Miss Kane's Christmas : A Christmas Central Romantic Comedy Novella by Mickelson Caroline

Author:Mickelson,Caroline
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Bon Accord Press
Published: 2012-10-17T04:00:00+00:00

***

“She kissed Santa. I saw her.”

Ben looked at his son in disbelief. First the happy tears over a puppy there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell he was going to get, and now this story.

“Patrick doesn’t lie, Daddy,” Hillary chimed in. She put a protective arm around her brother’s shoulder. “You asked him to peek in Santa’s room and he’s only telling you what he saw.”

“Of course, I’m sorry, son. I believe you.” But of course he didn’t. The poor child was under the spell of a tall tale spun into a commercially overrun holiday. He actually shared his son’s disorientation. Ever since Carol had arrived, charming and cheery, he’d felt like his grasp on reality was tenuous at best.

“What did she say? Did you hear anything?” Ben couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“Daddy! You can’t spy on Santa!” Hillary frown’s was the most ferocious he’d ever seen. “You’ll ruin our chances of getting a puppy.”

“There’s not going to be a puppy-” he broke off when he saw Carol emerge from Santa’s lair and walk toward them. What the heck kind of pain killers had the doctor given him? Something wasn’t right. His heart was beating way too fast.

“What is that look for?” Carol’s voice broke through his thoughts.

Ben started, embarrassed to be caught staring at her, but then he realized she was looking at his children.

“Daddy said we can’t have a puppy,” Patrick said.

“Daddy’s not in charge of puppies,” Hillary added. “That’s Santa Claus’s department, isn’t it, Miss Kane?”

“Technically my…Mrs. Claus is in charge of those decisions,” Carol said. “But we do need to discuss this further at home,” she continued.

At home. Ben felt a stab of envy for any man fortunate enough to share a home, children, and a life with Carol. Hillary and Patrick meant everything to him. He was also grateful to have a secure job and safe home to raise his children in. But the woman before him, the one holding hands with his children, the one patiently explaining the responsibility involved in owning a pet, wasn’t his.

He heard Carol’s voice through his thoughts. “Are you okay, Ben?”

He blinked twice. He had to get a grip or he was heading straight into a world of trouble he’d didn’t need. Might want. But didn’t need. He shook his head. Christmas was making him crazy.

“Daddy’s fine.” Hillary smiled up at him.

He smiled back.

“He’s just upset you kissed Santa,” she added.

He stopped smiling. He glanced at Carol. “Did you?”

Her eyes widened. “Did I what?”

“Kiss Santa Claus?”

She opened her mouth and then closed it again without answering him. He watched as a dozen emotions flitted across her face, none of which he could identify. When it came to women, he knew he couldn’t decode their subtle body language and tricky word choices. He thought it safer to wait for her to speak.

“He’s my father…my…he’s Father Christmas,” Carol sputtered, and her cheeks reddened.

This much body language he could read. He knew he should be quiet now. But all of the tension, frustration, and another emotion he refused to name, pushed him on.

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