Santa Loves Curvy Girls

16. Belle

16

BELLE

N ick St. James had never said one word to me before, and now here we were, having a whole conversation.

He was nice, with a nice smile to boot.

I just didn’t understand how I’d ended up here, talking with him. He was the quarterback of the football team and probably one of the hottest guys at Garland High. But he’d always been the type to date cheerleaders and run in those circles.

His blonde hair peeked out from under his hat as he leaned on his snow shovel. He sure was built like a star football player, and he was handsome too.

“Drinking hot chocolate sure beats being out here and shoveling snow,” he said. “Where are you headed now?”

“Into town to drop these off to a few people I know,” I said, showing him my basket. “I bake so many that they’d go to waste unless I gave some away.”

“That’s nice of you,” he replied, and I realized how close we’d gotten. “I bet you end up on Santa’s nice list every year.”

His comment made me smile. “I do my best.”

His eyes were an almost familiar striking blue, but something about them was different too. It just had to be a coincidence. Nick St. James couldn’t be the guy I’d been spending so much time with this winter break. He had better things to do than play dress-up in a Santa suit.

There was something about the Santa I’d been hanging out with that was different. Something about his voice and demeanor that I surely would’ve recognized.

I had no idea why Nick St. James seemed interested in getting to know me, but it was odd.

And had butterflies going in my stomach.

Which quickly got replaced by a pit of guilt.

It felt weird and wrong to be talking to Nick St. James like this, especially after the sweet kiss and handholding I’d done with the boy behind the Santa suit the past few days.

I had no idea why Nick was talking to me all of a sudden. Maybe he was in between girlfriends, or maybe it was a dumb bet with his friends that he should talk to the next girl who came down the sidewalk.

I didn’t really know him that well, so I had no idea if he was the kind of guy who would do something like that, but there were definitely plenty of guys at school who would. What if he was one of them?

Right away, my guard went up.

I’d gone through enough with boys because of my size. I wasn’t about to risk that again, no matter how cute Nick St. James was.

Besides, there was a guy in Garland who truly liked me for me. He was the one I wanted to flirt with.

Nick said something about warming up later with a hot chocolate at Cocoa Corner. Before he could go on, I jumped in and said, “That sounds like fun. And I bet it’ll warm you right up after being out in the snow so long.”

He looked like he was about to ask me something, but I kept walking. “Well, I’ve got to get going. See ya.”

“Yeah,” he said, standing up straight again. “See you in school maybe.”

I gave him one last wave and continued on my way.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I would’ve been absolutely ecstatic that Nick St. James was talking to me. Was that my Christmas wish at work? But how could it be when my heart already belonged to this year’s Santa?

I shook off the weird feeling I had and kept walking toward town. I had a shift at the mall this afternoon, and I was looking forward to seeing Santa again. I missed his hand in mine and his laugh, the way his twinkling blue eyes saw more than my size–he saw me.

As I walked, my phone buzzed, and I stopped to pull it out of my pocket.

It was him.

Santa: See you later at the mall?

I texted back.

Belle: Yes, I’ll be there.

The little bubbles popped up, and I waited for him to respond.

Santa: Can’t wait to see you.

I grinned like an idiot, remembering to be careful and avoid the ice on the sidewalk as I walked. The last thing I needed was a broken arm or something because I was busy being distracted on cloud nine.

My phone buzzed again, and this time I stopped to look.

Santa: Want to go ice skating with me after work tonight?

I tapped out a quick message back.

Belle: Okay :)

I had no idea how our developing relationship would work with him unable to change out of his Santa costume, but I hoped he liked me enough to find a way.

Or maybe he’d finally show me who he really was?