Naughty St. Nick (9 page)
Second, Vixen helped the Sugar Plums’ staff distribute the goodies, along with gingerbread cookies for the boys and girls to decorate and hang on the tree, and their new Santa, Kris Kringle, listened to more gift wishes from the endless line of children someone seemed to have bused in from the neighboring towns.
And finally, Nick opened a box alongside the great tree and pulled out the prized star of North Pole.
All spiffed up and ready to light the night.
He’d also brought with him the two tall ladders used to remove the landmark several days ago. He and Rudy Raindear climbed them now as everyone watched. Once they’d settled the star in perfect alignment atop the tree, Nick plugged it into the outlet from the strand of lights that wrapped all the way to the top of the spruce.
And
voila
—the town officially had
all
of its bling back.
Just as Santa had requested.
Speaking of... Suddenly, the sleigh Nick had slaved over came racing down the snow-covered street, pulled by reindeer. The now-jolly one let out a hearty
ho-ho-ho
as the sleigh pulled up to the curb on Prancer Street. The children raced toward it and piled into the sleigh for a ride on this beautiful, wintry night.
Vixen joined Nick. With awe in her voice, she asked, “That’s not... ? I mean...not really, right?”
“Have a little faith, baby.”
She eyed him curiously.
Nick clasped her small hands in his and said, “You should be wearing gloves. It’s cold out here.”
“And forego the opportunity to show of this skating rink on my finger? Not in a million.”
He chuckled. “Don’t you think it’s funny how no one was surprised that I proposed?”
“Guess it’s true that other’s can see things more clearly when they’re standing outside looking in. Like my granddad. He knew. All along.” A tear filled her eye at the thought of her grandfather. Nick whisked the lone drop from her cheek and pulled her to him.
He gave her a long hug, then said, “I promise everyday will be Christmas from now on. The way it was before. The way it was always meant to be in North Pole.”
“I believe you. I believe in
this
.”
He knew she wasn’t the only one. Not only were the townsfolk clearly convinced of it, but a familiar car pulled up along Main Street and out stepped his parents.
Nick’s heart swelled with all the love he’d always felt as a child, plus the additional love that came from Vix.
Releasing her, he asked, “Did you call them?”
Her gaze followed his and she clapped her hands together at the sight before her—Nick’s parents instantly caught up in the Christmas glory that had returned to North Pole.
“I didn’t,” she said. “But I’m so thrilled they’re here.”
They were family for her, too, he knew. A new mother and father who adored her as much as she adored them.
Nick eyed the luggage piled in the backseat of the car and knew they were coming home for good.
He slid a glance toward the sleigh filled with kids that was about to depart, and Santa winked at him. Not only was Nick off his Naughty List, but he now knew who’d alerted his parents of the town’s revival.
He mouthed
thank you
and then Santa was calling out the names of his reindeer and gliding down the street with a sleigh full of delighted and laughing children.
Even if they didn’t know
he
was the real deal...Nick did.
Nick suspected that, one day, his and Vixen’s kids would be a part of this new tradition. And, suddenly, he couldn’t wait for them to start their own family.
“I do love you, Vix,” he said as he swept her up in his arms, making her giggle at the unexpected, public display of affection. “You wouldn’t mind if I moved into your house so my parents can have theirs back, would you?”
“Of course not.”
“And there’s like, what? Four bedrooms?”
“Plenty for a small family,” she said, as though her thoughts ran the direction of his.
He kissed the tip of her chilly nose, then said, “Define small...”
Yes, the Christmas spirit was most definitely alive and well in North Pole, Maine.
The End
Thank you for reading
Naughty St. Nick
, Book Two in the
SECRET SANTAS HOLIDAY COLLECTION
.
Look for Books One and Three on Amazon.
Dear Reader,
I enjoyed writing a novella for this series with my good friends Erin Quinn and Mary Leo. It is a story meant to inspire the spirit of Christmas in all of us—that beautiful miracle in finding something to believe in when we lose hope or faith. Or when we just need a special little pick-me-up! No matter what that
something
is, sharing a bit of magic amongst friends and loved ones goes a long way, doesn’t it?
I hope you had fun with this quick fantasy escape, and I wish you and yours the best at the holidays and year-round!
Calista
P.S.—It’s okay to listen to Christmas carols in July. I won’t tell. ;-)
Coming Soon from Calista Fox
The BURNED DEEP Trilogy, published by St. Martin’s Press—2015!
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Ellora’s Cave
, Keyword Calista Fox.
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About Award-Winning Author Calista Fox
Calista Fox is a former PR professional, now writing fast-paced, steamy books to set your pulse racing! She is an Amazon bestseller and has won Reviewer’s and Reader’s Choice Awards, as well as Best Book Awards and competitions with publication as the prize. Calista is a college graduate and teaches online writing classes. She has crossed the country many times over by corporate jet with her PR job and travels internationally, always with her laptop in tow to capture intriguing story elements and exotic locales.
Visit her at
www.twitter.com/calistafoxbooks
www.keepingitsimpleandsexy.blogspot.com
Calista also writes as Ava McKnight.