Page 47 of Hot Times in Heart Falls, Vignettes Vol 3

Kevin lingered outside, waiting for Edison.

Not only for his arrival tonight—but in the bigger sense. In the life sense.

Everything had shifted since their wintery art gallery date. It wasn’t just the kiss, or the way Edison had looked at him as if Kevin was made of magic. It was the quiet hope in his voice when he’d said he liked being with Kevin.

Kevin had never expected to fall in love with someone like Edison. Not because Edison wasn’t everything good—he was. He was joy and sparkle and light in human form.

But Kevin, if he was honest, had figured he’d end up with someone…quieter. Someone closer to his own flavor of reserved. Except that wasn’t how it had worked.

Thank God.

Because now? Now Kevin knew what it was to laugh so hard he couldn’t breathe while Edison narrated their next holiday deliveries like a game show host. He knew what it felt like to stand behind Edison in the chilly wind and watch him hug half the town with a goodie tray in one hand and his heart in the other. To witness the way people lit up when they saw him.

To feel lucky every time Edison slipped his arm into the crook of Kevin’s elbow.

Kevin wouldn’t change any of it. Not the brightness. Not the volume. Not even the glitter.

Especially not the glitter.

A crunch of boots over snow brought him out of his thoughts as Edison appeared around the side of the building, cheeks pink from the cold. A giant grin bloomed instantly as he caught sight of Kevin. He wore the same coat as last time—bright red with navy accents—and the rainbow scarf Jinx had made him.

Kevin’s chest squeezed.

“I swear, you always show up looking like a freaking catalogue ad,” Edison teased, fanning a mittened hand in front of his face. “All dapper and serious. You’re hot enough to summon an early spring.”

Kevin huffed a laugh and offered his arm. “And you look like the spirit of Christmas threw a parade and crowned you the grand marshal.”

“Excellent,” Edison said, looping their arms together. “I’ll have you know I take my duties very seriously, so get ready for some serious Christmas good-cheering.”

Together they continued around the side of the building toward the side yard where the annual snowman exhibit had been set up. Kevin had heard about it—one of the firefighters’ pet projects—but seeing it in person was something else.

There were at least twenty snowmen. Some upright, some toppled over. Some with scarves, some with little foam swords. A few lay face-first in the snow, and one had what looked like a plastic ribcage sticking out of its middle.

Kevin blinked. “Are they…zombies?”

“The theme this year is Snowpocalypse,” Edison said proudly. “Alex told me all about it. The front-line soldiers are the good guys. The others are in full infected mode. It’s very dramatic. High stakes.”

A plastic flamingo had been impaled on a stick and planted like a flag. It’s bird head was missing, replaced with a snowball with the classic carrot nose and coal eyes. Kevin gestured toward it. “And that one?”

“Casualty of war.”

Kevin laughed, shaking his head. “Of course.”

Edison pulled him toward the huddle of snowmen in the center, where a bench nestled between two upright posts with old fashioned signposts saying how far to the North Pole and Santa’s workshop. Some joker had added one that gave the distance to West Edmonton Mall. Fairy lights framed the setup.

Across from the set up sat a tripod with a camera holder, and the cardboard sign read Selfie Station.

“Come on. We’re doing this.” Edison practically bounced. “The lighting’s perfect, and I need to immortalize the scarf in all its glory.”

Kevin let himself be dragged. “So, this is for documentation purposes?”

“It’s for thank you card purposes,” Edison replied sweetly. “Now sit.”

They squished together on the bench, thighs brushing, breath visible in the air between them. Kevin tried not to stare, but Edison’s lashes had caught snowflakes, little diamonds that clung to the dark curves. His cheeks were pink, his eyes impossibly bright, and Kevin’s heart thudded painfully in his chest.

He wanted to say it right then.

Wanted to grab Edison’s hand and say, I love you. I think I might love you more every time you laugh. Every time you give someone a handmade gift, or talk to dogs like they’re toddlers, or tell me I’m allowed to be quiet.