“Consider it done.”
Sage grabbed her bag and put on her mittens before heading toward the door. “Oh, and one other thing. Have your assistant send me your clothing measurements.”
“Why?” I asked, suspicion thick in my voice. “Are you planning to knit me one of those ugly Christmas sweaters? Is that our new team uniform?”
Sage flashed me a smile that was mostly teeth. “You’ll have to wait and see, partner. Happy Thanksgiving!”
Chapter 8
Sage
“This is somehow themost perfect and the most appalling thing I’ve ever seen.” I unhooked the elf costume from the rack and laid it flat on the dressing room table.
Leo’s assistant, Valerie, peered over my shoulder and let out a snort that was anything but delicate. “It’s the green velvet tunic that does it for me.”
“Really? I love the faux fur around the cuffs and the red and white striped knee socks. They’re so whimsical. You’re sure this will fit?” I asked, jingling the bell sewn into the tip of the felt hat.
“I'm positive. I sneaked into Leo's closet and took detailed measurements.”
Valerie was nothing, if not precise. I liked her immediately when we met for drinks to discuss my plan and arrange Leo’s schedule. She’d been sworn to secrecy about the first step in my strategy to save the resort, and seeing as how Leo hadn’t strapped on a pair of skis and raced out of town, I knew I’d found a trustworthy ally.
“It’s almost time. Where’s our soon-to-be reluctant elf?” I peeked outside the dressing room, already hearing the commotion from the families standing in line outside our Santa’s pop-up village.
The visit with Santa was an annual event in town with a line that usually snaked around the street. This year was no different. We’d had to bribe one of the volunteers to take the day off, but Valerie had worked her magic and offered him a free lift ticket. Hit the slopes or spend the day trying to entertain children tired of waiting in line? To him, it was a no-brainer. To us, it was the spot we needed to put the plan in motion.
“Leo’s on his way. I may have hinted this was going to be part of an advertising campaign and there would be cameras.”
“There will be cameras all right. But I don’t think he’s going to want to be in front of one.”
Valerie pressed a fist against her mouth to keep from laughing, then grabbed a mini candy cane from the basket of favors. “I’ll go wait in the parking lot and make sure he comes in through the back so it won’t ruin the surprise.”
“Try to grab his keys so he won’t have access to a getaway car.”
“Ooh, good call.”
The mischievous gleam in her eyes was catchy, but I couldn’t help the nerves whipping around like snow flurries inside my stomach. I took a long, deep breath as Valerie slipped out of the dressing room and shut the door. I’d never been this unsettledhandling a case before. Then again, a case had never felt so personal, or so emotionally precarious.
Running into Leo again hadn’t gone the way I’d expected. I thought if it ever happened, I’d do one of those epic power moves where I strut past, hair blowing in the wind, while he watched in agony, realizing his great loss.
Instead, after the tea shop incident and a grocery store run-in, I ended up feeding him my homemade cranberry sauce. Then I forked over the last piece of pie, all while dressed in my Thanksgiving sweatpants.
I’d put a moratorium on memory lane, then threw the gates open myself, the moment I spotted an old pair of skis. I might as well have shouted from the mountaintop that I remember everything about our time together. Every story. Every joke. All the way to the bitter end.
The only agony in our reunion was mine, and I should be hiding under a blanket with a punchbowl of spiked eggnog, but weirdly, I wouldn’t have changed anything.
I think my heart broke a little seeing him eating that awful frozen meal alone. Especially on a day reserved for spending time with family and friends. It reminded me of eating alone in the school cafeteria, watching everyone around me laugh and trade their snacks. I always wished I could be anyone else. Even if it was just until the bell rang.
Maybe it was the maturity—I glanced again at the elf costume—okay, definitely not the maturity. But there was something to be said about examining your past and giving someone a second chance. If I had done my glorious power move, Iwouldn’t have recognized myself in Leo, or witnessed his hard work in restoring the lodge.
I certainly wouldn’t have cozied up to him on the sofa and waited anxiously to hear his thoughts on my plan, or felt a flutter of warmth when he put his trust in me.I blame the rustic charm and heat from the fireplace, and that’s the mantle I’m dying on.
Leo had once helped me feel less alone, and while it hadn’t mattered as much to him as it did to me, now our roles were reversed. We might only be working together because of our bargain, but helping people around Christmastime was my calling, and award or no award, I was absurdly good at it.
There was a knock at the door, and Leo entered wearing a dark pair of sunglasses. His hair had an effortless windswept look, and he wore one of those cable-knit sweaters with the zipper pulled down a few inches. The glasses came off with one smooth motion, and he slanted me an irresistible smile.
“I’m ready for my close-up.” Leo cocked his head, allowing a lock of hair to fall flawlessly in front of his eye. “You probably don’t know this about me, but I have done some modeling in the past.”
My lips trembled. Delia was right.Revenge was the sweetest thing on earth.Never skimp on the revenge.
