Page 21 of Santa's Mistletoe Playbook

Danica sprinted to the Alaska Airlines gate. “Can you please unload my two bags? I have an emergency and can’t take this flight.” She figured a little white lie might boost her chances.

The boarding attendant gave her a dreary expression. “I’ll see what I can do. If they’re already onboard, you’ll be out of luck.”

Danica rushed to the window to see the baggage shuttle on its way to the aircraft. “They haven’t loaded all of it yet. Please?” she pleaded, using puppy-dog eyes.

“Go down to baggage claim. If we can do it, that’s where you’ll pick them up,” said the attendant.

“Thank you so much.” She encountered the older woman on her way out of the gate to the terminal. She stopped and squeezed the woman’s arm. “I took your advice. I’m sure you’ll be with your husband soon. I’ll say a prayer for you.”

“You’re welcome, dear, and thank you, too. Merry Christmas,” she said warmly, patting Danica’s hand.

Danica took off running, rolling her carry-on behind her. She took the escalator downstairs to baggage claim and waited with fingers crossed. After about twenty minutes, her two bags appeared. Grateful, she rolled everything out of the ground transportation doors.

She hadn’t given a thought about what she would do next.

Her phone sounded, and she answered.

“Look up,” said Bryson.

She lifted her chin, and her breath hitched. There he was, standing next to the idling pickup, looking like a hot million in his denim jean jacket with the collar turned up. His tight-fitting jeans and Arizona cowboy boots made him hot, like he’d galloped in on one of Santa’s reindeer, fresh off the tundra. He was truly a sight for sore eyes.

Danica was so overcome with emotion, her heart stuttered as he moved toward her. “It’ll never be too late.” His voice was husky, his expression solemn as he stopped in front of her.

She dropped her bags and threw her arms around his neck. “When I didn’t hear from you, I thought you’d given up on us.”

He squeezed her tight. “I’ll never give up on you. I’m sorry. I’m as much to blame for what happened as you are. I’ve made too many demands of you. Monty helped me see that I’ve been doing all the taking while you’ve been doing most of the giving in our relationship.”

Danica thought of the woman inside the terminal. “Someone told me that same thing.”

Bryson kissed her lightly on the lips. “We have lots to work out.”

“Yes, we do.” She beamed up at him. “But first, I want you to make amends with your cousin Devin. He thought of you as a brother before you tossed him from your life.”

“He actually said that?” Bryson seemed astonished by it.

“Yes.” She pressed her palm to his chest. “Plus, we have things to celebrate. It’s Christmas!”

He bent to grab her bags and hefted them into the back seat of the pickup. “Now that you mention it. Get in. We’ll go change first. I’m taking you to a place where suit jackets are required.” He opened the passenger door and helped her inside.

“Really? I can’t wait!” she bubbled. “I brought a special dress, hoping we’d go somewhere like that.”

The weight of the world lifted from Danica’s shoulders, and she exhaled a noisy sigh of relief. As she watched her handsome boyfriend round the front of the truck, her favorite love song played on the radio. Good timing. It was a sign.

Not everything was coincidence.

Danica admired the gorgeous view of the city lights from the Perch, a popular, elegant restaurant at the top of the Mizzen Hotel in downtown Anchorage. Bryson had reserved a corner table for a one hundred eighty-degree view for their Christmas dinner. The moon shone over Cook Inlet, shimmering car-sized ice chunks floating with the outgoing tide.

Bryson was especially attentive to Danica throughout dinner. When they finished, he sat back, studying her in the flickering candlelight on the white tablecloth. He produced a long-stemmed rose, along with a card.

“Merry Christmas, Danni. Never doubt for a nanosecond that I love you.” He offered them to her. “You look hot in that tight, glittery cocktail dress, by the way.”

“And you look incredible in that dark suit.” She gazed into his chocolate eyes. “Thank you, Bry. That means everything to me.” She reached for his hand and stroked his palm with her thumb. “We’ll work it all out, okay? But we won’t discuss it tonight. Let’s just enjoy each other.”

“You got it.” When Bryson cleaned up, he was devastatingly handsome, swiveling many heads. Danica liked when other women desired him because he was one hundred percent hers.

She gave him a seductive smile. “In fact, I want us to enjoy each other as soon as possible.”

Bryson chuckled. “You read my mind. Let’s go.”

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