Page 91 of Santa's Girl
I blew him a kiss as I redid my boots and sashayed out.
It wasthe best damn Jingle Jam this town had ever seen.
And it wasn’t over yet.
Then, right before the final song of the night, Jinx stepped up to the mic.
“I wanna dedicate this last song to a very special lady in the crowd. I happen to know this is her favorite.”
The band struck up “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
Bear pulled me into his arms before I could even react.
“Dance with me, baby.”
We swayed, surrounded by twinkling lights and the sound of laughter, lost in each other. I rested my cheek to his chest, his hand warm on the small of my back, and for a moment, nothing else existed.
After the last chord faded and applause broke out, Caroline practically skipped up to Bear. “You must be the infamous Bear. I’m Caroline. Becca’s best friend, partner in crime, keeper of secrets, and now your biggest fan.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That right?”
Before he could say more, Jinx dragged Caroline under the mistletoe and kissed her so hard she squeaked. Cheers went up.
Pico banged his beer bottle on a table. “After party at Margie’s!”
Margie flushed. “Oh, my…”
But I could tell she loved it. Loved all of it. The noise, the mess, the life. After years of sitting out, she was finally living again.
And so was I.
Margie looked stunned, then laughed, cheeks flushed. "I swear, I’ve been sitting life out for years. And then you people showed up."
I wrapped my arms around her. "This is the Christmas we all needed."
Back at the house, the chaos mellowed. Everyone warm, tipsy, tangled up in laughter and leftover cookies.
Margie pulled me aside at one point and said quietly, "I was so lonely, Becca. I didn’t even realize how much. This... this is the first time I’ve felt alive in years. Thank you."
I hugged her tight.
Later, after everyone had crashed in various corners of the house, I pulled Bear aside.
"I want you to come for Christmas," I said, nerves fluttering. "Mom is bringing Stanley and Ray… And I... I want you there."
He stiffened.
"Hey," I said. "What is it?"
He looked at me, eyes dark. "Nothing. It’s just... the holidays. Family. That’s not usually my thing."
I tried to keep my expression neutral, but it stung a little.
Before I could say more, he grabbed my face in both hands and kissed me so fiercely I forgot my name.
Then he smacked me playfully on the butt. "Good night, baby."
I laughed, breathless. “You want me to come home with you, don't you?"
