Chapter 28
CHAPTER 28
NICHOLAS
“ I can’t believe you’re making me do this…” I complained, looking in the mirror.
“Oh, come on… you look so cute, though.”
There I was, wearing The Grinch costume.
“Now, if you can stand at the door and hand out cookies, please and thank you.”
“Oh, how lucky.”
She giggled, running away before I could catch her.
For the next several hours, I played the role of The Grinch until I couldn’t take it anymore and had to take the damn thing off. Thankfully, I was about to get Noelle on the skating rink before it opened. I may or may not have ordered the staff to leave us alone so that I could fuck her in the rink.
A fantasy I didn’t know I had until I saw her on skates in her Rudolph outfit. She was the cutest reindeer I’d ever seen. I told her to run and chased her around the rink wearing The Grinch costume before I proceeded to get on my knees and show her a very merry Christmas .
She loved every second of it.
By the time we got back to the bakery, the town was packed, and I made my way through the crowd, looking for my family. I knew they’d be around. They usually like to stay close to the bakery. The Saint Clair’s had one hell of a sweet tooth.
“Holly!” I called out, finding them where I thought.
“Nicholas!” She hugged me.
We spent the next hour just hanging out, shooting the shit about nothing in particular until I pulled my brother aside for a minute.
“What’s up?” he questioned.
“I have a Christmas gift for you.”
His eyebrows pinched together. “We’re exchanging presents?”
“You knew better than that, Felix. Christmas is all about giving, not receiving.”
“Look whose heart grew three sizes.”
“Shut up and just open it,” I chuckled, handing him a box.
“You brought me a shirt?”
“You’re worse than Noelle. Just open the damn thing and find out.”
He did as he was told, coming face-to-face with what I had in store for him.
“You’re joking?” he asked with a stunned expression I’d never seen on his face.
“Not at all. Merry Christmas, Felix.”
With wide eyes, he asked, “Does Dad know?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I told him about it this morning.”
“And he’s okay with it?”
“Why wouldn’t he be okay with it? His two sons running Mistletoe Town.”
“You’re being serious?”
“Yes,” I reassured. “I don’t have the time or the desire to run the town, especially when I’m relocating my business here. I still have projects to finish up, but I’ll start the process. I want to stay behind the scenes. I can attend the meetings and the events, but I do not need the day-to-day; that’s where you come in.”
Still with wide eyes, he added, “I can’t believe this.”
“Well, believe it.” I extended out my hand to shake his. “We’re now partners.”
He took one look at my gesture and grabbed my hand instead, pulling me into a tight hug.
I repeated, smiling. “Merry Christmas, Felix.”
“Merry Christmas, Nicholas.”
“Now, this is the sight I want to see,” our father exclaimed, walking up behind us.
He wrapped his arms around us.
It was a good feeling, and the truth was…
My heart did grow three sizes, and this was a story about a man who found joy in giving to others, especially when they deserved it. My brother knew the town like the back of his hand, so it was logical to bring him on. He worked his ass off for our grandfather.
This town did bring out the best in me once I stopped fighting it. I don’t know if it was Christmas or just plain old age, but I found the magic that lay within.
With the shove from my grandfather, I got everything I ever wanted.
My dad shook my hand before doing the same as Felix and pulled me into another tight hug.
“I love you, son.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
I did the only thing left for me to do. I drove Noelle up to the woods where we’d see all the Christmas lights in town.
As soon as we got up there, she beamed. “I love it here.”
“Me too.”
“Now I can have my way with you. ”
I grinned, loving the way her eyes lit up from my simple response. I shook off the sentiment, grabbing her hand again.
“You see, Miss Woods. I discovered the love of a woman and its power over me.”
I backed her up into the tree, pressing her up against it with my right arm locking her in place by the side of her face. It was then she noticed we were under a mistletoe.
“You had the love of a girl back then, too,” she recapped, kissing down the side of my neck.
“I have your gifts for you.”
She peered up at my eyes through her long lashes.
“As in more than one?”
“Open it and find out.”
I handed her an envelope first. “What is this?”
“I’m just doing my job.” I grinned.
Once she saw the document in her hand, she sucked in air, startled by what she was seeing.
“Just call me Santa Claus.”
“Oh my God! You gave me the bakery?”
I kissed her. “Now you own a piece of the town you love so much.”
“I can’t believe this…”
“You deserve it.”
I continued my gentle torture for a few more seconds until I handed her the next present.
“Nicholas, how are you going to top this?”
“Let’s find out.” I grinned again.
When she pulled out a diamond, her mouth dropped open.
In one swift motion, I dropped to my knees and professed, “I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
She tackled me into the snow. “Of course!”
Our gazes stayed connected, her eyes showing me everything I wanted to hear .
Even after all these years, they still spoke volumes.
I pulled her closer to me by the nook of her neck, and she bit her bottom lip, enticing me.
“I love you,” she whispered against my lips. “I love you so much. I love that you asked me here and under a mistletoe. It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”
I grabbed the ring, sliding it down her finger. “I’m never losing you again.”
“Wow! This is stunning.”
“Only the best for my girl.”
We stayed there on the hill until well after midnight enjoying this moment.
It was truly a merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.