Zeke

The humming neon of The Snowball's Chance sign blazed in the dark, bright even among the abundance of twinkling lights. Zeke headed for it like a beacon. At least the desk clerk was right, and the bar wasn't far from the hotel. But even with the short distance, the cold was already getting to him. The wind whipped at him, and the snow was coming down hard. He needed to get that scarf or hat sometime soon...

He pulled his coat closer and hurried forward. A rush of snow and cold followed him as he pushed into the bar.

"Shut the door!" cried some grumpy regular in the corner.

Zeke rolled his eyes but did as was asked. Shaking off his coat, he took a look around at the bar. It definitely had a different vibe from the five-star establishment he'd just left. Like the rest of the town, the bar was smothered in decor, but none was in the classic green and red. Instead, the place was plastered in pastel, pink, mint, and icy blue, all trimmed with a fluffy white tinsel. And glitter... there was so much glitter.

Zeke couldn't stop his nose from wrinkling as he chose a spot at the bar. If this was all Winter Grove had to offer for a social life, this trip would feel so much longer.

Whatever.

He didn't have to love this place. He just had to drink here.

He waved down the bartender. As the man sauntered over, Zeke got a good look at his shockingly ugly Christmas sweater. Worse, it was paired with a fluffy pink hat Santa Hat. A shock of the bartender's bleached hair poked out from underneath.

"Welcome to The Snowball's Chance," the bartender said with a big, cheery smile. "What can I get you?"

"Whiskey, neat. Need something to warm me up."

The bartender eyed Zeke, skimming over his trim dress shirt beneath his thick wool coat. Zeke could guess he dressed better than the usual clientele.

Something glinted in the bartender's eyes.

"If you're cold," he began, "might I suggest a serving of our signature hot chocolate instead?"

Zeke scoffed. "No thanks. Whiskey is fine."

"Hot chocolate, it is," the bartender said with a smirk.

Zeke was about to argue, but the bartender had already wandered away. It seems like he does as he pleases, Zeke grumbled to himself. Well, if the guy was so determined to serve him hot chocolate, it better be on the house...

He heard a giggle from down the bar...

Zeke looked up, and his eyes went wide.

Just two seats down sat a beautiful girl, staring at him with big doe eyes. A tasteful and stylish tan sweater dress hugged her figure, and her full, pouty lips were pulled up in a smile.

What was a girl like her doing in a place like this?

The girl raised a hand to muffle another giggle. "Don't mind Olly," she offered. "He kinda... does whatever he wants."

Zeke had to laugh. The bartender's antics seemed far more humorous in the light of this beauty. "I figured."

"The hot chocolate really is good, though," the girl said.

"If you say so, I believe it," Zeke said.

What was happening to him? Suddenly, he found himself wishing he could spend all night in this tacky little bar...

But he couldn't.

He shouldn't.

It was over, but it was too soon...

But the girl giggled again, and suddenly, he thought it wasn't soon enough. He scooched over to the next seat, one seat closer to her—

"Here's your hot chocolate!" Olly, the bartender, cheered.

Zeke jumped. Where had he come from?

The bartender eyed Zeke's new position, towering mug in hand.

His gaze darted between the two of them as he slid the drink across the bar. Zeke swallowed at the sight of the drink. The thing was a monstrosity. It reeked of peppermint, and Zeke wasn't even sure how there could be an actual drink under the mound of whipping cream and sprinkles that overflowed the gaudy Christmas mug.

The bartender had even added a mini candy cane to top it all off.

The look on his face must've given away his apprehension because the bartender cleared his throat.

"Aren't you going to try it?"

"Uh..." was all Zeke could

"Give it a chance," the girl said with another giggle, "before you decide you don't like it."

He smiled. At this moment, he'd do whatever she said. He reached for the mug and took a long sip... As it hit his tongue, he gave a hum of satisfaction. It was genuinely delicious.

"Wow."

The girl leaned in. "Told you."

"You sure did," Zeke said, leaning closer...

Olly the bartender cleared his throat, pulling the girl's attention.

"ANYway," he said, giving them a stiff smile, "I've got to go upstairs. Watch the bar for me, will you?" he undid his candy-striped bar apron and pushed it towards the girl.

"Excuse me?" she squeaked. "I have to leave any second now!"

"I won't be long!" Olly called back, already across the bar, heading for a door at the back of the room.

The girl's demure facade slipped. "If you're not back in five," she shouted after him. "I'm leaving anyway and your customers can rob you blind!"

Olly didn't care. With just a wave, he disappeared through the door.

Now, it was Zeke's turn to chuckle.

The girl turned and gave him a soft smile, her cheeks a little darker. She tucked her long hair behind her ear. "Sorry. We've known each other for a long time. It's just how we talk to each other."

"I'll take your word for that, too."

"I meant what I said, though. If he's not back in time, all this could be yours." She motioned to the decor. "Maybe you could sell it and make a few extra bucks for the holidays."

Zeke looked up at the hideous decor overhead. He gave a hollow chuckle. "I don't think I want to take anything here home." His gaze slid down to her. "Well, maybe one thing."

The girl's mouth dropped open with a laugh. "Are you flirting with me?" Her deep, dark eyes narrowed in a challenge.

This girl was something else.

Good thing he wasn't one to step down from a challenge...

"What if I was?" he said, leaning forward.

She held his stare, and then a grin spread across her face...

A sharp chime rang through the bar.

The girl squeezed her eyes shut. She pulled away to dig into the coat on the back of her chair, pulling out a phone. Her shoulder sank as she looked at the screen. "Damn. I'm sorry, but I... I have to go."

Zeke's shoulders slumped. "Now? You can't stay for just a little while longer...?"

"I'd love to, but..." she said, giving him an apologetic smile as she slipped out of her seat. "If it was anything else, I would blow it off for..." her words trailed off as her deep dark eyes looked into his. Then she caught herself. "But this is important. I can't miss it—I'm sorry."

"You can't just leave me like this," Zeke said, twisting out of his seat to follow her. "Where can I find you?"

The girl looked torn as she glanced between the door and him. And then her dark eyes sparked to life.

"Here," she said. "I'll come back after I'm done with this. Meet me here at ten o'clock. Then we can pick up where we left off..." She smiled.

"I'll be here," Zeke said, grinning back.

She flashed him one last smile before she pushed open the door—

"Hey!" Olly the bartender cried. He'd just stepped back into the bar, but the girl was halfway out the door. "I told you to watch the bar!"

" I warned you what would happen if you weren't back in time!" the girl shouted. She let the wind push the door shut behind her.

Zeke let out a breath. Maybe his time in Winter Grove wouldn't be miserable after all... Though it was lucky that she had her own event to attend because he had been dangerously close to bowing off his dinner.

"That girl, I swear," Olly grumbled as he tied on his apron, then turned to Zeke. His gaze was inspecting as he looked him over. He guessed that as her friend, Olly was protective of the girl, but Zeke didn't know why.

She seemed like she was more than capable of taking care of herself.

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