Chapter 31 There’s No Santa!
Thirty-One
There’s No Santa!
Logan
“Dad! Dad! Dad!” Josie barrels into the makeshift dressing room.
I wrestle the red coat onto my shoulders and glance down. “Whoa, what’s all the dads for?”
Her boots squeak to a stop. Eyes wide. “Dad! There’s no Santa!”
Confusion takes over as I stare down at my outfit. “Santa?” I point to myself.
“No! Not you!” Josie whines. “The festival. Brie doesn’t have a Santa. I overheard Amanda talking about it.”
“Shit,” I mutter.
“What do we do?” Josie throws her hands up like the world’s ending. “She needs a Santa.”
And she’s right. No Santa equals no promotion for Brie.
And Brie deserves that damn promotion. I can’t let that happen, not if I can help it.
“Jump in the truck. Santa’s relocating. She needs a Santa more than we do.
” Josie beams up at me. Outside, I flag down the first volunteer I see.
“Tell everyone Santa’s overbooked. He’s now at the Holly Jolly Festival. ”
The girl blinks at me like I’ve grown a third eye but nods. “O-okay.”
Minutes later, Josie and I are fishtailing down the snowy road in my truck.
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“I really like Brie.”
The corners of my lips curve into a smile. I more than like her. “Me too.” Josie smiles at me before turning her attention to the window as Mount Holly flashes by.
When I slam the truck to a stop near Santa’s Workshop and jump out, Sloane rounds the corner. She freezes. “I thought Santa drove a sleigh, not an F-250.”
I glance over my shoulder at my truck. “Times have changed. Where’s Brie?”
“Probably hyperventilating into a paper bag.” Her eyes sweep over me. “What’s with the suit?”
“I’m Santa. The hat and beard don’t give it away?”
She snorts. “Oh, I got that. I meant—what are you doing here dressed as Santa?”
“I heard Brie needs one.”
She lets out a laugh so loud a passing elf startles. “She’s going to lose her mind when she finds out it’s you.”
“About that. Do me a favor? Don’t tell her. Not yet, anyway.”
Her grin turns sly. “Okay. But I’m going to tell her she doesn’t need to look for a new job yet.”
“Deal. Do you know where I can finish getting ready?”
“Follow me.”
Sloane leads us to another building adjacent to Santa’s Workshop.
After I wriggle into the rest of the suit, and adjust the beard, I’m ready to be the best damn Santa this festival has ever seen.
As we stroll into Santa’s Workshop, Josie is skipping alongside me, handing out candy canes like she’s running for mayor.
I ho ho ho at the kids, trying not to think about how just last week Brie was spread out on a table beneath me, my face between her legs while she moaned my name.
Not exactly Santa-appropriate. Focus. I need to channel my inner Santa.
In the far corner, I plant myself in the big red chair.
Josie leaves to venture around the festival with her friends, plus her being here would give away the surprise.
A few seconds later, Brie bursts in. My heart pounds wildly in my chest. I divert my gaze and focus on the wrapped presents scattered around the room.
Luckily, she mistakes me for a guy named Scott and is too distracted by the line of eager kids to notice who’s really in the chair.
All afternoon, kids sit on my lap, get their picture taken, and tell me all the toys, gadgets, and electronics on their wish list. Brie hovers nearby, running the show like the pro she is. When the last kid leaves, she collapses onto the edge of the table and exhales a deep breath.
I clear my throat and deepen my voice. “It’s your turn.”
Brie spins around to see who else is here, but it’s empty. “Me?” She points to herself.
“Ho ho ho! Why don’t you tell Santa what you want for Christmas?”
She lets out a laugh, crossing her arms. “What I want and what I got are two very different things.”
“Santa didn’t ask you what you got but what you want.”
“Does Santa always refer to himself in the third person?” She lifts an eyebrow.
I nod. “Santa does.”
She shakes her head, smiling despite herself. “What do I want…” She taps her chin but stays rooted.
I pat my knee.
She freezes and glances at my leg. “Oh. I’m not sitting on your lap.”
“Your wish only comes true if you sit on Santa’s lap.”
Her expression flickers, then falters. “Doesn’t matter. My wish can’t come true anyway.”
“Why not?”
She moves across the room, fiddling with fake presents.
“Because I’m falling in love with a man who still loves someone else.
I shouldn’t even love him. I spent my entire life hating him.
It was much easier to do that than deal with him not being in my life now.
But I can’t be with someone who doesn’t see me as first place.
I can’t do that to myself.” She stops on the other side of the small room. “Sorry to unload all that on you.”
My chest twists. Enough pretending. “What if he does see you as first place?” My real voice slips out.
Her head whips toward me.
The air crackles as she strides over to me. Her fingers grasp the white strands of my fake beard and yank, exposing my face.
“Logan?” She releases the beard, and the elastic snaps back, smacking me in the lip. I flinch. Her hands fly to her mouth. “Oh! I’m sorry!”
I pull the beard off my face and it slips from my grasp, snapping me in the chin. “Shit. That’s going to leave a mark.” I rub my jaw.
She giggles, covering her mouth. “Come here.” Together, we wrestle the elastic free.
Once off, I set the beard to the side and grab Brie’s hand, curling my fingers around hers. “What are you doing here?” she whispers.
I tug her closer until she’s between my legs, perched lightly against my knee.
My arms circle her waist, holding her steady.
I brush my thumb over her thigh as trepidation shines in her glossy eyes.
I push past the lump in my throat. “You are my first place. After coming back to Mount Holly, spending time with you—it gave me new life. My snowflake. For once, my days didn’t feel like the same loop on repeat.
You make the world less heavy. And all this”—I pull the Santa hat off and toss it onto the armrest—“none of it matters compared to you.”
Her brow furrows. “What about the carnival?”
“It’s not important,” I admit. “You are. The carnival was never my dream—it was closure. Brooke is my past. She’ll always be my past. But you…
” My voice dips as I trail my hand up and down her thigh.
“I want you to be my future. Josie deserves someone in her life to do all the baking, nail painting, and eventually all the boyfriend talks. I’ll need someone else to be the voice of reason; otherwise, I’ll tell her she can never date until she’s thirty.
I’m sure that won’t go over well.” I blow out a breath, my gaze falling to my hand.
“But I don’t want her to forget her mom either. ”
Her fingertip nudges under my chin, lifting my gaze back to hers.
“Logan… a part of me is terrified when you talk about a future with me. But whatever happens, I need you to know—I don’t ever want to replace Brooke.
I couldn’t. That’s a bond you’ll always share with her, and same for Josie.
I just want to stand beside you. Not take over. ”
Fuck. She makes it so easy to fall in love with her. “Josie and I are a package deal. You’re okay with that?”
Her smile is soft and steady. “I more than adore Josie. Honestly, I think I’m getting the better end of the deal.”
Warmth cracks open in my chest, the kind I’ve been starving for. “Also, I’m willing to take this as fast or slow as you’d like, but I want to be by your side while we do it. I love you too, Brie.”
Her lips curve into a mischievous smile. “See, I said I was falling in love. I never said I was in love with you.”
I shake my head and tighten my grip around her. This is the exact reason why I adore her. “Is this what you’re going to argue about with me?”
“Yes.”
“Perfect.” I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and haul her to me, pressing my lips to hers. She breaks away, breathless. “You never answered about the carnival.”
“Not important.” I kiss her again.
“But—”
“I’m hanging up my carnival hat. The Holly Jolly Festival will be the only holiday event in Mount Holly.” I kiss her again.
She laughs against my lips. “You’re not the person I thought I wanted. You’re better. So much better.” Her whisper is so soft, I almost miss it. “Also, I may have already fallen. I love you too.”
“I know.” My grin is shameless. “Come spend Christmas with us.”
Her forehead rests against mine. “I don’t know… don’t you and Josie do a family thing? I don’t want to intrude.”
“Our family thing is sitting around in pajamas, watching movies, and arguing about which Christmas cookie is superior.” I brush a quick kiss against her mouth. “The only rule is—you have to wear Christmas-themed pajamas.”
She giggles. “All I have is this ridiculous flannel set with Santas and reindeer all over it.”
“I guarantee it won’t be more ridiculous than what I’ll be wearing.”
Her voice softens. “And Josie? She’ll be okay with me crashing?”
“She’ll be thrilled. But I’ll ask her to make it official.
” Her fingertips graze my cheek, and I lean into the warmth.
“I’ll call you after I talk to her.” I kiss her again, slow and lingering, until I force myself to pull back.
My forehead rests on hers. “We should stop, or I’m going to lay you out on the table and repeat the first night I made you come on my tongue. ”
Her breath hitches, but she rises from my lap, tugging me to my feet. “Then consider that my Christmas present.”
I smirk. “Christmas present. Day-after-Christmas present. New Year’s Eve present.”
Later in the evening, after talking to Josie, she was more than excited to invite Brie over for Christmas. So much so, she wanted to be the one to invite her. I pick up the phone and dial Brie’s number. After two rings, she answers.
“Hello again.”