“It’s interesting, right?” Elda stared at the building like she could see the ghosts of the Bell family lurking inside.
It was interesting, Danny supposed, but he was more interested in the intricate stonework on the outside walls and the renovations Mags had to do before opening the restaurant—she’d had to lengthen the doorways, for example. People were much shorter back in the day. “I just hope Mags doesn’t use those same dishes in her diner.”
Elda snorted. “Oh my God! What if she’s been using lead plates this whole time and they’ve affected people’s brains, and that’s why this place is so Christmas obsessed?”
Danny grinned. This sounded more like the smart, snarky, imaginative girl he’d been texting for the past few days. “That’s a great idea for a movie. I should ask my friend Sam to write the script.”
Elda, who had skipped ahead of him a few paces, spun around, and the sunlight reflected off the reddish highlights in her hair. “What’s your favorite movie?”
Hadn’t they already talked about it? Danny could’ve sworn that had been part of one of their first conversations. He’d said that he loved Taxi Driver, and Elda had said that she was more of a Goodfellas girl. Then they got into a discussion about their favorite Martin Scorsese movies. Maybe she’d forgotten. “You talkin’ to me?” he said with a grin.
Elda frowned. “Yeah,” she said, holding her hand over her eyes to block the sun’s glare. She glanced around, scanning the crowds of tourists walking down Main Street. “Who else would I be talking to?”
“No,” Danny said. “Taxi Driver. Remember. It’s my favorite movie. It’s a line…Robert De Niro…”
Elda’s eyes narrowed, questioning, for a moment. Then she giggled, waving Danny off. “I remember. I was just messing with you.”
“Oh. Good joke.” But it wasn’t, really. It was just kind of odd, and not at all how she would’ve responded on the phone. Via text, she probably would’ve asked if Danny thought she was a clown, and she would’ve included a gif of Joe Pesci with it. But Elda still looked bewildered, like she had no idea what Danny was talking about.
“So, do you really think Holly hates you?” Elda asked as they passed the arcade. She was peeking into the windows.
She was bringing up Holly now? On their date? Holly was the last person Danny wanted to think about today. “Oh. I don’t know,” Danny said. “I mean, she said she doesn’t like me, so.”
“Holly can be kind of a tough nut to crack,” Elda said. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think she hates you. She’s just…Holly.” They were past the arcade now, and Elda seemed to have stopped searching for something outside their conversation.
“During the second round of the gingerbread competition, when you weren’t there, Holly and I had, I thought, a pretty good conversation. She’s interesting and funny.” And cute. “But then she snapped at me in the arcade later. I don’t know what I did.”
“I’m sure you didn’t do anything. She’s super private and in her head.” Elda touched her temple. “Her snapping probably had nothing to do with you. Wrong place, wrong time. She’s sad, too. She won’t talk about it, but I know she misses our grandma.”
This was one of the longest, easiest conversations he and Elda’d had in person to date, and it was all about Holly. He might as well keep it going. “Does she have a boyfriend?”
“Holly?” Elda raised her eyebrows, then she shook her head. “No. At least I don’t think so. We talk all the time, but she doesn’t say much about herself, really. She’s always helping me with my problems. She’s a great listener, and she’d do anything for the people she cares about.” Elda frowned, stopping short on the sidewalk, deep in thought. “I can’t say I know as much about her. Maybe because I don’t ask.” She looked right at Danny. “Maybe I should ask.”
The two of them walked in silence the rest of the way down the block.
At the architecture tour office, Craig was standing behind the front counter in his mom jeans and blue fleece jacket. He was going to be their tour guide today. Naturally. “What are you two doing here?”
“We’re here for the tour, Craig,” Danny said.
“We’re on a date.” Elda moved a step closer to Danny and gazed up at him. He considered putting an arm around her or taking her hand or something else date-like, but none of that felt right to him. Would it be too soon, too forward, too presumptuous? He patted her shoulder instead, which was definitely the wrong move. Ugh.
Craig looked from Danny to Elda and back to Danny. “I don’t see it.”
“You don’t have to see it, Craig.” Danny’s face flushed. Damn it, Craig, always noticing and commenting on every little thing. Why couldn’t he just mind his own business like everyone else?
Craig grabbed his guidebook and led them out onto Main Street. He pointed out the flying buttresses on the chapel and the gorgeous stained-glass windows off the back of The Chinese Restaurant.
But on the way to Prince’s Summer Sports, Craig sidled up to Elda. “How long does this date last?”
“I don’t know, Craig.” Elda raised her eyebrows. “It’s a date. It lasts as long as it lasts.”
What did she mean by that? Was she saying she’d stick with Danny for as long as they were having some approximation of fun, or that she was booking it out of here the second the tour was over?
“Some of us are meeting up at the arcade later, if you’re interested.” Craig nodded down the street, toward Santa’s Playhouse.
“Okay, Craig. Enough. Just keep talking about the buildings.” Danny wedged his body between Craig’s and Elda’s. He was actually flirting with Danny’s date right in front of him. What the hell, Craig?
“I…um…” Elda’s shoulders were up by her ears. She was the picture of discomfort. “So, what’s your favorite building in North Pole?”
“Mags’s Diner,” Craig said right away.
“Danny,” Elda said. “I was asking Danny.” She smiled at Danny, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She was only a few inches shorter than him, unlike Holly. He had over a half a foot on Holly.
Danny rolled his eyes at Elda—he wasn’t sure why, if it was because this was such an absurd date or because he was feeling uncomfortable, but whatever. Why didn’t matter. It made her laugh. And then he was laughing, too. He felt better than he had all day. He’d been so tense, which was silly. He was on a date with this awesome girl who liked him, whom he liked, too. He had to stop worrying about saying the right thing or whether or not Craig had more game than he did. All that mattered right now was Elda. “I love the town hall,” he said.
She was still watching him, brow furrowed.