Page 46 of The Runaway Bride of Blitzen Bay (Blitzen Bay)

“Never.” She grimaces as I slowly push her hand all the way down. She collapses on top of our hands.

“You cheated,” she says, looking up at me.

“Yes, I’m the one who was cheating there.”

She sits back and crosses her arms. “Fine. You won. I’m very disappointed.”

“I’m so sorry for winning. What can I do to make it up to you?”

She reaches across the table. “I’m so glad you asked. I do have something.”

“Damn. You had that loaded.” I look at her suspiciously. “Okay, what is it?”

“I haven’t been in the snow for so long. I want to go sledding today.”

“Sledding, huh? Umm, I don’t have a sled,” I say, stroking my beard. “Wait, I think I saw a sled on Sam’s back porch.”

“Who?”

“Sam,” I say, pointing back at him. Her expression is blank. “Elle, you just met him—my neighbor.”

“I didn’t meet anyone named Sam,” she says, tilting her head. She’s trying the innocent look on me again. I keep telling her it doesn’t work. The truth is it makes me flat out melt. I’m pretty sure she could get me to rob a bank with just that look.

“I’m not calling him by his middle name,” I say, trying to look at her sternly.

“I don’t want you to call him by his middle name. I want you to call him by his title—starts with an S, ends with an A.”

“I’m definitely not calling him that.” I’m trying hard not to smile. It’s not working.

“I’ll stop trying to pay for breakfast if you call him that—”

“Santa.”

She smiles broadly. “What about Santa? Santa has a . . .”

I roll my eyes and sigh. “Santa has a sled.”

“Yes, he does!” She reaches across the table and grabs my hands.

“Does me saying that really make you this happy?”

“Almost joyful.” Her shoulders shimmy a little bit with excitement.

I shake my head. “What’s the chance that you’re going to turn down the cheer?”

“Hmm, let me see,” she says, looking at the ceiling. “Probably about as good a chance as me winning an arm-wrestling match against you.”

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