Chapter 4

I show him the paper and see him smile and shake his head. He repeats what he said when he came to me and I blush. This is not what I had hoped—he’s not Santa Claus, for God’s sake—but it’s the cutest thing someone’s said to me in a long time.

Thanks,I write, and then I nod before turning around and heading back to the alley where I will sleep for another night.

* * * *

Pete

Oh, fuck! For a moment I thought the guy was really crazy. He isn’t a child who can go around pulling on Santa’s beard as if that’s normal. Of course, he didn’t hurt me, but I felt entitled to go after him. Since calling him didn’t seem to work, I grabbed his backpack and pulled hard enough to make him stop. He almost fell, but I didn’t care.

What mattered was what happened in the next two minutes.

How his honey eyes stared at my lips and made me want to rip off this stupid costume, grab his hand, and take him home with me.