Chapter 20
But in the toy village at the Winter Wonderland, Nick had to do a little more. It was his chance to thank the elves and mortal workers who put in so much effort and contributed to the success of Nick Bari Toys as well as the holiday season in general.
“Is it your birthday?” Cora asked, when there was a break in customers. Since that night at his place, they’d been seeing each other every night. Sometimes sleepovers, sometimes just drinks at Frosty Jack’s with Hannah, Fliss, and even Buddy came one time.
“No. It’s my feast day.” He explained that he was named after St. Nicholas and what that entailed.
“I’ve never heard of that. No wonder you’re all into Christmas with the tattoos and everything. Is today Pete’s feast day too?”
Nick shook his head. Krampus Nacht was December 5th and it was the night Pete and the Thornwatch moved through the mortal world, confronting those who’d tipped too far into selfishness, pressing the weight of their choices back against them in hopes of correction before Christmas Eve.
They stirred guilt, exposed secrets and reminded the naughty that someone was keeping score.
Last night would have been busy for his cousin and those in the Thornwatch.
“His was yesterday,” Nick told her, then changed the conversation because it would only get harder to explain.
Nick had kept Cora close last night, not wanting her to fall prey to Pete’s punishments.
Though his cousin had given his word, any one of the Thornwatch elves who’d come into contact with Cora would have been duty-bound to probe her psyche and punish her.
“I have to go to our corporate offices but I’ll try to make it back in the afternoon for your event at the retirement community. ”
“That will be nice. I’m not sure I said, but it’s ugly-sweater-themed so you’re going to need to find one.”
“I have something festive I will wear. Do you even own an ugly sweater? You seem to take fashion very seriously.”
“Thanks for noticing. I have one that everyone swears fits the bill, but I love it. It’s a sequined reindeer with a flashing red nose on a bright pink fleece—which reminds me, I have to check the batteries for the nose.”
“I hope you’re pairing it with something that shows off your legs.”
“You’ll have to wait and see,” she said.
Buddy came to grab him and Cora winked at him as he walked away.
That sunny feeling that came from being around her was back, making him feel all warm and gooey inside.
“You asked me to come and get you when it was time to leave. The deliveries are all organized in the stables. Wils will meet you there and make sure you stay on track.”
“I’ll be returning in fifteen minutes. Keep an eye on things for me.”
“I always do,” Buddy said, looking as if he wanted to say something else.
“Speak freely,” he told the other man.
“I’m starting to like Cora. She’s … different. Not as intense.”
“And?”
“I think it’s a good thing. We need more of her kind in the world.
” As Nick watched Buddy go, he realized that Cora was making real progress.
He went through the portal back to Hearthvale, taking a detour via his apartments to check the Yearweave.
Her knot was still there, but not as large as it once had been and color was starting to seep back into the threads.
Now it was a lighter, paler shade of gray with a hint of something stronger and brighter … red, maybe?
He raced into his office and pulled the Naughty List off the shelf where he kept it tucked away. The enormous book made a thud as he dropped it. He quickly opened it and flipped to the latest entries.
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?”
“As if I’d need to do that. I’m working a shift here this morning. Someone called in sick and they were short-staffed,” Cora said. Normally she would have called in another staffer, but Cora liked being in there and seeing the festivalgoers.
“Are you okay?”
“Ha ha. I don’t know if it’s the visitors or me but I’m enjoying them more this year,” she admitted.
“Your time in toy jail is wearing you down,” Fliss said.
“Nick’s rubbing off on me. He’s so happy all the time and really interacts with everyone. It’s making me see the crowds as individuals. That’s silly, isn’t it?”
“Not really. I sometimes forget that everyone who visits is here to find some of the Christmas joy that they’ve lost touch with. You do that, Cora. You’re the one who makes that happen.”
“With help from you. We’re sort of the dream team.
The festival would be nothing without us.
Want to go out one night and celebrate how smoothly it’s running?
” The words were out before she could censor them.
Would Fliss think she’d overstepped her boss role?
Would she feel obligated to attend, as though it were a meeting?
“I’d love to. We should hang out more. I’ll put something in the calendar,” she said. “Let me know when you’re not busy with Nick.”
“I will. I have to be over at the retirement home this afternoon for the card and gift exchange. Will you double-check with the staff and make sure this table is covered?”
“On it. Also, I double-checked that the cookies and cocoa you ordered will be at the retirement home when you arrive,” Fliss said.