Dear Santa(11)

“The wine is on me,” Peggy said, before anyone could argue. “I have my two best friends with me, and I’ve reconnected with Lindy. This calls for a celebration.”

They toasted one another by gently clinking their glasses together. Peggy had chosen a rich red wine with a low tannin that went down way too easy. Lindy looked at the label and decided a bottle or two would make an excellent Christmas gift for her dad, who enjoyed red wine as much as Lindy did.

    All the tables around them were full. Peggy had been right. The restaurant was hopping with a brisk business. With the four of them, there was no shortage of conversation. The server returned and asked if they were interested in any of the appetizers.

“Can you give us a few minutes?” Peggy asked.

“Of course, ladies. Take your time.”

Once Lindy read the menu, it didn’t take her long to decide on hummus with pitas. She’d need food in her stomach before she drank much more wine. Peggy ordered the crab dip and Jayne and Chloe decided to share the spicy grilled shrimp.

A few minutes later, their server returned and took their orders. Lindy added a second bottle of wine to go with their food. She requested another red, this time from a different vineyard.

“Excellent choice,” the server said, approving of her selection.

It was as she handed the young man the menu that Lindy happened to notice the name of the proprietor and manager. Will Kincade.

“You know who that is, don’t you?” Peggy asked.

Lindy hadn’t realized she’d said the name aloud. She shook her head and frowned. “You couldn’t possibly mean Billy Kincade, could you?”

“One and the same.”

    Lindy was shocked. The Billy she knew had been a terror. A bully she’d intensely disliked. Having him move away had been the best thing to happen to her in second grade.

“Billy had a huge crush on Lindy,” Peggy explained to Jayne and Chloe.

“If pulling my hair and terrorizing me indicates liking me—I can’t imagine what he would have done if he saw me as a threat.”

“You might remember I slugged him once, defending you,” Peggy reminded her.

Lindy had forgotten that. “You were my hero that day.”

“Billy only recently moved back to town,” Peggy said, apparently in the know. “From what I heard, he came here from the Yakima area.”

“You remember someone from the second grade?” Jayne commented, sounding impressed.

“That’s what’s so crazy,” Lindy went on to explain. Perhaps it was the wine making her head spin. “This is unreal.”

“What is?”

Lindy shook her head as if to clear her mind. “When I arrived yesterday, my mother brought out this box she’d found buried in the garage from years ago. Inside were letters I’d written to Santa. I hadn’t thought about Billy in forever, but I mentioned him in one of those letters.”

    “We should ask Billy to come to the table,” Peggy said.

Before Lindy could protest, Peggy got the server’s attention. The young man quickly returned to their table.

“Is Mr. Kincade available?” she asked.

The server immediately showed his concern. “Was there something wrong with your appetizers, ladies?”

“No, no, not at all. We know him from school. Tell him Lindy Carmichael is here.”

“Peggy,” Lindy said, and groaned under her breath. “I wish you hadn’t done that.”

“Go get Will,” Peggy insisted.

The server nodded. “I’ll check if he’s available.”

“Oh please,” Lindy said, in an effort to stop him, “that isn’t necessary. I’m sure he doesn’t remember me.”

“You wrote Santa about Billy?” Jayne asked. “What did you say?”

This was more than a little embarrassing. “I told Santa Billy didn’t deserve any gifts this year and that he should bring him coal instead.”

The three laughed.

“It was mean of me, but Billy had intimidated me at school, and I guess it was the only way I could think to retaliate.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than a man approached their table with a welcoming smile. Leaning forward, he braced his hands against the back of Jayne’s and Chloe’s chairs.

    Lindy’s mouth sagged open. It was Billy Kincade, the same Billy Kincade from her youth. How she could be this certain, she didn’t know. But deep down, there wasn’t a single doubt.

Because Lindy was completely tongue-tied, Peggy spoke up. “You remember Lindy, don’t you?”

His eyes automatically landed on her with such intensity it made her want to squirm.

“And you were her ardent protector, as I recall,” Billy said, grinning at Peggy. “Good to see you both.”

“You, too,” Peggy said.

Lindy half raised her hand. “Hello, Billy.”

She had to admit Billy Kincade had matured into a fine figure of a man. He stood a good six feet tall. If his tight chest and muscular arms were any indication, he was physically fit. His eyes were a deep brown, mirroring the color of her own eyes. His hair was cut close on the sides and long on top, gathered into a neat man bun.