Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 59022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
I mean, I don’t blame him for feeing awkward.
His dad is Santa Claus.
“So what do you kids have planned for the rest of the night?”
Awkward.
Silence.
“I was going to show Charlie more of the village.”
“Ahhh,” his dad rubs his beard like he’s thinking. “Maybe a sleigh ride?”
Stetson has a sip of the Claus Lager and shrugs.
“She gets cold,” he says this like I’m not sitting there listening in. Why is he suddenly pushing me away?
“There are warm blankets and hot cocoa and I’m sure she will find it as magical as we do,” he tells his son.
“I’m okay with the cold,” I lie easily.
Both men pin me with their gaze.
“Okay. Maybe I’m not one hundred percent okay with it, but I’m fine. A sleigh ride sounds amazing.” I add trying to sound more convincing. Does the sleigh ride mean something? Am I missing something?
Plus, it sounds romantic.
And if it comes with more kissing and touching, I’m all for it.
“I know we won’t have Rudolph and the rest of the gang pulling us along, but I’m for it,” I try to make a joke.
“Why wouldn’t you have Rudolph pulling the sleigh?” St. Nick looks perplexed.
“He’s back on the yacht,” I explain.
Is this really a conversation I’m having right now? Rudolph is back on the yacht… let’s file this under things you never ever thought you’d say in your life.
“They’re back,” Stetson says quietly.
I look over at him in surprise.
“They’re all back?” I question.
“Yes,” he says it like transferring reindeer off a yacht in a fjord and transporting them to Santa’s Christmas Village is the most natural thing in the world and I shouldn’t be surprised at all by this.
Seriously.
That’s how he says it.
“Should I even ask how you got them here?” I shake my head and pick up my ale and take a long sip.
Everything about this is just… unreal.
Like I’m Charlie in the Chocolate Factory except this is Santa’s Village and this is all actually happening in real time and not on a movie screen.
“I’ll save the story for another time,” Stetson says quietly.
Seriously, what the hell is going on?
“Well then, that’s settled,” his dad says as he claps his hands together. “You two kids go on your sleigh ride, and I’ll have two rooms made up for you tonight in the house. I’m assuming you’ll be spending the night here?”
Two rooms?
This is getting interesting.
Stetson tenses up even more, his mood going from something strange to something even stranger. He leans back and studies his father.
“Two rooms…” he repeats.
“Two,” he says quietly. “The rules of the house when we have unmarried people here. You know that.”
My gaze whips to Stetson.
He knows that?
I thought I was the first person he brought here?
Crap. Did I just catch him in his first lie?
“As you wish, Faďir,” he sighs.
“Perfect!” St. Nick couldn’t look happier. “I’ll have breakfast ready for you in the morning.”
Stetson stands up pushes his chair back from the table. He looks over at me with an indecipherable look on his face.
“Ready Charlie?” He asks me.
Suddenly, everything feels more serious, like there’s a weird tension in the air and I don’t understand why.
“Sure,” I say but look at the mess on the table. “Shouldn’t we help your dad clean up?”
Stetson finally smiles.
“He’s got this,” he tells me and looks over at his father.
I wonder what other superpowers he has that I’m about to be introduced to.
“Have a wonderful time, Charlie,” his dad says with a sweet smile. “You’re going to just love the aurora borealis here. There’s nothing like the light show… it’s another piece of Christmas magic.”
“I can’t wait to see,” I smile back at him and don’t understand why I want to throw myself in his arms and again and hug the shit out of him.
“Okay, big guy,” Stetson says breaking the moment. “Don’t wait up for us.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Well, I’m really on Santa’s famous sleigh.
Honest to God.
And the reindeer line up is as follows… Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Is the song playing through your head yet? Haha, a person could go insane repeating this over and over again and yet here I am. I repeat it again and then…
The most famous reindeer of all…
Rudolph!
Sans red nose, but still a little different than the rest.
I tilt my head. Hmmm. There’s something special about him that I can’t quite put my finger on. Is it his fur? No, no, it looks similar to the others. His mannerisms match as well, maybe it’s just my imagination? Maybe it’s all the food, sexual tension, cocoa, or the very surreal experience of being on the sleigh. Stetson had a few of Santa’s helpers get us ready for a sleigh ride that I was told I’ve never experienced in my life before. Unmatched. Incredible. Better than the best ride of your life—I’ll leave my other comparison out of it— and finally magical. I was promised magical damn it, who wouldn’t be pumped?