Approximately Yours (North Pole, Minnesota #3)(17)
Chapter Five
Sunday, December 17
“Welcome, everyone, to the start of this year’s gingerbread contest!”
Danny only half-heard Mayor Sandoval’s announcement. He was too busy making drinks behind the counter. It was North Pole tradition for different stores to host each event in the gingerbread competition, and Danny’s mom had offered to arrange the launch, which meant all hands were on deck. Brian and Jamison, one of the Santabucks baristas, were taking orders. Danny and his mom were making drinks. Some of the newer employees were working the floor. It still wasn’t enough. The place was packed.
He’d perched behind the espresso machine on a stool, with a chair to keep his leg elevated. He and his mom had figured out quite the system. He made the drinks. She fetched stuff from the fridge and kept the counter stocked. By the time the mayor started talking, almost everyone had gotten their beverages and had settled into their seats.
Star and Phil were at a two-person table near the door. She’d acknowledged Danny with a curt nod and blushed sheepishly as she rattled off her order to Jamison. Star had wanted her usual non-fat, sugar-free vanilla latte, but Danny had “accidentally” given her the full-sugar syrup. Never cheat on the guy who makes your coffee.
The Page girls had come in as well; they sat at a table near the counter. Holly faced away from Danny, arms crossed over her bright red sweater. She’d barely looked at him when she’d come in, but Elda had waved cheerily and kept sneaking glances at Danny every few seconds. Just to see what would happen, Danny shot her a wave from behind the espresso machine, and Elda beamed as if no guy had ever looked her way before. Wow, okay. Maybe he wasn’t a complete disaster around women.
His mom nudged him in the side. “What’s up with the big smile, Dan?”
“Nothing, Mom. Ugh.” She could be so embarrassing.
“As most of you know,” the mayor said, “the gingerbread contest is in three parts. Round one is decorating gingerbread people, round two is building and decorating a traditional gingerbread house on site, and round three is the showstopper, which is to be built over the next week and brought to the town hall on Christmas Eve, the final day of the competition.”
Despite his initial reservations about entering the contest and his usual aversion to anything Christmassy, Danny had stayed up most of last night thinking about his showstopper. He’d always been the king of the third round, but it had been eight years since he’d last entered the contest. He hadn’t even eaten gingerbread since then. Still, he planned on going big for the final round. He’d build a gingerbread replica of a basketball court, complete with gingerbread players. He’d tile the floor in gingerbread glazed with sugar syrup and build the bench and stands. If it turned out half as good as it looked in his imagination, he might have a shot at another blue ribbon.
He was actually excited about a North Pole Christmas event. It was like he’d wandered into a new dimension.
“What are you doing for the showstopper?” he whispered across the counter to Elda.
Her eyes went wide, and she blushed. She opened her mouth to say something, but Holly kicked her under the table. As if remembering herself, Elda put a finger to her lips and pointed to the mayor, who was still talking. Danny turned to watch, even though he knew all this already.
“All materials must be edible, though they may be store bought,” Mayor Sandoval was saying. “The structures must stand upright on their own. You may work in teams of no more than two this year.”
Danny grinned at the girls. “I don’t need a partner.” He was always good for some trash talk.
“Neither does Elda. I’m just the eye candy.” Holly licked a bit of whipped cream off her straw. She’d ordered the special drink Danny’s mom had created for this event—a ginger apple cider. She’d ordered it as advertised, not asking for special non-sugar sugar or unsweetened whipped cream, which Danny respected. This girl could probably wrap herself in literal garbage and he’d find it hot, simply because it made her an “individual.” He’d compared her to Star before, but other than the whole “looking at Danny with disdain” thing, Holly and Star were polar opposites. Holly didn’t seem to care what other people thought, which was certainly not the case for Star.
He leaned across the counter, making sure to speak directly to Elda, even though he hoped Holly understood this was meant for her, too. “If you ladies want to get together to practice your piping work, you know where to find me.” That sounded dirtier than he meant it to. His good knee buckled when Danny realized what he’d just said. He straightened up, pretending not to have noticed the double entendre.
Elda had noticed. She blushed.
“You just want to spy on our showstopper.” Holly raised a thick, perfectly arched eyebrow.
“That’s absolutely why.” He couldn’t suppress the smile. He tried, and he failed.
“At least you’re honest about it,” Holly said with a very slight grin, almost as if she didn’t totally despise him.
And that was the best thing to happen to Danny all day.
“Maybe we should exchange numbers.” He directed that at Holly. Logically, he should be setting his sights on Elda, but apparently he was a glutton for punishment.
Holly held out her hand. “Give me your phone.”