Page 31 of A Little Merry

“Angel? Where did you ever get that idea?”

“You seem to be magical, so I just assumed…”

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you that assumed means an ass out of you…”

“And me, yeah, I know, but if you’re not an angel, then who are you?”

“Noelle Kringle, and I’m here to help.”

She was dressed in a bright red button-down sweater, a white fuzzy shirt under it, and red jeans, with white stack-heeled boots on her small feet. Her curly red hair was pulled back off her face and cascaded down her back. Her makeup was flawless, and her smile glowed even brighter than ever.

“Okay. Then help away. I could sure use it right now.”

I started in on my eggs; they were a religious experience for my taste buds. “Who made these eggs? They’re fantastic.”

“I did. I’m a fabulous cook.”

“Good to know. Billy Ray needs to meet the right woman and fall in love again. He doesn’t love me. Never did, at least not like that. He just thinks he does. We need him to fall in love with somebody like… say… somebody like you. Are you married?”

“Are you kidding? I don’t have time for all of that. Besides, I’m not his type.”

“You’re exactly his type, down to your red hair. Did you know his first wife had red hair?”

“We’re getting more and more rare, you know, but that’s beside the point. I’m the matchmaker, not you.”

Finally, she admitted her truth. When it came to Christmas, I one hundred percent believed in magic of any kind.

“Ah-huh! So that’s what you are! A matchmaking angel?”

She stuck a hand on her hip and cocked it out. “Honey, I might be a matchmaker, but I’m certainly no angel. More like an elf or a pixie.”

“But are you human?” I whispered.

She looked around. “We’re the only two here. Why are you whispering?”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“About the human thing. Yes, if I want to be.”

“And do you?”

“Do I what?”

I sighed. She could be so frustrating when she wanted to be. “Do you want to be human?”

“Of course, I do. It’s been my Christmas wish for a very long time. I love working with Santa… don’t get me wrong… but I’d like to know a little more about sex. That stuff is like wayyyy over the top! And who knows, I might even grow a couple of inches if I’m human. Or not. You can never know about these things.”

Aside from nearly choking on my croissant or spitting out my coffee, I completely understood her wish. Sex, when it’s good, like it has been with Ethan and Connor, is mind blowing… off the charts… life changing. Who wouldn’t want that kind of experience? It has been my wish for a long time as well… maybe not my entire Christmas wish but definitely part of it… a big, huge, mega part of it.

“Then what’s holding you back from becoming human?”

“Honestly…youare.”

“Me?”

“Yes. And I was so close this time. I thought for sure this would work.”

“What would work?”

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