Chapter Text
The eggnog was fantabulous, if Waverly said so herself. The perfect frothy blend of creamy and sweet.
She had whipped up several batches from scratch that morning--gathering just-laid eggs from the chicken coop in Gus’s yard, meticulously separating the whites, beating the yolks and organic cane sugar, stirring in her favorite rum with whole milk from the Tate ranch, folding in heavy cream she had whipped herself, and grinding some nutmeg to sprinkle in.
It was Christmas in a cup, and Gus always served it in December as an off-menu special at Shorty’s for the patrons who knew to ask for it. So far, not many people had ordered it. But the night was still young, and the regulars were outnumbered by the tourists who wanted to Drink Where Wyatt Earp Drank. Rainbow-colored holiday lights framed the familiar sign, complimenting the rest of the saloon’s holiday decor. Fresh garland was strung across the bar, a beautiful dark green against mahogany. Every stool had bright red bows tied to their seat backs. A bundle of mistletoe hung from the ceiling a few steps past the front double-doors.
This was Waverly’s favorite time of the year, and she happily breathed in the sweet scent of pine mingling nicely with the sharp smell of alcohol.
Humming along to the country rendition of All I Want for Christmas Is You twanging from the jukebox, Waverly filled two glass mugs to the brim with eggnog and carefully set them in front of Chrissy and Jeremy.
“Happy holidays!” Jeremy raised his mug eagerly. “Here’s to finding happiness in the new year.”
Chrissy clinked her drink against Jeremy’s. “And to Waves finally moving on with her love life.” She smirked at Waverly, who rolled her eyes.
“I have long since moved on from Champ,” Waverly insisted, adjusting the Santa hat on her head. She was quite proud that she finally had one in a shade of red that matched her Shorty’s uniform, even if it had meant ordering three different rolls of velveteen to find the right one.
“Oh yeah?” Chrissy challenged, flipping her dirty blonde hair over one shoulder. “You haven’t been on a date for at least six months. Even Jeremy’s gotten more action that you.”
“Yup.” Jeremy nodded as he sipped his drink, moaning in pleasure.
Waverly’s mouth parted. “When?”
“The other night.” He wiped a foam mustache from his upper lip and waggled his eyebrows. “Now I’m at two and three-quarter times.”
Chrissy scrunched up her nose. “You don’t want to know.”
“I wasn’t even going to ask.” Waverly shook her head and raised her hands. “Listen, guys, I’m dating.”
“Who?” Chrissy asked, closing her eyes as she took her own sip. “Jeez, Wave, you really outdid yourself this year.”
“Thank you.” Waverly smiled and curtsied. “I really think using fresh ingredients…”
“Don’t try to change the subject, Earp,” Chrissy interrupted, holding up a hand. “Just who have you dated?”
“You know,” Waverly waved a hand through the air in vague motions, “that one guy.”
Chrissy cocked her head to the side. “What guy?”
“Perry Crofte,” Waverly went with the first name that popped into her mind and then inwardly cringed.
“Perry Crofte,” Chrissy repeated, unconvinced. “Your sister’s billionaire ex who’s like a brother to you. That Perry Crofte?”
“A date’s a date,” Waverly answered lamely.
“Platonic ones don’t count,” Jeremy piped up as he polished off his nog and slapped his glass back on the countertop with a loud smack. “What?” He asked as Waverly stared at him. “It’s what you guys would say to me.”
“Fine.” Sighing, Waverly turned and was relieved to see two new customers sidling up to the other side of the bar. She smiled and waved, her usual greeting. The man smiled in response, holding up two wrinkled fingers and nodding toward the taps. Waverly gave him a thumbs up and pulled out two pint glasses.
Waverly made sure to be extra careful with the tap’s handles as she poured the beer. Gus still hadn’t gotten them fixed and they were looser than normal. “There was that time with Rosita.”
“One random, drunken kiss in a hot tub doesn’t count either,” Chrissy said. “Besides, she ran off with that Doc guy again.”
“Don’t I know it,” Waverly muttered under her breath as she served the pints to the other customers. Wynonna had gone on a rampage after she found out about Doc and Rosita. Even though Wynonna had pretended she didn’t care what her baby daddy did, Waverly had known better and spent half a week’s worth of tips on carry out and whiskey to keep her sister from doing anything (or anyone) else she’d regret.
When Waverly returned to Chrissy and Jeremy, she braced her hands wide on the bar. “Look, guys, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine. I can have a date whenever I want.”
“That’s the problem,” Chrissy covered one of Waverly’s hands with her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You never want to.”
“That’s not true,” Waverly protested.
“It’s because you overthink things,” Jeremy added. “Even more than me, and that’s saying something.”
“No I don’t.”
“Waves, I love you, but it’s not like you’re Ms. Spontaneous or anything,” Chrissy said.
Waverly straightened up, offended. “I can be spontaneous.”
Chrissy and Jeremy each simultaneously arched one eyebrow.
“I can!” Waverly exclaimed.
Chrissy crossed her arms. “Prove it.”
“All right.” Waverly scanned the room, her green eyes darting from the newcomers at the bar, to the old regulars at the tables and the groups milling around the pool tables. Finally, her gaze settled on the bundle of green leaves and white berries suspended above the entrance.
“Okay.” Nodding, she drew herself up to her full height. All 163 centimeters of it. She could do this. “I’ll kiss the next person who walks through the door.”
“Yeah right,” Chrissy snorted. “I’ll bet $100 that you won’t.”
“You’re on.” Waverly spun on her heel and walked out from behind the bar. She would have chuckled at the way Jeremy’s jaw fell unhinged, but she was too busy forcing herself to stride toward the door. By the time she reached the mistletoe, her palms felt sweaty and a cold pit of nerves weighed down her stomach. She chanced a glance back at her friends, who had swiveled around on their stools. They watched her with a mixture of uncertainty and pride.
The swinging doors creaked behind her and Waverly froze. Oh God, she thought. What was she doing? Whoever was behind her could be some disgusting shit-ticket. Or worse. It could be Champ. She should just go back. So what if she lost some money? She clenched her fists. No, she had come this far… She closed her eyes and counted to 10, digging deep to find the willpower to just go through with it and prove her friends wrong. She opened her eyes, turned around, and…
All the air rushed out of her lungs.
Before her stood a beautiful stranger, dusting snow off her midnight blue parka. She pulled back the hood to reveal fiery red hair that curled a bit at her shoulders. The woman noticed Waverly instantly. How could she not? Waverly was standing in her way after all and staring straight at her like some creeper.
“Hello,” the woman greeted, brown eyes warm and curious as she took in Waverly’s holiday uniform. “I didn’t know Shorty’s employed Santa’s little helpers.”
“Oh.” Waverly’s hand flew up to her hat, self-consciously adjusting the faux-fur trim. “Sorry.”
The woman’s brow wrinkled. “For what?” She asked, voice gentle.
Waverly didn’t understand why it made her feel like melting. “It’s my friends.” She shook her head, so completely flustered that she was sure her even her toes were red. “They dared me to be spontaneous and so I said I’d kiss the next person who walked in,” she was rambling and she couldn’t stop, awkwardly gesturing up toward the mistletoe, “and it’s completely stupid and inappropriate and I’ll just shut up now and get out of your way.”
She wished she could run away and hide, but Gus would have her ass if she abandoned her shift. Mortified, Waverly tried to step aside, but the woman reached out and stopped her with a light hand on her elbow. “A dare, huh? For how much?”
“A hundred bucks,” Waverly nearly squeaked.
The woman’s right cheek dimpled as she half-grinned. “Split it 50/50?”
Waverly blinked at the woman, then shook her head. Had she heard right? “You’re saying…”
“Lay one on me.”
Waverly’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Really.” She gave a full-blown smile and Waverly’s heart throbbed.
“Okay,” Waverly exhaled. Was this really happening? She took a tentative step forward, slowly, so that the other woman could back out if she wanted to. But she didn’t. She waited patiently for Waverly to bring them toe-to-toe. The lovely stranger smelled good. Sweet. Like vanilla-dipped donuts and, God help Waverly, her mouth began to water.
She licked her lips. Still, the stranger didn’t move a muscle. Waverly had total control. The thought emboldened her. And with a spike of adrenaline-fueled courage, Waverly cupped the woman’s jaw, rocked up on the balls of her feet, and kissed her.
Warmth spread throughout Waverly’s entire body. The woman’s touch was soft and gentle and gone before Waverly could even process that the kiss had ended. She stepped backward, leaving Waverly slightly dizzy, pulse pounding in her ears.
“We good?” The woman breathed out. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but her pupils appeared dilated.
Waverly turned her head. Satisfaction surged within her at the disbelief and awe on Chrissy and Jeremy’s jaw-dropped expressions. “Perfect,” Waverly answered.
“I’m Nicole, by the way.” She held out a hand, which seemed somewhat silly given the greeting they had already given each other.
Suddenly shy, Waverly shook Nicole’s hand gently, but firmly. “Waverly.”
“Waverly Earp?”
“That’s right,” she answered, surprised.
Nicole chuckled. “I’ve heard a lot about you from my boss.”
“Who’s your…?”
The double-doors swung open again and in strolled Sheriff Randy Nedley, snowflakes dotting his black Stetson.
“Haught!” He bellowed when he saw them. “Good, you’ve met Waverly. If anyone can make you feel welcome in this town, it’s her.”
“I’ll say.” Nicole winked at Waverly, who felt her cheeks heat up even more than she thought was possible.
“Waverly, this here’s my newest deputy.” Nedley clapped Nicole on the shoulder. “Nicole Haught.”
“You’re a cop?” Waverly squeaked out. A hot cop named Haught… because of course.
Nicole raised her hands up in mock surrender. “Busted.”
“Hell, she might even be sheriff one day,” Nedley said. “Now, Gus tells me you’ve got my favorite special today.”
Waverly still wished she could just disappear on the spot, but she couldn’t do anything but lead Nedley and Nicole back to the bar where Chrissy and Jeremy continued to look shell-shocked. Chrissy shook it off and greeted her father with a peck on the cheek.
Nedley introduced everyone while Waverly made her way back behind the bar. She could feel Nicole’s eyes following her, but she patently resisted the urge to make eye contact and instead busied herself with refilling drinks. She knew Chrissy and Jeremy were dying to say something to her too, but they wouldn’t dare with the sheriff right there.
“Two specials, if you please, Waverly,” Nedley said, hat now in hand.
“What’s the special?” Nicole asked.
“Only the best damn eggnog you’ll ever have in your life!” Nedley exclaimed to the accompanying nods of Waverly’s friends.
“Oh I don’t know about that.” Waverly fought off another blush as she poured two glasses for Nicole and Nedley and handed them over. She tried not to shiver when her eyes locked with Nicole’s and their fingers brushed.
“Don’t be so modest.” Chrissy waved her off and batted her eyelashes at Nicole. “You know she makes it from scratch.”
“Impressive.” Nicole smiled, bringing the cup to her mouth. Waverly never thought she could be jealous of an inanimate object and yet here she was. Nicole took a sip. Her eyes instantly widened. “Wow.”
“Amazing, right?” Jeremy chirped.
“Definitely.” Nicole nodded, her gaze settling back on Waverly. “But, I think the sugar I got earlier was sweeter.”
Waverly’s lips tingled from sensory memory and more heat flooded her cheeks. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t spontaneously combusted yet.
Nedley, confused, just shrugged up his shoulders and chucked a thumb at one of the tables. “We’ll be taking these over there,” he said. “You have a good rest of the evening. Don’t drink too much now.” He kissed Chrissy’s cheek. “I’ll see you later, sweetheart.”
“Bye dad,” Chrissy said. When they were out of earshot, she whirled back around, gaping. “Holy shit!”
Waverly only smirked in return, hoping it would cover up how utterly discombobulated she still felt. “I’ll take my payout in small denominations, thank you very much.”
“Get me a beer, you crazy bitch.” Chrissy pulled out her wallet and started counting out bills.
“Coming right up.” Chuckling, Waverly walked to the cask. She picked up a glass and couldn’t stop her gaze from sliding once again toward Nicole.
The gorgeous deputy smiled at her, raising her eggnog in a silent toast. Waverly smiled back, heart sprinting, not paying attention as she pulled on the tap a little too hard.
And it burst.