Page 30 of Stuck in Christmas

He nodded. “That sounds like me.”

“That’s because itwasyou. Well, the you of yesterday. Or today, but another you,” I sighed. “But, ice skating today - that was my idea. I thought it might move things along if we checked off the holiday movie BINGO faster.”

Eli tilted his head. “How are you stuck?”

“There comes a point whenever you and I get close, something happens, and I fall right back into the snowbank,” I said.

“What happens?”

I felt the warmth flush over my face. “I can’t tell you that.”

Eli’s eyes narrowed. “Can’t or won’t?”

I looked toward the sky again. Waiting for divine intervention. Or, maybe I was looking in the wrong direction if this was indeed hell. I looked at my feet. “I don’t know why the day keeps resetting. I am doing everything right. There’s a hot guy with a truck, precocious kid, romantic Christmas-y things going on.”

“It is a romantic time of year,” Eli agreed.

“And just like that.” I snapped my fingers. “Back in the snowbank. I know this is all a dream, and I’ll wake up soon.”

“Doesn’t feel like a dream to me,” Eli’s voice dropped. It made menotthink of dim lighting in bedrooms with soft beds and smexy pajamas.

I smiled at him. “Of course, the figment of my imagination would say that.”

Eli shook his head. “Hold on. I’m no figment of anything. I’m real flesh and blood.”

“Right.” I nodded.

He tenderly took my hand and placed it over his heart. “Does that feel like a figment of your imagination?”

I felt his heart beating quickly, matching my racing pulse almost perfectly. I swallowed. “No.”

Eli hugged me, his warmth surrounding me and those strong arms holding me tight. “Does this feel like a figment of your imagination?”

I closed my eyes, wishing I could make this moment last forever. These moments were the best part of this whole mess. If only I could have more of them. “Of course not,” I whispered.

Eli dipped me back, presumably to kiss me, but the movement startled me. I turned my head at the last minute, falling out of his embrace and smack dab in the middle of a snowbank.

“Snickerdoodles!” I yelled.

Part Ten

Fifteen

I dragged my tired carcass toward the town square, all aglow with enough holiday cheer to choke a reindeer. The smell of the baked goods made me want to vomit. The Christmas carols and the far-off jingling of Bonnie’s door bells set my teeth on edge. And if I saw one more person in a red suit, I’d turn into a murder hobo in this freaking town.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. Goosebumps marched across my arms. And I could almost feel someone breathing on me as they watched me. That was new. Generally, the only people who noticed me were the local peeps who were in on my holiday hell storyline.

I frowned in the midday sun, looking at the townsfolk's faces until I found the person I sought. The man in the red suit. “Kris.” I marched over to him, eyes narrowing when I drew closer. He raised his eyebrows at me expectantly and held his hand up to his ear. “This is ridiculous.”

“Sorry. What was that? What did you call me?”

I rolled my eyes. “Santa. Hello, Santa.”

“That’s more like it.”

“What are you doing here?” I demanded a little more harshly than intended, but I was over this holiday hell by ten days.

“Ho, ho, ho.” Kris/Santa grabbed his belly as he laughed. “I come every year to the Christmas Carnival, bring my reindeer, grant the wishes of all the good little girls and boys. Have you figured out what you wish for this year?”

---