Page 15 of Falling for Santa

“Oh no!” the boy gasped, his face falling.

“No problem!” Megan said quickly, brushing glitter off the girl’s costume and spreading it into a thin, shimmering layer on the table. “Now we’ll all sparkle like Christmas lights!”

The boy’s face brightened, and even the girl, who had started to pout, giggled at Megan’s easy humor. Megan grabbed a small broom from under the table and began sweeping the glitter into a pile. The kids quickly returned to their crafts, unbothered by the mishap.

Scott found himself smiling. He’d seen a lot of people in the elf position over the years, some more enthusiastic than others, but Megan stood out. She wasn’t just doing her job—she was present, engaged, and completely attuned to the kids. Her patience was remarkable, especially given the long hours she’d already put in over the last few weekends.

As he watched her, a flicker of admiration grew into something stronger. It wasn’t just about her knack for working with kids. It was about her resilience—the way she’d stepped into a new town, a new job, and a new life without missing a beat. Scott had seen that kind of strength before, but rarely with such quiet grace.

He thought about what she must be going through. Starting over wasn’t easy, especially with a toddler in tow. Megan made it look manageable, but he knew better. There had to be moments of doubt, of wondering if she’d made the right choice. Still, she handled it all with a kind of determination that tugged at something deep inside him.

“She’s stronger than she gives herself credit for,” Scott muttered to himself, his gaze following her as she stood, brushing glitter off her green elf costume.

The line for Santa moved forward, and Scott shifted his focus back to the kids waiting their turn. He donned his best “Santa” smile and listened as each child listed off their Christmas wishes—dolls, bikes, a puppy. He even threw in a hearty “Ho ho ho!” for good measure, earning wide-eyed grins from his audience. But even as he played his part, a corner of his mind remained fixed on Megan, who was now helping a little girl tie a ribbon onto her ornament.

When the last child in the line had taken their photo and trotted off with a candy cane, Scott stretched his legs and stood, shaking out the stiffness in his shoulders. He was due for a short break, and as if on cue, Megan walked by, holding a dustpan full of glitter and brushing off her costume with her free hand.

“You’re sparkling more than the Christmas lights,” Scott said, his grin widening as she turned to look at him.

She laughed, a sound that seemed to cut through the noise around them. “Comes with the job, I guess.”

“Looks like you’ve been busy,” he said, gesturing to the dustpan.

“You could say that,” Megan replied, glancing down at herself and smirking. “I think I’ll be finding glitter in my hair until Easter.”

Scott chuckled, stepping closer. “The kids love it, though. You’re great with them. They’re lucky to have you.”

Megan’s expression softened, and she shrugged modestly. “Thanks. It’s fun, even when it’s chaos. Keeps me on my toes.”

They stood in companionable silence for a moment, the festive hum of the Village filling the space between them.

“How’s Ruby doing?” Scott asked, breaking the quiet.

Megan’s face lit up, the faintest hint of relief flickering in her eyes. “She’s great. She loves playing with Gertrude’s toys. I think she might have found a new favorite doll over there.”

“That’s good to hear,” Scott said, genuinely pleased. “Gertrude’s got a knack for making kids feel at home. I’m glad Ruby’s settling in.”

Megan nodded, her gaze drifting briefly to the crafts station before returning to him. “It’s a relief, honestly. I was worried about how she’d adjust, but she seems happy here.”

Scott could hear the unspoken emotion in her voice, the weight she carried as a mother trying to do right by her child. It made him want to do something—anything—to make her feel more at ease.

“Well, if there’s anything you need,” Scott said, his tone gentle but sincere, “you know where to find me. Even if it’s just advice on the best places to take Ruby for an afternoon. There’s a park near the north side of the island with a great little play area. Kids love it.”

Megan smiled, a genuine warmth in her expression. “Thanks, Scott. I appreciate that.”

“Anytime,” he said, stepping back as one of the other volunteers called for Megan’s help.

He watched her go, a light dusting of glitter still clinging to her costume as she returned to the crafts station. Something about Megan drew him in—not just her strength but the way she carried it, quietly and without fanfare. Scott found himself wanting to know more about her, to be someone she could count on as she navigated this new chapter of her life.

With a deep breath, he adjusted his hat and gloves, ready to dive back into his role as Santa. But as he returned to his chair, he couldn’t shake the thought that Megan Findley was more than just another volunteer—she was someone worth knowing, someone worth making an effort for.

Scott leaned back in his chair, the quiet hum of his workshop giving him space to think. The day had been full, the usualchaos of Santa’s Village leaving him exhausted yet satisfied. But despite the laughter of the kids and the cheerful bustle of the volunteers, his thoughts kept circling back to Megan.

Her quiet resilience had struck him again today—the way she calmly handled the kids at the crafts table, even when glitter and glue were flying in every direction. He couldn’t stop replaying the moment when she reassured the little boy who spilled the glitter, her tired but genuine smile softening the tension in the air.

Scott stood abruptly, brushing sawdust from his jeans as he paced the small space. The memory of her laugh when he teased her about sparkling like Christmas lights brought a small grin to his face. She didn’t let her guard down often, but when she did, it lit something in him.

He thought back to an earlier conversation at Santa’s Village, when she’d casually mentioned how much she missed reading. It had been a passing comment, almost thrown away in the rush of managing the kids, but it had stayed with him. Megan clearly didn’t have much time for herself, not with raising Ruby on her own and settling into a new town. The least he could do was give her something she might enjoy—a small moment of escape.

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