Page 259 of Daddy's Naughty List

Lulu felt her heart swell with emotion at his words. It was moments like these that made the ache of missing Ben just a little more bearable.

Finally, it was time for her special event. She let Zoey lead her to the small stage, decorated to look like a magical gingerbread treehouse, with garlands of holly and shimmering tinsel. And, of course, a wise old owl on top. She hadn’t managed to put a speaker in the owl, but he still looked very grand, nonetheless.

"Once upon a time," Zoey began, her voice ringing out clear and strong, "in a magical place called Pinewood Forest, there lived a very special group of animals. . . "

Lulu showed her pictures, one at a time, and she felt herself getting swept up in the story, smiling at the colorful illustrations she had worked so hard on. By the time the story finished, the whole audience was completely enraptured, and Lulu felt prouder than she ever had in her whole life.

Everyone whooped and cheered when the story was over, but after a minute or so, the cheers were replaced by a strange commotion.

Gasps and giggles rippled through the crowd as a figure pushed its way forward. Lulu's heart leapt into her throat. Could it be . . .?

The figure finally emerged, and Lulu's jaw dropped. It was Santa, but not like any Santa she'd ever seen. His boots were enormous, curled at the toes like snails. Two heads bobbed atop his shoulders, one grinning manically, the other smirking. A forked tongue flicked out from an obviously fake beard. And instead of the traditional red suit, this Santa wore a bright orange dress, ruffles and bows aplenty.

"Ho, ho, ho!" the strange Santa bellowed. "Merry Christmas, Littlecreek Ranch!"

Lulu blinked, hardly daring to believe her eyes. Then the Santa winked, blue eyes twinkling with mischief and love, and she knew. Tears of joy streamed down her face as she flew off the stage and into Ben's waiting arms, not caring that he looked utterly ridiculous.

He was here. Her Daddy had come back to her, just like he'd promised. And suddenly, it felt like Christmas all over again.

"Ho, ho, ho!" he called out again. "It's me, Strange Enchanted Forest Santa!"

Everyone snickered, utterly confused.

Lulu can't believe she remembered their private joke so well.

"I heard you folks were having a Christmas Carnival, and I had to let you know I wouldn't miss it for the world! This is my number-one priority."

Lulu sobbed with happy tears now. She couldn’t believe Ben would do this for her.

“I love you, Santa!” she called out, dizzy with delight.

“I love you, too, Lulu!” called out Santa. Except he wasn’t Santa at all. He was Ben. And she could tell from the way he said it, that he really meant it.

“What an incredible reading!” he called out. “I just found myself a new favorite book. Now, let’s get back to the party, everyone!”

The audience clapped and cheered and Lulu jumped down off the stage and ran up to Ben. She buried her face in Ben's ridiculous outfit, breathing in his familiar scent beneath the mothballs and peppermint. "You remembered," she whispered, voice muffled by the fabric.

Ben chuckled, the sound rumbling through his padded belly. "Of course I did, babygirl. How could I forget such an important discussion about the real Santa?" He tightened his arms around her. "I told you I'd always be here when you needed me."

Lulu pulled back, sniffling, and gazed up at his two grinning faces. "I still can't believe you actually dressed up like the Santa from our silly joke! You look. . . " She giggled. "You look completely ridiculous. But also adorable."

"Worth it to see that smile," Ben said warmly, tapping her nose with a white-gloved finger. “And by the way, that really was an excellent reading. Those illustrations of yours are exquisite.”

Lulu glowed at his words. “I am rather proud of them.”

“You’ve worked wonders on this entire festival,” he told her. “How about we grab ourselves a hot apple cider and you show me around?”

Lulu smiled and nodded, still crying, but laughing at the same time.

Ben’s silly costume had been discarded in favor of a cozy green sweater that brought out the warm flecks in his blue eyes. He pressed a steaming mug of mulled cider into her hands, the spicy-sweet scent mingling with the crisp pine air.

Lulu ducked her head, a pleased flush spreading across her face. "You being here... it means everything."

They settled onto a log bench, thighs pressed together as they sipped their cider and watched the carnival-goers frolic among the twinkling lights. A question niggled at the back of Lulu's mind, one she couldn't quite hold in.

"How's the ranch coming along? Did you get the permits sorted out?" She held her breath, both eager for and dreading his answer.

Ben sighed, his gaze flickering down to the amber liquid in his mug. "Not yet. But you know what? The moment I got back to Texas, I realized something." He turned to face her fully, his expression earnest and tender. "The ranch isn't my future, Louisa Hart. You are."

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