Page 28 of You Can't Ruin Christmas

Chapter Thirteen

After a few warm mugs of delicious Christmas beverages, spiked with brandy and cognac and other cozy liquids, Sven and I moved our luggage up to my bedroom for some rest. We were both rather exhausted, having only gotten a brief nap after our rendezvous on the plane.

But we weren’t too tired for me to discover that Sven is an even better lover in a comfortable bed, without all the logistical confines of an extremely cramped space. And that sleeping in his arms is every bit as perfect as I had hoped it would be.

We woke up just in time to enjoy the last sleigh ride of the evening before the horses needed to rest. The poor horses had been pulling kids around the property all afternoon, with antlers strapped to their heads to simulate the look of reindeer. Sven and I were happy to snuggle up under blankets in the sleigh as my favorite horse, Buttons began pulling us as a leisurely pace through the miles of beautifully lit pathways of trees.

My parents have added dozens of new displays, I note, as Buttons walks along. Some of the animated scenes are truly spectacular, such as one display of an assembly line in Santa’s workshop. They have also added some impressive tunnels for the horses to walk through. There are some newer, Disney-themed displays as well.

“Look, it’s Sven the reindeer!” I point, laughing myself silly.

“I can’t believe your sister called me Rudolph,” he grumbles, but he’s smiling.

This is basically my perfect Christmas.

A sleigh ride in a pretty, horse-drawn carriage past miles of decorated trees, snuggled up with the sweetest, sexiest man I’ve ever known. How can you beat that?

“I made that one with my sisters, when we were young,” I tell Sven as we approach a display of a family of Snowpeople. Unlike making snowmen out of temporary snow, we used wires and lights to represent ourselves in our own little family. I know that it doesn’t have the most artistic merit, but the memories make it the best one in my heart.

My parents have also added those new laser lights everywhere, which add plenty of movement to the static displays, cascading throughout the tallest trees, transforming the fog, and covering everything with moving light.

It’s absolutely breathtaking.

I am distracted from telling him the stories behind each display when my phone buzzes in my pocket. Pulling it out, I stare down at the message with concern.

“Oh no,” I whisper. “Clara was injured. Badly.”

“The ballet dancer?” he asks.

I nod as I text back. “She told me that some girl was trying to steal her job, but I didn’t take it seriously. Now she’s messed up her ankle, and she says they are going to need to operate.”

“Does she have a good surgeon?” Sven asks. “When I hurt my knee, I flew home to Sweden to make sure Klaus was the one to operate. I wouldn’t risk the future of my career on anyone else.”

“She said she’s just upset and tired, and coming home to rest before anything else,” I say, scanning through her messages. Then I look up at Sven with wide eyes as an idea dawns on me. “Clara andKlaus,” I say softly. “Clara and Klaus!”

Sven laughs. “Are you thinking of using your sister’s busted ankle and excruciating pain to set her up on a blind date with Dr. Christmas?”

“Yes!” I respond at once. “You text that cousin of yours and find out when he’s available. Send him a plane ticket and we’re going to totally hook them up.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Sven muses as he begins sending the text. “I mean, I don’t know your sister, but if she’s anything like you…”

“She’s better, in every possible way,” I say seriously.

“Well, I doubt that.”

“She’s exactly what Klaus needs to mend his broken heart!” I say, sighing happily as I look around at the lights on all the trees. I really might be getting a little drunk on all this Christmas romance. Clara’s never had a serious boyfriend, and all our attempts to introduce her to people have failed. What are the chances it will work this time?

“I feel a little guilty playing matchmaker like this,” Sven admits. “Plus, Klaus is a few years older than us…”

“He’sgorgeous,” I say, with great emphasis. “One look at Klaus and Clara’s going to want him all up in her Cloyster.”

“You are such a nerd,” Sven says with a laugh, placing a quick kiss on my lips.

We both notice then that Buttons is slowing down.

Looking up curiously, we see that there is a man standing in the pathway. We can only make out his silhouette in the dark. For a moment, I think it’s my father, but then as Buttons moves closer, I see that he’s way too young.

“Sebastian?” I murmur.

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