Jacob righted himself and turned to see Lauren’s arrogant boyfriend pushing his way onto the stage and hauling a protesting Lauren behind him.
“We shouldn’t….” Lauren hissed, tugging him back.
“Trust me, babe.” He grinned at her as he let go of her hand, launched himself onto the stage, and smiled at St. Nick. “Can you spare a minute, big guy?”
He motioned for the interrupter to continue, a knowing sparkle in his eyes.
Nick. Jacob squinted at the guy in the Santa suit. It couldn’t be. Was that Nick Kringle? The stranger in the red sweater from the civic center who’d promised him a second chance with Lauren? His voice was familiar, and he had blue eyes. What was he doing dressed as Santa Claus?
“Good people of Moose Hollow!” The boyfriend lifted both hands over his head to get the crowd’s attention. They settled in, curious about the change of tradition. Lauren motioned for him to get off the stage. He shook his head at her.
Jacob snorted in disgust and mumbled, “Showboat.”
She threw him a scathing look.
He smiled brightly back at her as if he hadn’t said a word.
“I have an extraordinary question to ask my special lady.” He approached the edge of the stage and held out a hand for her to take. Lauren glanced at Jacob, steeled her jaw, and accepted his offering. He pulled her on stage so quickly that she stumbled into his arms.
“Lauren, my lady love, will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?” He got down on one knee and cracked open a ring box.
Jacob shielded his eyes from the bling. The ring was huge! And totally not Lauren’s style. She would have wanted her grandmother’s ring kept in her mother’s jewelry box for the wedding and a simpler ring for the engagement.
Lauren sputtered. Her hands covered her face, and for a brief second, Jacob held his breath, feeling like the whole world had turned inside out and backward. It should have been him on one knee in front of Lauren, asking her for her heart. He felt it so strongly a strangled noise escaped his throat.
“Yes!” she squealed, jumping like women do when they’re too excited to hold still.
Jacob’s heart sank to his boots. He schooled his features and clapped along with her family, his mom, and the rest of Moose Hollow. His face felt frozen in place.
The guy got to his feet and kissed her. The crowd went wild.
Jacob locked eyes with Santa, silently asking if he would do anything about this. Santa tapped the side of his nose and then shook the sleigh bells. “Ho Ho Ho. Oh, the weather outside is frightful…” He motioned for everyone to join in, and they did.
Lauren and her man got off the stage, using the stairs on the far side, which was fine with him. He had no desire to be near them as they accepted congratulations from the entire town for their upcoming vows and happily ever after..
Standing here, singing like he didn’t have a care in the world, was killing him, and his heart shrank like a Grinch as the joy of Christmas drained out of him.
CHAPTER7
The caroling continued for another forty-five minutes after Foster slipped an unexpected ring on her finger, but Lauren didn’t hear a note of it.
She was engaged!
Half the town stopped to meet her beau and congratulate them. If Foster had been distant earlier that day, he more than made up for it as he shook hands and met everyone from her kindergarten teacher to the mayor. As she’d hoped, he charmed every single one of them.
“How could I resist her?” he asked Polly Whintrop, who taught piano lessons. “She’s adorable.”
Polly’s hands went to her heart, and she melted to one side.
“It was past time–I can’t expect a girl like this to wait forever,” he told Mark Hiverson, who was in charge of plowing the roads.
Mark pumped his arm. “Smart man. Smart man.” He winked at Lauren, who couldn’t get the smile off her face if she tried.
How incredibly sweet was it that Foster had waited until they were in her hometown, surrounded by the people she loved, to pop the question? His thoughtfulness was overwhelming, and her heart warmed.
She glanced down at her hand. The ring was huge. So big, in fact, that it continually spun around on her finger. She worried her lip as she adjusted it again, afraid it would fall off in the snow, and she’d never find it.
“How about a picture?” asked Santa as he approached with his arms spread wide, as if gathering geese in a field.
