Page 39 of Mike's Assistant

Jake turned to me, eyes wide. "This is… I mean, how is this place even real?"

I grinned, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. “Welcome to Hayden's world.”

The boys ran in from behind us. “Boys! Don’t run in here.” Jake turned to face me. “How can we stay here? The boys will—”

“Jake, it’s okay. If the place can survive Hayden, it can survive those two,” Vanessa said.

“A Christmas tree!” Abel exclaimed.

I turned around, and indeed, the Christmas tree and decorations still were up. It seemed Hayden and Owen were slacking.

Abel's eyes shimmered with the vibrant colors of the Christmas tree, but it was Sam who voiced the thought bubbling up in both their minds. "Did Santa come here?" he asked, looking around as if expecting to find gifts left behind.

Jake's face paled slightly, and there was a weight to his silence, one I understood all too well. The loss they had faced, especially on a day meant for joy and family, would have made celebrating difficult.

"No," Abel murmured, a note of disappointment in his voice. He clutched Scruffy tighter. "Santa didn't come to our place this year either."

The air grew heavier. Jake looked down, guilt and sadness clouding his eyes. It broke my heart to think of what these boys had been through, especially recently.

Rushing to fill the void, I crouched down to their level. "You know, I heard there was a massive snowstorm at the North Pole this year. Santa's sleigh got stuck in a giant snowdrift, and Rudolph's nose went on the blink because of the cold. Can you imagine? A traffic jam at the North Pole!" I exaggerated, pulling a face for added effect.

The boys exchanged glances, clearly considering the story.

"So, Santa might just be delayed. He's probably double-timing it right now to make up for lost days!" I added with a wink.

“Speaking of delays,” Vanessa chimed in. “Let's not delay any further! There’s a lot of cool things to check out, and we have to choose some rooms.”

The boys, their curiosity piqued, eagerly nodded and followed Vanessa, their earlier disappointment momentarily forgotten.

I looked up at Jake. He’d moved to the glass door and stared out at the evening sky. I rose to my feet and walked behind him.

Jake peered back at me before looking back outside. “Thank you, Mike. It…”

“You don’t have to thank me,” I said softly.

Jake turned around. “I think we need to talk. A lot happened, and I’m not…”

I reached out and grabbed Jake’s hand. He was right. I'd messed up, and I knew everything wasn't perfect. If I was to have a shot at keeping my mate, we needed to talk.

It was time.

“Yes, we do.”

Fairy Tales, Fate, and Promise

Jake

“Yes, we do.”

Mike’s deep voice reverberated against the glass and in my heart. I loved the sound of his voice. It had captured me the moment I’d heard it. I stared out the window at the picturesque evening one more time before turning around. This was a conversation that needed to happen. I needed answers if I was going to trust Mike.

I glanced toward the sound of laughter that echoed down the hall. Whatever Vanessa was showing the boys, it sounded like they were having fun. “I love hearing them laugh. I didn’t know what I was going to do when my parents… when they died.”

“I’m so sorry,” Mike whispered.

I looked back at him. Creases marred his beautiful face, and I could see the fear shining in his eyes. Was he really scared that I’d leave him? I was confused. I squeezed his hand, which was intertwined with mine, before releasing it and sitting on the couch.

Mike was right. I sank into the soft cushions. It was as if I was sitting on clouds. I scanned the beautiful room as Mike took the seat next to me. It was all too much. I didn’t know why or how I could stay here. It was so out of my league.

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