Page 79 of The Naughty List Agreement

Cora Quill.

Still there in red diamante ink. Was it his imagination or did it seem a little fainter?

“Nick, what are you doing in here? Wils is searching for you,” Martha said as she entered. “The Legendaries asked for updates on the wife search. What should I tell them?”

“That it’s a work in progress. Come over here and look at this. Does the ink seem lighter to you?” he asked.

Martha came over, standing close to him as she leaned in to look at the entry.

“You know, I think it does. Have you checked the Nice List to see if she’s moved over there?”

“I haven’t had time.”

“Go and make the St. Nicholas Day deliveries. I’ll check it out and leave the books both open on the pedestals for you to check when you return.”

Nick wanted to stay but he had work to do—important work. He hastened to the stables where his sleigh and reindeer were kept. The stables sat at the far edge of Hearthvale where the village gave way to open snowfields and the sky stretched wide above them. Built of thick timber darkened by centuries of winter, the structure glowed with warm lanternlight spilling from the wide doors.

“About time. Comet is saddled.”

Nick led Comet to the Starstep Gate but the portal remained closed. Nick cursed under his breath. The gate always opened for him when he carried a sack of gifts, as dictated by the magical contract. But, crucially, his heart had to be steady. His mind had to be clear for the stars to align.

Nick closed his eyes and stepped back. Comet nudged him in the side, nostrils flaring, and he looked at his old friend. It was as if the animal was saying let’s do this. Nick hadn’t been down to the stables as often as he should have been. He rubbed Comet on his neck.

Petting Comet, Nick refocused and remembered his purpose. Falling in love was important, but at this moment he needed to be Santa Claus—the embodiment of St. Nicholas.

Reaching through his memories, he filled his mind with smiling faces and the joy that made the mortal world lighter when someone opened a gift from him. He mounted Comet’s back as the gate started to sparkle and then open. The last smile that flashed in his mind as he went into the portal was Cora’s when she’d been naked in his arms.

She was his unexpected gift.

Cora was still adjusting to being in a relationship with Nick, though she hadn’t felt comfortable enough to call it that out loud. Still, she was pretty sure that’s what they were.

Buddy told her she could take a break from the booth and she found herself at the intention tree, looking up at the layers and layers of chains. They’d had to bring in new trees to hold all the chains that were being created each day.

She missed Nick on the days he wasn’t here, and she hated that. She tried to keep things all about the sex and not about the man, but it was harder than she anticipated. She wasn’t sure that she was cut out to be in a long-term couple, but she was doing her best. Every single doubt she had, she faced. And she had lots of them. It was harder than she’d expected to go from her quiet, solo life into being so often with Nick.

“Hey there. The new paperchain trees are here. I’m not sure where you wanted to put them,” Fliss said, coming up next to her. Her assistant had her tablet in her hand.

“Right. I asked maintenance to clear an area over here.” Cora led Fliss to the spot that had been created overnight. There was a picket fence with the slates painted red and green and the top draped with a lighted garland. There was a gate on the side that was open so that once the intention was written it could be added to the new trees. All that was missing were the trees.

“I ordered four new trees. These, we will move to the side of the village as they fill up,” Cora said. “I’m still in awe over how popular this is.”

“Everyone wants something,” Fliss reminded her.

Her assistant looked tired, which wasn’t normal. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, late night.”

“That’s not like you,” Cora said. Fliss tended to be a bit of a homebody, not unlike Cora’s usual behavior.

“Yeah, I had to go help out with my family’s business,” she said.

“That stinks. Next time tell them I won’t let you. Say I need you to be sharp at work—even though you always are. I don’t want them taking advantage of you,” Cora said. Fliss’s family didn’t really spend much time visiting her but every single time they reached out to her she ran to their side. “I get it. Family is complicated but don’t let them use you.”

“I won’t. Thanks for caring,” Fliss said.

“Of course. We have to have each other’s backs.”

“Why are you down here? Checking up on me?”