The rest of the day passed without issue. Customers seemed to be on their best, non-cuckoo behavior, as if they sensed that Tom was busy thinking about his lunch with Hot Mall Santa. He pictured Hot Mall Santa shoving him up against the two-way mirror and kissing him, then clearing away his Wendy’s to take Tom on the desk.

He was allowed to fantasize. That was what Hot Mall Santa was for.

At six o’clock, most of the day employees left, and the night shift came in. The night shifters consisted mostly of people who worked a regular nine-to-five job. Kirsten took her coat and purse from her locker in the break room. Tom considered telling her about his lunch with Hot Mall Santa. It was something meant to be shared, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He didn’t know why. It didn’t feel right to him, like it would sully the good conversation they had.

“Are you working tomorrow?” Kirsten asked.

“No. I’m off. You?”

“Same. I have finals this week. Then I’m all yours.” She threw on her jacket, something cute and frilly that could not handle any temperature under forty degrees.

They walked back onto the floor. Milo waited by the front door, near the main Christmas display of plates and napkins. He looked extra pale and extra short whenever he stood next to Antonio, and Tom supposed they made a cute couple, in an opposites-attract way.

Antonio wore his peacoat as he went over orders by the cash register. The lapels framed his face just right. His eyes lit up when he saw Tom.

“Thank you again for closing,” Antonio said. “I won’t let it go unnoticed.”

“Would you be willing to swear to that statement in court or in front of Décor Store bigwigs?” Kirsten asked.

Tom elbowed her in the side.

“Hey guys!” Milo came over, and instantly found his way nestled in Antonio’s embrace. If Tom wasn’t hopelessly crushing on Antonio, he might’ve found them to be adorable.

Kirsten shot Tom a stealth eye-roll.

“How’s the holiday rush so far?” Milo asked.

“Not bad,” Tom said. “Still girding my loins though.”

“My friend at Toys ‘R’ Us said that two dads got into a fist fight over a Cars camping set. Some stores have all the fun,” Kirsten said.

“At my last store, two women almost got into it over a trivet. I separated them just in time,” Antonio said, laughing at the memory.

He had a great laugh. It filled up his whole glorious chest and made his teeth shine brightly in his full mouth.

“What’s a trivet, babe?” Milo asked.

Tom didn’t look her way, but he knew Kirsten had another eye-roll reserved for babe. She made life bearable.

“It’s a plate you put under a hot serving dish so you don’t damage your table,” Tom said.

“And that was worth fighting over?” Milo asked.

“I guess,” Tom said.

“Speaking of something to fight over...” Kirsten’s eyes bugged out, and Tom followed her stare. “He’s here.”

Hot Mall Santa spun the ornament display in the front of the store.

“That’s your mall’s Santa?” Milo asked. “Damn.”

“I don’t get the hype,” Antonio said. “He’s not that attractive.”

“Oh, come on, babe.”

“I don’t get it.” Antonio narrowed his eyes at Hot Mall Santa for a second before they flicked to Tom, perhaps judging if Tom was as smitten.

“Hey.” Hot Mall Santa waved to Tom, sending a ginormous spotlight shining on his face.

“Hey,” Tom said, feeling the heat of his co-workers’ looks.

“So this is where you work?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool.”

Other customers stopped what they were doing and joined in staring at this piece of beauty in their presence. Hot Mall Santa acted like none of them existed, like he and Tom were in a play, and the show had to go on.

“Which ornament should I get?” Hot Mall Santa spun the display. “I don’t want a glass one because I’ll break it.”

“You can hang me on your tree,” Kirsten said under her breath.

“I like the wooden one of the giftbox.” Tom picked out the ornament for him. It was painted blue with a red bow. “It’s simple. Not overtly Christmas.”

“Just slyly references it and goes about its day.”

“Yeah.” Am I smiling like a complete doofus? Tom caught his reflection in a wreath-framed mirror. Yep.

“Okay then.” Hot Mall Santa lifted the giftbox ornament off the display. “I don’t like when everything is red and green. I prefer some variety with my Christmas decorations. Where do I pay?”

“I can ring you up here.” Tom motioned for him to come around to the cash register. He could feel the stares of his co-workers. He wrapped the ornament in tissue paper and placed it in a small paper bag.

“I forgot to mention at lunch, but if you do go to Miami, check out this restaurant called The News Café. It’s got a great view of the ocean.”

“Thanks. I will.”

Hot Mall Santa gave him a five dollar bill, and Tom made the appropriate change. He looked in the bag at his wrapped-up ornament. “Sweet. Have a good night.” Hot Mall Santa waved at Antonio, Kirsten, and Milo. “Great store you got here.”

Tom couldn’t help but notice the hard expression creasing Antonio’s face as he watched Hot Mall Santa leave.

“Damn,” Milo said again.

“We should go. We don’t want to be late,” Antonio said. He maneuvered Milo to the door. “Night.”

They exited in the opposite direction of Hot Mall Santa.

Kirsten’s face stared at Tom, full of shock and awe. “Lunch?”

“We didn’t have lunch together. We just happened to be eating in the same location.”

Kirsten nodded, but something told Tom she didn’t believe him at all.