“I guess there’s no chance I can get out of this.” Paulie’s look pretty much confirmed it. “He’s going to go nuts, isn’t he?”
“If, by nuts, you mean him using the occasion as an excuse to give you all the things you won’t let him buy you, then probably.”
“And that’s why I’m stressed out.”
“Better for your blood pressure to accept now you’re going to get smothered in presents and you’re not expected to smother back.”
“I hate that.”
“And they know that about you, so hopefully they’ll make some kind of attempt at self-control.”
“They?” This conversation was not making her feel better.
“All of them. The whole Kowalski clan.”
She’d been so focused on Kevin, she hadn’t even thought about the rest of them. Why did there have to be so many? “Great.”
Paulie laughed. “Don’t even try to get out of the Christmas Eve party. Even I have to go and I don’t have a Kowalski tadpole swimming in my pond.”
When a guy at the other end of the bar bellowed for Paulie, Beth dove into her cheeseburger, letting the explosion of cheese, bacon and Jasper’s special seasoning blast at her anxiety. She’d find something for Kevin and Paulie and then worry about the rest of them. Or maybe just token gifts for the kids. She could only do what she could do.
Paulie was gone a while, but eventually she wandered back and dumped Beth’s dishes into a buspan. “You want another seltzer?”
“No thanks. I’ve still got some and I’m going to explode as it is.” She didn’t even want to think about buying new clothes as her waistline expanded. “So I haven’t seen that guy around lately.”
Paulie’s cheeks turned pink. “What guy?”
“You know what guy. Did you drive him off?”
“He had to go home for the holidays, plus he had some business to do in Europe.” She shrugged. “He’s a bad penny. He’ll turn up again.”
“Has he called?”
“I hate phones. We’ve exchanged a few emails. Some text messages.”
It wasn’t like Paulie to clam up and Beth wasn’t sure she knew her well enough to know how hard to push. “So he’ll be back, then?”
“Probably not for a couple more months. There’s not much he can do on site here, so he’s trying to finish up a bunch of other stuff so once he’s needed back here, he can focus on the job.”
Regardless of the lack of enthusiasm her words conveyed, her voice and the puppy-dog look gave away just how much she was missing him. “And focus on you.”
Paulie snorted. “Lucky me. Now back to Christmas shopping—”
“Ugh. I don’t even know where to start.”
“I know this great artisan gallery with homemade gifts for a wicked great price. Because I like you, I’ll even give you my list. There was a scarf I thought Steph might like and a wooden pop gun for Bobby and…some other stuff. Oh, a hand-pressed journal for Danny because he wants to be a writer. You could get something small for each kid and maybe a hostess thing for Mr. and Mrs. Kowalski for about fifty bucks.”
Fifty dollars was a lot, but she could do it. A little more scrimping would be worth it if it meant not feeling awkward about joining in the family’s holiday. “I have Wednesday off this week. I could get the directions from you if you’re sure you don’t mind giving up your ideas.”
Paulie waved a hand at her. “I’ll get them all Nerf guns and call it good. And if you go in the morning, I can go with you. I’ll drive and treat you to lunch after as long as I’m back by two.”
The warm glow Beth had felt walking through the door returned with a vengeance. “I’d like that.”
“Nine o’clock, then.” She rolled her eyes as somebody bellowed for her again. “I swear I’m going to change my name. I’ll talk to you later.”
After Paulie walked away, Beth stood up and dug in her pocket for a couple of ones, which she dropped on the counter to cover the tip. They refused to let her pay for her meals and she’d stopped arguing the point. Kevin was happy and she was able to save that money, but she wouldn’t let his employees wait on her for nothing. Feeling more optimistic about the impending holiday, she headed for the elevator.
All she needed to do now was figure out the perfect gift for Kevin.
Chapter Eleven
If there was one thing about his parents, Kevin thought as he helped Beth and then Paulie out of the Jeep, they seriously knew how to deck the halls. And they didn’t go for boughs of holly, either. His parents’ house was ablaze in flashing, multicolored lights that illuminated every inflatable reindeer and snowman known to man.
“Wow.”
He looked down at Beth, her awestruck expression bathed in twinkling lights. “My mom’s favorite holiday.”
“I can see that.”