Holly claps her hands. “I think Santa’s ready to see you, Vix!”
Santa’s Helper opens the door. “That he is. You can go in now, Vixen. Just exit through the back when you’re finished.”
I take a step forward but I’m stopped by a familiar pinging noise and Holly grabbing my arm.
The moment I see her disappointed face my stomach flips. “What is it?”
“I’m so sorry, Vix. I have to run!”
“What?”
“It’s the hospital. I just got a page that there’s an emergency. Do you mind grabbing a ride share back to the apartment? I’m so sorry. I’d hoped I wouldn’t get a page tonight.”
I shake my head. Holly’s a medical resident doing her ER rotation. Like her, I was hoping she’d have Christmas off, but I guess that’s not happening.
“Of course not. Your job and the people you help are more important. But I’ll leave and drop you off, then come get you when you’re done.”
“Nope, absolutely not. You said you’d do this, and you’re going to.” She leans forward and kisses my cheek. “Now go and ask for what you want. Tell me if it worked tomorrow at Christmas brunch!” She wiggles her eyebrows.
“Holly—” but she’s already running off, the words “Merry Christmas” and happy laughter trailing in her wake.
With a sigh, I turn back to Santa’s Helper who looks more than annoyed with me. I’m the last one here, and now I’m holding her up, holding Santa up too. No matter what Holly said about her dad liking this job, I’m being rude to him and all the staff here.
“Sorry.”
“Go on in,” she forces a smile. “I’m about to clock in overtime and I’ll get in trouble if I do, so I’m gonna lock this door after you go in.”
“Oh, okay.” I tuck a piece of wavy hair behind my ear. “Sorry again, I didn’t mean to get you in trouble.”
“It’s fine. Like I said, just go out the back when you’re done, and tell Santa to lock up the rest of the place when he’s through.”
Right. I guess no more Christmas cheer is left in her body. I’m an adult, there’s no more kids in sight, the mall had steadily started to clear out as we waited in line. I’m sure she doesn’t see why she has to sugar coat anything for me.
“Okay, I’ll tell him.”
She gestures to me to go inside, saying Merry Christmas as I pass her. When I’m fully inside, standing in a short hallway that’s lined with lights and Christmas decor, the door closes behind me and I hear the lock click a second later. My stomach flips and I know I shouldn’t feel nervous, but I am.
“Is there someone out there?” Santa’s warm voice rumbles. The voice I’ve heard a handful of times but can never seem to forget. “Don’t be shy, come say hi to Santa. We don’t have much time until I have to hop on my sleigh! Ho! Ho! Ho!”
Oh god. I seriously cannot believe I’m doing this. Santa, aka Cole, aka my best friend’s sexy silver fox dad, is just around the corner. Waiting for me. Well, not me, he thinks I’m some random child, but—
“Hello?”
Fuck it. I can’t turn back now. Not to mention I’m locked in by Santa’s Helper.
I take a few steps down the hallway and turn the corner, my heart flipping in my chest when I meet the soulful eyes of Santa Claus.
Or should I say Santa Daddy.
Because holy hell. Cole Saint is hotter than I remember—and his milk chocolate eyes are staring at me like I’m a tall glass of cold milk.
Chapter Two
Timefreezesaswestare at each other. The joyful sounds of instrumental Christmas music filter through the speakers of the cabin that’s decorated to the nines, including a fake fireplace with a mantel covered in tinsel, stockings, and candy cane decor.
Christmas lights blink around us, casting multicolored shafts of light over his perfectly trimmed silver/gray beard and masculine features. The last time I saw him was a year ago—on Christmas day actually. After Holly and I had our annual Christmas brunch at our favorite diner, she’d convinced me to come over to his house for dessert.
I’ve never told Holly, but I think about that night often. He’d fed us the best homemade gingerbread soufflé and made us spiked hot cocoa. We played boardgames for hours, and Holly fell asleep before eight on the couch. Cole and I ended up chatting until midnight about anything and everything. I left later that night with a full belly and full heart—also with a massive crush. Not that it mattered.
