Page 38 of The Naughty List Agreement

Nick watched her with a serious look on his face. When she noticed, he winked at her. “You can trust us,” he said.

“I’m sure I can. But I fired someone for leaking the cookie recipe last year so it wouldn’t be right for me to do it now.” Even now she felt a tinge of remorse at her actions, but there hadn’t been another solution. The company’s policy was clear and everyone knew the rules.

“No, it wouldn’t,” Pete agreed with her. “There are consequences to every action.”

“Definitely. And it wouldn’t be fair to apply the rules to one person and not to another.”

Everyone thought she was demanding but she asked nothing more than what she gave herself.

The conversation moved on and Cora stared down at her plate. She’d talked too much. Nick had pointed out more than once that she was a talker but it was her way. She didn’t like silence and she had never really learned how to have a conversation without getting defensive and justifying her choices.

“They like you,” Nick said as they were cleaning up after dinner.

“Who?”

“Everyone.”

Cora didn’t know what to say. Nick’s simple words made her feel very warm and cozy inside. His family was odd, there was no denying it, but they were also kind and generous and warm. They rarely all agreed about any topic they discussed, but they had an open debate that was enjoyable to listen to. Everyone’s opinion was respected. There was no black and white divide at this table, no enforcing of one person’s perspective to the exclusion of others.

“What about you?” she couldn’t help asking. “Do you like me, Nick?”

“I do. More than I should.”

She wasn’t the only one then.

“Than you should? Why should? Is it the marriage thing?”

“That and … other things.”

“Like what? Like not believing in Santa? Come on, you don’t really take that seriously, do you?” He’d brought this up last night and she’d assumed he was joking or meant it metaphorically. He couldn’t really mean⁠—

“What he stands for, it’s a source of pervading hope and kindness.”

“Good for goodness’ sake,” she said on a laugh. But she noticed he’d dodged the question. Again.

And yet, being around his family was like stepping through Alice’s looking-glass. She’d seen families like this on TV but never been part of one. Even the men she’d dated, when they’d taken her home to meet their parents it hadn’t felt like this. There was something so special about the care they extended to each other.

She basked in it, treasuring this time and knowing she’d remember this Thanksgiving for the rest of her life. It might be an illusion, but it sure was powerful.

CHAPTER 10

“She’s not what I expected,” his dad said as they were setting up the Christmas tree in the stand for the living room.

Nick agreed but didn’t want to discuss Cora while she was still in the other room. But he wanted his dad’s insights because he needed all the help he could get. “In what way?”

“Her moral compass is strong. I’m trying to understand why the Yearweave would bubble her name up.”

“Well, she’s an interesting one. I’ve been getting to know her, trying to find out where it all stems from. She says she never received a present from you.”

“Never had a present? Are you sure?” Nicholas was shocked. “How can that be?”

“According to her, the gift was from her stepmom,” Nick said.

“I’m sure we wouldn’t have missed her. We always send a gift to every child who is ten, regardless of whether they believe in Santa or not.”

Ten was the threshold year. The last winter before the world began to harden around a child. Every child received something—not because they believed, but because they were about to stop. The gift wasn’t about the gift itself, more about leaving a spark strong enough to survive what comes next in life.

“Regardless, she didn’t receive it. She has a huge influence over the holidays around here, which is why I’m focusing on her. If she believes in the magic of Christmas, she could spread that to so many others.”