The Snuggle is Real (Christmas Falls: Season 2)

Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

Ford

Mason popped into work for a while—and somehow I ended up playing tour guide to his guests. Luckily, Charlie did most of the talking for me. She skipped along, hanging onto Vera West’s hand.

“They have an ice-skating rink and a big outdoor Christmas tree and Santa lives here!”

“Does he?” Vera said. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yep! And they have the coolest toy store, with a guy who looks just like Santa. It’s called Santa’s Workshop. There’s a dollhouse there that I asked Santa to bring me.”

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of the dollhouse. I’d been saving every penny I could from these last-minute jobs I picked up, but I’d needed to catch up a few bills, too. Today, I finally had enough to shop properly, but I was cutting it close to the wire.

“Sawyer likes toys,” Ash said.

“He means adult toys.” At Ash’s smirk, Sawyer elbowed him. “Er, like lake toys, I mean, not like… adult toys.”

“Like a bucket for sand?” Charlie asked, confused.

“Like boats and wakeboards,” Sawyer said. “I do sports on the water.”

“Oh, cool. Could you teach me?”

“I sure could. You’ll have to come visit the lake with your dad and Mason sometime.”

Her face lit up with excitement. Damn, it was a nice thought, me and Mason and Charlie taking a vacation to spend time with his family.

But with LuAnne getting out of rehab, Charlie wouldn’t be mine to take anywhere.

Unless you convince LuAnne to let her stay…

We’d just come out of the Festival Museum, where we’d toured the Christmas trees still on display, even though the Christmas Tree Festival was technically over.

The bookstore had donated a tree with little book ornaments that each sported a cover: Alice in Wonderland , Catcher in the Rye , A Christmas Carol, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas . Even books like Captain Underpants and Dogman had a place.

Charlie’s favorite tree was the one the animal shelter had done up with paw imprints from their cats and dogs, all with information about the pets up for adoption on the back.

“I wish I could get a dog,” she said.

“What would Peppermint Bark think of you two-timing him?” Vera teased.

“No, I mean to take home with me and Mama,” she said. “I won’t get to see Peppermint Bark every day anymore.”

Damn, her voice was sad. Did Charlie not want to go either? I wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. “They have animal shelters in Burlington, sweetie. It’s best to wait until you’re settled to bring a pet into the picture.”

She sighed. “Yeah. Mama will say no, anyway. It’ll make the rent too expensive and then we’ll get evicted.”

Ash and Sawyer had moved on to the next tree, but Vera still stood with us.

“Does that happen a lot?” she asked.

Charlie shrugged. “Sometimes. When Mama loses a job.”

“Well, good thing you’ve got your dad. He can help anytime you need it.”

Charlie looked up at me hopefully. “Will you?”

“Of course I will.” I squeezed her shoulder. “You just call anytime you need me, and I’ll come running. Every time, okay, Charlie girl?”

She slipped her scrawny arms around my waist and hugged me tight before running to catch up with Sawyer and Ash.

Vera sent me a concerned look. “Mason mentioned you’re only keeping Charlie over the holidays?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Her mom is in rehab.”

She clucked. “Oh, dear.”

“I’m worried about how she’ll handle everything when she gets out,” I admitted. “She’ll be in recovery, plus she’ll need a new job—probably a new place if she didn’t keep up the rent.”

“And then there’s Charlie,” Vera said softly.

“Yeah. She’s not mine.” The words tasted wrong in my mouth. “I mean, she’s mine in all the ways that matter, but not legally. I’m not her bio dad. Or even her adopted one.”

Vera rubbed my arm. She had such a comforting presence that I missed my mom. We’d been so close once, but that was a distant memory these days. We’d exchange a call on Christmas, and she’d invite me to come visit in the spring—sometimes I even would—but those childhood feelings of family and comfort were never there. They’d died with Nicole.

The closest I’d come to recapturing them were these past few days spent with Mason and Charlie.

“That must be scary,” Vera said. “To care and not have control of the situation.”

I nodded. “I wish…”

“What, sweetie?”

I checked to make sure Charlie wasn’t within earshot. “I wish I could keep her,” I whispered. “Permanently.”

Vera nodded. “You love her. That’s only natural.” She pursed her lips, thinking. “It sounds like LuAnne will have a lot of challenges ahead. Maybe she’d be open to accepting help if you offer?”

“Maybe,” I said.

Considering how she’d reacted to the idea of staying for Christmas, I doubted she’d want to linger in Christmas Falls. But…what other options did I have? For Charlie’s sake, I had to try to convince her.

After we left the tree festival, we popped into the nearby Mistletoe Movies, where Sawyer and Ash picked up a HoliGay productions film that was made right here in Christmas Falls last year, then browsed for a while at the bookstore, where I bumped into Nick once more.

I introduced him to Mason’s family as my brother-in-law, and surprise had flared in his eyes.

“I guess that date went really well,” he murmured when they’d drifted off to browse the bookshelves.

“It did. Thank you.” I hesitated. “I, uh, owe you one.”

“No thanks necessary. I’m glad you’re happy.” He hesitated. “Leo and I are hosting a game day soon. My sister will be bringing her kids. Maybe you’d like to bring Charlie, too?”

I would have shut him down in the past, but that only hurt us both. Nicole would have wanted us to have a relationship.

“Text me the details. I’m not sure when Charlie is leaving, but we’ll try to make it.”

Nick’s smile had come easier as he left, and a weight sloughed off my shoulders. We weren’t exactly comfortable around each other, but it was a step in the right direction.

Mason’s family finished up their shopping and we headed to lunch at The Snowflake Shack.

There was an arch out front, with a bunch of mistletoe hanging from it, and trinkets and ornaments threaded through the leaves—a little toy car, a My Little Pony with cherry red hair, a rainbow friendship bracelet, and so many pictures and notes.

“What is all this?” Vera asked, pausing to look at the decorations.

Charlie pointed. “That one is mine! Dad helped me put it up.”

There, among the rest, was a selfie of Charlie, Mason, and me posing with our snowman. His banana nose was quite the honker, but it made him charming.

“Aw, look at that. So cute.”

They spent a few minutes looking through the mementos before they noticed the Secret Santa note attached:

Cherished memories grow when shared. Let’s make this holiday season one filled with happiness and love for the community.

Secret Santa

“Well, that’s such a lovely gesture,” Vera said.

“Who’s this Secret Santa?” Sawyer asked.

“Maybe he’s the real Santa who lives here,” Ash suggested with an eyebrow wiggle.

Charlie clapped her hands. “That would be just like Santa!”

I smiled. “It sure would. No one knows who it is, so that’s just as likely as any other guess I’ve got.”

We stepped inside, the scent of grease hitting us and making my stomach growl, but I had something else I needed to do. I exchanged a hello with the owner, Adam Trent, who wore an old-school soda jerk hat and a bright red cast on his broken leg, poor guy. He seemed content enough seated behind the cash register while his son, Remy, handled other business.

“I need to pop out and run an errand, if you all don’t mind getting started without me?”

“Sure, we can do that,” Vera said, brow furrowing. “Everything okay?”

I lowered my voice. “Just have a bit of Christmas shopping to sneak in.”

“Ah, say no more.” She smiled. “Come on, Charlie, let’s go get a good table.”

They started toward an empty booth by the window—next to Jett, a local guy who’d become a regular fixture at the diner since Remy returned to town. Judging by the heart eyes he was aiming at Remy through the serving hatch, it was obvious why.

I slipped out while Charlie and Mason’s family got seated and dashed over to Santa’s Workshop. With any luck, I could swoop in, buy the dollhouse Charlie wanted, and be back by the time they ordered lunch.

When I got there, though, the dollhouse was nowhere in sight.

My heart sank as I approached the checkout where James Willoughby stood. “Did you sell that dollhouse you had out on the floor?”

He glanced up with a frown. “If it’s not out there, we must have.”

I swore under my breath. Charlie had loved that dollhouse, and of all the things she’d seen in Christmas Falls, she’d wanted it most. I’d always known I couldn’t give it to her—but these past couple of weeks, I’d started to hope I could actually pull it off.

I should have known it wouldn’t work out so easily. I’d have to tell her Santa couldn’t manage it, and she was a good girl. She’d say it was okay, but she’d be disappointed, and I didn’t want to disappoint her, even though I’d always known it was inevitable.

Damn damn damn.

“We’ve got a lot of other nice items,” James said.

I nodded. “My little girl had her heart set on it. I just couldn’t get it until now.” I sighed, shoulders slumping.

“What’s with this long face, young man?”

I glanced up to see Nicholas Willoughby emerging from the back. Only a man his age would refer to me as young man.

“He was hoping to buy the big dollhouse we sold,” James said.

“Oh, we haven’t sold it,” Nicholas said.

My heart skipped with hope. “Really?”

“Someone put down a deposit on it, so we pulled it from the floor,” Nicholas said. “I was asked to wait until the right customer showed up to buy it.”

“So, it’s still gone.”

“Unless you’re the right customer?” He raised a bushy eyebrow. “What’s your name?”

I couldn’t see how I’d be the right customer. That’d be the person who paid the deposit, but Nicholas had an odd twinkle in his eye that made me answer.

“Ford Donnelly. The dollhouse is for my daughter, Charlie.”

“That’s right. I remember you now.” He turned to his grandson. “James, go check the note on the dollhouse. I think we have our man.”

James shook his head muttering about eccentric old men. He returned a few minutes later. “Guess Grandpa was right. This is reserved for you.”

“But how…”

James handed me a note. It was written in a calligraphy style.

Timing is everything. This gift is reserved for Ford Donnelly. He’ll come for it when he’s ready. Secret Santa.

I gaped at the note. “Who the heck is this Secret Santa character?”

“Well, I don’t know,” Nicholas said with a sparkle in his eye that suggested he did. “I reckon we’ll have to chalk this one up to the magic of Christmas.”

I’d shared my desire to get this dollhouse with a few people. Nicholas knew, because we’d visited the store. Mason knew—and hell, he would be the type to play Santa to everyone, wouldn’t he? I might have mentioned it to Tony at the bookstore. And Dottie. They wouldn’t play Santa, but that wasn’t to say they hadn’t told someone else who told someone else…and, yeah, it was impossible to know.

I eyed Nicholas. “Is it you? Are you the Secret Santa?”

He chuckled. “Oh no. I don’t have time to play Santa, outside of making toys he can give to boys and girls, that is. Now, tell me, Ford Donnelly, is the time right? Would you like to buy this dollhouse?”

“Yes,” I said quickly, unwilling to let this chance slip through my fingers.

Being able to get Charlie this gift was a damn holiday miracle after the year I’d had.

A whole series of miracles, really. All thanks to the generosity of other people: Mason through the Holiday Hope Foundation; Logan and Griff, with festival work they’d thrown my way; Dottie, with her free childcare; and now, Secret Santa—and Nicholas for trusting I’d show up.

I’d been so afraid of failing Charlie on my own, but I’d never actually been alone, had I? Not in a place like Christmas Falls. Not with loving people in my life like Mason and Dottie.

Over the front door, the dollhouse had a little placard that read, Christmas Falls Cottage. Inside, by the miniature Christmas tree, a tiny father held his tiny daughter while they read ’Twas The Night Before Christmas .

I marveled over the level of detail all over again. This one present would take just about everything I had to spare, but it was worth it. Not because I could give Charlie an expensive gift—or even the one she wanted most, as I’d originally thought. Not because it would prove I was a good dad, though I wanted that with my whole heart. No, this was special because it would be a lasting reminder of Charlie’s time with me in Christmas Falls.

I hoped she’d treasure those memories as much as I would.

“Thank you for waiting for me.”

James smiled. “Thank Secret Santa, whoever he or she is.”

I nodded. “Oh, I do.”