Seaside Christmas

by Stacy Claflin

"Go ahead," Talia said. "I've got this."

  "Thanks." She ran into the other room.

  More grumbling sounded.

  "Go Hawks," Talia whispered.

  "Not another Seahawks fan," Dawn said.

  "Oh, that's right," Talia said, "Tiffany's from Seattle. I've been cheering for that team as long as I can remember. Even when they seemed to lose every single game."

  "And that happened for years and years," Dawn teased.

  Talia laughed. "That it did."

  The three of them made small talk, mostly about the holiday traditions in Kittle Falls—both Amara and Dawn were lifelong residents, so they knew them well.

  "Are you guys going to the tree lighting?" Amara asked her.

  Talia raised an eyebrow. "When's that?"

  "Next weekend," Dawn said. "There's an enormous tree in the middle of town, and the city council lights it up with bright, colorful lights. Everyone gathers around, and it's a huge deal."

  Amara nodded. "People propose every year. Or at least most years."

  Dawn looked deep in thought. "Yeah, most years that I can remember at least one couple gets engaged. My sister and brother were both engaged there—not to each other."

  The three of them laughed.

  "Glad to hear it's not that small of a town," Talia said.

  Dawn laughed harder.

  "Sounds like you guys are having too much fun in there," one of the guys called.

  Amara went over to the doorway adjoining the two rooms. "When will you guys learn? Cooking is way more fun than football."

  "Never!"

  "Ha! Nice try."

  A small football sailed by Amara's head. She reached out and caught it.

  "Nice one," Talia said.

  Amara laughed. "I have a brother, and therefore, quick reflexes. Teasing guys during a game usually involves something being tossed." She threw the ball back into the room and laughed. "Sorry Cruz!" She turned to Talia. "I accidentally hit your boyfriend in the head."

  Talia's face warmed. She looked back at the bird. "He's tough."

  Amara and Dawn set the table while Talia finished getting the last of the meat that she could from the bones. Just as she picked up the plate, shouts and cheers and sounded from the next room.

  "Sounds like your team isn't doing so well now," Dawn said, taking the plate from her.

  "I'm pretty sure they're still in the running for another Super Bowl even if they lose a few more games."

  "You wish," Brayden said, smiling, as the guys flooded into the kitchen.

  "What was the score?" asked Amara.

  "We beat them by one," Rafael said, kissing Amara.

  Everyone sat down around the huge table with barely an inch between each chair. Talia sat between Cruz and her dad. Everyone dug into the food without saying a prayer. She glanced at her dad, who shrugged and took a bite. Talia whispered a thanks for the food and ate some sweet potatoes covered in a savory white sauce.

  She listened to the lively, happy conversation all around her, jumping in when she had something to add. Everyone was so friendly and acted like she and her dad belonged. Her heart warmed, feeling like everything really might be okay in Kittle Falls.

  Every so often, she peeked over at Cruz, usually making eye contact. Being next to him was the best part of being there. His face softened each time their gazes met and she felt adored.

  Once the meal was over, everyone helped clean up the mess. It was total chaos, but somehow it worked. More laughter filled the room and then slowly, people filtered out.

  "Who's up for a card game?" asked Robert, holding up a couple decks of cards.

  Talia's dad shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I need to get back and get ready for tomorrow morning. Next time?"

  "You guys are welcome anytime," Dawn said, smiling.

  Cruz wrapped an arm around Talia's shoulders. "If you want to stay, I can give you a ride back later."

  Butterflies danced in her stomach. She'd be tired the next morning if she stayed, but she didn't care. "Sure." She turned to her dad. "I'll see you at home."

  "Sounds good, honey." He kissed the top of her head and waved to everyone else. "Thanks again for dinner. It was wonderful to get to know all of you."

  Everyone said goodbye to him, and before Talia knew it, they were crowded around the table again, each with seven cards in hand. Robert and Dawn explained the rules of the game to her. Cruz leaned over and tapped Talia's ace. He whispered, "Hang onto that one." His warm breath on her ear made chills run down her back. She nodded.

  "Don't listen to Cruz," Zachary said, grinning. "He cheats."

  "Dude." Cruz laughed. "One time. When I was twelve." He turned to Talia. "Watch out around here. People don't forget nothin'."

  Talia laughed along with several others around the table.

  "I imagine you guys have all kinds of stories," she said.

  "You have no idea," Brayden said. "Cruz was always such a clown."

  Cruz shook his head, but smiled. "Dude, when you're one of the middle children, you gotta do what you gotta do to get some attention." He rolled up his sleeves, showing off not only his defined muscles but some tattoos.

  Talia's breath caught, and she turned away when she realized she was staring. She rearranged her cards in no particular order. Cruz leaned back over and whispered some more tips into her ear. Did he realize what that did to her? Surely, he would stop if he knew. Or would he? Maybe he liked driving her crazy—in the best way possible.

  By the time she finally had a grasp of the game, it was over and everyone started getting ready to leave. Cruz took her cards from her, brushing his hand against hers.

  "You did good," he said.

  "Thanks to you." She poked his arm.

  "There are so many rules, it takes a while to get used to." He turned to the others. "I'm going to take Talia home, and then I'll be back."

  Dawn and Amara both gave her a hug and everyone else said how nice it was to meet her.

  "You and your dad are welcome anytime," Dawn said.

  "Thank you." Talia hoped that she'd be back for many more meals. She seemed to get along well with everyone, and it would be nice to have some female friends in town. Not that she could complain about a moment spent with Cruz, but there was something to be said about girl time.

  "You're going to tell your dad about the tree lighting, aren't you?" Dawn asked.

  "I can't wait to see it," Jasmine said. "I need to tell my mom. She'd love to see it, too."

  "Oh, that's right," Dawn said. "She's not here tonight. Is everything okay?"

  "She had an AA meeting, and she didn't want to miss it. She's been doing really well with her recovery and didn't want to give herself an excuse to fall off."

  "Good for her."

  Cruz took Talia's hand and led her to the coat closet and handed her the wrong jacket.

  "That's nice, but not mine."

  "Oh, sorry. Yours was purple, right?"

  "Lavender, yeah."

  He pulled out the right one and held it out to her. She slid her arms in and zipped it up, preparing herself for the cold air outside. Cruz slid his on and then he stared at her for a moment. "I guess I was too busy looking at you to notice what your coat looked like." He wrapped his arm around her and led her outside. "Hope my family didn't overwhelm you."

  "No. They're great. I really liked them. And you're right, I would have never known your dad had any health problems."

  "And I can tell they really like you, too." Cruz pulled her close, gazing into her eyes. Her breath caught and he moved slowly closer to her.

  Kiss me. She stared into his eyes, trying to express her desire. He paused and ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. His hand moved from her hair and he traced her jawline with his fingertips, keeping his gaze on hers.

  It didn't seem like he was ever going to kiss her again. If she wanted a kiss, she was going to have to take it. Talia's heart raced and her pulse pounded in her ears. Shaking, she moved forward and
pressed her lips on his, bumping his nose. She readjusted her angle and kissed him again, overtaken by her desire to be as close to him as possible.

  The entire world disappeared around them, and the only thing that existed for the moment was her with Cruz. His hand rested on the back of her neck, keeping her close.

  The door opened behind them. She and Cruz stepped back away from each other. Talia was partially disappointed, but also somewhat relieved. She'd never felt anything like this before, and she needed to stop and think. She couldn't allow herself to get carried away.

  "I should get you home," Cruz said, sounding breathless.

  "You guys are still here?" Jake asked.

  "We just stepped outside, man," Cruz said.

  Jake laughed and then rubbed Tiffany's belly. "You don't have to explain anything to me. Love is a wonderful thing." He kissed Tiffany on the lips.

  "'Night, guys." Cruz took Talia's hand, headed for the bike, and helped her on. "There's no such thing as privacy around here."

  "I always wanted a bunch of brothers and sisters when I was growing up. I think it's nice that you have a big family."

  He glanced over at his siblings piling out of the house. "Most of the time."

  Twenty One

  Cruz sprayed some cologne on his neck and then tugged on his tie. It didn't quite look right, but then again, he rarely wore one. In fact, the last time he'd put one on had been for his sister's memorial service. But this was Allen and Talia's first church service, and Cruz was likely to be the only guest, so he wanted to make it as good for them as possible.

  He played with the tie a few times more before giving up. "Probably being too picky, anyway," he muttered and then ran his hands over his beard. It was a bit longer than he usually wore it, but he kind of liked the look. He adjusted his collar and glanced back in the mirror. Who invented suits, anyway? They seemed to exist only as modern day torture devices.

  A knock sounded on the door. "You almost done?" asked Zachary.

  "Yeah. Hold on." Cruz turned back to the mirror and made a face at himself. That was better. More fitting than the stuffy suit. He opened the door.

  Zachary's eyes widened. "Look at you."

  Cruz shrugged. "Just wanna make sure their first service is nice, you know. Don't wanna show up in my leathers."

  "Want to ride with me?"

  "You're going?" Cruz asked.

  "Yeah. I think Mom and Dad are, too."

  "Really?"

  "That's what they said." Zachary closed the door.

  Cruz stepped into the hallway and went to the kitchen, where he found his mom filling the coffee maker. "You guys are going to the church service?"

  "Allen mentioned it was going to be their first one, and he hadn't had a chance to tell many people about it." She turned around and froze when she saw him. "Aw, look at you." She adjusted his tie. "Now it's straight."

  "Thanks. Want some help with breakfast?"

  "If you want to grab the eggs for me, that would help."

  Cruz got the eggs and then set the table while she cooked. His mom talked about how much she liked Talia and Allen. As she set the scrambled eggs on the table, she glanced with him. "I have to say, I never would have thought you and a pastor's daughter."

  He chuckled. "You're tellin' me."

  "You two are cute together. I hope you can make it work."

  Cruz arched a brow. "Meaning?"

  "Honey, you know I love you, but she's not like the other girls you've dated before."

  He clenched his teeth and took a deep breath. "I didn't ask your opinion."

  She put her hand on his arm, but he shirked it away.

  "I'm not going do anything stupid. I know she's different—she's better, and I definitely don't deserve her, okay?" He felt a tightness in his chest. "I don't know what she sees in me, but I'm glad she does."

  "I didn't mean to upset you. I know what she sees in you—I've always loved your spunk. Plus, you're smart, handsome, funny—"

  "Whatever." He spun around and headed out the front door, not bothering with a jacket, despite the snow falling and his thin shirt.

  Just before the door closed, he heard his dad ask, "What's wrong with Cruz?"

  He paced the driveway, trying not to let what his mom said get to him. Why did she have to say that? Especially today? He really wanted to be in a good mood when he arrived at the church today.

  Did everyone think that Talia was too good for him? She seemed to like him, and so did Allen. He'd liked Cruz long before Talia had, and he didn't show any signs of not liking them together.

  Everyone probably thought Julian would be a better fit for her being that he had been a lifetime churchgoer. But that didn't make him good for her. He was stuck up, and his motives weren't right.

  The front door creaked. "Breakfast is ready, Cruz," called his mom.

  "I'm not hungry."

  "There's plenty if you change your mind."

  He went to the end of the driveway and headed for the park, sticking his hands in his slacks' pocket as if that would warm him. He paced the park, walking around the playground. It was too bad he hadn't brought his cigarettes, because he could really use one. But he hadn't had one in a few days, so he hadn't thought to stick the box in his pocket.

  It was probably for the best he hadn't. He wouldn't have wanted to show up for the service smelling like smoke, anyway. He really wanted to show Talia how much this meant to him, and arriving like that would only give the wrong impression. And in order to do that, he would need to change his mood—and quickly.

  He checked the time. There was just enough for him to ride through town and cool down. He went back to the house and inside to grab what he needed.

  His mom called something about breakfast as he hurried down the hall. He ran into his room for his coat and keys—and his pack in case he needed it after the service was done. Just as he turned around to close the door, he noticed a couple G.I. Joe figures posed, ready for a fight, on his desk.

  Cruz shook his head and found the humor despite his mood, but couldn't manage a chuckle. He'd find a way to get back at Zachary later—after getting his mind off the fact that everyone, even his own parents, thought she was too good for him.

  He went down the hall, patting his jacket to double-check that he had the keys. He passed the kitchen without looking in.

  "Cruz, are you—?"

  "Not hungry." He went outside and got on his bike as quickly as could. He rode around the lesser traveled roads. It was nice to ride, but what he really needed was to get on the freeway and fly down at unlawful speeds. But there wasn't time for that, so the back roads of Kittle Falls would have to do. Hopefully seeing Talia would be enough to massage his ego.

  When he got there, Allen's car was already parked in front of the building and he could see Zachary's in his rear view mirror. He took a deep breath and parked in front of his shop, giving everyone else space closer to the church. Despite his mood, he was still grateful to his family for showing up.

  Cruz took his helmet off, ran his hands through his hair, and headed for the building. The front doors were already open, so he went in and found Allen and Talia inside the sanctuary. Though he felt out of place, he felt less so having helped with the process of getting the building ready.

  "Hi, there," Allen said. "It's our first guest."

  Talia turned around, and a smile spread across her face. "You're here." She came over and gave him a hug. Her fingertips ran across his shoulders and down to his tie. "I like this look."

  Cruz wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tight. She smelled sweet, like flowers. It felt right having her in his arms, and he could feel his anger melting away.

  Footsteps sounded behind them.

  "I'm so glad to see you," Allen said. "Thank you for coming."

  Cruz turned around to see his parents and Zachary. They all shook hands and then Zachary came over to Cruz. "I thought you were going to ride with me."

  He frowned. "I needed some ai
r."

  Talia gave him a curious expression but didn't say anything.

  Zachary nodded and turned to Talia. "Jasmine said to tell you she wished she could make it, but her studio kids have a dance competition today."

  "Tell her thanks for the thought." Talia smiled. "Maybe we'll see her another time."

  Jake and Tiffany came inside, both dressed up.

  Talia turned to Cruz. "Is your whole family coming?"

  "It's beginning to look that way."

  Allen came over to them, grinning. "This is a much better showing than I expected. Thanks, Cruz."

  He shrugged, wishing he'd thought to invite them. He'd merely told them he was going.

  Conversation sounded from the entryway, and Cruz glanced over to see which brother was next. Only it wasn't a Hunter who came in. It was Julian with a couple other guys from their church, all wearing expensive suits and with clean-shaven faces. Cruz's hand went up to his beard. He really should have at least trimmed it that morning.

  Julian came over to them and shook everyone's hand except Cruz's. Good. That meant he wouldn't need sanitizer. Julian congratulated Allen and Talia on their first service. Cruz wanted to ask him if he was cheating on his own church by being there, but kept his mouth shut. He wasn't going to give anyone reason to think he didn't deserve Talia.

  Cruz took Talia's hand and they walked away from the others.

  Julian came over to them. "Did you guys see?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.

  "See what?" Cruz asked. The corners of his mouth curved down. Why did that weasel have to show up today, of all days?

  "The side of the church." He raised his eyebrows.

  Talia's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

  "I went over to check something, and there was green paint all over the side just behind the courtyard."

  Cruz's stomach tightened. Green paint. Exactly what had ruined his first yin-yang painting.

  Talia squeezed Cruz's hand and gasped. "Is it bad?"

  "Yes, but thankfully none of your visitors should see it."

  "Who would have done such a thing?" she asked.

  "Vandals," Julian said, eying Cruz. "Hooligans. Hey, Cruz, didn't you have some green paint on your shop?"

  Cruz took a deep breath, determined not to say anything stupid in front of Talia. "My painting is black and white. But someone did steal my green paint from my shop. Thieving cowards." He narrowed his eyes at Julian.