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“Tony, those are pipe dreams. Sure, it would be nice to retire to some small island in the Mediterranean, but who can afford to do something like that? Not a small-town sheriff. There might be just enough in my 401K to live comfortably if I don’t go overboard and buying a hotel in Greece would definitely be going overboard.”
“I have lots of money just sitting in the bank getting dusty.” I opened my mouth to protest. “No, don’t say it. I know you have pride, far too much at times, but this would not be me paying your way. It would be a joint venture. We’d each put up half after you sell this place and then we’d run the inn equally. I’d do the books and such while you did the repairs.”
I stared at him in open dismay. “I’d do the repairs...”
“Yes, I’m not very handy that way, but I’m a whiz with numbers and people. I can be the desk clerk and handle the bookings while you fix things and go fishing with Atticus, the old fisherman who brings us free fish because his wife is our housekeeper.”
“Atticus...”
“Yep.” He bobbed his head, patted my chest, and went off to find the boxes of decorations he’d had delivered to my house the past four days. My feet were rooted to the floor. I stared at his backside and then his front when he returned with arms filled with lights and garland.
“So you’ve given this a lot of thought.” I took the boxes of garland as he deftly removed Ellery from about midway up the tree, placing him onto the floor.
“I’ve done it before quite a few times,” he replied, tucking the end of the lights at the top of our short but fat blue spruce.
“You’ve run a hotel in Greece with a man you love?”
“No, you pickle. Decorated a Christmas tree.”
“Ah.”
He paused in draping lights just so on the boughs to stare at me. “Of course I’ve given it some thought. I’ve thought of nothingbutheading to Greece with you. Imagine it, Stillman. You, me, a bedroom overlooking an azure sea. Free to live out the rest of our lives in the sun and surf, growing old together, sipping ouzo on the veranda as the sun drops from the sky, Ellery sprawled out in the waning sun as we exchange loving looks then a sweet kiss.”
Okay, yeah, that sounded really good. But still, it was a fantasy. Surely two men such as us, at our age, couldn’t simply pick up and move across the world. Could they?
“You’re a dreamer. Always have been,” I stated brusquely in hopes it would scuttle the daydreams of white beaches and a sun-drenched Tony spread over a rustic bed grinning up at me.
“And I’ve made those dreams come true. Every dream that I ever dared to dream has come to light. This one will too, you just have to believe.”
He moved around the tree. When he came back to me, I had a comeback ready. Just one, and a weak one, but it was a comeback just the same.
“You dreamed of starring in a western but never did,” I flung at him. He paused, nodded, and then smiled over at me.
“True, but I still have time. Maybe I can revive the spaghetti western!”
“Those were shot in Italy not Greece.”
“Fine, they’ll be moussaka westerns then.”
An amused snort broke free. “You’re an idiot.”
“Ah, but I’m your idiot. Now start with the garland. We need this tree done tonight as tomorrow is Christmas Eve. We won’t have time to finish it with us both working and then going to the town dance and cookie bake-off at the fire hall. Oh, don’t forget to get the Santa suit from Wanda. It was so nice of you to volunteer to sit on the throne.”
“I do that every morning after my high-fiber shake at the gym.”
“Stop it. Everyone knows Santa doesn’t poop.” I shrugged. “Then the day after is Christmas and we’ll be having people over.”
“Yeah, can we talk about that whole people over thing...”
“After you get the garland on the tree.”
Which was Gugliotti for nope not discussing it because I already made the plans and holidays are for food and friends.
As I began placing the silver garland on our tree, I had to wonder when I lost all control of my life and my home. Probably around the same time that I stopped caring if I lost control of my life and home just as long as Tony was sharing both.
***
Our little fire hallwas decked out.
