Blue Christmas
Clint whistled his way down the hallway, heading for his father’s office. The tavern was a bit dead, due to the threat of a snowstorm that the weatherman was still trying to track. In Kentucky, just a few inches of snow were enough to send loaves of bread and gallons of milk flying off the shelves, but they were saying this one could dump a foot of snow on them if the conditions were right.
Clint was anxious to get over to Ava’s. Instead of visions of sugarplums, he’d had visions of Ava dancing in his head all day long. Clint closed his eyes and paused before he reached the office door. He’d taken the day to go Christmas shopping, and when he entered Designs by Diamante, the jewelry store over on Wedding Row, all he had intended to purchase was a necklace or maybe earrings. But instead he’d bought a ring.
At Clint’s request, Nicolina, the talented jewelry designer and owner of the shop, started showing him necklaces, but his gaze kept traveling over to ring display. With a soft laugh, Nicolina steered him over to the ring case, and a diamond droplets ring seemed to be calling his name. Framed in matte gold, the teardrop diamonds circled the finger. Earthy and elegant, the unique ring reminded Clint of Ava. The teardrops were a testimony that he would want to see only happy tears, and Clint realized it was the perfect gift.
Although they were going to her parents’ house on Christmas Day, Clint wanted to give the ring to Ava tomorrow on Christmas Eve. He was going to finally say what he had been longing to say for the past couple of weeks. He loved her. He wanted this Christmas to go from being a second chance to a new beginning and he wanted the setting to be perfect. After thinking about it for a few moments, he smiled suddenly, knowing that his dad’s cabin down by the river would be just right. They used to sneak there when they were teenagers, and the cabin was where Clint had told Ava he loved her for the first time.
“Perfect!” Clint said with a smile. “Who the hell knew I was such a romantic?” He had his work cut out for him since he knew he would need to air the cabin out and stock it with supplies for a special dinner. First he needed to stop by the tavern and let his father know his plans. But as he walked down the hallway toward his father’s office, he overheard him on the phone.
And it stopped him cold.
“Maria, I didn’t tell you about my heart condition because we’re divorced.” Pause. “I know we share a son together. But you gave up the right to know about me when you left. Don’t give me that,” he growled. Then he paused again. “No, I don’t want your help! Clint is here.”
Clint inhaled sharply and stepped back, leaning against the wall. When he was a kid, hearing his parents argue used to make him break out in a cold sweat, but this time all he did was shake his head. “Well, it may not have been your intention, but you are upsetting me, Maria” After a pause Clint heard, “Really? I know it’s the holidays. Bury the hatchet? Look, if you’re worried that I’m going to kick the bucket, you can stop. Clint has me eating rabbit food and exercising. I’m healthy as a horse.”
Clint knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help himself.
“Well, he shouldn’t have told you. No, I don’t need your help. Okay . . . okay, I will. Bye.”
Clint stepped into the office and folded his arms over his chest. “Seriously? Mom wanted to come here and you just blew her off?”
“Only because you had to run your mouth and tell her about my damned heart.”
Clint looked up at the ceiling and then back at his father. “She asks about you, Dad. She always does, and she’s been asking nonstop since she found out you were having some health issues.”
“She . . . she does?”
“Yeah. Look. I know how you feel. Putting your heart out there feels like you’re up to bat, it’s the bottom of the ninth, two outs, full count bases loaded, and you’re down by one. What did you always tell me?”
“Swing with no fear.”
“Exactly. That’s what I’m trying to do, and I hope you’ll do yourself a favor and do the same thing. Taking a risk is better than never knowing.”
“Did I say that too?”
Clint grinned. “No, it was a wise little elf. And speaking of Christmas, I have some shopping left to do. Do you need me to bartend tonight?”
“No. Get your shopping done. I’ll be fine.”
Clint was about to tell him that he was heading out to the cabin, but the phone rang and his father started talking to a vendor. Instead, Clint grabbed the keys to the cabin from the hook on the wall and headed out the door. He’d call his dad later. Right now he had some work to do.