Page 15 of Delivered to My Elves

“And this is the community hall where we gather for celebrations when the weather is too hot or cold. Mostly, we have them on the village green,” Aerin told me as we passed a long, low building. “There’s not much to see in there now but at the holidays, it’s all decorated and gorgeous.”

“Which holidays do you celebrate?” I asked, since it had been on my mind.

“So many, but the best is Yule.”

“Not Christmas?”

“Oh, yes, there’s that, too. Our people have many traditions that blend together.” Callon hefted my suitcase higher. They were carrying everything I’d brought like it weighed nothing.

“But umm…” How did I ask without sounding like I was echoing a stereotype? “That is, I mean, you know the stories about Santa and the elves?”

“Not us,” Aerin said.

Chapter Thirteen

Aerin

How long did I think it would take before the Santa thing came up? Misty would have heard all those stories about elves making toys, and there were those who did. Unfortunately, they were a different branch of elfdom, separated from us so long ago, some people didn’t believe we were even the same species.

I was not one of those.

But when I gave my short answer, Misty deflated, and I felt bad. “Sorry, it’s a sore spot. All the kids love Santa and when I was little, I didn’t know why we weren’t part of the toy team. I nagged my parents to take me to the North Pole so I could take on what I felt was my destiny.”

Misty stopped on the path and tilted her head to the side. “Your destiny?”

Callon laughed. “That’s my buddy. He even packed up on two occasions, prepared to hike to Santa’s fortress and ask for a job.”

“Really? A fortress?”

“Yeah. If you lived at the North Pole, you’d want a stronghold, too. Do you know how many aircraft fly over it on a daily basis? And as I hung out here in our little village with its Christmas tree farm and wide-open acreage, all I could think of was that the elves at the North Pole really had it good. Working with Santa?” I sighed. “But it was not to be.”

“It seems pretty nice here.” Misty stood on the path in front of our house while my friend opened the gate for her. “Just the two of you live here?”

“And you,” I reminded her. “If you choose to, that is.”

“I haven’t even seen the kitchen yet,” she said. “That’s important to a woman.”

“You like cooking, then?”

She giggled. “I hope that’s not a deal-breaker.”

“Not in the least. We have been cooking for ourselves since we left our parents’ home. We weren’t looking for household staff on the app.”

She squeezed her eyes closed. “No, you wanted a breeder.”

“That term,” Callon said, “does not begin to describe what we discussed. It would seem to imply someone who gives birth and moves along.”

“True.” She shook her head. “So, are you going to show me this house, or are we going to stand out here and put on a show for all those people peeking through their curtains?”

Callon laughed. “Nobody is going to do that. We’re not that interesting to them.”

“No?” She waved an arm at the houses nearby and every curtain moved. “I rest my case.”

“Let’s get inside.” I led the way up the steps to the front porch and opened the door. “They’ve all had their show.”

Misty followed, pausing in the doorway. “I was going to ask if you forgot to lock the door, but…where is the lock?”

“We don’t have locks here,” Callon said. “No need.”

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