Page 15 of Santa Loves Curvy Girls

I saw tears brim in her eyes.

Uh oh. I knew girls cried when they were happy sometimes. Were these happy tears? I hoped so. Pretty sure they were.

“Hey,” I said as she put the lid back on the box. I wasn’t ready for us to part ways just yet. “You want to go get a coffee with me?” I paused. “Well, with Santa Claus?”

9

BELLE

Icouldn’t believe it.

I was really going to have coffee with…

With Santa Claus?

No, definitely not Santa Claus.

Santa was not a hot young guy with piercing but friendly blue eyes. And I could see enough of his fit figure underneath that big suit to know whoever was behind the disguise was absolutely FINE.

I changed out of my elf suit, feeling self-conscious. No guy had ever paid me any attention before—especially not one as hot as him.

Could I have joined him in costume? Yes. Was I about to go out as an elf in public with a hot Santa to impress? Absolutely not.

Not when I had my pretty brown sweater and best pair of blue jeans waiting for me in the back room. Those jeans always made my butt look good, and today, I needed all the help I could get.

I checked myself in the mirror. Good thing I was having a good hair day too.

I dug into my bag. All I was missing was… found it. Some strawberry lip gloss.

When I stepped back out, Santa was there. “No elf costume?”

I shook my head. “Definitely no elf costume.”

He kind of glanced down at his suit. “Lucky you.”

Santa Claus and I headed to Cocoa Corner together.

That was not on my bingo board for the year, that’s for sure.

“This thing does keep me pretty warm, though,” he said as we walked.

I touched his sleeve. “I bet.”

We got tons of curious looks, and plenty of kids stopped Santa along the way for a selfie.

Luckily, Cocoa Corner was pretty much empty when we got there.

Jack stood behind the counter and did a doubletake when we approached the register. He looked like he’d seen pigs flying out his window. Clearly, Santa had never walked in here.

“Special friend there, Belle?” he asked.

We reached him. “Something like that,” I said, looking at ol’ St. Nick next to me.

He waved and said, “Ho, ho, ho,” in his Santa voice. He was very good at it, like he’d been practicing for years.

Nick chuckled. “Well, what can we get you guys?”

“I’ll take my usual, please,” I told him, adjusting my bag on my shoulder.

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