Their Yuletide Healing by Mindy Obenhaus

Author:Mindy Obenhaus
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-09-14T21:05:08+00:00

* * *

Cole parked in front of the nursing home Saturday afternoon, still reeling from his conversation with Rae on Thanksgiving night. He’d been an attorney for more than two decades. During that time, he’d encountered many emotional women. Usually, he just sat quietly until they were ready to continue. Not once had he felt the need to comfort any of them.

That hadn’t been the case the other night. Seeing Rae’s tears had nearly undone him. Not only had he wanted to make them disappear, but to make her so incredibly happy she’d never shed another tear.

As if that would ever happen.

He exited his truck and made his way into the lobby, nearly plowing into Susan Salinas, a former classmate and Bliss’s current mayor.

“Sorry about that, Susan.”

She waved him off. “No, I wasn’t paying attention. How’s your father doing? I heard he had another fall.”

“He’s improving. The skin tear on his arm is healing.”

“I’m glad that’s all it was. Their bones are so brittle at that age.” Susan’s mother was a resident of Loving Hearts, as well.

“Yes, they are.” Eager to see his father before meeting Rae and the kids for the parade, he moved past Susan. “It’s good to see you.”

“Good to see you, too, Cole.”

As he reached the hallway, he heard Susan call his name. He turned to find her approaching.

“I was wondering...” She paused, her gaze roaming from his head to his boots and back again. “By any chance, are you planning to attend the parade tonight?”

“As a matter of fact, I am.”

“How tall are you?”

Why would she want to know that? “Six foot.”

She nodded. “I thought you were about my husband’s size.”

He wasn’t sure why that mattered.

“You see—” she hoisted the strap of her oversize leather purse onto her shoulder “—Kenny was supposed to be Santa for tonight’s holiday kickoff, but he just called to tell me he’s at the hospital getting his foot x-rayed.” She huffed out a breath. “I told him not to get on that big ol’ ladder without me there, but did he listen to me? Now he can’t walk. That means I need to find another Santa and...well, you and Kenny are about the same size.”

Cole simply stared at the woman. Surely, she wasn’t implying that she wanted him to play Santa.

She sucked in a breath. “Cole, would you do me and the people of Bliss a huge favor and be our Santa for tonight’s events?”

He could feel his eyes growing wider with each word. He was the worst possible candidate for the job.

“I know this is short notice, and I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t an emergency, but the kids so look forward to visiting with Santa and getting their little candy canes.”

“I—” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know, Susan.”

“Oh, come on, Cole. You’d be great. You’ll simply ride on the float and wave to the kids as you go by. Then, after overseeing the lighting of the Christmas tree on the square, you’ll sit in the sleigh to visit with the kids.

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