As if reading Holly’s mind, Elda said, “I wonder if we’ll meet any hot guys at the dance tonight.”
“Maybe,” Holly said. Though Danny Garland might not be among them. Those crutches weren’t very conducive to dancing. He was probably sitting home alone thinking about his gingerbread showstopper entry or reading a book or watching some really interesting documentary about history or architecture. Holly liked to picture him doing those things sans girlfriend, which was naive. He and this girlfriend were probably together all the time, doing all the things they loved to do together. She was probably an amazing gingerbread house builder.
“Maybe we can team up tonight,” Elda said. “I can lure the guys over to us, because that’s where I really shine. Then you can keep me from saying words like ‘toe jam’ or ‘deer scat’ once the conversation gets going.”
Holly grinned. “I think I can handle that. If I kick you in the shins, it means stop talking about blood and guts and hairballs.”
Elda fixed the strap on her platform sandal. “And if I kick you in the shins, it means loosen up and smile at whatever cute guy is grooving on you.”
“What are you talking about? I smile all the time!” Holly had never had anyone tell her to lighten up and smile more. Okay, except for her BFF Rebel sometimes. And her parents. And freaking R.J., but what did he know? Holly didn’t have to smile just to make other people feel more comfortable. She was allowed to wear any facial expression she pleased.
“You don’t smile,” came a voice from the porch behind the girls. Holly swung around. Her cousin Sal, Elda’s brother, stood there, all dressed up like he was going to the dance, too. “Remember when you were in town for the funeral and I introduced you to my friend Patrick?”
Holly shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She didn’t remember a Patrick. She’d met a lot of people that day.
“He thought you were hot, so I arranged a meeting.” Sal adjusted the cuffs on his button-down shirt. “But you were, like, totally aloof and acted like you wanted nothing to do with him.”
He had to be kidding with this. “I was at my grandma’s funeral, Sal. What did he expect? Little Miss Sunshine?”
“I don’t know, man,” Sal said. “He thought you were mean.”
Rolling her eyes, Holly turned to Elda. “Tell your brother I’m not mean.”
Elda wrapped an arm around Holly. “You’re not mean. You’re tough and strong and opinionated. Those are good qualities.” She squeezed Holly’s shoulder. “But friendliness is okay, too, you know. Maybe loosen up tonight. Be open to new people, new experiences. I’ll be there to help you, okay? I’m your wingwoman, too.”
“You two are losers.” Sal brushed past the girls and headed down the street.
“Why don’t you put on a skirt, Sal? Show off your legs a little?” Holly yelled after him.
He responded by flipping her two birds.
Laughing, Holly said, “I miss this, Elda. I love that we’re all hanging out again.”
“Me, too.” She pulled Holly into a hug. “Let’s never lose touch again. Promise? Friends forever?”
“Friends forever,” Holly said.
Chapter Four
Danny’s mom forced him to go to the mayor’s annual Christmas ball. It was a North Pole tradition, and everyone in town always went, but Danny should’ve gotten a pass this year, what with his crutches and the fact that he’d just been dumped. He did not.
“You’re going,” his mom had said as she put on dangly emerald green earrings. “It’ll be a good distraction. What would you do otherwise? Stay here and play video games?”
Yes, that was what he’d do. Maybe video games were his new purpose in life.
“Maybe you’ll meet someone.” His mom waggled her eyebrows.
“Mom, I just broke up with Star.” And he didn’t trust his judgment. Or his ability to talk to girls. Every time he thought about meeting the two cute girls in Santabucks the other day and how he’d completely blown it with both of them, Danny’s whole body shuddered involuntarily. He was a total dork trapped inside a hot guy’s body. He would be single for the rest of his life.
At the dance, Danny perched himself at a table near the DJ booth, where Craig spun the Christmas tunes.
“Nice suit.” Craig pressed a few keys on his computer like he was the most important person in the room and his DJ-ing abilities were going to solve world hunger or something.
“Thanks.” Danny sipped non-alcoholic eggnog and tried hard not to watch Star and Phil dancing together in the middle of their circle of friends. Thanks a bunch, Mom.
“You look like an eight-year-old about to make his First Communion,” Craig said.
“Are you a fashion critic now?” Danny didn’t tell Craig that he looked like a stereotypical nerd, what with his hiked-up mom jeans and suspenders over a geeky Game of Thrones-themed Christmas T-shirt, because nerdy was the aesthetic Craig strived for. It was completely and utterly him. Danny was the one wearing a costume tonight. Danny was the one pretending to enjoy himself while being forced to watch his ex-girlfriend nuzzle her cheek against her new boyfriend’s neck.
“You should go dance.” Craig flipped to some Mariah Carey song from one of her Christmas albums and everyone in the crowd whooped with glee. Mariah was big around these parts.
This lousy, predictable town. “Crutches, Craig. Remember? You tried to keep me out of the laser tag room last night?”
“Yeah, so why are you being such a wimp now?” He feigned crying, rubbing his fists over his eyes. “‘Boo-hoo! My leg is broken and I’m sad.’”
Danny’s brother Brian came over with a small, unfamiliar blonde on his arm. Danny had never been so happy to see his brother and one of his flavors of the week. Anyone would be better than Craig at this point.
But then Brian said, “You should get out there and dance.”
Traitor.
“That’s what I told him.” Craig rammed a toothpick into one of the cocktail wieners he’d managed to get Dinesh to procure for him.
“Crutches. Cast.” Danny waved an arm toward his leg. “Also”—he pointed to his chest—“recently dumped.”
Brian waved him off. “All the more reason to get out there and work the floor. The Page girls are here.” Brian nodded toward the far corner of the room, where two girls in silly dresses and obvious wigs were heading toward the refreshments.
“The Page girls?” Danny asked.
“Mrs. Page’s granddaughters. They’re in town going through her stuff.”
Danny hadn’t noticed anyone over at Mrs. Page’s house, but then he hadn’t been paying attention. “She was always talking about her granddaughters.” His neighbor had been trying to set Danny up with one of them for years, but they never came back to visit, plus he’d been with Star the whole time.
“Yeah,” Brian said. “And they’re hot.”
The girls turned around, and it was like a spotlight landed on their faces. These were the girls from the coffee shop. “Oh, shit.” He ducked his head down and tried to cover his face.
“What?” Brian said.