Teddy was tempted to follow Sergeant Major Stuffy Butt, make sure he made it back to the main highway leading north to Fort End. Mineral Spirits was at the junction of a lot of smaller rural routes, and it was easy for outsiders to get turned around, end up going in circles trying to hit the highway. But he did need to go into the resource center, make sure the Saturday volunteers had closed up and that nothing urgent needed his attention. Nick was a big boy—and how—he undoubtedly could handle himself, and if Teddy followed, it might piss him off, make him reluctant to return.
A better tactic would be to text in an hour or so, make sure the man made it safely back to base. And then maybe casually suggest he stick around after the next Santa gig. Not that Teddy had a crush on the guy or anything like that. He was undeniably attractive in a gruff aging-pro-wrestler way, and he had the whole military angle that always worked for him, but it was more that the guy seemed a little…lonely, maybe. An undercurrent of sadness even. Teddy had been around enough to recognize someone who could use a friend, even if they didn’t think so, and if he was good at anything, it was at being that friend.
In the meantime though, he put the center to rights, straightening the couches, making sure the toys were back in the bins, checking the volunteer logs, making notes about the shortage of men’s clothing and the low staples of powdered milk and flour. He was just adding Jayden’s wishes to his stack of ornaments for the giving tree when his office phone rang. A quick glance at the caller ID told him that it was his mother, so he picked up.
“Hey, Mom. What’s up?”
“I figured you might still be at work.” Her laugh was as welcome as ever. “You work too hard, Teddy. Delegate.”
“I do.” He shrugged off her concern. He genuinely loved his job, long hours and all. And while he loved his volunteers, he tended to like to do things himself, make sure his vision and standards were met for each particular project. “You all set for the storm?”
“That’s why I thought I might catch you. Your dad’s waiting for a call-out, so I don’t want to bother him. I did a big stock up yesterday, but somehow I forgot the coffee creamer. And you know your father…”
“Yeah, we don’t want to see him in the morning with no coffee. It’s no problem. I’ll swing by the market, then drop it off on my way home. Anything else? Got flour and butter, all that?”
“Is that your way of making sure I’ll be able to make my pies?” Her voice was warm.
“Guilty.”
“Yes, I’ve got everything I need for next week. But if the market has some eggnog in, I wouldn’t turn it down.”
“You’ve got it.” He had to laugh because he’d bet she’d bought eggnog on her shopping trip too. She was addicted to the non-alcoholic stuff this time of year. “See you in a few.”
He finished closing up, then stopped at the small market down the street from the center. Predictably, it was crowded with people stocking up on bread and milk before the worst of the storm hit, but he got his mom’s requests and then a few things for his place. He knew she’d offer to have him stay for dinner, but after a long day in the elf costume, he was beyond ready to get home. And yeah, the costume got a few looks at the market.
“Giving tree going up Monday?” Elle, the checker, who’d gone to high school with him, asked as she rang him up.
“Yup.”
“We’ll stop by to collect some wishes.” Elle smiled at him. “I still can’t believe you’re the director over there. To me you’ll always be the cute kid from glee club. It’s still so funny to think of you in charge.”
“It’s been ten years since glee club,” he said mildly as he took his packages and headed out into the snow. But much as he loved his life, this right here was the problem with small towns. To everyone, family included, he was still some clueless kid forgetting his homework and losing his hat and gloves, not a guy with a master’s degree who handled budgets and program planning and managed volunteers and staff.
Elf costume probably isn’t helping, his inner voice lectured. But he’d done the Easter bunny in the spring and a scarecrow at Halloween, so people should be used to the lengths he’d go for fund-raising. And they might laugh and point, but the costumes and events worked—he’d increased donations almost twenty-five percent in his time as director.
It was snowing way harder than the earlier flurries, so he was careful as he made his way to his parents’ place, which was on the way to his house. His father apparently hadn’t received the call-out yet because his Yukon was still parked under the carport. He was an electrical crew boss with the local utility company, and chances were high he’d get summoned for downed power lines before the weekend was through.
He didn’t bother knocking on the kitchen door, but instantly wished he had as he discovered his parents mid-kiss by the stove, where something that smelled like stew was bubbling away.
“Oh, hi, Teddy.” His mother laughed as she stepped away but didn’t look the least embarrassed. Her hair was still curly blond like his, and she patted it back into place.
“Knock, Teddy,” his dad said in his deep, gruff voice, ruddy face looking pinker than usual. What was left of his hair was hidden under a hat his mother had knitted him a few years back.
When he was younger, Teddy would have been the flustered one because ewww, parents kissing, but now that he’d been on his own for a few years all he felt was a bit wistful. He’d known that coming back to town after finishing his degree meant putting his social life in the deep freeze. His chances of finding a partnership like his parents’ were already slim. And out here in the North Country? Probably never happening.
The not-so-jolly Saint Nick was still single at forty-something. Teddy could easily see that same fate stretching out in front of himself. Did the guy get lonely? Wish things were different? Or was he one of those career bachelors, totally content with his solitary status? Teddy hoped he’d eventually come to some sort of peace about the direction his own life was surely headed. But in the meantime…would it be so bad to spend a little time with the grumpy sergeant major? Not in a “we’re soul mates” kind of way, but just two guys who might be a little tired of the status quo. He fingered his phone in his pocket. He totally was going to text Nick, work on that whole friendship plan.
“Are you going to stay for dinner?” His mother moved to accept the bag with the creamer and eggnog. Meanwhile, his dad gave him a friendly box on the shoulder on his way back to the news blaring from the living room. “It’s stew and I’ve got cornbread in the oven. You can stay over if the snow’s too bad after dinner.”
He glanced at the window over the big farmhouse sink. Snow swirled, thick clumps coming down now. If he stayed for dinner, he’d for sure be talked into spending the night. But his old room had been turned into quilting central, and sleeping in Aurora and Ashley’s room—which was the new guest room his parents had decked out for the grandkids with bunk beds and shelves of toys and board games—was more than a little surreal. And he really did want out of this costume.
“I’ve got groceries in the car. And I need to hang up the costume. But thanks.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek.
“Take some to go.” She bustled around, scooping beef stew into a plastic bowl and wrapping fresh-from-the-oven bread in a clean dish towel. “There’s enough to feed an army here. I’m giving you about three bowls’ worth so you’ve got food for next week too, just in case.”
“Thanks.” He loved his mom, but she too struggled with seeing him as a functional adult, someone who could feed and clothe himself. “And yes, I’ll drive safe,” he added before she could start in on that. “It’s not far.”
“I know. I just worry.” She put the stew and bread into the same bag he’d brought the groceries in. “And remember to keep your eyes open for wildlife—Ben Simmons hit a deer just the other day. Totaled his Toyota.”
“I’ll keep my eyes peeled for things in the road,” he promised before hugging her and heading to his Subaru. In the car, he sent Nick a fast text.
Hey, it’s Teddy. Hope you made it home safe! It’s really coming down now, so let me know.
He wasn’t expecting a fast reply so he carefully navigated back to the main road, which was covered with powder and starting to get slick as temperatures dipped further. Man, he really did hope Nick had made it back to base. No inexperienced winter drivers should be out in this.