“Sounds like a plan.” Nick inhaled the crisp clean Alaskan air. “You know, this place grows on you.”
Kat crossed her arms over her chest, a smile playing around her full lips. “The place or the people?”
Nick didn’t answer. “If you could stick around to answer questions, I’d like to get to the hospital.” He didn’t wait for her response, instead he strode toward his rental car. He needed to get to the hospital and have the staff check him for smoke inhalation. If he hurried, he could catch Mary before they gave her a sleeping sedative.
Now that the danger had passed, he was looking forward to an extended vacation and the chance to get to know North Pole, Santa and Mary Christmas a little better. And not in that order.
He was willing to start believing in Santa for the first time in his life. Knowing how stubborn Mary was, Nick wondered if he’d have any trouble convincing her that he’d had a change of heart.
Epilogue
Nick adjusted the white beard over his chin and hefted the heavy velvet bag full of toys over his shoulder. The plane had landed and it was time for his big entrance. For a man who’d been shot at, stabbed a couple of times and nearly killed by smoke inhalation, he was more nervous about facing a bunch of little kids than any of that other life-or-death stuff.
A small hand curled around his. “You’ll be fine. But maybe you should trade your cowboy hat for the right one.”
Mary snatched his cowboy hat from his head and in its place plopped the red velour hat trimmed in white with the snowy white ball on the tip. She smiled up at him. Her red dress fringed with white faux fur made her cheeks glow a rosy red. Her long blond hair had been sprayed silver and piled neatly on top of her head. She looked the part of Mrs. Claus.
“I don’t know about this.” Nick didn’t feel the part of Santa, having never believed in the man up until a couple of weeks ago.
Now with the real Santa still recovering from his injuries, being tended to by an ever-optimistic Ms. Reedy, Nick had been “volunteered” to play Santa on the annual Operation Santa flights.
“You promised Dad. If he had been up to it, don’t you think he’d have done it?”
“He’s had more practice,” Nick grumbled.
Santa had more than just his injuries to recover from. Having temporarily lost his home to smoke damage, he’d had to come to grips with the loss of his new wife and the lies she’d lived thirty years ago. He’d read through Frank Richards’ memoirs from start to end, his jolly face aging more with each page. But he’d pushed through anyway. When he’d finished, he’d set it aside and sank into deep depression.
If not for the town of North Pole coming to visit and their efforts to cheer him, he might never have recovered. But North Pole wanted their jolly Santa back and they wouldn’t leave him alone until he returned.
“Now, don’t be nervous,” Mary said. “You’ll do just fine as Santa. Remember, you’re doing your part like everyone else.”
Nick had been amazed at how everyone in North Pole pitched in to help Santa get back on his feet.
Chris moved in with Ms. Betty after Bob Feegan’s death and they were getting along great, cleaning up and refurbishing the store and Santa’s house. Lenn was managing on his own at the diner while Ms. Betty worked the store. Uncle Jimmy had even come in to take over the toy-making demonstrations, once the store reopened.
Mary straightened Nick’s beard and smiled. “I bet Dad’s champing at the bit, wishing he was here.”
“That would make two of us.” Nick chuckled. “I’ll bet he’s driving Uncle Jimmy nuts.” He silently marveled at how he talked as if he fit into her wacky extended family, calling them by names like Uncle Jimmy and Dad, as if he belonged. They’d all welcomed him with open arms after he’d pulled Santa from the fire.
“I’m sure he’s driving everyone nuts. I should never have given him that cell phone.” She stopped fussing with his beard and hat and clutched the front of his suit, a playful grin lighting her face. “Has anyone ever told you that you look good enough to eat even stuffed in a red suit four times too big for you?”
Nick chuckled. “Never.”
“Well, you do.” Her smile faded and she stared up into his eyes. “Thanks for sticking around.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” And he meant it. Despite the herd of butterflies attacking his stomach, his pulse quickened. He never thought he’d admit it, and still might not, but he was excited to play the part of the jolly old elf. Kids lined up along the runway, waving and calling out for Santa.
The back of the C-130 airplane lowered at the same time Nick and Mary moved to the top of the ramp descending from the aircraft. A cheer rose into the crisp, frigid air.
Still standing in the shadows of the opening, Mary reached up and captured Nick’s face in her hands. “I’m sure glad you stuck around.”
“I’m glad you’re glad, considering you’re going to be seeing a lot more of me.”
“You mean our first date was everything you dreamed of?” She pressed a kiss to his lips, savoring the feel of his body against hers, even through the extra stuffing they’d had to add to the Santa suit.
“No, I don’t think our date was everything I’d dreamed of.”
Her face fell. “No?”
