“I’ll grab what I need. How about we get you ladies settled and warmed up first?”
Noelle almost gave herself whiplash, she nodded so hard.
Ten minutes later, Noelle was sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket in front of the fire. Holly was fussing about, trying to make it comfortable and homey while I headed back up for the last load.
Alone in my place for the first time since they’d crashed into my life, I looked around and realized how lonely and empty my life was without them. I knew they were only passing through and I had nothing to offer them, but they’d already given me everything I didn’t know I wanted. Everything I didn’t know I needed. They’d brought me back to life, and I was going to find a way to repay them for that. Even if I froze my ass off trying.
I eyed the tree in the corner. Even in the dark it was beautiful. With the moonlight, what little moonlight there was, I could see the ornament I’d made when I was a kid front and center. No way Holly could’ve known what the ornament meant to me or the memories it held, but it was right there in front of me, bringing them all crashing back. Holly was right. I didn’t hate Christmas. I’d just been so weighed down by the hurt for so long that it was easier to resent the holidays than accept the pain Shayna had caused. Maybe it was time to let it go. My misery wasn’t ruining her holidays. All it did was keep me isolated and alone.
I shook off the heavy emotions and stepped into my bedroom. Straight away the scent of vanilla and cherry assaulted me. Holly was everywhere, and I knew she wasn’t trying to be. Other than the lingering scent, there wasn’t a trace of them anywhere. The bathroom sparkled. The bed was made. Everything was in its place. If it wasn’t for her perfume making me giddy, it would be easy to believe she wasn’t real.
I didn't want to leave them alone too long. Forcing myself tofocus, I changed into a comfy, loose pair of gray sweatpants and a navy hoodie before scooping up an arm full of bedding. Another few blankets wouldn’t go astray.
With one last check that everything was turned off, I headed back downstairs to bunker down for the night. I shoved open the heavy door with my shoulder as a gust of wind blasted through the door. As quickly as I could, I closed it, blocking the air with my body.
I crossed the garage into the office and was shocked by what I found.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I dropped the pile of blankets on the blow-up mattress.
“Getting ready for bed,” Holly replied, confused.
“You two are not going to fit on that couch,” I pointed out as Holly tried to wriggle in behind Noelle.
“Either are you,” Holly countered as Noelle rubbed her eyes.
“Holly. Please. You and Noelle take the bed. I’ll be fine on the couch. It won’t be my first night on the couch.” I huffed, too exhausted to fight.
“Chris, it's fine. We don’t want to be any trouble.”
“Holly,” I said, my voice dropping and sounding serious.
“Mom, I'm sleepy. And you said if I don’t go to sleep, Santa won’t come,” Noelle whined with a yawn.
“Shit!” Holly cussed under her breath. “I did say that, didn’t I?”
I watched as Holly warred with her own thoughts. When she climbed off the couch, almost falling face first, she stood and straightened her pajamas. Damn this woman. She was dressed from neck to ankle in black and red plaid Christmas pajamas with dachshunds wearing Santa hats and I’d never been more attracted to a woman in my life. There was obviously something seriously wrong with me.
Without any further argument, she got Noelle settled andtucked in. I wasn’t eavesdropping, well, not on purpose, but I did when I heard Holly promise Noelle that Santa would find them no matter where they were because he was magic. I knew my days of being a Grinch were behind me.
nine
HOLLY
I was stressed.
Okay. I was cold and stressed.
But I couldn’t complain. I wouldn’t complain.
Chris had gone out of his way to make everything as comfortable as he could under the circumstances. Between the car issues and the storm, everything was starting to get to me when Noelle mentioned Santa.
I promised he’d still find her. I promised her that he was magic, and he wouldn’t have any trouble. I’d even gone as far as to mention it was probably even better because we were camped out in Chris’s office because he had a fire. And a fire meant he had a chimney for Santa to shimmy down.
When Noelle looked up at me with belief in her eyes and hope written all over her face, my heart raced. I couldn’t let her down. She was already growing up so fast, in the blink of an eye she’d stop believing, and the magic would fade away. We’d always celebrate, but it would never have the same sparkle as it does now.
I stood by the fire, my hands outstretched, watching the flames lick the log. Standing there in the silence, my mind racedat a million miles an hour. Still hidden in the back of the car were some of Noelle’s presents. As she was asleep, I’d sneak out and grab them.
Chris stepped around the air mattress taking up most of the room and stood beside me. He smelt like Christmas and home all rolled into one—a dangerous combination.
