Page 42 of 27 Kisses
“Ramon can handle it. And Jake will take your order.” His gaze shifts to Jane. “If there’s a reason I’m not wanted?—”
Everyone rushes to reassure him, including Jane. But I’m more subtle. I place my hand on his leg. Not so high to cause an incident, but high enough to make a point. It’s part reassuring. And part claiming. He sneaks me a glance and clears his throat. “We have this Christmas thing to plan.” He points a finger at Zye. “Don’t think you’re getting out of it. Just because it’s at Garrett’s house doesn’t mean he does everything.”
“Planning is in my job description—and Garrett’s.” Zye smirks at Aidyn and turns to me. “What do you need?”
I open my mouth, but Aidyn responds first. “What he doesn’t need is emus running around causing chaos.”
“I’m fine with— Oh no. What a shame.” Zye pats Miles’s hand.
Miles gives him a sad puppy-dog look. “I hate to leave Justine alone?—”
“Babe, she’s been alone before. She’ll be fine.”
This look is more wounded. “But it’s Christmas. And Justine is family.”
Aidyn shakes his head, probably regretting this entire conversation. I squeeze his hand under the table and smile at Miles. “I own a farm. Justine is welcome?—”
“As long as she stays outside.”
“That’s fair,” Zye says with a nod.
“But her presents?—”
“It’s fine.” I squeeze Aidyn’s hand again to keep him from responding to Miles. “Justine can play outside with the chickens, but she can come in and open presents with us.”
Jane laughs. “This Christmas is going to make Zyageddon look like a picnic. And I’m here for it.”
“Not cool.” Zye pouts, and Miles kisses the side of his face.
“What is wrong with you?” Aidyn says loudly as the server—is this Jake?—stops at our table.
His eyes get big. “Uh…I can come back.”
“No.” It sounds like a command, and Jake looks ready to bolt. “These two have already ordered.” Aidyn points to Jane and me. “You need to take their order…” he says, and Jake nods. “And mine.”
His mouth drops open. And he snaps it shut. “Yes, sir.”
“Don’t call me that.” Aidyn combs his fingers through his beard. “This isn’t your first day, lad.”
“It’s my second.”
Aidyn takes a deep breath and nods. “You’re doing fine. Take our orders.”
“Yes, s— Mr. Christy.” He nods rapidly.
Jane rolls her lips and amusement shines in her eyes as she catches my gaze. Young Jake—is he in high school?—takes the orders and Aidyn has him read them back. As soon as Aidyn nods for him to go, the kid darts off, almost knocking into another server.
“Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. I should probably go back?—”
“No.” My voice is a little too loud. I’m glad I’m not prone to blushing when all eyes at the table turn to me. “He has to learn sometime. And we’re planning Christmas.”
It has nothing to do with me wanting my secret boyfriend to eat breakfast with mein his diner.Or the fact that I don’t want to let go of his hand.
Our food arrives as we talk about who’s coming and not coming. Roz will not make it. Nat will be disappointed to hear that. They spent Christmas with Zye and Miles last year, but they have a Christmas-themed show running in Vegas this year.
“Rainn and Mac are a maybe. But I wouldn’t count on them.” Zye adds ketchup to his eggs, and Aidyn winces. “Mama Gladdie invited them and Hettie to Christmas, so I think they’re going there.”
Rainn is Zye’s brother. He and Mac got drunk-married in Vegas last year, which was awkward since Mac had been Rainn’s best man at his wedding. The wedding that imploded and caused the Zyageddon hashtag to start trending again.