“Damn it. Be a dear and get the box from the car while I go save the gingerbread cookies.”
“That’s not necessary,” Ronan said and produced the very box I’d requested.
We found Ranger exactly where we expected, passing out cookies and helping himself to as many as he wanted along the way. I held the box up and opened the lid to show him what was inside. “These or the gingerbread cookies. What’s it going to be?”
“Don’t toy with me, woman. Are those your special mint chocolate brownies?” he asked.
“Two dozen of them, just for you, on one condition.”
“I won’t touch another gingerbread cookie,” he vowed.
“For the duration of Tinsel Town, not just tonight,” I clarified.
“Deal,” he said without hesitation and reached for the box.
“What kind of trouble are you causing now?” Phoenix asked as he approached our little gathering, causing us all to laugh. He extended his hand to me. “Jacquelyn, I’d like you to meet my wife, Annabelle,” he said and gestured to a beautiful woman pushing a stroller with two babies dressed like elves in it. “And these are our twins, Blaze and Flint.”
“Oh my! Aren’t they precious?” I exclaimed.
“They have their moments,” Annabelle said and extended her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too. If it gets too cold for the little ones, let me know and I’ll have someone escort you to the house.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I appreciate the offer.”
“Ronan,” I heard Ian say from behind me. “I need to speak with you.”
The urgency in his tone had me turning around to inquire, but Jacob spoke before I could. “I’ll stay with Mom while you attend to that.”
“Thank you. I shouldn’t be long,” Ronan said and walked away with Ian at a brisk pace.
“We won’t keep you,” Phoenix said with a smile.
“Once again, thank you for your help and support,” I said. “With Tinsel Town and with Jacob.”
“Mom,” Jacob admonished.
“You’ll never be too old for me to embarrass you in front of your friends,” I teased.
He sighed dramatically and made a show of looking at his nonexistent watch. “How long did Ronan say he would be?”
9
Ronan
“What’s going on?” I asked as soon as we were out of earshot.
Ian stopped in front of Santa’s home and grimaced. “Santa is supposed to be here in less than an hour and just called to cancel. Apparently, he’s sick, but it sounded very much like a party was going on in the background.
“Fuck,” I said under my breath and looked around as if a solution would suddenly make itself known.
“Seth has called a few other agencies, but no one is available on such short notice.”
“What are we going to do?” I asked.
“The easiest thing would be for you to step in and play Santa,” Ranger said from the shadows where he was shoveling brownies into his mouth like a pig.
I scoffed at his suggestion and shook my head. “I can’t do two jobs at the same time and Jacquelyn is my top priority.”
