Page 8 of The Santa of the Mountain

I close my eyes, trying my best to envision my happy place. Unfortunately, my happy place looks a lot like this town. A lot like this cozy cafe. But it’s doing nothing to correct my mood.

“Hello,” he finally says as the sound of the Tin Man skating on a chalkboard subsides.

“Hi,” my sister chirps as I open my eyes, turn, and pretend this is all a fever dream that I’ll wake up from soon enough. I’m going to wake up from this, right? Please save me.

“Helloooo. Evan. I’ve heard…so muchabout you.”

He beams. I stare at his blinking lights. He sees me staring, and says, “Oh, I forgot the best part.”

“It gets better than this?” I squeak.

He nods and then presses a button, and lo and behold, a distorted, crackly version ofJingle Bellsassaults my ears from somewhere in his sweater.

“Great, isn’t it?”

“Wonderful,” I say, swallowing.

“It plays Santa Claus is Coming to Town too. Want to listen?”

“No, that’s—” The song. Yep. Right on cue.

“See! You guys are already hitting it off,” my sister chirps again.

I’m stunned into silence. I love Christmas, but this manlovesChristmas. He’s on an entirely different level that’s thankfully out of reach for me. I’m more than content with my level, relaxing at home, watchingThe Muppet Christmas Carol, The Holiday,orhell, I’d settle for a 24/7Die Hardmarathon right now if it meant I could finally wake up from this nightmare before Christmas.

“That’s quite an outfit,” I finally manage, as I try to ignore the whipped cream clinging to his nostrils.

“Thanks,” he says. “I brought one for you too.”

“Oh, you didn’t—” I can’t bring myself to finish the sentence as I watch him pull a second sweater out of thin air. “You really shouldn’t have,” I mutter, taking it into my hands before using it as a divider between us so I can glare at my sister.

“I made it myself.”

I can tell, spreading it out in front of me.

“He’s quite handy,” Pearl adds. “Learned that from the file. Thanks again, Juliet.”

I glance to my right and Juliet seems almost as shocked as I am. “There’s a lot that a file doesn’t show,” she says, blinking slowly.

“Is it true that you own a year-round Christmas store?” My sister asks. Maybe she should be dating this guy. She’s far more interested than I am, although it doesn’t take much.

“I do,” Evan says, shifting in his chair. “Christmas Miracles.”

I think I’ll need one of those to get through this alive. Two, if I’m being honest. The second one’s for my sister because the likelihood of her making it to her wedding alive is slowly diminishing. I glance at Henry and he’s in tears as he tries to hold back his laughter. Glad someone’s enjoying themselves.

“I don’t want to rush,” Evan says, leaning in. “But I have a full day scheduled, and I want to make sure we’re able to get it all done before the blizzard hits.”

“See!” Pearl says excitedly, shaking a finger at me. “Two peas in a pod. Kate loves scheduling things. You should see the spreadsheet she sent us this week.”

I’m a wedding planner. That’s what we do. I try to express those thoughts through my searing eye contact but it doesn’t land.

“I love spreadsheets,” Evan says, rapping his knuckles on the table. “There’s magic in a good pivot table. And speaking of spreadsheets,” he adds, uttering a sentence no living person wants to hear. “I whipped one up on the plane ride over. We’ve got a lot of Christmas festivities to get through. Are you ready to spread some Christmas cheer?”

I stare at him. At his antlers. To my sister, Henry, and then back to my sister.

“Kate,” she says through a gritted grin.

I stare at the sweater in my hands and then back at Evan.

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