Fractured [SHAWN MENDES]

~55~

Taryn and Shawn surveyed the stack of presents on his dining room table that they had spent the entire morning wrapping. "Think we'll be able to transport all this in my car tomorrow?" he asked.

She laughed. "Maybe? I suppose we could take two cars to Pickering, but that's not as fun."

"Tell you what...after you leave for work, I'll run as much of this as I can to my mom and dad's house."

"Good idea. That way you'll get to catch up with Aaliyah, though I'm a little envious that you'll get to see Micah before me," she said with a small pout. "Oh, but make sure you leave the presents for my mom and Earl here. We're taking them over when we celebrate at their place on the twenty-sixth."

Patricia was now cohabitating with her boyfriend, and Taryn had moved into the two bedroom apartment she was sharing with her new roommate, Julie, the week before. Shawn was not happy with the new arrangement. Waking up alone when Taryn didn't sleep over was misery, and all he could think about was that he should have told her how he felt before she'd signed a lease.

"Will his kids be there for that? Should we have gotten them gifts?" Shawn asked.

"Nope. They are spending Christmas day with Earl but that's it. We're fine on presents," she replied as she picked up the stack of envelopes for her coworkers at The Good Luck Lounge. She'd picked out gift cards to various Toronto restaurants for each of them, based on the kinds of places they liked to go. Her mom was giving everyone a holiday bonus, but she wanted to do something, too, since having them on board had made her life much easier.

She gave Shawn a kiss and left for work. It was her last shift for a couple days, and she was looking forward to having time off for the holidays. Jackie offered to work Christmas Eve with her mom, the bar was closed on Christmas Day, and the two guys were covering the day after. She'd decided she would stay at Shawn's the duration of her mini-vacay since Julie was going to be at her parents' house.

"Merry Christmas Eve eve!" Brad called out to her as she entered the bar. "You just missed a drunk department store Santa. Poor guy must be having a rough season given the quantity of bourbon he was pounding."

"Did you make sure he wasn't flying his sleigh home to the North Pole?"

"Yup. I arranged a ride for him. Your mom taught me well."

Taryn went through the kitchen to the employee lockers and hung up her heavy winter coat. Before she returned to the bar, she gave Zack, who was on his way out, his gift and a big hug. She handed another to Reagan, and made a mental note to give the third cook, Betsy, hers when she got there. Reagan gave her a tin full of homemade Christmas cookies, which Taryn opened and ate two of immediately. Back in the bar, she gave Brad his card and stuck Rob and Jackie's under the cash register drawer. She'd leave post-it before her shift ended telling them they were there.

The bar wasn't very crowded, which was probably why her mom left early. Usually they saw each other, but she'd texted an hour ago that she needed to do some shopping for the event on the thirty-first. The bar was hosting the New Year's Eve event Jackie had suggested, and the whole staff would be there for that, as well as Shawn and Earl who offered to help out. Seventy-five percent of the tickets had sold already, and they were confident the rest would sell before the big night.

A group of loud happy women came in with tons of shopping bags and sat at a table. Taryn took their drink orders, unsurprised that they all wanted the Merry Martini, and turned in their food order to Reagan. After she delivered their drinks to them, she checked her phone and saw that Shawn had texted her a selfie with Micah where they were both sticking their tongues out.

"Taryn McAllister?" a voice said, interrupting her from her focus on the cute duo.

She looked up and saw a man dressed in an expensive business suit and a black wool coat, holding a folder in his hands. "Yes. That's me."