The Holiday Gamble

by Sam E. Kraemer

  He thought he might still have a couple of premeasured coffee packets and filters he’d liberated from the West Philly store’s break room. Thankfully, his father had thought to include a cheap coffee maker at his studio apartment.

  “Water’s fine, thanks,” Cris replied as he looked around the room. Ridge went over to the kitchen area and pulled out a clean glass, thankful he’d been so bored he’d actually cleaned up the apartment and done his laundry that afternoon.

  After Ridge filled the glass with ice and filtered water, he walked to where Cris was standing and noticed the bouquet still in his hand. “These, uh, let me find something to put them in. This is a beautiful bouquet. I don’t think anyone’s ever given me flowers before,” Ridge babbled as he pulled a tall saucepan from the cabinet, determining it was the tallest thing he had in the house. He filled it with water and propped up the flowers inside, placing it on the counter.

  For one of the first times in Ridge Holiday’s life, he felt awkward. He was usually suave and in command, but with Cris Gamble standing in his small apartment, wearing the ugliest sweater he’d ever seen, he wasn’t on stable ground.

  Ridge turned to lean against the kitchen sink to study Cris, who was standing with his hand jammed into his left, front pocket while his right was holding his glass of water. He was still wearing the mistletoe headband, which Ridge thought was damn cute.

  Ridge chuckled. “Speaking of losing a bet, because no way would you wear that unless you did, how come you’re not working tonight?”

  Cris looked down at the sweater and laughed. “That’s where you wanna start?”

  Ridge shrugged. At that point, he really didn’t have anything to lose, so how Cris got Elliot to be Santa that night was a story Ridge wanted to hear.

  “Can we sit down?” Cris asked, pointing to the futon where Ridge had been lounging three minutes earlier.

  Ridge hurried to the futon to pick up the blanket he’d been lying under, motioning for Cris to sit down. Ridge quickly folded the throw and placed it across the back of the futon before kneeling down next to Cris.

  “Where I want to start is by offering you a massive apology for not being honest with you from the day we met. When my father came up with the idea that I’d go to work at one of the stores, he didn’t want to have the staff worry about why I was there, so he determined I’d have to use an alias. We came up with the name, David Palmer. Palmer is my mother’s maiden name.

  “I also didn’t want to interfere with the holiday routine at the store, so I agreed to not tell anyone who I was under any circumstances. It was a great way for me to learn why my family has been devoted to selling toys, and about my family’s loyalty to our customers and employees in the neighborhoods where we have stores.

  “Look, I’m a spoiled brat, just like I’m sure my brother told you when you talked him into being Santa so you could come here… why did you come here?” Ridge asked, finally gathering his thoughts enough to ask the right questions.

  Cris chuckled. “Da… Ridge. What’s your actual name?”

  “Eldridge David Holiday,” Ridge responded.

  Cris nodded. “So there was a speck of truth to your alias? See, I didn’t know that. I thought you were just playing me for a chump, so you’d have fun stories to tell your wealthy friends.

  “When I overheard your brother explain to your father about the bet for his car, I got really pissed at you. I don’t have anything of any value except for Hannah. I also have my pride,” Santa’s helper explained.

  Ridge crawled closer to him and gently touched his knee. “I’d never show you disrespect, Cristian. I care deeply for you. You’re the most incredible man I’ve ever met, and the way you take care of everyone around you is remarkable. I never lied to you about my feelings or my interest in you. I have a lot of feelings for you, Cris.

  “I realize how it looks, me lying to you about who I am, and what I was doing at Holiday Toys, but I was excited about being the photographer for the holiday season. I love taking pictures, and it was the first time my father actually acknowledged that I have any talent for it.

  “Besides, I had a blast getting to know everyone and being treated like I was just another one of the guys. I especially loved working with you every night. You’re so good with the kids, and even some of the bitchier parents succumbed to your charms. I wish I could go back and do everything right,” Ridge whispered, then he wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sweatshirt, feeling his face flush at the fact he was crying in front of Cris.

  “One thing I won’t stand for is anyone lying to me. I don’t tell lies, and I refuse to listen to them from others,” Cris stated flatly.

  Ridge swallowed. “Okay.”

  “And, Hannah and I aren’t charity cases. Why were you trying so hard to find a dress for her?” Cris demanded.

  “I wanted to help Hannah find a dress, because she is such a great person, and she was so excited to be going to the dance. I knew my sister had a lot of formal dresses she wouldn’t wear again, so I asked her to go through them. I wanted her to let Hanna pick one, but when Evie and her friends came up with so many, I worked it out to rent that storefront and offer dresses for all the kids in the neighborhood who didn’t have the right clothes for a dance.

  “Then, it was only right to make sure those who wanted tuxes had the opportunity to pick one as well. I was able to get a few people from Holiday Toys to help out with matching kids to the right outfit and offering alterations if they were needed.

  “We had a lot of kids come by, and they all seemed happy to get something to wear to their holiday parties. I was sorry Hannah didn’t get a chance to find something, so I had Evie help her. It was no big deal,” Ridge explained.

  “I know Eve’s friend didn’t give Hannah that dress for free. How much did it cost?” Cris questioned.

  With all honesty, Ridge responded, “I don’t know. My father gave me some money when all this shit started, and Evie told me yesterday that my bank account is empty, so I guess it worked out okay.”

  “How much did your father give you?” Cris asked.

  It was probably the worst question Cris could have asked because the answer would show just how ridiculously spoiled and clueless Ridge really was.

  “I wasn’t paying attention, so I don’t know how much money he gave me. The rent is paid here until the end of the month, and I have two cases of noodles to get me through, so I’m fine. As long as Hannah is having her special night, it’s worth all the money in the world,” Ridge stated quietly. He felt another tear roll down his cheek, but he meant the words with everything inside him.

  He heard Cris sniff, so Ridge looked up to see him wiping a tear of his own. “If I give you a second chance, there can be no more lies between us, Ridge. I mean, not even a tiny white one. You can’t leave out important information in the future, either. If you care about me as you claim, you’ll always tell me the truth, even if it’s not what you think I’ll want to hear,” Cris demanded, leaving no wiggle room whatsoever.

  “Never?” Ridge asked.

  “Don’t even think about lying to me… ever,” Cris countered.

  “I promise,” Ridge vowed. He crossed his heart as a kicker.

  “You eat yet?” Cris asked.

  Ridge pointed to his half-eaten Szechuan noodles.

  “Ick. Get dressed. We’ll go get a burger, and I’ll tell you how this is all going to go if you want to date me,” Cris instructed.

  Ridge looked up to see Cris with the beginnings of a smile on his face. He raised himself up to kiss Cris on the cheek before hopping up and hurrying over to his crappy dresser. Ridge reached for the handles on the second drawer and pulled, taking off the drawer front by accident.

  “Oops! I’ll fix that tomorrow,” Ridge offered, tossing it on the bed and pulling out a pair of jeans. He quickly slid off his sweats and stepped into the jeans, pulling them up on his hips, before he turned to look at the gorgeous man staring at him with a sexy smile.

 
Cris got up and walked to the door, opening it and retrieving something from the hallway before he closed the door again. Cris turned around with a box wrapped in bright paper with Santa hats, tied with a big, silver bow. “I guess this is for you. Hannah actually made it.”

  Ridge excitedly took the box and tore off the paper, flashing back to how excited he used to get when he was a kid and received presents. He pulled the top off a shirt box to reveal a rainbow sweater identical to the one Cris was wearing. When Ridge held it up, he couldn’t help but laugh at the picture before him.

  Cris leaned down and picked up something from the tissue paper, holding it up to show it matched the one on his head. He helped Ridge into the sweater, situated the mistletoe headband on top of his head, and dragged him over to the mirror on the bathroom door as he put his arm around Ridge’s shoulders.

  Reflected back at them was the other half of Cris’ ugly sweater, with Ridge as the reindeer’s ass. It was definitely surprising, but maybe it was fitting? Ridge had actually been an ass on more than one occasion, so he could own it. If wearing the ugly sweater was the punishment Cris was looking for to give Ridge another chance, he would do it happily.

  He reached for his cheap phone from the coffee table and quickly snapped a photo of the two of them together—two, good looking men with rainbow sweaters showing a dreadful reindeer across both of their chests, Cris with the front half, and Ridge with the ass. The two of them proudly wearing mistletoe headbands made it all the more hilarious.

  Cris turned to Ridge and raised his hand, gently rubbing his thumb against Ridge’s lips. “I want us to try again, Ridge. I care very much for you, and Hannah really likes you. Tell me right now if it’s more than you’re capable of handling,” Cris whispered.

  Ridge saw nothing but sincerity in the man’s eyes, so he resisted any notion of making a joke to diminish the tension in the air. He decided to tell a hard truth.

  “Three minutes and twenty-four seconds,” Ridge said, looking into Cris’ beautiful, blue eyes. He saw the confusion there and decided to give a little more detail. “My grandfather, Leo, fell in love with my grandmother, Ginny, in eight and a half minutes. My father, JD, fell in love with my mother, Elaine, in four minutes and fifteen seconds. I fell in love with you in three minutes and twenty-four seconds.

  “You helped me with my tights, and I got to look into those beautiful eyes. You had me completely stunned, but in the best possible way,” Ridge further explained.

  Without waiting for Cris to respond, he leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. It wasn’t sexy. It wasn’t passionate, but there was potential there.

  It was a kiss that didn’t expect anything in return. It was the kind of kiss that was given to punctuate the truth behind Ridge’s honest confession. He was in love with Cristian Gamble and wanted the man to know it.

  Ridge pulled back a bit to see Cris’ eyes still closed. When he opened them, there were tears, which alarmed Ridge until Cris offered a bright smile.

  “Silver-tongued devil.”

  They both laughed as they bundled up to go grab some food, leaving on the ridiculous headbands while exchanging sweet kisses the whole walk to the diner. Ridge would classify it as sickeningly sweet, but he’d never been happier in his life.

  Chapter 14

  Cris smiled when he saw the white Impala pull into the Holiday Toys parking lot on Sunday morning. They’d gone out for burgers and fries the previous night, Cris’ treat since Ridge was flat broke, and they had a discussion that was intended to clear the air.

  After Ridge told Cris he’d fallen in love with him in less than four minutes the first time they’d met, Cris felt as if he’d been swept off his feet. He enjoyed the heady feeling, but they needed to begin managing expectations to build a firm foundation if they were going to have a shot at a lasting relationship.

  Cris still wasn’t sure if a stable, long-term relationship was what Ridge wanted, but he had hopes of his own. Of course, he was still wary of their future, in light of the new information learned about Ridge being a member of the Holiday family.

  “So, three minutes and twenty-four seconds? Did you have a stopwatch on me without my knowledge?” Cris asked, as he pulled some paper napkins from the silver napkin holder on the wooden table of the booth in the diner.

  He saw Ridge turn on that bright smile that had the potential to melt Cris’ boxers in record time. Thankfully, the waitress walked over to the table, breaking Ridge’s spell on him.

  After they ordered food, Cris looked at Ridge again, laughing at how the mistletoe headband had slid down onto his forehead, making it look like a horn. “Stopwatch, Unicorn?” Cris reminded.

  Ridge seemed nervous, and it made him even more attractive. “I couldn’t even really see your face because of the beard and wig, but those eyes? They did me in,” he confessed, surprising Cris yet again.

  “You talk a good game,” Cris confirmed with a smile.

  “Let me show you what I’m really good at,” Ridge offered with a waggle of his eyebrows that made the headband fall down to his chin. Both of them had a good laugh at the unfortunate incident.

  Cris explained to Ridge about Hannah and Evie’s scheme to get Elliot to take his place in Santa’s chair that night, because they wanted Cris and Ridge to talk about what had happened and decide if there was any way they could work things out.

  “So, your brother was kind enough to allow me the night off while he took over the chair. Sadly, Kirby is still the worst photographer I’ve ever seen. It’s a shame we don’t have a top-notch person we can call to pinch-hit for us, who also takes fantastic pictures,” Cris teased.

  Ridge grinned. “Imagine this… I have an open social calendar from now until Christmas Eve when I have an important date, I hope. I can actually take pictures for you if you’d like.”

  Cris chuckled. “Wow, a Christmas date? That sounds special. Who’s this lucky so-and-so?”

  “I haven’t asked yet, because he’s still a little leery of me. I made a big mistake by not being honest with him, so I’ll have to do the work to prove I’m worthy of his attention, but I’m super confident I will persevere,” Ridge boasted.

  That night Ridge took Cris home after their date, walking the gorgeous man upstairs and kissing him goodnight. They’d talked more, and Ridge told him a lot about his history with men. “I want you to know it all, so you can make an informed decision. I’d like you and Hannah to spend Christmas Eve with me. We can go to my parents’ place for dinner and hang out, or we can do anything else you guys want to do. I just want to spend the night with you,” Ridge explained, then he kissed Cris again, and left him breathless outside his door.

  Cris made a promise to himself that he and Ridge would definitely spend Christmas Eve night together, or at least most of it. They needed to spend more time together, so the two men could begin to rebuild the trust Cris had lost when he learned Ridge had lied, but Cris wanted a relationship with the man he’d fallen for when they first met. Maybe it wasn’t three minutes and twenty-four seconds, but it was damn quick.

  Ridge hopped out of the old car and trudged through the dirty slush left from a snowfall a few days earlier. He climbed the stairs to the loading dock and kissed Cris on the lips. “Your lips are cold. Did you not warm the car before you started driving?” Cris asked, as he opened the door for the two of them to walk into the warm store.

  “The heater is… shit. Okay, this is something I forgot about. That’s not my car. It’s Patsy’s car. I have a flashy car, so I needed something less expensive to drive here if I wasn’t going to give myself away. When I get things straightened out, I’m going to buy her a better car, I swear,” Ridge offered.

  Cris smirked. “I can check it out when we break for lunch. The car looks like it’s in good condition, so it’s a shame to just get rid of it,” he assessed, as the two of them grabbed their uniforms and went into the unisex bathroom together to change.

  “Yeah, and knowing Patsy, she’ll be fine k
eeping it, but if you can look at the heater, I’ll pay you. I’ll ask Evie to borrow some money and give you cash. I can pay her back after the first of the year,” Ridge promised.

  Cris nodded. “It’s probably something simple. I’ll look at it and figure out what’s wrong. We can run by the shop after work, and I can borrow a part from my boss. He will let you pay for the part after the first of the year, and I won’t charge you for my time. Bobby’s good about things like that. So, how’d you sleep?” Cris asked, as he undressed to his boxers and socks.

  Ridge sat down on the lid of the commode to pull on his tights. “Not worth crap, because my neighbors were fighting about some guy they met at a Christmas party. But, once they calmed down, I fell asleep and had dreams about Santa.”

  The two of them laughed. “I had visions of Sugarplum dancing through my head,” Cris teased, happy to hear Ridge giggle for the first time in a long while. It meant he was feeling good, and Cris could undoubtedly agree with the sentiment.

  They made their way to the break room to see everyone already there, chattering happily. The look of relief on Kirby’s face at seeing Ridge dressed as the photography elf was priceless. When Eve and Elliot Holiday came into the room, the air suddenly became thick with apprehension.

  “El, what are you guys doing here?” Ridge asked, looking around the room with panic on his face. Cris nodded to him that everyone had already heard the story about Ridge’s true identity. Cris knew they had questions, but there would be time after Elliot Holiday left the store for answers.

  “Nothing to be alarmed about. We’ve sent every other envelope out by express mail, but the family wanted Eve and me to come by to thank you all personally for the wonderful job you’ve all done here in Wonderland this year.”

  “We’ve donated over a hundred thousand dollars from the proceeds of the Santa photos to neighborhood charities, and we wanted to give everyone a cut of the profits for this holiday season. Thank you for your hard work,” Elliot Holiday announced.