Page 27 of Under The Meh-stletoe

Ale

WhenDanielcameforme in the usual pickup truck to visit our two top Santa contenders, I didn't expect to end the night in a tiny bar at the edge of town.

This place had existed ever since I could remember, but I hadn't been there before. The walls in The Silo were dark brown and full of framed photos; a mix of sepia pictures of the area, farm labourers, as well as people I assumed were regulars made up most of the décor. The dim lights gave the space an old-fashioned but cozy feel, like the place was affixed to the rural side of Laguna Island. It probably was.

Daniel and I sat in a booth at the back, hidden from the surrounding farmers and their families. He'd explained this establishment served people living outside of the town limits and had a family-oriented vibe.

"I'm more of an outsider here," he said. "I come when I want to be left the hell alone."

A few glasses littered the space between us. We celebrated the fact that we'd found Santa. María's dad had agreed to it. He grumbled and made it clear the whole deal irritated him, but he'd said yes.

"I understand him," Daniel said. "I'm like him. Grumpy, wanting to be by myself except when I don't, and willing to make sacrifices for the community."

I laughed. "You're not that bad."

"You say that because we click. We're more similar than we're different. Even if you don't show your grump with people."

"I'm not grumpy. There may be some… seasonal irritation showing, but I don't think that's a reason to ruin it for other people."

"I don't know. At first I thought you're the kind of person who gets annoyed easily, but feels bad about being cranky, so you bite your tongue."

I finished my third drink of the night, a delicious Old-Fashioned in honor of the feelings I got when entering the pub. The orangey taste coated my tongue, and I took a deep breath to intensify the taste.

I pushed the glass aside. "I always speak up when it matters. Also, I believe you can always say what you think, it just takes finesse sometimes to say it kindly."

"I think the right people for you will like you even when you say things with a little meanness." He sipped from his drink, a fruity type— I didn't ask what it was, but it surprised me that a rough-around-the-edges guy would drink the sweeter stuff.

"The right people foryou, that is. Right?" I smirked. "Because from the sounds of it, you need someone who won’t care that you're going to be just like María's Dad when you're old."

"Excuse me? I'm like himnow. Have I not made it clear?"

I pursed my lips to the side, to tamper my instinct to chuckle. I usually laughed a grump's antics off, but the drink was making it worse. "And he has people who like him as he is. I think."

"I do, too. I know people here appreciate how hard I'm working to make things better."

"Because that's how you compensate for it. Hah! That's the final puzzle piece. You're one of those people who are irritable but will mow an elderly person's lawn for free and expect no thanks."

"Yeah. And I'm okay with that." He finished his drink. "No need to wait to get old to act like an old man. I may switch to button down sweaters soon to stress the point."

The image stole another laugh out of me.

"Ready to go home?" He asked, a half-smile tilting his lips.

"How are we going to go home? We've been drinking a lot." I made a show of all the empty glasses on the table.

"I'm driving us." He got up and offered me my hoodie and jacket; he put on his own.

"What?" I put on my outer layers and gave Daniel a hard stare. "No way you can get behind the wheel after all of this. We may have to walk or…"

There were no cabs on Laguna Island.

He dug his hands in his jacket pockets. "Thing is… you know how I insisted to go get our drinks at the bar instead of asking Millie to tend to us?"

"Yeah. You said you wanted to make it easier on her."

"Yep. It was also because that way I could ask Alfredo to make me non-alcoholic drinks. My first glass was the only one that had alcohol in it. I'm good to drive."

He gazed at me with patience, and it settled clearer in me. This was his brand of kindness, allowing me to safely enjoy the evening. It was also my ultimate weakness. A grump that was there for you, no questions asked.