Chapter 85

"Hello! Welcome to Santa's Café!" a friendly waitress asked as they walked in. "Two for dinner?"
Taren shook his head. "Just hot cocoa for me. We came in to warm up."
A friendly smile spread across her lips. "Well, then. You came to the right place! Mrs. Claus just finished baking a fresh batch of her cookies, too, so you're in luck!" Taren could tell that the waitress took her job to heart. Her name tag read Angela.
"Thanks, Angela." It was obvious that Kiki knew her. After all, the jewelry store was close by. Taren assumed that Kiki and her coworkers frequently came in for lunch.
"My pleasure." Angela walked over to a table, expecting them to follow, and laid two menus down. "I'm glad to see you're back. Sorry to hear about- what happened."
Kiki nodded. "Thanks." She and Taren slid into the booth across from each other.
"So, what can I get you?" Angela asked, her voice spritely once again.
"Just hot cocoa for me." Kiki slipped off her coat and laid it on the seat beside her. Turning to Taren, she asked, "And you?"
Taren smiled as he took off his coat. "Hot cocoa for me, too. And bring us some of Mrs. Claus's cookies, too- since she just took them out of the oven."
"Well, all righty, then!" Angela chirped, and then turned to Kiki. "Should I bring enough for two?"
"By all means," Kiki replied, and then lowered her vice conspiratorially, "I wouldn't want to disappoint Mrs. Claus."
"Okay!" Angela tapped the table. "Why don't you two warm up a bit and I'll be right back with your order?"
Tarn nodded, as a smile spread across his lips. "Don't mind if we do." He reached across the table and took Kiki's hand.
"Taren, what is this?" Kiki looked down at their linked hands after Angela walked away.
Taren bit his lower lip as he leaned back against his seat, letting go of her hand. "I'm sorry. I haven't done this in a long while. I didn't mean--"
"Done what?" she cut him off, taking her hands off the table as she tilted her head to the side.
Taren let out a deep breath. Could he really have what he wanted, or would he just have to resolve himself to go through life without someone special? If it would be just him and his daughter for the rest of his life, then he could handle it. But if he and Kiki- He hadn't felt this way for anyone in a very long time and he doubted he ever would again. He lifted his chin and looked into her eyes, never wavering.
"Date."
"Here you go!" Angela chirped as she set two cups of hot chocolate and a small plate of assorted Christmas cookies on the table. She looked between them and her smile faded. "I'll leave you to it, then." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Let me know if you need anything." Then she hurried away.
"Is that what we're doing, Taren? Dating?" Kiki asked, her voice soft as she raised an eyebrow.
Taren tilted his head to the side. "Well, I didn't think it was necessary to put a name to it, but yes. Is that okay, or do you want to stay friends?" His heart sank at the thought.
Kiki nodded. "I was just wondering. Between the kiss, fixing me lunch, and now holding my hand, I just wanted to make sure I was getting the signals right."
Taren bit his lower lip, smiling. He had been doing everything but throw himself at her and she thought he wasn't interested. "Is that okay?"
Kiki smiled as she reached across the table and laid it palm up. "Yes, that's fine. I just didn't want to-" She waved her hand dismissively. "Never mind."
He took the hand she was waving and held it, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Oh, there's no 'never mind' now." One corner of his lips curled into a smile, patting her hand. "Tell me."
She tried to pull it away, but he wouldn't let her. "Stop it. Let me go."
He smoothed his hand over hers. "Tell me."
"Nope." She smiled, enjoying the banter. "This is coercion, I hope you know."
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her hand then the inside of her wrist. Then he looked up at her through his eyelashes. "Please?"
"Let me go!" She laughed as she yanked her hand away, out of reach. "Okay, okay!" She let out a deep breath and rubbed the back of her neck before looking into his eyes, looking vulnerable. "Taren, I just don't want to get hurt."
He reached across the table and took her hand, resting at the edge of the table. "If anyone's going to get hurt, it'll probably be me." He let out a deep breath. He hated himself for saying this, but he had his daughter to think about. "Just do me a favor. Don't hurt Abby."
Her eyes widened and then her lips curled into a smile. "I think if anyone's going to get hurt, it'll be me. But I'd never hurt Abby, intentional or otherwise. No matter what happens between us, I'll always be good to her."
Taren nodded, satisfied. "Well, then. How about a cookie?" He lifted a sugar cookie off the plate and held it up. "I hear that Mrs. Claus makes them special for Christmas Cove."
Kiki laughed as she took a chocolate chip cookie. "I'd bet she does." She took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. "Um- this is good! I mean, really good."
Taren took a bite and the sugar cookie practically melted in his mouth. "Delicious," he said between bites and then took a sip of his hot cocoa to wash it down. "I could make a meal just out of these."
"Me, too." Kiki took another bite and then blew across the top of her mug of cocoa as steam rolled off the top and the scent of chocolate wafted around him.
Taren laughed. "We should do that some time- make cookies and have them for dinner."
"Evelyn may not like that." Kiki took another bite of her cookie, and then rolled her eyes in ecstasy.
Taren chuckled at the contented look on her face. "She won't mind, as long as it's not all the time." His eyes widened. "Or we could have an ice cream sundae party!"
"For dinner?" Kiki laughed. "Your mother would have our hides."
"Nope! She loves ice cream." He took another bite of his cookie and swallowed, enjoying the sweet, light taste that always reminded him of home.
"But we'll have to wait until summer for that," Kiki replied and then took another sip of her hot cocoa.
Taren was glad that she planned on being around in the summer. Even though it had been a long time since he'd seen her, it was as if Kiki had always been in his life. Even though they had lost a lot of time, he figured that it just hadn't been the right time for them in the past. Now, maybe things could be different-.