Page 60 of Peppermint Bark

She bit her lip, then nodded tentatively.

When Alexander answered, his voice was husky. Shoot, he hadn't slept well in days, I shouldn’t have called.

“Hey Grace,” he said in that low, seductive tone that ignited sparks in my low belly. “I was just thinking about you.”

“Hey there, Santa,” I said cheerfully before he said anything lascivious. “I’m here with Ruby, you might remember her from the cardiac visit?”

“Yes, I remember Ruby,” he said, his tone more precise.

“She and her grandma spent last night here at the hospital. She’s wondering if you left presents at her house or if you’re waiting for her to get home.”

He paused, and the silence rang in my ears.

Why did I call him? I hadn’t thought it through, I only wanted to reassure her. What did I expect him to say? I should have let him sleep, but after he ad-libbed with her about taking the reindeer to the horse track, I’d hoped he’d play along.

I prompted him. “Could you check your list?”

After another pause, his voice was thoughtful. “Do you have my suit?”

My brain whirred about the rumpled business suit I’d peeled off him last night, before realizing he meant … “You don’t have to, I know you’re —“

“Grace,” he said, his tone gruff. “It’s Christmas. Let me do this.”

My heart skipped a beat. Good thing cardiologists regularly visited this room.

I tilted away from Ruby to whisper, “It’s hanging in my closet.”

“Can you put me on speaker?” When I pressed the button, his voice boomed out. “Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas, Ruby!”

Her whole face lit up as she squealed. “Merry Christmas, Santa!”

“You weren’t home last night,” he said, his voice sweet. “Could I visit you today?”

“Really?” she said, bouncing on the bed and looking at her grandma.

“I have to feed the reindeer first. Will you wait for me?”

“Of course, Santa!”

As I hung up, Jean snickered. “Not your boyfriend, huh?”

Snowflakes covered his knit cap when he walked into my office, holding the garment bag. After he’d rolled in last night scruffy and exhausted in his expensive business suit, I expected to see lingering fatigue, but he was freshly showered and clean-shaven, dressed casually in jeans and a soft sweater. ”Thanks for asking me to do this.”

I hadn’t, really. I’d hoped he'd lighten her spirits, not expected him to volunteer.

As he donned the velvet jacket, he inspected my festive red snowflake sweater and black trousers, fitting the hospital’s dress code yet able to transition easily to dinner. “You’re not joining me?”

“Ruby’s already seen me like this,” I said. “She only cares about Santa anyway.”

“But how am I supposed to kiss you under the mistletoe?” he teased. “I’m not allowed to kiss staff members, only my Mrs. Claus.”

“Guess you’ll have to wait until next year,” I said before instantly regretting it.

He didn't reply as he finished dressing, then reached into the bottom of the garment bag for a terribly-wrapped lump.

Ruby shrieked when he walked in. Her quick glance at her grandma revealed that she hadn’t expected him to show. Her short life had been rife with hardship, but somehow she still clung to hope … and I felt relieved that I didn’t break my promise to her.

Alex’s lopsided grin appeared beneath his white beard. I guided him to wash his hands then sit gently on the end of her bed. When she scrambled closer, his smile faltered at seeing her in a hospital gown hooked up to medical equipment, but he recovered quickly.

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