Page 50 of Fa-La-La-La Faking It
“Of course,” Adaline said, because what choice did she have?
She faked a smile and walked Fuzzy just outside the vestibule’s side door for some much-needed privacy and dialed Jace’s number before she could chicken out.
Please don’t answer.
Please don’t answer.
Please don’t answer.
Could the universe throw her a bone, just this once?
Alas, no.
“Hello?” Jace said.
Adaline spit everything out without pausing to breathe. “Hi-I-know-we-haven’t-talked-in-a-few-days-but-I-need-you-to-dress-up-as-Santa-and-pretend-you-love-sweet-talk.”
A pause followed, and just when she wondered if Jace had hung up, he finally said something. “Who is this?”
“Oh. Sorry, this is—”
“Adaline, that was just a joke,” Jace said with a gentleness in his tone that made her heart twist. “Of course I know it’s you. Now slow down and tell me what you need.”
She took a deep breath and told him all about the Santa emergency, and Jace—bless his make-believe boyfriend heart—arrived at the chapel in less than fifteen minutes. He strolled in through the chapel’s side door so the children waiting in line wouldn’t spot him, kissed Adaline right on the lips in front of her friends and even called her Tinsel Toes in an effort to back up her sweet talk claims. Adaline blushed furiously before steering him toward the storage closet where Tammy-Jo had hung the Santa costume.
Did he have to be so convincing at pretending he loved her?
“I can’t believe it. Look at him,” Jenna said an hour and a half later while Jace balanced a twin toddler in the crook of each velvet-clad arm and ho-ho-ho’d until they giggled for the camera. “He’sperfect.”
The twins moved on, and when the next child in line yanked on Jace’s fake beard, he let out a playful, exaggerated moan. The little girl on his lap laughed, and the photographer snapped the shutter just in time to capture the joyful moment. Adaline’s mind spun with visions of that same little girl, years from now, all grown up, finding the photo in an album one day. A cherished family memory.
He can’t help it. He owns a Christmas tree farm. Christmas is in his veins,she told herself, as if that made his charm any less appealing.
Her knees went wobbly. Even the dogs appeared to be enraptured. The three Cavaliers wagged their tails in unison while Lady Bird sat and lifted one paw in a Lassie-style, “sit pretty” pose.
Adaline gave Maple a playful nudge. “I think your dog is flirting with my boyfriend.”
“Take a look around. It looks like every mother and child in this building is flirting with your boyfriend,” Maple said with a snort.
Adaline glanced at the dwindling line of families waiting their turn. Sure enough, all the moms were looking at Jace like he was a holiday snack. Likewise, there wasn’t a fussy child in sight. At the start of the photo session, the therapy dogs had all been working overtime, soothing crying babies and easing anxiety for kids who grew quiet or withdrawn the closer they got to Santa. Over the course of the past ninety minutes, the mood in the chapel had shifted dramatically.
As much as Adaline and the Comfort Paws girls would’ve loved to chalk it up to the dog teams and the comforting presence of the therapy animals, they all knew better. The dogs helped, but the real star here was Jace. He was pure magic. Adaline couldn’t have been prouder, even if her feelings for him had been real.
Fuzzy gazed up at her from the end of his leash and cocked his head. If the puppy could talk, it almost looked like he would’ve asked if she was sure those feelings weren’t genuine, after all. Adaline thanked her lucky stars that dogs couldn’t speak so she wouldn’t be forced to face that most inconvenient question.
“If you guys want to take off, I think Fuzzy and I can handle the tail end of this event,” she said.
Tammy-Jo was in the process of closing the chapel doors, and only a few children remained who hadn’t already had their turn on Santa’s lap. The photo session had already run over its projected end time.
“You’re sure you don’t mind?” Jenna tucked a stray tendril into her ballerina bun. “Dress rehearsal for the recital is tonight and I kind of need to get going. Will you guys be there tomorrow night?”
“Of course we will. Now go. Shoo! All of you. Fuzzy and I have got this.” Adaline waved them all off.
They left after a brief flurry of air-kisses and a chorus of Merry Christmases. Adaline worked the crowd with Fuzzy for a few more minutes, kneeling to meet the kids at eye level while they petted the Cavalier with tiny fingers, sticky from clutching candy canes.
Then she stood behind the photographer, off to the side, as Jace patiently chatted with the very last little boy, who had a long list of requests for Santa. Jace never rushed him, despite the late hour. Fuzzy stretched his tiny jaws in a squeaky doggy yawn, tail drooping, until finally the child climbed down from Santa’s lap and exited the chapel with a giant, gap-toothed smile on his face.
“Nice job, man. The pictures came out great.” The photographer packed up his equipment in record speed and gave Fuzzy a pat as he zipped past Adaline on his way out. “Merry Christmas.”
