Page 12 of Mistletoe Face Off

Holly looks at me. “What does being an elf helper involve exactly, Santa?”

I've got to do some quick thinking. I haven't thought this through. “Help me spread Christmas cheer among everybody here today,” I reply, happy with my non-specific response. “What do you say, Macy? Will you be Santa’s super special elf helper?”

She scrunches up her face, and I can tell she both wants to do it, but is feeling afraid, too.

A furtive glance at Holly’s left hand shows no ring—yes!—and I’m spurred on to say, “How about I get your mom to be Mrs. Claus? That way all three of us can spread the cheer.”

Nice move, Harrison.I pat myself mentally on the back.

Holly’s face is a study in surprise.

“Trust you to lay it on thick with a hot girl,” Lorcan scoffs. “You’re such a try hard, Harr?—”

Before he outs me in front of her, I jump in with my best Santa booming line. “Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! I think I’ve found my elf helper and my Mrs. Claus!”

Lorcan pulls his lip into a sneer, shooting me a look that tells me exactly what he thinks of me.

But I couldn’t care less.

“Can we, Mommy? Can we? Please? I’ve never been an elf before,” Macy says, staring up at her mom.

Holly seems to deliberate for a moment, before she replies, “Sure thing, honey.” She looks back at me. “Do you have costumes?”

I grin at her. “I sure do.”

“I’ll need to finish up my interview first,” she replies.

“We’re done here,” Hunter says before he turns and walks away.

“Okaaay,” Holly says, watching him leave.

“Don’t worry about him. He’s always like that,” I explain.

She pulls her brows together. “How do you know?” she asks.

Oops.

“I’m Santa. I see everything,” I reply.

“Forget this trumped up Santa wannabe. I'll talk to you. I'll tell you anything you wanna hear, baby,” Lorcan purrs, making me want to vomit, and I'm more than satisfied to see Holly bristling.

“I think we’re done here,” she replies brightly as she switches the voice recorder app off and slips her phone into her purse.

I try not to grin.

Fail.

“Which way to the costumes?” Holly asks.

“Come with me,” I reply, and together, the three of us make our way through the hive of activity in the hall, to the small room at the back, where I got changed into my own costume.

I hold the door open for them to walk through. “You’ll find a bunch of costumes in the black bag at the back. I’ll see you out here when you’re ready.”

I close the door and am immediately swamped by kids and their parents, all telling me how good they’ve been all year and that they deserve candy canes and Christmas presents. I hand out some more candy canes, and promise that the presents are coming just as soon as my elf and Mrs. Claus emerge from the room behind me, having just flown in on a sleigh from the North Pole.

The kids lap it all up, gazing at the door in wonder.

I love that about kids. They’re so open to magic. They’re not hampered by things like rational thought and real life. To them, Santa is real, and an elf and Mrs. Claus are about to walk through that door, fresh from the North Pole.

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