Page 45 of Santa Loves Curvy Girls

His grin got even wider. “Really?”

I nodded, realizing there were tears in my eyes. “Yeah.”

He closed the gap between us, brushing my hair out of my face. “I had to do something. I couldn’t let you go.”

I smiled at the familiar gesture. “I missed you,” I said, blinking back tears. He had been thinking about me too.

He blew out a breath, making fog rise in the air. “I missed you too.” He paused, then went on. “What about the suit and beard, though?” he asked. “Do you miss that?”

I laughed, taking in his appearance without the red velvet suit and realistic white beard. From his blonde wavy hair to his thick coat and blue jeans. The slight pink in his cheeks from the cold. “You did pull off that long beard pretty well,” I quipped.

He took my hand. “Maybe I can talk the committee into letting me borrow it sometime.”

Then he bent down and kissed me. His lips were warm, his nose cold as it brushed over my cheeks. His arms wrapped around my waist, and I easily settled my hands on his shoulders. My heart fluttered as my body remembered our kiss outside the theater. This was him. It was really him.

I smiled up at him in awe. “So, the committee decided to grant you an exception?” I asked.

“Maybe they saw what I did. That I wantedusto be a part of the magic.”

29

NICK

It was New Year’s Eve.

After a long sleigh ride with Belle around town, cuddled under a thick red blanket, we were ready to warm back up.

We made our way hand in hand toward Cocoa Corner for some hot chocolate. I knew it was her favorite, and it was starting to be mine too. Even though it had been less than two weeks, it felt like so long ago that we sat together in the coffee shop, getting to know each other.

As we passed the Christmas tree, we couldn’t help but stop and gaze up at it. The lights had gone from sparkling red, green, and gold to just gold in honor of the new year. It was a sight to behold, especially with Belle on my arm.

I couldn’t believe everything had worked out, although my mom could. She was so happy for me, and I loved that she was the kind of person who never lost faith, even after everything she’d been through.

Even though she deserved so much more.

“I’m going to be sad to see it gone,” Belle said quietly.

“Me too,” I replied, looking over at her, the gold lights reflecting in her eyes.

After a moment, we kept walking. The sun had set not long ago, and the plan was to meet my mom later at Scrooge’s. She wanted to meet Belle, and I couldn’t wait for them to see each other. I knew they’d get along.

“You know,” Belle said, giving my hand a squeeze, “I made a wish this year, at the star ceremony. But I really didn’t think it would come true.”

I thought about that for a second. “Did it?”

She stopped at the corner between Cider Center and Cocoa Corner and smiled up at me. “Yeah, I think it did.”

“Well, as it turns out, I made a wish too,” I admitted.

She gave me a small smile. Everyone in Garland made a wish, whether you believed it could come true or not. “What was it?”

I brushed back a piece of hair that had escaped from her braid. “To be seen for who I really am, beyond all the external stuff.”

She nodded in understanding. “And then you ended up in the Santa suit.”

“Crazy, huh?” I said.

“Good crazy,” she replied with a smile. Then her face flashed with awe. “Wow, Garland wishes do come true.”

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