perfect amount of matching stubble nicely trimmed around his square jaw. Blue eyes completed his all-American look, and Will tried not to envy him too much.
“I get it. All your shopping done yet?” Andrew pulled out the chair next to Will and sat.
“Oh, um, yeah. I got it all done before I left to come here. Online shopping mostly.”
“You a fan of Black Friday?”
Will shook his head. “Not really. Too crazy for me.”
“Crowds make you nervous?”
“Oh, um, I don’t know—”
Will was cut off by the arrival of Bridget Caruso, their team manager. She was as well put together as Andrew, with light brown hair that framed her heart-shaped face and almost perfectly matched the color of her eyes. Will sometimes wondered if Bridget dyed her hair that specific color just to make them match.
“There’s talk of closing the office early,” Bridget said.
“Oh really?” Will looked out the window at the steady snowfall. “Probably a good idea.”
“I had plans tonight,” Andrew said with a pout, then waved a hand toward the window. “But I bet my friends chicken out because of all this.”
“‘All this’ meaning a snowstorm that’s been predicted all week?” Bridget said.
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Who has time for the news?”
Will and Bridget exchanged a look and said at the same time, “I do.”
“You’re both nerds.”
Bridget tapped the fitness bracelet on her wrist. “It’s almost time for the meeting.”
“Come on, Will, gather up your elf practice drawings, and let’s go,” Andrew said before he stood up. “Will loves Christmas and likes to doodle things related to the season.”
Bridget looked at him with perfectly threaded eyebrows raised.
“I was just thinking of the holidays coming up and was doodling, that’s all,” Will said, shooting Andrew a dirty look that was missed because the man was looking out at the snow.
“It is a fun holiday,” Bridget said, then sighed. “If you can find the right toys for your kids. Anyway, let’s get a move on.”
Will closed his notebook and followed them down the hall. Rex’s voice and lyrics echoed in the back of his mind, and he couldn’t help a small smile.
During the meeting, Will had his notebook open to a clean page, ready to jot down anything important. He was a few seats away from Andrew and Bridget both, and even though he tried to focus on work, his mind kept delivering possible lyrics. Earlier he’d written in his notebook the lyrics Rex had so far, and he flipped back to that page to read them again.
One stocking hangs by the fireplace
But I’m lonelier by far this Christmas Eve
You’re so far away, so far from reach
My heart aches for you, but my mind still believes
You’ll come back to me
You’ll come stay with me
Weatherman says we’re bound to get snow
But my heart’s not feeling that holiday glow
Without you by my side
This Christmastime
He smiled even as his heart ached for some kind of face-to-face connection with Rex. The secret lyrics were fun, but Will wanted to get to know Rex more than as a fan. He just didn’t know how would Rex handle finding out Will was his secret elf supplying him lyrics. Will thought about Rex asking Earl what came to mind when he thought Christmas, and a couple of lines came to him which he quickly jotted down.
Can I pretend you’re mine for Christmas?
Can I wish for you this Christmas Eve?
The two of us could be Christmas-cookie delicious
Can I pretend you’re mine for Christmas?
He sat back in his chair and read the lines several times. His heart pounded, and his face felt warm. Had he just come up with the chorus of the song?
“All right, so it’s official,” Bridget said as she pushed her chair back and stood up.
Will blinked and looked up, watching as everyone else stood as well. What had he missed?
“Everyone be careful driving home and call the office main phone number tomorrow morning to see if we’re going to be open tomorrow. This snow’s supposed to go into the weekend.”
6
The drive to the Williamsville Inn took three times as long as usual. Even though it was midafternoon, Will figured every other business had decided to send workers home early because the roads were jammed with cars slipping and sliding through snow and slush. He kept running the new words he’d written down through his head and decided the Christmas cookie line needed to be changed. By the time he reached the hotel parking lot, his fingers ached from gripping the steering wheel, and it was already getting dark.
Doreen had left his window open a couple of inches, and the room was at a comfortable temperature when he walked in. He sighed with relief, then checked the time on his phone, surprised to find it was almost five o’clock. So much for a surprise half day. Quickly changing out of work clothes into jeans and a sweatshirt, he laced up his waterproof hiking boots, grabbed his coat and notebook, and then headed out again. If the drive back to the hotel was any indication, a lot of people were out of work, and Will wanted to get food before the rush of diners.
He left his car in the lot and trudged toward the rib joint he’d eaten at before, which was only three blocks away. With the hood up and his head down, he forged a path through the accumulated snow as he headed into the wind, telling himself the walk back would be easier with it at his back. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and his lips felt dry and cracked.
At the restaurant, he stood just inside the door and made faces as he worked on getting the blood flowing to his face aga
in. There were two empty tables waiting, and the hostess led him to the smaller table in the corner. He exchanged pleasantries with the young waiter, talking mostly about the snow before Will ordered a double portion of ribs with a side of macaroni and cheese and a Guinness. He wouldn’t be able to eat all of the ribs, but he wanted to have some extra to take back to his room and store in the mini refrigerator.
The final open table was taken by a snow-dusted couple, and Will opened his notebook, turning his attention to the lyrics he’d written during the work meeting.
Can I pretend you’re mine for Christmas?
Can I wish for you this Christmas Eve?
The two of us could be Christmas-cookie delicious
Can I pretend you’re mine for Christmas?
Yeah, that Christmas cookie line needed to go. He chewed the end of his pen and stared at the hostess stand, where the young girl twirled the end of her hair around her finger as she scrolled through an app on her phone. She pursed her lips and blew a bubble with her gum, and Will smiled before he wrote the new line.
All I want from Santa is your kisses
Will sat back and smiled. Yeah, that was a lot better.
The waiter brought his food, the plate piled high with ribs and the macaroni and cheese a golden yellow mound of creamy delight in a separate dish. Will’s smiled widened as he picked up his fork at the same time the restaurant door opened. A man came in amid a swirl of snow, his dark hair and matching beard dusted with it. The new arrival stomped snow off his boots, ran a hand through his hair, and smiled at the hostess.
Will’s heart jumped when he realized it was Rex.
He quickly closed his notebook and placed it on the seat beside him. Rex asked the hostess where he could pick up a takeout order, his deep, smooth voice seeming to wrap around Will’s pounding heart. The girl pointed in Will’s direction, and his heartbeat doubled when Rex looked right at him.