Page 101 of The Snuggle is Real
“What is all this?” Vera asked, pausing to look at the decorations.
Charlie pointed. “That one is mine! Dad helped me put it up.”
There, among the rest, was a selfie of Charlie, Mason, and me posing with our snowman. His banana nose was quite the honker, but it made him charming.
“Aw, look at that. So cute.”
They spent a few minutes looking through the mementos before they noticed the Secret Santa note attached:
Cherished memories grow when shared. Let’s make this holiday season one filled with happiness and love for the community.
Secret Santa
“Well, that’s such a lovely gesture,” Vera said.
“Who’s this Secret Santa?” Sawyer asked.
“Maybe he’s therealSanta who lives here,” Ash suggested with an eyebrow wiggle.
Charlie clapped her hands. “That would be just like Santa!”
I smiled. “It sure would. No one knows who it is, so that’s just as likely as any other guess I’ve got.”
We stepped inside, the scent of grease hitting us and making my stomach growl, but I had something else I needed to do. I exchanged a hello with the owner, Adam Trent, who wore an old-school soda jerk hat and a bright red cast on his broken leg, poor guy. He seemed content enough seated behind the cash register while his son, Remy, handled other business.
“I need to pop out and run an errand, if you all don’t mind getting started without me?”
“Sure, we can do that,” Vera said, brow furrowing. “Everything okay?”
I lowered my voice. “Just have a bit of Christmas shopping to sneak in.”
“Ah, say no more.” She smiled. “Come on, Charlie, let’s go get a good table.”
They started toward an empty booth by the window—next to Jett, a local guy who’d become a regular fixture at the diner since Remy returned to town. Judging by the heart eyes he was aiming at Remy through the serving hatch, it was obvious why.
I slipped out while Charlie and Mason’s family got seated and dashed over to Santa’s Workshop. With any luck, I could swoop in, buy the dollhouse Charlie wanted, and be back by the time they ordered lunch.
When I got there, though, the dollhouse was nowhere in sight.
My heart sank as I approached the checkout where James Willoughby stood. “Did you sell that dollhouse you had out on the floor?”
He glanced up with a frown. “If it’s not out there, we must have.”
I swore under my breath. Charlie had loved that dollhouse, and of all the things she’d seen in Christmas Falls, she’d wanted it most. I’d always known I couldn’t give it to her—but these past couple of weeks, I’d started to hope I could actually pull it off.
I should have known it wouldn’t work out so easily. I’d have to tell her Santa couldn’t manage it, and she was a good girl. She’d say it was okay, but she’d be disappointed, and I didn’twantto disappoint her, even though I’d always known it was inevitable.
Damn damn damn.
“We’ve got a lot of other nice items,” James said.
I nodded. “My little girl had her heart set on it. I just couldn’t get it until now.” I sighed, shoulders slumping.
“What’s with this long face, young man?”
I glanced up to see Nicholas Willoughby emerging from the back. Only a man his age would refer to me asyoung man.
“He was hoping to buy the big dollhouse we sold,” James said.
