Stuck in Christmas (Holiday Magic #1)

Chapter 17

Seventeen

I had to find Eli and ask him what he meant about “as many times as it took.” I wasn’t sure if he’d remember the conversation. No one ever remembered our conversations during a reset. But what if he was different?

This reset was working against me. It wasn’t until late the next day that Joe summoned me to Town Hall, where the Marines and community members gathered toys for Toys for Tots.

The place was a whirlwind of activity, filled with the bright colors of wrapping paper and the cheerful chatter of volunteers sorting the toys according to age and gender. Marines in their crisp uniforms moved with purpose, their disciplined presence contrasting sharply with the joyful chaos in the hall.

“Renee!” Joe shouted over the din, his arms full of toys. “Glad you’re here. Can you help me with these?”

I hurried to his side and relieved him of several basketballs. “What is all this?”

“These are the donations from town,” Joe explained. “We take the toys and sort through them - boys’ and girls’ toys, and then we separate them by age group. When everything is sorted out, we start wrapping… and wrapping… and wrapping.”

“You certainly have a bunch of wrappers in here,” I joked.

“You should see our wrap party,” Joe chuckled.

He pointed to the boys’ table, and I found an open spot to place the basketballs. The entire hall was filled with presents. “This is impressive. When did you start all of this?”

Joe paused and stared at me. “I didn’t start this.”

Of course. “Eli.”

“Got it in one.” Joe patted me on the back. “Eli started this not long after we adopted him. He wanted to do something for kids less fortunate than him.

He said that even though he was only a kid if he could help another kid, that would be enough. I offered to help contact the Marines for Toys for Tots, and he wouldn’t hear about it. He made the call himself and singlehandedly hit up every customer at Bonnie’s for toys that first year.

“He helped 25 kids. The following year, it was 50. And it’s not just presents. When Eli opened his restaurant, he talked all of his restaurant contacts - and rival restauranteurs - into donating holiday meals to these families. We have nearly a thousand families to help out this year, and I’m not sure we’ll have enough presents.

But Eli is confident in a Christmas miracle.”

I took in all the smiling faces of the volunteers. The brand-new toys piled like mountains on tables throughout the hall, and the enormity of what it would take to help a thousand families for the holidays. “Why is Eli keeping all of this a secret?”

Joe snorted. “He has worked hard to present that big city chef swagger, but underneath, he has a huge heart.”

“Eli told me he came home to help Bonnie after the surgery. How long has he been doing that?”

“It’s been several months,” Joe said. “The doctor approved her to get back to 50 percent of where she was before the surgery, as long as she takes breaks and rests. But Eli said he has no plans to leave until she’s back 100 percent.”

Based on what I have seen from those two the past two days, I knew this was driving both of them crazy. “I imagine Bonnie loves and hates that all simultaneously.”

The side of Joe’s mouth quirked up. “You do know my Bonnie well. She loves having him home but hates having him messing around in her kitchen. He’s already rearranged the pantry, and it’s driving her crazy.”

“Have you ever considered that it’s good for her to focus on something besides her hip?” Eli chimed in as he joined us. “Maybe I rearranged the pantry to give her something else to think about.”

I shook my head thinking about Eli trying to put one over on Bonnie and wondered if Bonnie was doing some reverse psychology on him. The thought had me laughing at their antics.

“Joe, we have a problem with the boys ages 10 - 12,” a volunteer said as he approached our group.

Joe nodded to the volunteer, then turned back to Eli and me. “A Marine’s work is never done. ”

“Hoo-rah,” Eli responded, then turned toward me. “My ears seem to be burning.”

“Very perceptive. Joe was telling me the origin story of all of this. This is impressive what you’ve been able to do. It’s a great story,” I said.

“A story that I like keeping to myself,” he cut me off with a harsh tone and look. I hadn’t seen those angry eyes since day one.

I held up my hands. “I didn’t mean?—”

He hung his head and placed both of his hands on his hips. “Ah. I know you didn’t. For years, Bonnie has been on me to share what I do with the media, but I believe in just doing the right thing, not doing the right thing for publicity.”

“And you keep doing it, year after year, under the radar.”

“Many of my friends and colleagues know about it, but they respect my wishes to keep my involvement quiet,” Eli shared. “All it takes is for them to see those kids' faces on Christmas morning as they open their presents. The absolute joy the right present can bring to a child.”

“That’s wonderful,” I admitted.

“I came to get you because I have a surprise for you.”

I straightened. “For me?”

“Call it - an early Christmas present.” He reached for my hand. “Come with me.”