Page 48 of The Naughty Or Nice Clause

“I hope he does take the seat. That way the pressure will be lessened for you,” Sara said, looking to Lou.

Lyla was surprised by her openness. “Pressure? Do the council want you to take the seat?” she asked Lou, who sighed.

“Oh, they tried to convince me. But it would take me away from the sleighs and away from Sara. Working together means we get to spend the days together. I’m where I can do the most,” Lou said, taking Sara’s hand. Sara blushed, and Lyla could see how much they loved each other. She wondered how anyone could put up with such pressure. She was relieved she had never known what it felt like to have a life forced upon her.

“You mentioned before you liked to race sleighs; is that how you got hurt?” she asked, looking at Lou’s legs, covered by a thick blanket. “Sorry, I shouldn’t ask – the eggnog has got to my curiosity.”

“I don’t mind. I thought Mum would have told you. No, I’ve never crashed racing. It was a stupid accident. I was tightening the bolts beneath Dad’s sleigh, and the sleigh lift, what we use for working on the undercarriage, gave out. I haven’t been out of the chair since.” Lyla saw Sara’s pained expression, though she didn’t show it to Lou. Instead, she took a drink.

Lyla took another sip. “There was nothing they could do?”

“No, but I can still do most things I love. I’ve learnt to accept it, mostly. There’s always going to be a part of me that never will.” Lou sighed, but the conversation was interrupted by a group at the bar calling out to her and Sara. Any sorrow in her eyes was gone in an instant, and the smiling Lou was back.

“They must have finished repairing the engines,” Sara said, getting up from her chair.

“One vital question Ihaveto know,” Lyla said in mock seriousness.

“You have our full attention,” Lou said, and Sara leant in.

“Do the sleighs really fly?”

Lou and Sara laughed. “How else can we deliver gifts? But the ones we use around the village don’t.”

Lyla couldn’t believe it. “What makes the delivery sleighs special?”

“Excellent engineering on our part – and a touch of magic,” Lou said, and Lyla, perhaps thanks to the influence of one too many eggnogs, believed her wholeheartedly. She wanted to ask more questions, but Sara waved to the group across the bar.

“Our friends are here; do you want to join us? I’m sure they would love to meet you,” Lou said, grabbing their drinks as Sara took the brakes off her chair.

“No, you two go ahead. I think I’ll get some air. It was lovely to finally meet you, Sara,” Lyla said. So much had come at her in the last few days, she needed a moment to breathe.

Sara beamed. “Me too. I can’t wait for you to join the family.”

Outside, the full weight of what she had drunk hit her. With a wobble, she sat on the bench outside the pub and put her head between her knees to stop the fairy lights outside the pub spinning.

“Let’s get you home,” Mason said, appearing beside the bench. She wasn’t sure how long she had been outside before he appeared.

“I don’t need your help,” she slurred.I did not realise how much that last drink had gone to my head. “How did you know I was out here?”

“Yes, you do, and I knew because Lou said you went outside for some air. Don’t worry, the eggnog kills us all the first time. By tomorrow, you’ll be one of us,” he said, helping her stand. She leaned against him.

“You smell like… nutmeg,” she said, burying her nose in his jumper as she tried to feel her feet.

“And you smell like whiskey,” he replied.

“I only had three! And some eggnog, but that can’t count,” she argued.

“That would be about six drinks here. Our measures are quite large,” he laughed, to her horror. Shehadthought the drinks tasted a little stronger than she’d expected…

“The world really needs to stop spinning,” she pleaded as they made their way to the end of the alley. “Just give me a second. I’m not drunk, only a bit dizzy.” She relaxed against the archway.

“That’s what happens when you have Lou’s special eggnog,” Mason said, breathing into his hands to warm them.

“What’s special about it?”

“It’s more brandy than it is eggnog.” He smirked.

Lyla tipped her head back and tried to take a few deep breaths. Her eyes caught the mistletoe hanging from the archway, and she didn’t know if it was impulse or the eggnog, but she rose on her tiptoes and kissed him. Barely, but it was enough to make his eyes go wide.

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