“What shall we toast?” Lindy asked.
“How about we toast to Santa.”
Lindy laughed. “To Santa,” she said, and raised the glass to her lips.
The wine was extrasweet, and cold. It tasted a bit like honey and came to life in her mouth. She smiled to herself, thinking this was like a cavity in a glass.
“Do you like it?” Billy asked.
“It’s wonderful.” It was the perfect complement to their magical day.
CHAPTER TEN
Lindy’s mom watched Peter every Thursday, so Lindy was able to spend the morning with her precious nephew. He was a ball of fire. This precocious four-year-old had wrapped his way around her heart from the day he’d been born.
Chad’s wife worked at a small arts-and-crafts store owned by her parents. Now that Ashley was pregnant, she worked part-time, helping her parents out two days a week. Because Lindy’s mother had them for dinner on Thursday nights, that was the day she also kept Peter. After a long day on her feet, Ashley appreciated not needing to rush home and prepare dinner. Lindy’s mother was thoughtful that way.
For this evening, her mother had a Mississippi pot roast simmering in the Crock-Pot, which, Lindy knew, was one of Chad’s favorites. After spending the morning entertaining Peter with Beau’s help, Lindy got Peter down for his nap. He resisted until she promised him a sledding trip in the park after Christmas. Once she was sure he was asleep, she slipped away to meet Peggy for lunch.
Following their food scavenger hunt, when Peggy learned Lindy would be spending Wednesday afternoon with Billy, she’d insisted they meet so she could hear all the details. Lindy had stopped by Peggy’s office earlier and solved a minor back-end website problem. Peggy used that excuse to pay for Lindy’s lunch, but Lindy knew it was more to drill her about her day with Billy. Lindy had agreed, mainly because any time spent with Peggy was sure to be fun.
Lindy parked and noticed that her friend had already arrived and was seated in a booth by the window in the fifties-style diner, known as the Big Apple Diner. Even knowing she was about to undergo an inquisition, Lindy was happy to see Peggy.
She slid into the booth. “Hey, girl,” she said, as she reached for the menu, which was tucked behind the old-style jukebox.
“Hey, yourself,” Peggy greeted. “So, don’t keep me in suspense, how was your date with Billy the Kid?”
“Can I look at the menu first?” Lindy teased.
“No. I’ve only got an hour; I’ve already ordered for us. I want details.”
“What did you order?”
“Cobb salads for us both. Now spill.” She cocked her head to one side and grinned shrewdly, as if seeing Lindy’s smile told her everything she needed to know.
“What?” Lindy asked, as a saucy grin spread over Peggy’s beautiful face.
She shrugged. “You don’t need to say a word, I can see everything was super just by your look.”
“You’re full of it.” Lindy immediately lowered her gaze, afraid of what her friend saw in her.
“I know what I know. You can deny all you want. Tell me everything, and don’t leave out the juicy details.” Peggy was relentless.
“Peggy!”
“Did he—”
Lindy wagged her index finger. “I’m not one to kiss and tell.”
“Ah, so there was kissing.” Peggy jiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“All right, I’ll admit it was a fabulously fun day.” The truth was, that afternoon and evening with Billy had been the best time Lindy could remember in a very long while.
“When are the two of you getting together next?”
Her nosy friend wasn’t going to drop this until she got the details she wanted.
“He did ask you out again, didn’t he?”
“No, he didn’t.” Lindy neglected to mention how busy the Christmas holidays were for the restaurant. Companies had booked office parties, and every available table was reserved until Christmas and into the week that followed. It went without Billy needing to explain, although he had, that he couldn’t take time off until after Christmas, other than a few odd hours here and there. But he’d encouraged Lindy to stop by anytime.
Peggy looked insulted. “You mean to tell me Billy wined and dined you and let it go at that?”
“Yes. You’re putting more into this than warranted. Billy was thanking me for my help, is all.” No way was she mentioning the kiss they’d shared on the sleigh ride or the ones after he drove her home. That was private.