Page 256 of Santa Daddies
His face grew soft.
“Mom and I would keep him happy with cookies and hot chocolate. We would always have two trees. A fake one that went up in November and a real one we’d get in December. We’d decorate the tree together and sing carols and eat more cookies. Dad used to joke that he would be able to play Santa once he’d finished all the decorating at Christmas because of all the weight he gained.” She grinned at the memory. “We’d always buy a new decoration each year. I had to get rid of all the decorationswhen they died, but I kept a special few. I hid them away from George.”
“You’ve got them with you?” he asked her.
“Yes, I do. I’ve got to find somewhere to put them.”
“Can’t believe Caldwell didn’t get you a tree,” he said with a frown.
“It’s fine. I don’t need a tree to celebrate Christmas. Oh, I do have to get the ingredients for Mom’s Christmas cookies. We always decorated a gingerbread house and baked cookies on Christmas Eve morning. Then we watched a movie and sipped on hot chocolate in the evening before we laid out the cookies for Santa.” She sighed sadly.
“Baby, I’m sorry they’re gone.”
“Me too. I’d hoped to make my own traditions one day with my children.”
“You’d like children?”
“Yeah. I would.” She cleared her throat. “Sorry. My throat is a bit dry.”
His gaze narrowed. “You’re not getting sick, are you?”
“Who me? This close to Christmas? I think not. But I better go get some dinner and a drink.” She didn’t want to go. She wanted to stay and talk to him for the rest of the night.
However, she was a bit concerned that she would end up begging him to come get her and take her back home with him.
“All right, baby. Remember to text me when you go to bed. I want you to head off early tonight, you look exhausted.”
“I will,” she promised. Although she’d probably be sleeping on the sofa.
After ending the call, she got up and made herself some dinner. Her throat continued to get more scratchy so she ate an orange as well.
There was no getting sick on Christmas. It wasn’t allowed.
After a few hours of work, her phone buzzed. She checked the time to see it was already ten-thirty. No wonder she was tired.
Then she saw the message and her mouth dropped open in shock.
What the hell?
Caldwell:
I have just seen your messages, I was traveling. As it’s the holidays and I have gone away to be with family. I’m sure you understand that I can’t be answering any messages.
This had to be a joke, right?
Alice:
You didn’t say you were going away. I don’t mean to intrude on your holiday, but this is my holiday too. And I’ve rented this cabin from you. It should have working heat and hot water. At the moment, it’s unlivable.
Caldwell:
If you’d arrived when you said you would this would have been avoided.
Anger filled her. This wasn’t on her. And she was tired of people pushing her around.
Alice:
Actually, it doesn’t matter when I arrived. I paid for the entire time even when I wasn’t here. You made no mention of going away. You will need to get someone up here to fix the heat and water.
