A Guy for Christmas - K.C. Wells Page 0,20

kitty’s name.” Suze’s eyes twinkled. “Hey, you could give him a new name every week, and we could come over to celebrate. I’d be up for that.” She stroked the fluffball curled up in her lap.

Dean gave a nod to Kris. “Over to you.” He poured himself a drink but didn’t sit. Kris had asked for the girls to come over, and Dean had agreed. Kris needed a little moral support right then.

“I need your advice, guys,” Kris confessed. “My mom called yesterday. My dad has had a stroke, and he’s in the hospital. She… she wants me to visit.”

Kate frowned. “Are these the same parents who kicked you out on your ass when you were seventeen? Who haven’t given a flying fuck about you all these years? And now they want to play happy families?” She scowled. “The nerve of some people.”

“I know all that,” Kris remonstrated, twisting his hands in his lap, his cocktail on the table beside him. “She thinks he hasn’t got long to live, and she says he wants to see me before it’s too late.”

“Well, that all depends on what he wants to see you for.” Suze’s face was hard. “Because if all you’re going there for is for him to launch into some deathbed lecture to stick the knife in again, I’d say fuck it, and let him die without giving him the satisfaction.”

“Wait a minute.” Diane’s voice was soft. “What if he’s had some kind of revelation? What if he’s realized he’s been an asshole all these years, and he wants to make things right before he goes?” She looked Kris in the eye. “It’s up to you, sweetheart, but you need to ask yourself one thing. Do you want to let him go, never knowing if he’s changed his mind about you? This might be what you need to heal and move on.”

Dean said nothing. He’d said pretty much the same as Diane the day before, but he could understand where Kate and Suze were coming from. It really was up to Kris now.

Kris sighed. “I guess you’re right. I was in such a panic yesterday. I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to say fuck him. But then I talked to Dean. I needed to hear from you guys too.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll sort out a flight tomorrow, and I’ll get to him as soon as I can. I’ll call my mom tonight when I get home, so she knows to expect me.”

Dean walked over and squeezed Kris’s shoulder. “Does that feel better?”

Kris nodded. “Thank you. All of you.” Lady chose that moment to stretch and wander over to him, gazing expectantly at his lap. Kris laughed. “You too, Lady, but you’re not getting up here.” He patted the empty seat of the sofa next to him. “This is reserved for Dean, who is going to sit and tell us all about the cutie I saw here yesterday.” He stared up at Dean. “The one with the huge crush on you.”

Kate leaned forward, glass in hand, her eyes wide. “Oh, tell us more.”

Dean arched his eyebrows. “Crush?” What the fuck is he talking about?

Kris rolled his eyes. “Oh please. It was so obvious.”

Suze frowned. “Who are we talking about? What cutie?” She gave Dean a hard stare. “Have you been holding out on us?

“His name’s Robin,” Kris supplied. “Dean didn’t say any more than that. All I can tell you is he was so pretty. Those eyes…” He brought his hand to his chest. “He caused my heart to flutter.” Then he grinned. “He caused something else to flutter too.”

Dean narrowed his gaze. “Down, boy.” He addressed Suze. “He was a student—not one of mine—and he now works at the boatyard with his dad. I met him this week when I went to order a new canoe.”

Suze’s face lit up. “Robin Davis?”

“That’s him. I gave him a skiing lesson.”

She snorted. “Of course you did. Is that what they’re calling it now?”

“What’s so funny?” Diane asked.

“Nothing, unless you’d seen Robin ski. He’s really good, but then again he should be. I think he’s been doing it since he was a kid.”

“And he asked you to teach him to ski?” Kate asked.

“Yeah, but—”

Kris laughed triumphantly. “See? I was right.”

Diane glared at him. “You? Hush.” She turned to Dean. “You? Talk.”

Dean told them everything, from meeting Robin, to him turning up at the house Thursday evening, the so-called skiing lesson, the conversation after, and lunch the previous day. When he