Kitty, It's Cold Outside by Rachelle Ayala

Author:Rachelle Ayala [Rachelle Ayala]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Katherine imitated Holly as best she could. Walking on boots with heels that looked like long nails wasn’t easy, and of course, the paste caked on her face made her skin so stiff, she felt like she was wearing a mask that would crack if she smiled.

The black tar brushed on her eyelashes was sticky, and even though her eye itched, Holly was specific about not rubbing her eye and smearing it. She’d also put powdered paint over her eyelids, brushed pink cake powder over her cheeks, and smeared a bright-red stick over her lips.

Back in her day, only the ladies of the night colored their lips and outlined their eyes. Even though Katherine was horrified at the thought of being seen like a painted lady, she wanted to fit in.

If St. Nicholas let her stay in Mick’s century, she didn’t want to be seen as old-fashioned. Mick wasn’t as friendly as he was the day before. Maybe he was ashamed of her now that his sophisticated and charming sister and the impeccable and gallant Gordon Gills the Fifth were present.

“Ah, there are the boys,” Holly said. She raised her cell phone—Katherine was quickly learning the correct terminology. “Let’s take a group picture.”

“Woof, woof,” the large dog barked and skidded over to Holly, wagging his tail.

Katherine walked over to Mick. His eyes were wide, and he gulped several times as a grin stretched his fake black beard aside.

“You look just like Don Christmas.” She reached out to touch the beard hair. It felt like an animal’s hair. Was it goat or some other sort of beast?

“Really? Don Christmas is a lumberjack?” Mick clasped her hand and squeezed it gently. “I thought he was a pirate.”

“He’s a profiteer. Drawn to wherever there’s loot for the taking,” Katherine explained. “After terrorizing the Spanish Main, he went west to Sutter’s Mill and Gold Country. Then, the gold was depleted, and he stayed on to cut down all the timber around these parts. Who knows where he’s gone to now?”

“Probably the oilfields of Texas, and then to Silicon Valley around the turn of this millennium,” Mick said, laughing. His spirits seemed to have returned. “Today, I’m betting he’s a corrupt politician taking bribes or a computer hacker on the internet.”

“I like computer hackers on the internet.” Katherine tried out the new words and drew closer to Mick now that he seemed to be nice again.

“Then if Don Christmas is involved, you’d better stay offline.” Mick hooked her a warning glance when Holly waved at them.

“Come take pictures with us,” she said. “This is a Christmas to remember, because my baby brother Mick has a date.”

There was that word again. “Date.” Maybe it meant she would expire after a certain date—like Christmas day. Would she blink out of existence with the curse hanging over her head?

Katherine felt her cheeks heat when Mick cleared his throat and turned away from her. Something was bothering him, and he cast his sister a veiled look, as if he was warning her.

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