Page 35 of Sleigh Rides With St. Nick

"Thank you."Though his agreement wasn't a surprise, it didn't exactly benefit him if he said he was going to tell her, especially when it would mean that he had to betray my trust to do it.

I ate some of my pancakes, letting out a delighted hum.

"Good, right?"he asked.

"Yes."

"I never used to be able to make pancakes, but then I found this recipe, and it's never failed me since," he said."That's why I wanted to make them this morning.The batter needs time in the fridge anyway, so I figured I could have everything prepped before you woke up."

"I'm surprised you didn't wake me up when you left the bed.Or in the bed."

He chuckled."You were fast asleep, I didn't want to ruin that."

"That's sweet."I was still a little surprised I'd slept through it while in someone else's house, but maybe that was just something about him and how comfortable I was around him.We'd been working together for a couple of weeks, and that had involved interacting almost daily in that time.

"Do you have any plans for today?"he asked.

I shook my head."Usually I spend my Sundays watching rubbish TV and not getting dressed."I ate some more of my pancakes, marvelling at just how perfect they were.He really had made them well."What about you?"

"Normally I go down to my workshop."

"Don't you do that every other day too?"

He nodded."I've not really got much else to do.But if you're not in a rush to go home, perhaps you could watch rubbish TV and not get dressed here?"

"Only if you'll do that with me."

"I was counting on it," he responded with a grin.

"Then that sounds perfect."I smiled at him, enjoying the simplicity of sitting in his kitchen and eating breakfast while he was across from me.

Deep within, I knew that this was only the first of many meals the two of us were going to share, and I couldn't wait for each and every one of them.

Epilogue

IVY

One Year Later

The workshop looked exactly the same as it usually did, with half-made toys in various positions and tools that I still didn't know the names of hanging on the walls.Nick had told me about some of them in the past year, but I had no idea about the rest of them.

I made my way past them all until I came to the part of the shop where the sleigh sat waiting, gleaming red and full of presents.

"Hey," Nick said, appearing from behind it.

"Hi."

He stepped closer, pulling me to him and kissing me gently."Thank you for coming to help tonight."

"Of course I've come to help," I responded."You don't think I'm going to let you do this on your own, do you?I know how much work you've put into it."Last year, I'd known how much he cared about the sleigh ride, but this year it had been something different.I'd seen all of the late nights he'd put in, the long meetings with Pieter about organising, and the agonising over making sure everything was perfect.

"You still don't have to.You're doing enough for me by being my elf tomorrow."

"I'm your elf every day," I joked.

The look he gave me made my heart skip a beat.It was something only he could do, and instead of fading over the past year, it had only grown stronger.

"How did the meeting with your boss go?"Nick asked as he loaded up some of the presents.

---