Merry Kisses (Riverbend Romance 5) (3 page)

Her face clouded. “What questions?”

“The ones about my faith.”

Sonya’s fingers tightened on the back of the chair, and her brown eyes latched onto his, longer this time. “Pardon me?”

“I’m a believer, Sonya. I’ve lived in Riverbend not quite three years, and I attend River of Life Church. Even a small group on Tuesdays.”

“Y-you do? But I’ve never seen you there.”

“It’s a big church.”

“Yes, but...”

“That’s where you attend? I’ve never seen you, either.”

“Deborah refused to give me Sundays off. I’ve worked every single one since September and half the ones before that.”

“Maybe it’s a good thing you’re rid of her.”

“Maybe.” She slid back into the chair. “Do you really go to the same church as I do? But that doesn’t make sense. You play Santa.”

It was his turn to be confused. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

Sonya picked a bit of glaze off the top of her doughnut with a pink fingernail and popped it in her mouth. She eyed him and heaved a sigh. “I don’t think it’s right to lie to little kids. They have enough trouble keeping fantasy and reality separate.”

His fingers began twirling his coffee cup again. “I see. So you think my job is right up there with the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Isn’t it?”

“I don’t see it that way.”

“Of course you don’t. Just another day at the office, right?”

Heath couldn’t help his sardonic laugh. “Right. I work ten hours a week for one month a year as Santa, plus a party here and there. You can’t seriously think I’m in this for the money.”

Uncertainty crossed her face. “Okay. But why?”

“Why be Santa?”

“Why pretend to be.”

Heath shook his head. Of course she’d distinguish. “I like making little kids happy. I like their hugs and their shy smiles. I like being a bright spot in their day.”

“But it’s a lie.” She picked another fleck of maple off her doughnut.

“Sonya,
I
am real. I’m the guy who brightens their day.”

“Only because you’re in that red suit.” She eyed him. “Must take a lot of padding.”

He twitched a grin that she’d noticed. “I’m sure I’m not the only Santa who hits the gym on a regular basis.”

She bit her lip and sipped her hot chocolate. “I’m sorry. I know millions of people can justify the whole Santa Claus thing. As a Christian, I think it takes away from the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s saying Jesus isn’t enough, and we have to add a fat jolly man who bribes children into being good to make it worthwhile celebrating Christmas.”

She… what? Heath opened his mouth and closed it. She kept right on going.

“What does that teach kids? The reward system. God doesn’t give out little gold stars. We can’t be good enough to deserve His gift. We lean on God’s love and mercy for that.”

“You have some good points.”

Sonya blinked and met his gaze. “I do?”

“Sure.” Heath leaned back in his chair. “I hadn’t thought of it quite that way before. I still don’t think being Santa is evil, mind you, but I’ve never believed in putting him before Jesus.”

“Don’t you think you’re helping kids do that? And aiding their parents in telling lies to them? And then there’s the whole commercial aspect of it. Don’t even get me started.”

And this was supposed to be a pleasant coffee with a woman he’d hoped to get to know better. He felt more like a dragonfly stuck to a piece of foam board. “I don’t, actually. I have a job to do, and I do it to the best of my ability. I bring smiles and cheer to harried faces.” More, too, but telling her now would make it seem like he was desperate for her approval. “Real people, Sonya. I brighten the day of real people. Yes, I’m acting a part. So do Hollywood actors.”

“But everyone knows movies and TV shows are made-up.”

“A lot of viewers think reality shows are actually real.”

“You’re trying to switch the subject.”

Heath held up both hands. “Guilty as charged. I hope we can both agree that it is vital to keep Christ in Christmas and to bring hope and cheer to those who need it at any time of year.”

Sonya nodded, but those brown eyes looked unconvinced.
 

Why was it so important she see things his way? “We may disagree on the best ways to accomplish those goals.”

“Apparently so.”

“Sonya, we’ve kind of gotten off on the wrong foot, but I’d still like to get to know you better.” Why? He had no idea. “Can I take you out for dinner on Friday?”

She jolted to her feet, her chair scraping loudly on the tile floor. “I don’t date Santa Claus.”

CHAPTER 3

“No. I’m sorry, but we have all the staff we need.”

“We might be hiring in May. Check back then.”

“Do you have any experience managing an engineering office? We need someone who can hit the ground running.”

That had been downtown Riverbend. Now Sonya sat in her car in the parking lot staring at the mall’s log and stone entry. She did not want to go in. Not and run the risk of Deborah glancing out of Toy Treehouse at just the right moment to see her desperately searching for a job. Yes, she needed to get her record of employment, but Deborah usually disappeared later in the day, and that’s when Sonya would go in. She’d already opened her file for benefits online, and the paperwork could wait another few days.

She also didn’t want to go anywhere near the cordoned-off North Pole area between the food court and the big-box store at the end.

It’d been three days since she’d stalked out of Tim Hortons and left Heath Collins sitting there. How could she have been so rude to a pleasant, good-looking, Christian man who’d invited her on a date? But how could he defend Santa Claus? For seventy-two hours her brain had circulated those things like a blender. It wasn’t like being Saint Nick was his full-time job. There couldn’t possibly be enough money in it to see him through a year. So he was probably a seasonal worker or something. Desperate for cash, like she soon would be.

Sonya shoved the car door open and climbed out. The biting wind of early December howled down the Sandon River Valley hurling Arctic air towards the American border. It whipped her hair and knee-length skirt. She clutched her purse and the folder holding a stack of résumés against her wool coat and strode for the mall entrance as briskly as her high-heeled boots would allow.

Sonya shoved through the two sets of doors into the mall and headed straight for the bathroom to brush the mess the wind had made of her hair and to analyze her makeup one last time. She stared at herself in the mirror and pasted on a confident smile. At least as confident as it was going to get.

Eight more managers told her, “thanks, but no thanks,” before she neared the North Pole display. Santa sat on his throne holding a little boy on his knee. A camera flashed. The little boy hugged Santa and whispered something to him, while Santa leaned close, nodding.

Sonya crossed her arms and leaned back against the window of one more clothing shop that didn’t need another clerk.

Twenty or more kids stood in line, clinging to the hands of the adults beside them. The children wore their Sunday best... yeah, today’s parents didn’t call it that. Dress-up clothes? Party clothes?

Kelly Bryant from church — no, she was married now. What was her new name? It didn’t matter. She stood in line with her two seven-year-olds.

Sonya’s eyes narrowed. She’d thought better of Kelly. But wasn’t that another young mom from River of Life Church beside her?

A sour taste burbled up Sonya’s throat. Didn’t anyone besides her stick up for Christ in Christmas anymore? Had everybody sold out to the whole Santa Claus thing?

Especially Heath.

He now held a toddler and a baby while the camera flashed in all three faces. The baby began to cry. Heath jiggled his arm and rubbed his fluffy white beard on the little one’s face. The baby grabbed the beard, and it shifted dangerously.

It would serve him right if the kid yanked it clear off his face and all the waiting kids could see Heath was a fake.

She didn’t want him to be a fake. In the short time she’d spent in his presence, he’d been sweet and funny. At least until she’d backed him into his corner of Santa’s workshop.

Yep, she’d made a mess of it. Why, God? Why did the one and only man she’d wanted to take a second glance at — or a third, or maybe even a fourth — have to be someone who said he was a Christian but wasn’t completely sold out?

She could hear Dad’s voice already. He’d never accept a guy like Heath dating his baby girl.

Sonya pushed away from the window and glanced down the other side of the mall. How many more times could she take being turned away today? She took a deep breath. It wasn’t going to be any easier if she came back tomorrow. She’d keep going until she ran out of résumés in her folder or the mall closed. Whichever came first.

Also, she’d stop thinking about Heath Collins.

Easy to say until she glanced back, one more time, and caught his gaze on her. A thrill ran down her spine when he lifted his white-gloved hand in greeting.

Never in a million years was she going to fall for a fat guy in a red suit.

It wasn’t too late to keep that from happening. Was it?
 

* * *

Everything around him faded for a moment as Heath watched Sonya stride down the mall corridor, her black coat flapping over her black skirt that swished just above her tall black boots. He’d glimpsed a fuzzy peach sweater before she’d turned away, so it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

Lord, please? Is there any hope for a relationship with her?

Why did he even want one, when she’d clearly enunciated her opinion of the favorite of his three seasonal jobs? Was it really wrong to dress up as Santa Claus and listen to the hopes and dreams of small children? Not when he could help them.

“Mr. Heath? Is that really you?” a young voice whispered.

Two little girls, a blonde and a brunette, stood before him in matching pink dresses, clasping hands. Behind them, Kelly from church winked at him.

“Ho, ho, ho.” He opened both arms wide.

The little girls climbed onto his lap. “Are you really Mr. Heath or are you Santa Claus?” asked the blonde.

This would call for stroking his beard if he didn’t have both hands occupied. “Maybe I’m both.” He angled his lapful toward the photographer. “Smile for the camera?”

Both girls leaned in and kissed his cheeks as though they’d planned it in advance. The flash told him Destiny had nailed that one.

“How can you be both?” asked the blonde.

“I think you are many things, too. You’re Elena, right?”

She nodded.

“You’re a little girl, a daughter, a granddaughter.” He squeezed the other child. “You’re Sophie’s sister.”

“We’re twins,” announced Elena.

Heath grinned. The beard hid facial expressions well enough. He knew as well as anyone in Riverbend that the two girls shared a birthday but had only become sisters when Sophie’s dad had married Elena’s mom.

“So right now, I’m Santa Claus, and I’m here to find out what you want for Christmas.”

“A baby sister,” Elena whispered.

Sophie nodded.

Not the usual request. Heath shot a glance at Kelly, who stood a meter or so back. She grinned, lifted her shoulders, and shook her head. Looked like she had a good idea what the girls wanted.

“There are some things Santa can’t promise, you know,” he told them. “Baby sisters and brothers are presents only your mom and dad can give you.”

Elena’s eyes narrowed. “But our teacher told us Santa can give us anything.”

Some teachers gave Santa a bad rap. “Requests like that are things to ask Jesus. He was a little baby once. He knows all about babies.”

She pouted, parking her arms across her chest, but Sophie nodded. “Let’s ask Santa for new princess dolls then.”

Whew. Dodged a bullet. “That sounds like a good thing to ask Santa for.”

“Come, girls.” Kelly held out both hands. “We mustn’t waste Santa’s time. There are other children waiting to talk to him.”

Sophie slid off immediately but Elena glared at him a second longer. “I’ll ask
Jesus
for a baby sister, then.”

Kelly grinned and shook her head as she took both girls’ hands. “Thanks, Santa.”
 

A boy of about five climbed up next.

Heath turned his brain back to Saint Nick mode.
 

* * *

Sonya slid her tray along the counter at Tim Hortons. “A Canadian-maple-glazed doughnut, please. And a hot chocolate.” She’d pretend that finding exactly one store in the entire mall with an opening made celebration worthwhile, even if they’d done no more than cheerfully accept her résumé.

“May I have a doughnut, Mommy?”

Sonya glanced behind her and met Kelly Tomlinson’s eyes. “Hi there.”

“Sonya! So good to see you. How are things going? Just a sec.” Kelly leaned to the blond head in front of her. “You may share a doughnut, but you have to agree on what kind.”

“The kind with sprinkles,” announced Elena. Sophie nodded.

The girl behind the counter reached into the display case with a pair of tongs and set a confection on a plate. “Anything else?”

Kelly completed her order while the other staff member rang Sonya through. “Wait, Sonya! Want to sit with us? I could use some adult company.”

“Sure.” How long had it been since Sonya’d had time to hang out with friends? She didn’t know Kelly all that well but, despite the age of the children, Sonya would bet she and Kelly weren’t that far apart in age.

She waited then followed Kelly and the girls to a table by the window.

Sophie traced her fingers along the festive tobogganing scene an artist had rendered on the glass. “Will we have snow for Christmas, Mommy?”

Kelly flashed Sonya a grin. “I don’t know, Sophie. I hope so. Here, Elena, do you want to cut the doughnut in half? Then Sophie gets to pick first.”

Elena nodded and grasped the plastic knife. With upper teeth pressed firmly into her lower lip, she carved through the treat and pushed the plate across the table to her sister.

The halves were remarkably even. Sonya glanced at Kelly. “Now there’s a good trick.”