Page 54 of Jam and Jingle Bells
He shrugged. “Honestly, I didn’t see her at first. I noticed you in the gazebo and was coming over to say hi. When I saw her little head, I knew I couldn’t let on I wasn’t the real St. Nick.”
“Why are you St. Nick? You didn’t mention that you were going to be the man in the sleigh when you told me about this.”
He leaned back and shrugged out of his coat. “I wasn’t planning on it. The Santa they’d hired to do the job broke his leg in a work accident on Thursday. They called me in desperation last night wondering if I’d ever played Santa. Considering my business and all,” he said, motioning at the other rooms.
I grinned and let out a laugh. “I guess when you need a Santa, you go right to the Rudolph Express.”
He nodded and grinned. “I promised them it wasn’t a problem, changed a few things around, and like that, I’m Santa until Christmas Eve. I have to say, it was a lot of fun. I love kids and how innocent they are. It was fun to spread the Christmas spirit. Sometimes we get lost in that as adults,” he admitted, rubbing his sternum.
I eyed him, unsure about what I should do. His color was almost as white as his hair, but I decided to keep him talking and see if the medicine improved the situation.
“You sure did that with Holly.”
“Again, I was just playing the part.”
I shook my head and leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. “No, you weren’t. You were showing her that you cared about her feelings.”
He sighed and leaned forward, rolling his shoulders. “To be honest, it broke my heart when she said her only wish was for the sadness to go away. Like, I wish that’s something Santa could do.” He shook his head in frustration and sighed.
“If you want my opinion, what you said to her will make it go away. It will take time, but when the sadness creeps in now she will remember that ten minutes today where you gave her hope.”
“I pray you’re right. Kids like that, they break my already broken heart. I hate that they’re touched by such strong pain at such a young age when they aren’t equipped to deal with it. Not that anyone of any age would be, but as adults, we are better able to express ourselves.”
I rubbed his knee, his hands back on his chest. “It sounded to me like you were talking from experience.”
“We’ve all experienced loss, Addie. It’s easy to put ourselves in someone else’s place and tell them what we would have loved to have heard at that time in our lives.”
I held my hands out. “That’s what I mean. I’ve never experienced grief and heartache the way Holly has, and last night, I had no advice for her. Then along comes Santa,” I said, using air quotes, “and he knows the exact right thing to say.” He went to object and I held up my hand. “I’m not starting a fight or arguing with you about this. I just want you to know that Mel was moved to tears. Her mom heart has been breaking for her daughter. I think we’ll see a different Holly once she realizes that her sadness is normal and nothing to be afraid of. You helped her do that.”
He smiled and took my hand. “After last night, when you texted me about what happened, I was praying I’d see her today, and that she wouldn’t recognize me. I was disappointed when she didn’t show up, so when I saw her, I knew I had one shot and one shot only.”
“You’re observant. Guess that’s from spending hours upon hours with kids, and apparently ninety-year-old women.”
He tipped his head and laughed. “Where did that come from?”
“I was cutting Audrey’s hair today and she mentioned Mrs. Tims came on to you. Mrs. Tims told her you said we were dating.”
He snickered and dropped his head into his hand, peeking at me from under his white eyebrows. “I hope you don’t mind. I mean, we had decided we were dating, right?”
I laughed and poked his belly. “I’m teasing you. I don’t mind if you use me to fend off the old ladies. I don’t mind at all.”
He smiled and kissed me, his lips quivering as he tried to keep it closed mouth and light. It didn’t work. In a heartbeat, I was on Santa’s lap and my tongue was in his mouth. I purposely rested my hand on his chest and felt his muscles quivering under it. I ended the kiss slowly and stayed in his arms, happy to see some pink back in his cheeks.
“If the little girl on Santa’s lap would let him up, he’d go shower so we could take this somewhere much more comfortable.”
I slid off his lap and followed him out of the office. “Where are you going to shower? Mrs. Tims also told Audrey who told me, even though I’d already heard it from Ivy, that you’re living in that camping trailer out there.”
His steps paused and he bent over again, his breath coming in a gasp. I grabbed his arm and held onto him. He coughed and then took another breath.
“Dammit,” he hissed, shaking his head. “Apparently, this is going to be a bad day.”
“Does it usually happen this often?” I asked, and he rose to his full height and shook his head.
“Not usually, but it’s not unheard of.”
I grasped his elbow lightly and held it. “Ellis, you didn’t answer my question.”
He spun back around and threw his arms out to his side. “It feels like you already know the answer, Addie.”
