Darling its Cold Outside

Bringing you Snow, Sarcasm and Armani

I loved my café. I loved the dented floors and my old dusty artwork lining the walls. I loved my plants that hung in the window and the cushioned chairs that surrounded it. The café was far from perfect but it was my own personal slice of heaven. 
 I looked up from  the counter as the blast of freezing air hit me. “Hi! Welcome to Heaven’s Café and Bakery, what can I get you today?” The man was not someone I recognized and I would bet my brand new coffee maker that he was not a local. The man that walked in was gorgeous I would be completely weak in the knees if it wasn’t for the man wearing an Armani suit. There was a fucking blizzard outside what the hell man.
                “Nothing I am fine thank you, though perhaps directions would be beneficial.” He was shaking like a leaf and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as I stared at him from the counter.
                “Don’t be an idiot- you’ve got to be freezing. It is negative ten out there it’s fucking amazing that you’re alive. Could you imagine how inconvenient it would be if, as the snow melted, a corpse showed up outside my café?  No one would ever come back here; I’d have to do something practical- like use my teaching degree.”  I gave him my cheeriest grin and gestured to the stool in front of me. “At least let me call someone to come get you- I’m judging by your pant legs you’ve been walking; though the gods only know why.”
                He scowled, “My car broke down- I’m not stupid you know.” He sat down grumbling a bit like a small child.
                “No?” I began making hot chocolate, grinning to myself while imagining I could hear his teeth clench.
                “I’m a lawyer!” He sounded so infuriated by the possible insult to his intelligence that I couldn’t help but laugh as I handed him the hot chocolate.
                “No charge, and relax,  I’m just giving you shit Armani. Come on fight the system man, don’t be a stereotype.” I grinned, “Now seriously you got somebody in town I can call? I can’t let you back outside. It’d be in poor taste.” I couldn’t help but enjoy the annoyed look that graced his face, I don't normally make a habit out of annoying new costumers but this guy looked like he needed to chill the fuck out. I  could not help it, I had to annoy him.
                “Fine, my brother lives around here.”
                “Name?”  I grinned as he flushed a bit, probably used to people knowing him at glance, freaking rich people man can't get their asses out of the spotlight.
                “Errr… right sorry. His name is Pierce.”
                “No shit? I know him, guess that’d make you his younger brother Sev. Welcome to Dream Falls, your brother talks about you constantly, though usually only when he is high.” I laughed at the wince that got out of him before moving to phone his brother. I had met Pierce right out of college, he picked me up off the street and kicked my ass into gear. I listened to the phone ringing, it was good Sev came down. It sucked to loose your family.
                “I ain’t alone Sugar you better have a damn good reason for waking my pretty ass up.” I could hear his partner grumbling for him to hang up the damn phone and laughed.
                “Well Pie sweetheart, “I drawled out sarcastically, “I highly doubt you were sleeping. Anyway there’s this young man in Armani freezing his ass off in my café. He is about six four, dark hair, glasses, bad case of five ‘clock and a sense of humour that a stick would be jealous of.” I listened to him fall out of his bed  shouting at his lover to move his ass.
                “Sev? He's at your café!?” The sound of a zipper reached my ears and I couln't stop a giggle, yeah they were totally sleeping.
                “What gave it away? Anyway tell Seamus he still has work this evening and to cover up the hickeys you no doubt gave him, we have a reputation. Now hurry up and come get your idiot outta my store before I slip acid in his hot chocolate.” I hung up the phone  and grinned at the horrified look that graced Sevs face. “Hey I wouldn’t actually do that. Relax.”
                “I am not uptight!” He grumbled glaring at his mug a small blush starting up his neck.
                “Hey Sev, don’t worry about it.” I tried my best to make my loud voice softer. “I’m just fucking with you man, but in all seriousness you should have let Pie know you were coming sometimes he is out of town for months at a time you’re lucky to have gotten here while he was here.”
                “I didn’t expect to be here.” He shuffled around his stool looking for all the world like an uncomfortable teenager. I just raised my eyebrows and handed him a cupcake from the display ignoring his surprised look.
                “Sugar is good for the soul. Now spill- what brings you out to our small town?  Something tells me you’re not just visiting for the holidays.”  I leaned forward and put on my listening face, the one that always seemed to get people to spill their guts.
He looked a bit uncertain but then sighed scratching his head languily looking down at his apparently very fascinating cup.  “Our mother wanted me to sue Pierce for using the family name when he published his book last spring, and I refused.  I figured I should come warn him and offer him legal counsel if he needs it.”  He looked  uncomfortable and I  couldn’t blame him, I’d be uncomfortable if I had just told someone that my family was made up of homophobic dickwads.
                “Screw them.  They clearly don’t get laid enough.”  I ignored his gawk and pulled out my flask taking a long gulp, “Fuckers treating Pie that way. Fucking sheep.”  I needed a smoke, crap like that got under my skin, why the hell did it matter so much that Pierce liked dick?  I like dick and no one is kicking down my door with lawsuits. Fuckheads.
“What are you drinking anyway?” He was looking at the flask in my hand curiously and ,maybe bit nervously. “Won’t you need to drive home later?”
      I snorted down at my flask. “Whiskey, really good whiskey, also I don’t drive, I don’t need to my apartment is right up those stairs.  Makes it easier to get up in the morning, let me tell you, half the time I don’t even bother putting on real clothing before opening and handing it over to Seamus.”  I took another gulp and held it out to him not the least bit surprised when he shook his head.  “Whatever man more for me, you’d be surprised; whiskey does wonders for a cold body.”  He just shook his head at me looking around; I was noticing that he never seemed to be able to look in just one place, like he wanted to twitch but had it trained out of him.  Thinking back on what Pierce told me about his life growing up I was willing to bet he had,most likely with a switch as motivation.
      “Hey who is Seamus?” He was trying his best ‘I am a lawyer, hear me roar” face but it only succeeded in making him look even more uncertain.  It was seriously cute and I had to fight down the urge to tease him just get him to blush.
      “Pie’s partner of six years, the two of them are adorable and inseparable, and don’t tell anyone I said anything, but watching the two of them together gives you a warm feeling.  It’s funny because those two are so different.  But they work.”  I frowned at him a bit, before leaning a bit closer allowing a touch of warning to come into my voice, “And keep in mind Sev, if you so much as think about giving Pierce or Seamus shit for their relationship I will bury you under the snow myself.”  Leaning back again I smiled at him sweetly, a part of me enjoying the small look of discomfort that crossed his face before an almost completely blank one took its place.
      “Believe me ma’am you won’t have to worry about that from me.  And I do not appreciate threats directed towards my person.”  It was crazy, how fast he went from shy and awkward to completely blank faced and cold. 
I didn’t let my discomfort at the change of attitude show, and just flashed a grin that was closer to a snarl.   “Well then we won’t have any issues will we?” I gave a real grin now, “Though we are going to have to get you to loosen your breaches,even your posture is a mood killer.”  He just scowled at me and went back to glaring at his hot chocolate. “You know you can glare at that all you want; it won’t glare back.”
      “You are a bit of a bitch you know.”
      “Come on now compliments get you nowhere.”  Pierces voice warm voice was a welcome change from the bipolar one of his younger brother and I grinned as he came into the shop, he looked like he forgot to vhevk whose pants he shoved on before leaving.
                “Pie! Come on man learn to dress yourself it’s almost four pm, and you’re getting old.”  I walked around the counter to give him a tight hug laughing at the glare he sent my way.
                “My brothers right you're a bitch, now get me some coffee before I commit homicide.”  I batted my eyelashes but went to get his coffee anyway, listening as he hugged his brother. “Hey lil’ bro Sugar isn’t giving you a hard time is she?”
                “Sugar?” Sev sounded completely confused and I could barely stifle the giggle as I handed Pie his coffee and watched him try to swallow a bite of the cupcake his brother had neglected.
                “Don’t tell me she didn’t properly introduce herself?” He didn’t even bother waiting for a response from either of us and just rolled his eyes.  “Freaking typical, Lil bro this is Sugar. She is the owner of this fine establishment and has the tongue of a viper. Don’t piss her off.”
                “Your parents named you Sugar?” Sev was looking at me as though I wsd ging to start screaming flower child at the top of my lungs.
                I just pushed my bangs out of my eyes and glared at him. “Some rules of my cafe, Sev, don’t mention parents, guardians or football.”  I allowed my face to relax into a grin, “Follow those rules and maybe take that stick out of your ass and you’ll fit right in.”  Ignoring the offended look on his face I turned to Pierce and allowed myself to go serious, then turned to Sev, “You need to tell Pie why you drove down here and tried to kill yourself by walking around in that,” I waved a hand at his still soaked suit, “wearing that.”
                Pie looked at his brother confused and frowning. “I didn’t even think about that why are you here?”  Sev shifted around not looking his brother in the eye.
                “Well, I’m here to warn you that Mother is looking at lawyers to sue you for the use of the family’s name.  While technically it is not illegal I am sure you are aware that Father has enough influence that it doesn’t really matter.  If you would like legal counsel, I myself am available or I can recommend one of my colleges.  If not me I can leave you with a list of names and be on my way as soon as my car is fixed.” His shoulders were set stiff and he did not look at either of us in the eye.
                “Whoa now.”  I interrupted before Pie could let his infamous temper could show itself. “Sev you are not leaving, it is the holidays. And if I hear either of you have started planning legal battles I’ll shove enough spiked eggnog down your throat that you’ll start singing that Barbie Girl song in town square.”  I raised my hand and glared as Pierce opened his mouth, “No shut up. You haven’t seen any of your family in years and while it was valiant of Sev to come down and warn you, both of you idiots are going to be a fucking family this Christmas, if I have to tie you together and throw you into the woods. Is that clear?”  Sev was giving me a look that could rival a puppies and Pie just look resigned.
                “Look Sev, once Sugar works herself up there is no arguing with her. So might as well teach you how to have fun while you’re here.”  Pie was glaring at me but visibly forcing his body to relax. “Does that make you happy Shug?”
                I smiled at him. “Thank You.” I couldn’t say why it was so important for me that his brother stay, but Pie really needs his family to accept him. He made a good show of looking happy but I knew he needed his family to accept him on a soul deep level.
       He smiled now looking far more relax, and moved forward whispering in my ear, “I know what you’re trying to do and thank you.”
      I rolled my eyes pushing him back. “Now Pie, take your brother home and get him some food and rest.  I’ll send Bob out to get his car later; dinner rush is soon and I need to prepare.”  He nodded and reached over to give me a hug. “Drive safely, “ I whispered, “If you crash Seamus will have my head, and don’t think you can hide Sev from him this whole time, you two not only need to talk about why Sev is here but about your relationship with Seamus.  Now, “I pushed him away and took away both men’s unfinished drinks. “Shoo.” I waved as I watched them leave allowing myself a small chuckle at the wince on Sevs face when his dress shoes hit the snow.  It wasn’t until they were far out of sight that I allowed a wide grin to cross my face. That man needed to relax and there was no way in hell I was going to let him leave without teaching him how to do just that.