Page 41 of Clause & Effect
In an hour’s time I’ll know if he’s the most beautiful, tortured man I’ve ever met—or he’s honest to God, real life Santa Claus.
At this point, I don’t even know what I’m betting on.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
If I had placed a bet, I would have lost.
I really didn’t believe him.
I didn’t.
Swear on everything I hold dear. I thought this little journey was about appeasing him before sleeping together because that’s all I really thought about on the helicopter ride over.
Sleeping with him.
The incredible need to satiate this voracious appetite he lit needs a healthy fix. The kind of fix I haven’t had for quite some time now as Grace so candidly pointed out to me when I told her I was leaving with him.
“You should totally sleep with him on the helicopter,” she told me in a drunken stupor.
When I found her, she was quite inebriated and surrounded by a few of the hot dwarves or Santa aka Stetson’s helpers on the couch. Devon was off with Jayson meeting the rest of the reindeer, that should be interesting when Devon hears all their names. I can only imagine what the conversation is going to be like when we’re alone together again.
“I don’t think a helicopter can be part of the mile high club?” I pointed out the obvious. “It’s not possible.”
“Anythingis possible if you put your mind to it!” She said lifting her forefinger in the air like she had solved the world’s greatest riddle.
“Okay, daredevil,” I shook my head at her. “Maybe you should slow down or I dunno, have some water?”
“I’m not hydrating yet,” she was adamant. “I haven’t had a buzz like this since I gave birth to Penelope.”
Penelope, my goddaughter, is three months old.
“It’s a good thing,” I laughed. “You know you’re going to hate yourself tomorrow.”
She didn’t look like she cared.
“I won’t. Maybe I will, but buzzed and talking to hot dwarves is one for the books. I don’t think I’ll ever forget any of this.”
“Same,” I agreed.
She leaned back and crossed her arms and pointed a rather wobbly finger at me.
“Why aren’t you buzzed?” She asked in disbelief. “You’re just as much of a lightweight as me.”
I couldn’t tell her that a Santa Claus and true love conversation with Stetson sobered me up like nothing I ever imagined could. In fact, I don’t think inebriation is even possible in the state I was in.
“I ate some bread,” I lied easily.
“Oh?” She looked intrigued by the idea. “Well, have fun. And for the love of God, get in the Christmas spirit—be naughty,notnice, will ya?!”
She didn’t know how on the mark her words were.
And now, here I am hovering in a helicopter over a small village that’s like something you’d see in an amusement park. The tiny homes look like they’re made of gingerbread and candy—seriously. It looks like we’re staring down at a gingerbread village with a train running through the town and all. The closer we get, the clearer the picture becomes, and I can see tiny people—I’m assuming dwarves again—milling about and even dancing and frolicking in the snow.
I swear to God I’m sure there’s a soundtrack playing in the background in this village or something because that’s how happy everyone looks. They’re moving around like they’re hearing a chorus in the air.
I look over at Stetson, mouth agape. And no, I don’t care.
He smiles at me in pleasure and points to our landing spot which is marked by an enormous candy cane. A few people stand on the sideline awaiting our landing.
