Page 54 of Falling for Santa

Megan's eyes filled with tears. "She misses you too," she whispered. "She asks about you every day."

"Then come home," Scott said, his voice rough with emotion. "Not because of the job offer, or because it's practical, but because Palmar Island isn't the same without you both. Because I—" he broke off, searching her face. "Because every day since you left, I've realized more and more that home isn't a place. It's wherever you and Ruby are."

A tear slipped down Megan's cheek. "I'm scared," she admitted. "What if it doesn't work? What if I'm not enough?"

Scott reached up, brushing the tear away with his thumb. The gentle touch sent warmth spreading through her chest. "You've always been enough," he said. "More than enough. I'm just sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Megan's breath hitched as his hand cupped her cheek. "I thought I was doing the right thing," she whispered. "Coming here, starting over. But it feels... it feels like we're just going through the motions. Ruby and I, we're surviving, but we're not living. Not really."

"Then stop surviving," Scott said softly. "Start living. With me."

The simplicity of his words, the depth of feeling behind them, broke something loose inside her. Megan leaned forward,pressing her forehead to his. "I've missed you," she breathed. "So much it hurts."

Scott's other hand came up to frame her face, and then he was kissing her. Not like their first kiss, tentative and sweet, but with all the longing and fear and hope of the past weeks poured into one moment. Megan's hands fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer as everything else fell away—the office, San Diego, all her careful plans for the future. None of it mattered. This, right here, was real.

When they finally broke apart, Scott's eyes were bright with emotion. "Come home," he whispered again. "Let me love you both the way you deserve."

Megan looked at him—really looked at him. At the man who played Santa to bring joy to children, who carved dolphins because she loved them, who had flown across the country just to show her she had choices.

"Yes," she said, and for the first time in weeks, her heart felt full. "Take us home."

Scott's smile was like sunrise breaking through clouds. He pulled her to her feet and into his arms, holding her close as though he'd never let go. Through her window, the San Diego skyline sparkled in the afternoon sun, but Megan didn't see it. Her eyes were closed, her face pressed into Scott's shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of cedar and home.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Scott sat cross-legged on the floor of Megan's San Diego apartment, surrounded by Ruby's artwork. Each drawing told a story. There was Santa's Village with twinkling lights, Cupid prancing near his pen, and another with the ocean waves under a starlit sky. The modern apartment's clean lines and neutral tones seemed to soften under Ruby's colorful interpretations of their island home.

Ruby bounced on her toes, holding up another drawing, "And this one is you and Cupid and me and Mama at Christmas!" Her curls danced with her enthusiasm as she pointed out each figure. "See? I drew your special hat!"

"You definitely got the hat right," Scott said, grinning as he studied the crayon version of himself, complete with an impressively large red hat and what appeared to be a candy cane in each hand.

Ruby dropped the drawing and launched herself at him without warning, her small arms wrapping around his neck. "You found us!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "I knew you would! I told Mama you'd come!"

Scott's heart squeezed as he hugged her back, breathing in the familiar scent of her bubblegum shampoo. "Of course I did, kiddo. I missed you too much not to."

The sound of movement in the kitchen drew his attention. Megan stood in the doorway, holding a plate of chocolate chip cookies, her eyes soft as she watched them. The afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows caught the gold in her hair, and Scott's breath caught at how right it felt, seeing her there.

"Cookie break?" she suggested, padding over to join them on the floor.

Ruby immediately grabbed two cookies, offering one to Scott with solemn importance. "Mama's are almost as good as Miss Doris's," she declared.

"Almost?" Megan laughed, settling beside them. "I'll have to work on that."

"You'll have plenty of time," Scott said softly. "Miss Doris is already planning baking lessons for when we get back."

The word 'we' hung in the air, full of promise. Ruby's eyes lit up. "When are we going? Can we go tomorrow? Can we take Mr. Bear on the airplane again?"

"Not quite that fast, sweetheart," Megan said, brushing crumbs from Ruby's chin. "We have some things to take care of first."

"Like what?"

"Well," Megan counted off on her fingers, "we need to pack everything up, talk to the landlord about the apartment, and I need to let the firm know I'm leaving."

"I'll help," Scott offered immediately. "With all of it. I'm not going anywhere without you two."

Megan's lips curved into a teasing smile. "What exactly was your plan if I'd said no? Camp out on my doorstep until I changed my mind?"

"Pretty much," Scott replied, his eyes meeting hers with quiet certainty. "I bought a one-way ticket. Wasn't planning to leave here without you."

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