Chapter 25
BELLA
We’re at the school to put the finishing touches on everything the night before the Workshop opens. Summer, Raven, and Lucy are helping while all our kids run around. They started out helpful, but it’s quickly devolved into a game of tag, and we’re all too tired to put a stop to it.
Hardy walks in carrying the Santa chair, and his face lights up as soon as he sees me.
“Oh, the hot firefighter is totally in love with you,” Summer says.
“Called it! Pay up, ladies,” Lucy says, sticking out a hand for Raven and Summer to each slap a dollar into her palm.
“Two dollars? Last time it was ten!” I say, trying not to laugh.
“After that night at the Ugly Sweater party, I think we all knew,” Lucy says, pointing at Raven and Summer.
“That man is so gone for you,” Summer says with a sigh.
Before Raven can add anything, Hardy walks over with the chair, and a silence falls over us. “Where do you want this?” he asks, never breaking eye contact with me.
“Now I see it,” Raven says dryly as Summer and Lucy slap a hand to her stomach.
“We totally weren’t talking about you,” I say awkwardly as he sets down the chair.
He’s next to me in two steps as he grabs my hand and pulls me into a relatively chaste kiss. I can hear the girls making catcalls behind me, but I’m totally wrapped up in this man.
When he pulls back, he leans in, his lips ghosting my ear. “That’ll give you something to talk about.” His voice is husky and full of promise.
Then he straightens up and addresses me normally. “So, where should I put Santa’s throne?”
“You can put it over on the stage in front of the flats,” I answer as I stare up at him in wonder and try not to think about how we defiled that throne.
I’m so proud of him for being bold and also in shock that he made such a public declaration by kissing me since I know he’s not a fan of the small-town gossip.
He lifts the chair and carries it across the room, but before I have time to digest his actions further, Isaac walks up carrying a box.
“What’s in there?” I ask, and he shrugs.
I peel open the flaps and let out a little squeal.
“What is it?” Isaac asks as his curiosity gets the better of him.
“Don’t tell Hardy, but I got him a Santa costume for tomorrow. And it comes with everything, even the sack!”
“Ooh, most of the sets I’ve seen don’t include the sack,” Summer says as she walks over, inspecting the box.
“How big is the sack?” Raven asks. “Is it an appropriate size? Can it hold all the gifts?”
“Does the sack match the rest of the outfit?” Lucy asks.
“You know, I think it does! The sack totally matches the hat, just like the carpet matches the drapes.” The girls cackle behind me.
“Oh my God, how old are you guys? Can you please stop saying ‘sack?’ People are staring,” Isaac grumbles as he turns a deep shade of red.
“Says the kid who drew a dick on my car. You can dish it out, but you can’t take it?”
“Whatever. I’m going to go help Hardy,” Isaac says as he stomps off.
“Shit, is that our future?” Raven asks.
All their kids are ten and under. I’m the only one with a newly minted teenager. “Yup. Be prepared, ladies. They turn into moody little jerks.”
“Lay off it, Chuck,” Amber says, walking past us in a huff with her husband close on her heels. We do the obligatory back-away-and-look-around move, but we’re all secretly hanging on every word of their exchange.
“Did he smell like booze to anyone else?” Lucy asks, holding her fingers under her nose.
“He smells like that at work all the time,” Raven tells us. “I’ve said something to our supervisor, but they used to play football together in high school, so my complaints go unheard.”
“There are kids around. He really shouldn’t be doing that at a school.” Summer crosses her arms.
“He shouldn’t be doing that anywhere. And I don’t disagree with anything you all are saying, but I need this to go smoothly tomorrow.
We’re going to keep our heads down and run interference if we need to, but I’m not saying anything to Amber.
I don’t need her to make my life any more miserable.
” And God forbid she tries to ruin what I have going with Hardy.
“Who cares what Anal Amber thinks?” Lucy huffs.
We all burst into laughter.
“Oh my God, that name is so going to stick!” I wheeze.
Raven looks between us, slightly confused. “Are we calling her anal because she’s uptight or because—”
“Because she likes it up her tight hole?” I finish for her, and our fit of laughter continues.
“You have to stop. I’m going to pee my pants,” Summer wheezes.
Hardy walks up to us and surveys the group.
“Do I want to know?” he asks, turning to me.
I shake my head. “I’ve got everything ready on the stage so you can do the Santa pictures.
And Isaac is almost finished setting up all the tables.
Then we can start laying out all the items. The prices are broken down by section with the cheapest near the door and the most expensive on the opposite end. ”
I’ve never wanted to mount someone more.
The girls try to stifle their laughter, and I look over, feeling my cheeks heat.
“I think that was an inside thought.” Summer winks.
Hardy gives me a grin. “I think we can arrange that later.” He plants a peck on my cheek. “I forgot to ask, who did you hire as Santa?”
If my cheeks were pink, they’re red now. I avoid eye contact with him, looking at the girls, silently pleading for help.
“Bells.” His voice is stern yet resigned, like he already knows his fate.
“He calls you Bells!” Lucy sighs.
“Aren’t nicknames supposed to be shorter than your actual name?” Raven asks.
“Like jingle bells?” Summer raises an eyebrow.
“Actually, it’s because I was wearing this hat while we—”
Hardy covers my mouth with his hand. “They don’t need to know every detail,” he chides as the girls whistle and fan themselves.
He removes his hand, and I turn to face him, grabbing his arms. “Don’t be mad. I couldn’t find anything in your size locally, so I had to order it, and I really hope it fits you.” I walk my fingers up his chest slowly as I lower my voice. “Maybe you can try it on for me tonight.”
“We’re not banging in the same outfit I’m going to wear in front of the kids,” he whispers back.
“Maybe not before you wear it for the kids, but definitely after.” I wink, reveling in the way the tips of his ears turn red.
A throat clears behind us, and when I turn to look, I see Lucy pointing across the gym. Chuck is waving his arms wildly, stumbling around while Amber stares at him with her hands on her hips. They’re too far away to make out any words, but it’s obviously a heated argument.
“What do you think that’s about?” Lucy asks, taking a step closer to me right as Amber whips her head in my direction and looks me straight in the eyes. Then she turns back to Chuck gesturing in my direction.
“I think it’s about you,” Raven says to me.
Right then, Chuck stumbles into one of the theatre flats and knocks it over. A hush falls over the gym.
“I’m going to escort him out of the building. Excuse me, ladies.”
I watch as Hardy strides across the gym and helps Chuck up. Amber looks embarrassed and apologetic, and she rushes over to pick up the set piece as another mom helps her.
“I swear, if she’s trying to sabotage you, she’s reached a new low,” Raven says, crossing her arms.
“Based on the way she’s trying to fix what Chuck knocked over and the embarrassed look on her face, I’m going to guess this wasn’t planned,” I say, looking away from the scene.
“It’s very noble of you to be so forgiving. I don’t think I possess that level of fortitude.” Raven places a hand on my shoulder.
“Honestly, I think she’s just insecure, and for some reason, I’ve become her punching bag. I’m not saying I want to be best friends with her or anything, but I think she acts the way she does to make herself feel better.”
“Hurt people hurt people,” Lucy says.
I clap my hands. “Okay, we’ve got a few hours before I turn into a pumpkin, so let’s start laying out merchandise.”
It’s incredible the way this group of moms comes together. I truly believe that we could solve most of the world’s problems if moms were in charge.
Before I realize it, an hour has passed. I’m lost in thought when a pair of strong arms snakes around my waist as a warm, hard body presses against me, his pine, bergamot, and smoky scent filling me with peace. “How’d it go with Chuck?” I lean back against him, looking up at him.
“It was fine. I was tempted to drop him off at the drunk tank to sleep it off, but I just ended up taking him home since I couldn’t get a rideshare to come pick him up.”
“Yeah, Ned is usually in for the night by eight.”
“This town only has one driver available?”
“Don’t sound so shocked. Sometimes we have two. That was really nice of you to do that for him. I know you can’t stand him.”
He shrugs. “You’re rubbing off on me.”
I wiggle my butt against him. “Oh, I’ll rub off on you.”
He shakes his head. “I totally walked into that one.”
“You sure did. Seriously, though, I have to thank you for everything. I couldn’t have made this Workshop happen without you.
I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t the hot mess Amber thought I was, that I could do something without screwing it up.
” The words feel raw in my throat, and he turns me in his arms, cupping my cheeks.
“You didn’t need me to make this Workshop special. You created something magical. I just helped enhance it.” He swipes at a tear that spills over my lashes.
“I could say the same for you. I’ve watched you give your all to make Avery happy. There isn’t anything you wouldn’t do to give her the perfect Christmas. I sprinkled the ideas on you like glitter, but you’re the one that made the magic happen for her.”
“Between my carpentry talents and your creative genius, we make a pretty good team,” he says as he leans down, kissing my forehead.
Snuggling into his embrace, it hits me that he’s right.
I couldn’t have created what he did, and he wouldn’t have known what to build without me.
Maybe I don’t have to be everything all the time.
Maybe we could use our individual talents to help each other beyond the holiday season.
Isn’t that what everyone wants in a partner?
When we leave the gym an hour later, it’s completely transformed into a magical North Pole headquarters.
The painted flats are arranged on the stage to make it look like a real Santa’s Workshop with shelves full of toys.
The Santa throne Hardy and I defiled sits center stage, ready to have Santa Hardy record all the wishes of good little boys and girls.
There are cute little North Pole signs placed throughout the tables, and there are blankets of fake snow placed around the space to make it look like a winter wonderland.
All the gifts are neatly laid on the tables, and I smile, knowing that won’t last long as I picture students running around, grabbing items and throwing them into their baskets for their loved ones.
“You ready?” Hardy asks from the door as I look over everything one more time.
“Almost.” I run over to the stage and grab the box with his Santa costume. “We can’t forget this. You’ll need to arrive in costume tomorrow, so you should take it with you.”
We lock up the gym, and when I crawl into bed that night, I have trouble falling asleep, feeling like I’m a kid on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa as I think about how excited the students are going to be tomorrow to see what we’ve created for them.