Page 11 of Santa Loves Curvy Girls

It was probably a combination of the elf skirt she wore, her homemade cookies, and her sweet smile. Why had we never really talked before?

It was too bad, now that we were gonna be working together, because I couldn’t even tell her who I really was.

That was what I’d agreed to when I put on the suit. She could never know who I was.

But that didn’t mean I didn’t want to spend time with her. Or wouldn’t.

7

BELLE

Acouple of days later, I baked another big batch of cookies. This time, chocolate chip with and without pecans.

When baking was your favorite pastime and you dreamed of having your own bakery in town one day, you quickly ended up with four dozen cookies taking up all of the counter space in just one afternoon. So once they cooled, I wrapped them all up in tiny little plastic bags and packed them into a giant holiday basket.

I still had a couple hours before my shift as an elf at the mall. I’d have plenty of time to distribute cookies. So I pulled on my hat, mittens, and scarf and made my way into town.

Jingles was the famous chocolate shop in town. We also had Candy Cane Co., where you could stand at the window and watch Neve Cole make candy canes from scratch. And we even had Cocoa Corner, possibly my favorite, where you could get the best hot chocolate and coffee in town.

But there was no bakery. Garland needed a bakery with the best cookies, scones, and muffins in town. Maybe one day that dream would come true. In a few more years perhaps I’d muster up the courage to make that wish upon the Christmas star.For now, I’d perfect my baking as much as I could and keep spreading holiday cheer via cookies.

I walked into Santa’s Bag first. It was a souvenir store that had been running for almost a century. Old Mrs. Curran stood behind the register. Their tiny store had everything from the most unique, handcrafted tree ornaments to holiday mugs and tiny holiday trinkets.

Mrs. Curran always lit up when she saw me. I came by every year to drop off some cookies.

“Good afternoon!” I said. “I brought cookies.”

“Belle,” she replied with her usual smile. Her hazel eyes gleamed from behind her glasses. She wore a thick blue knit sweater with yellow stars all over it. “You’re one of my favorite reasons for the season,” she quipped.

Smiling at her, I took out several bags of cookies from my basket. “For you and Mr. Curran.”

“Thank you, dear.” She held up a cookie. “These are my favorite.”

That’s why I’d baked chocolate chip pecan this morning. Especially for her. She knew about my secret hopes to open a bakery one day, and she was my biggest cheerleader. “I hope you enjoy them.”

“Oh, I definitely will. Won’t be long now before you’re running that bakery of yours.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “I hope you’re right, Mrs. Curran.”

Mr. Curran appeared from behind a shelf and joined her behind the counter. “She’s never wrong,” he chimed in. “Number one secret for a long and happy marriage,” he whispered to me.

Mrs. Curran laughed, playfully hitting him on the shoulder.

I said goodbye and headed off to my next stop.

I went by the Snowed Inn and dropped off some cookies at the front desk for their guests. Mr. Atwood saw me withmy basket on the way back out. “Are those your homemade cookies?” he asked.

“Yes, sir,” I replied.

He nodded. “Must make for a fun hobby, especially for a young girl like yourself. I’m sure you’ll be baking cookies for your own family soon enough.”

He left before I could say another word.

As I walked out the front doors and down the steps, I couldn’t help but feel a little irked. Every year, I got at least one comment like that. They meant well, but it annoyed me anyway. To me, baking was so much more than just a hobby. It felt like a calling. This was the one thing I was good at in a world where I felt invisible all the time. Especially to boys.

I went by Santa’s Elves and The Nutcracker, a home decor store, next trying to get my mind off of the hobby comment. Santa’s Elves housed a food pantry and ran all of Garland’s local charity work. They made sure Christmas was magical for every family in Garland. My parents sponsored this place every year. Meanwhile, The Nutcracker was run by another one of my favorite old ladies, Ms. Merriweather.

By the time I made it to Cider Center and the Garland Mall and transformed into one of Santa’s elves in a too-small bathroom, I’d been walking around for a while.

---