Page 81 of The Santa Rules
“This town only has one driver available?”
“Don’t sound so shocked. Sometimes we have two. That was really nice of you to do that for him. I know you can’t stand him.”
He shrugs. “You’re rubbing off on me.”
I wiggle my butt against him. “Oh, I’ll rub off on you.”
He shakes his head. “I totally walked into that one.”
“You sure did. Seriously, though, I have to thank you for everything. I couldn’t have made this Workshop happen without you. I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t the hot mess Amber thought I was, that I could do something without screwing it up.” The words feel raw in my throat, and he turns me in his arms, cupping my cheeks.
“You didn’t need me to make this Workshop special. You created something magical. I just helped enhance it.” He swipes at a tear that spills over my lashes.
“I could say the same for you. I’ve watched you give your all to make Avery happy. There isn’t anything you wouldn’t do to give her the perfect Christmas. I sprinkled the ideas on youlike glitter, but you’re the one that made the magic happen for her.”
“Between my carpentry talents and your creative genius, we make a pretty good team,” he says as he leans down, kissing my forehead.
Snuggling into his embrace, it hits me that he’s right. I couldn’t have created what he did, and he wouldn’t have known what to build without me. Maybe I don’t have to be everything all the time. Maybe we could use our individual talents to help each other beyond the holiday season. Isn’t that what everyone wants in a partner?
When we leave the gym an hour later, it’s completely transformed into a magical North Pole headquarters. The painted flats are arranged on the stage to make it look like a real Santa’s Workshop with shelves full of toys. The Santa throne Hardy and I defiled sits center stage, ready to have Santa Hardy record all the wishes of good little boys and girls. There are cute little North Pole signs placed throughout the tables, and there are blankets of fake snow placed around the space to make it look like a winter wonderland. All the gifts are neatly laid on the tables, and I smile, knowing that won’t last long as I picture students running around, grabbing items and throwing them into their baskets for their loved ones.
“You ready?” Hardy asks from the door as I look over everything one more time.
“Almost.” I run over to the stage and grab the box with his Santa costume. “We can’t forget this. You’ll need to arrive in costume tomorrow, so you should take it with you.”
We lock up the gym, and when I crawl into bed that night, I have trouble falling asleep, feeling like I’m a kid on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa as I think about how excited the students are going to be tomorrow to see what we’ve created for them.
CHAPTER 26
BELLA
Itake back what I said about Halloween. The last few days of school before winter break suck donkey balls. I don’t wish this hellscape on anyone. Just like Halloween, the kids are sticky, hyped up on way too much candy, and there are still costumes because every day is a different dress-up day. I’m staring at way too many little elves and Santas as everyone runs around the room trying to burn off the sugar.
And because it’s snowing outside, recess is indoors, except the recess monitor is out sick today—and everything is set up in the gym for the Workshop this afternoon and evening, making it off-limits—so the kids have recess in their classrooms, and I lost the only thirty minutes of quiet I have built into my day.
But I love my job.I love my job.
“Miss Carlisle, can I use the bathroom?” Avery asks.
I glance at the clock. “Can you hold it for twenty more minutes when we go as a class?”
She shakes her head as she wiggles in place. She’s already doing the peepee dance. Fuck.
“Okay, take the hall pass and hurry back, okay?”
“I will!” she chirps as she rushes to grab the pass and bolts down the hall, leaving the door ajar.
I push up from my desk, dodging multiple elves as I walk over to close the door behind her, but before I can get there, an elf knocks over the tub of crayons and I silently curse to myself as I bend over to clean the mess.
I’m halfway through picking them up when the fire alarm goes off.
Who plans a fire drill this close to winter break? I guess it is ideal though, since kids won’t miss any instructional time. “Grab your coats and line up,” I shout over the chaos. We shouldn’t be outside long, but the snow is really starting to come down and I don’t need any student popsicles.
Grabbing the safety bag off the wall, I usher kids into the hallway, and they line up against the wall. I hope this doesn’t take too long. I want to go down and check on the Workshop one more time before kids start visiting.
“Do you smell smoke?” Lucy asks quietly as she walks next to me.
“Wait, is this real?” I whisper, careful not to draw any student attention.
