Page 24 of Santa's Knotty Workshop

Not once did he rush us, taking the time to explain everything in detail. When it was time to leave, Percy was more relaxed than I’d seen him since the cookie-gram reminder showed up.

“Want to build a snowman?” He tugged on my hand, pulling me toward some virgin snow.

I hadn’t played in the snow in years. “Think we can make one as tall as me?”

“I bet we can build one even taller.” And we did with the help of some of the local youth who saw how much fun we were having and had to join in.

I knew that Percy sometimes worried that he didn’t fit into his role as Santa Mate, but he was a natural. These weren’t even elves from our division that were drawn to him. He was made for the job—and for me. I was the luckiest Santa there was.

Epilogue

Percy

“You’re doing great,” Willy encouraged as I bounced on the large exercise ball placed in the middle of my bedroom.

Surrounding it was an entire array of other medically necessary items for when I finally gave birth to this child. I wasn’t sure what they were all for, but that was probably for the best. The more I knew, the more I would worry. My pregnancy induced anxiety had intensified during my last month as it was. In hindsight, when the doctor suggested having the baby here, I probably should’ve given him a polite decline.

Nick had left for work early that morning, just like every other day. He’d offered to take off and start his paternity leave early, but I insisted he work up until the baby was born. He liked things done a certain way in his shop, and if he left it in the hands of the elves before the distraction of our sweet baby, it was going to drive him bonkers.

My plan had been to get up with him, grab a quick bite, then climb back in bed for a nap after he left and then head to the workshop. The plan failed. Instead, I stayed in bed, too tired to move.

I’d worked throughout the past few weeks, but not quite as many hours as he did. I wanted to keep up my normal schedule until baby time, but between my body taking twice as much energy to go from one place to another than it had even a month ago and my mate being overprotective, that wasn’t going to happen. It worked out for the best. Sleeping in and taking naps had become my new favorite thing—especially when I could starfish out on the bed.

Not that I needed all the space; the bed was enormous. But Nick was a cuddler, and sometimes, when I was overheated thanks to all this snowman belly I was lugging around—you know, a whole-ass baby—I didn’t want to be touched. I felt bad feeling that way, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

I didn’t dare tell my mate that, though. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I loved his touch. Just right now, things touching me felt icky and that even included my silk paternity pajamas. Pregnancy was weird.

When I had finally gotten up, my labor pains had started. They were far enough apart that I didn’t feel the need to raise the alarm, and it took a while for me to actually believe they were real. I’d been fooled before with some Braxton Hicks.

Willy had stopped by to chat and caught me in the middle of a painful contraction. He insisted on staying to help as I eased through every one after I made him promise not to bother Nick. I was going to call him as soon as I knew that it was baby time. Until then, it was wait and see. Labor wasn’t a quick thing, no sense making him worry longer than he needed to, and make no mistake about it, Nick was going to worry. He didn’t like to see me get a paper cut, and this was so much worse than that, even before I was in full-on labor.

“They’re really close together now,” he said. “I think we should call Nick.”

I was about to tell him I agreed when the door burst open.

“No need to call Nick,” came his voice. “I sensed it.”

“We were going to call,” I said, shooting him a glare as intense as the one he gave me. “Promise.”

“How are you feeling, mate? Should we call Dr. J?” He didn’t say he believed me, but then again, I wasn’t sure I would’ve in his shoes either.

“I’ve been texting him,” Willy interjected. “He plans to be here in the next ten minutes or so.”

I missed that. But then again, I’d been a tiny bit distracted.

“Thank you, Willy. Someone will be getting an extra-special treat in their stocking this year. Others might be getting a lump of coal,” Nick muttered as he turned to face me.

Fair.

“I’m fine. All of this is normal. My labor is progressing nicely. There was no reason to alert the whole workshop.”

Nick grasped my hand and sandwiched it between his own. Surprisingly, his touch wasn’t irritating in that moment. Instead, it calmed me, helping to ease some of the discomfort. Santa’s magic? Or just being close to my mate? I didn’t want to ask. That would require a confession I wasn’t ready to give.

“I wanted to be here for everything.” The hurt in his eyes sent guilt through me. He was right. I should’ve given him the choice.

“Even the part where it was real painful earlier and I almost threw up?”

Nick’s face turned down into a frown.

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