Tasha:But after being fired from the ice show in Seattle, I’d rather not be there.
Mom:We stay in Wishing Bay. You come home.
Tasha:Alek is expecting you in Seattle. He doesn’t want to travel.
Mom:Then come to Seattle. If not for the parents who have worked to give you everything. Then for your twin brother.
Tasha reread the exchange twice and lowered the phone. “At least I tried.
* * *
December twenty-second arrived in a blink-and-you-miss-it flash for Tasha. She hadn’t remembered a time when the days sped by so fast. Then again, between the ice show and Elias, free time was at a premium. Not that she minded, but standing at the rink and holding a clipboard with the dress rehearsal’s schedule, she had to laugh at what could only be described as controlled chaos.
Tasha didn’t believe in Bigfoot—something she’d learned not to admit aloud in Berry Lake, where the invisible creature reigned supreme—but Santa might be real. At least his spirit. And that somehow, even though Christmas was three days away, he’d worked his magic because nothing else could explain how practicing for the show, having the right costumes arrive, and spending her free time with Elias had gone like clockwork when the odds should have been against that.
“Tasha, Tasha!” a boy, dressed as a sheep, yelled. “Am I supposed to saybaaawhile I skate?”
“You can if you want to.” Elias had told her more than once that this was her show to run how she saw fit. She wanted the kids to have fun and look back on the experience with fond memories. If that meant making barnyard sounds, so be it.
She had a feeling he wouldn’t mind. His giddiness from the other night remained. He’d shown up at every practice since then and spent time with her afterward.
“Tasha, my mom wants to know when we’ll be done.” He spoke fast, barely pausing between words, and hadn’t stopped moving.
She loved his excitement. It wasn’t just him. The air buzzed with anticipation. Based on the jitters from the choir with theirTwelve Days of Christmassweatshirts and Santa hats, everyone at the rink was amped up and ready to go.
“I’m hoping in two hours.” She glanced at her list. So much to get through tonight, but she’d experienced no nerves yet. Tomorrow night might—probably would—be a different story. “If not, we’ll have someone text the parents we’re running late.”
“Thank you.” The kid ran off.
She’d made the rule that only the volunteers and performers were allowed at the dress rehearsal, with one notable exception—Higgins.
For the past week, where Elias went, Higgins followed. That included their dates unless they ate out, but she didn’t mind. The dog was so loveable, and he adored Elias as much as Tasha did. And don’t get her started on their matching sweaters that Elias’s grandmother bought him. He and Higgins were the cutest things ever. Elias also had mentioned nothing more about returning the dog on the twenty-sixth. Tasha hoped that was a good sign.
“Tasha, I need to go potty.” A little girl in a snowman costume crossed her legs and squirmed. “I can’t hold it much longer.”
“Give me a sec.” Tasha glanced around and found the perfect person to help. “Charlene, 9-1-1.”
Charlene left her post with the eight kings and queens, formerly known as the wise men, and hurried over. “What do you need?”
Tasha tilted her head toward the wiggling snowman. “She needs to be taken to the restroom, please.”
“Not a problem.” Charlene motioned to the little girl, who had a worried expression. “Follow me, Frosty. You’ll be smiling shortly.”
Tasha reviewed her checklist. So far, so good.
Elias stood with the toy soldiers, who would perform the opening number to “March of the Tin Soldiers” fromThe Nutcracker Suite. There’s been so many kids who wanted to be in the show the show’s theme had been expanded beyond the original nativity idea.
Faithful Higgins, the unofficial mascot for the show, sat at his feet.
A young girl in a snowman costume came up to him. She was near tears. “My button popped off.”
Tasha took a step toward them, but then Elias pulled something from his pocket. It looked like one of those small sewing kits, so she stopped.
“Want me to fix your costume?” he asked.
The girl sniffled. “Please.”
Elias threaded a needle and sewed the button back onto the costume.
