Pocket Full of Posies

Chapter Twenty-Six

   If I had to listen to Mariah Carey one more time, I swear I would shoot myself. Why was that even a popular Christmas song? Like really. I could think of about a hundred other Christmas songs better than this one, and yet this was always what played in every store every year. Before you say I'm bitter, just know I had always hated that song. I just kind of hated it a little bit more. All I wanted for Christmas was to never hear that song again. Luckily, my misery ended in two days. Thank. God!

Christmas was tomorrow and here I was working. My family and I had Christmas Eve traditions I wanted to do, but alas, I needed the hours before school started again. So all the kids did dirty Santa early that morning, instead of that night, and Uncle Harmon was going to the movies with everyone else while Aunt Nellie, Aunt Lillian, Felicity, and Brady wrapped presents. It was a time honored tradition, really. And here I was. Working.

It wasn't as dead as I expected it to be deader than it was. There weren't a lot of people here, but more than I thought there would be. We were open tomorrow, too, but I wasn't working. Carl knew I never working Thanksgiving and Christmas and that I always told him to suck it any time he tried getting me to come in. He'd given up a while ago. Sure he could have me fired, but he wouldn't because I was one of the hardest workers they had. So, needless to say, I was pretty secure.

Now who did sit in my restaurant this night did surprise me. A couple weeks ago it might not have, but I knew a little more now. Landon had told me his parents weren't ones to be actual parents and be sentimental, but that apparently switched personalities around the holidays. So if they were so crazy about having family around this time of year....why was Leland sitting by himself sipping terrible coffee and reading? He didn't even have any sort of holiday meal. Just French fries with ranch on the side.

I hadn't talked to Landon in a few days so for some reason I took Leland's absence from the Harrison mansion as a bad sign. At least, that was what I was telling myself that was the reason for going up to him.

"I imagine your mama makes better dinner than this."

He looked up at me as if surprised to see me. It didn't last long, though, and soon he had his signature predatory smirk on. "It's kinda cute you think my mother actually cooks."

"Well judging by that comment, I guess she doesn't," I mumbled. This was what I got for being nice.

He chuckled without humor. "Not at all. The woman can't even boil water."

"I doubt that's true."

A shrug was all I got out of that.

"Not to seem rude, but what're you doing here?" I pried.

"Believe it or not, the bad coffee gets addicting after a while. I missed it."

"Seriously."

"Well, considering that there's no other real restaurants in town that isn't Mexican food..."

I gave him a flat look. He had one more chance before I gave up and walked out.

Sensing this, he said, "We're not big Christmas Eve people. Everyone else is in bed."

"It's not even nine o'clock."

He smiled pointedly. "Thus my being here."

"Reading."

"I can't focus at the house," he muttered, glaring at a bunch of folders.

"Sucks you got a case right before Christmas."

Judging by his wide grin, I could tell I said something naïve. "Honey, I've had this case for over a year."

"Oh. Well, I'll leave you to it then. Just wanted to make sure everything was alright."