“What about us?” he charged after her, feeling like the snow slipped between his fingers. “Nat!”
She stopped and turned around. Her gaze finally focused, and she cupped his cheek. “Jack. Dear. Wonderful. Jack. Don’t you see? I have to go. I have to find a new dream.”
“Make me your dream.” He put his hand over the top of hers.
She shook her head. “I did that once before, and it broke me. I can’t— I just—.” She tore herself away and broke into a run.
The cold hit Jack’s cheek as if she’d slapped him. “I’m not giving up!” he yelled after her.
“Not giving up on what?” asked Pax. He had his hand on Bogart’s halter and led the reindeer around the side of the building for Santa’s grand entrance.
“Jack! Pax!” yelled Caleb from the barricade, where he waved both hands over his head. Two security guards were glaring at him and Faith with one hand on their tasers.
“Wait here,” Jack told Pax as he jogged that way. It seemed like everyone in his family had an emergency tonight. So much for a peaceful Christmas Eve.
“Do you know this guy?” asked one of the security guards. They weren’t locals. Jack tipped his hat back at the same time Caleb did. Both guards did a double take at the twins.
Jack smirked at them. “All my life.” He turned to Caleb and Faith. “What’s up?”
Caleb leaned in and pulled his hat off, using it to shield their conversation from the guards.“I just got a call from up North,” he paused and then whispered urgently, “They need a reindeer.”
Jack’s mind raced as he contemplated the reindeer they had in the barn. Dunder was retired. Sparkle hadn’t trained for a month. Flash was out of control. Snowflake wouldn’t leave Billy. When he looked at his brother, he knew they had the same thought. “Rudy,” they said in unison.
Faith bit her lip. “Do you think he’s ready? We haven’t harnessed him with another reindeer, let aloneseven.”
A thought hit Jack so hard and with such clarity that he knew it was the right thing to do. “Is Clearanceup there?” He pointed North. Clearance was the retired Santa. He still sported the beard, but spent most of his time in Mexico fishing.
Caleb rolled his eyes. “It’s Christmas Eve,” he replied, as if that was enough of an answer. The only thing Clearance loved more than fishing was his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who lived at the North Pole.
“Think he could be Santa one more time?” Jack jerked his head toward the crew.
Caleb grew thoughtful.
Faith elbowed her husband. “Stop thinking about it and make the call.” She grabbed his arm as he reached for his phone. “We’ll bring Rudy here. Meet us behind the library.”
“Stop pulling on me, woman,” Jack said teasingly.
Faith laughed. “I can’t help it—I’m so excited to save Christmas.” They laughed as they ran toward Caleb’s truck.
Jack flipped around and marched toward Jennifer. He had a few things to say to the woman—one of them being that the movie was back on. That would make her happy. Hopefully happy enough to rehire Natasha and give her back her dream.
Then maybe he’d have a chance at her heart.
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Natasha sat in her car, parked in the overflow lot, feeling like a complete failure. She’d lost her job on Christmas Eve. Without a paycheck, she wouldn’t be able to pay rent. She couldn’t go home for Christmas and face the ghost of her ex-boyfriend—not being a failure.
All that was horrible. The worst thing about this Christmas was that she’d walked away from Jack. She knew she’d made a colossal mistake when her backside hit the cold leather seat. That’s why she didn’t start the car and drive away.
Or even turn on the heater.
There was something seriously wrong with her if she couldn’t accept the love of a good man. The problem was she had nothing to bring to the relationship. Jack had land, a herd, part ownership of a business, and more.
Also, it wasn’t fair to take Jack because he was theonlyoption. He deserved better than that.
The sound of a diesel engine roared through the parking lot. She lifted her head from the steering wheel and watched Caleb’s truck pull in. The reindeer transport was in the back of his pickup. She scooted down in the seat so they couldn’t see her, but she could see them.
Drake and Pax melted out from an alley to her right. How long had they been there?
