Page 16 of The Bad Boy's Secret Santa

“We normally hold an adoption event at the tree lighting ceremony each year. It’s one of our most successful events. Never had a pet returned. Not once. It’s like a special form of Christmas magic.” Her expression falls as she takes the pup from my cradled arms. Did I hold on a little tighter than I meant to? Maybe. “But it was cancelled this year, and we didn’t have the fund?—”

“Cancelled?” I repeat, feeling like someone stole the breath right out of my lungs. It can’t be cancelled. The annual tree lighting was the last happy memory I had with Piper. We went together—and admittedly missed the actual lighting of the tree because we were making out like our lives depended on it. That was the night I was supposed to come for her. The night Wilma stopped me from ruining her life. Anytime I’ve thought back on my time in Alpine Valley, the tree lighting ceremony is the fondest memory I have of this little town. If it’s really gone… it feels as though I’ve been robbed.

“You okay?” Piper whispers to me.

I thought it was odd that there’d been no official announcement of the event. That the tree in the town park was still bare of decorations. Typically flyers would be plastered all over town, even days after it happened. If I’d only known sooner…

“Guess there was a lack of funding this year,” Jenny says with a disappointed shrug.

“Who’s in charge of that?” My demand causes the women to jump, and I immediately soften my tone. “Of the funding?”

“The mayor, I guess,” Linda says.

I grab Piper by the hand and hurry for the door. “We have another stop to make.”

Chapter Ten

PIPER

Eli Winchester has always been the sexiest man alive in my book, but there’s something extra enticing about the way he speeds down the snow-packed country road from the animal shelter, headed to the mayor’s office as if we’re on a very important mission. In some ways, we are.

All this time I was convinced he couldn’t wait to get out of Alpine Valley and return to his normal life. But witnessing his passion for such an intimate small town event has me rethinkingeverything.

“This is really important to you, isn’t it?” I ask as he quickly parks outside City Hall.

Unbuckling, he turns in his seat, leans over the center console, and kisses me hard. Both hands cup my cheeks as our lips fuse together. He’s not polite about the way his tongue demands entry into my mouth, anddammitdoes it turn me on. Maybe this errand could wait until…later. Just as my hand lands on his belt, he pulls back.

“Come on,” he says, breaking apart the kiss and leaving me breathless and panting. “We better hurry if we want to catch the mayor.”

Shit, it’s almost five. On December twenty-third. “If we don’t catch her today?—”

“We will,” he insists.

We rush down the freshly salted sidewalks toward the front doors of the tallest, sturdiest, and oldest building in Alpine Valley. The double doors are framed by two thick pillars decorated in garland and lights. Lack of funding, my ass.

Hands joined, I allow Eli to pull me inside.

“That way,” I point toward a hall on the left.

Turning the corner, we nearly level the mayor herself. Thankfully, she moves out of the way half a second before Eli runs her over.

“Sorry!” I apologize at the same time Eli says, “Oh good, you’re still here.”

“What’s this about?” Mayor Patterson adjusts her coat and begins to button it up. We reallywereright on time.

“I want to donate the funds needed to make the tree lighting ceremony happen this year,” Eli spits out. “On my late uncle’s behalf.”

“I’m afraid it’s too late for that,” she says.

“But it’s not Christmas yet,” I plead.

“We needed the funding last month to approve it.” Her sympathetic expression feels like the final nail in the coffin. “I’m sorry. It’s too late. There’s nothing I can do about that.”

“Where did the funding come from for the City Hall decorations?” I point to a fat seven or eight foot tall Christmas tree in the lobby. It glows from the hundreds of strings of white lights wrapped around it.

“We had all these from last year. No funding required,” the mayor explains.

“What happened to the decorations for the tree lighting?” Eli asks.

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