Secret Santa Page 7

  Why had she listened to that note? She should’ve learned her lesson from trusting the previous ones, from thinking any good could come from another clue in an already twisted game. “Please,” she said, gently maneuvering between two parked strollers, “I've lost something–”

  She saw it. Mere feet away, its tarnished surface gleaming in the dim light, momentarily obscured by a child's scuffed sneaker as it trotted past. Lunging towards the glint of metal, her fingers reached it the same moment as another set. Five strong masculine fingers, their owner meeting her glance with surprised brown eyes.

  “Colleen…” he stared at her, his mouth open with shock. “I–I didn’t know…what are you doing here?”

  “Answering your note,” she said, wishing the awkwardness wasn’t so evident in her tone. Snatching the amulet from the pavement, she stuffed it in her pocket and flashed him a challenging glare. Would he explain the point of a freezing outing on Christmas Eve in a crowded square–or maybe issue an apology instead?

  “My note?” He shook his head, his own hand ducking inside his coat pocket to retrieve a folded sheet of paper. “I haven’t sent you a message since the horse ranch. But when I got home tonight I found this…” he trailed off, his hand extending the paper in her direction.

  She read the message, her eyebrows rising as she read the crazily-cut words. “A final chance for true love is within your grasp. Be at Hartley Park with the tree lighting crowd by nine o’clock tonight to seize your destiny.”

  "Meg?" she said.

  "She took the day off," he said. "And she's never been to my apartment before. I don't think anyone at the office knows where I live."

  "Then how–" she began. “Jack, this is crazy.” She looked at him, seeing her confusion mirrored in his gaze. Before she could speak again, the crowd around them roared with appreciation, the big tree lighting moment having commenced.

  “I guess maybe Santa was behind it after all," he said. Despite the teasing note his voice, she saw a look of puzzlement in his glance, along with something more–curiosity, perhaps, about her true feelings.

  Her doubts slid away, even as one of her hands slid across his shoulder, the other intertwining with his fingers. Their lips met in a long overdue kiss, the noise of the crowd's latest carol fading into the backdrop. They were only aware of each other, not noticing as the mysterious note fluttered to the ground beside them.

  *****

  Strings of Christmas lights were strewn across the living room floor as Colleen packed the last of the ornaments back inside their cardboard box. The wreath had come down from the door and lay on the coffee table, its ribbon still somewhat misshapen from poor packing.

  Around her neck was an ornament of a different type, a crescent moon amulet. As she placed the last Christmas ball in the box, her boyfriend settled on the floor beside her, a mug of hot chocolate in each hand.

  “Next year,” he said, “we’re making sure you jazz this place up for the holidays. Something besides a mangled door wreath and a half-decorated cedar in the corner.”

  “But right now, let’s worry about New Year’s,” she said, taking one of the mugs from his hand and sampling its contents. “Because my whole family will be here and they’ll expect you to be pretty fantastic. Magical romances do run in the family, you know.”

  “How can I forget?” he grinned, giving the amulet a playful tap. “I guess it did sort of bring us together. For our last chance, that is.”

  “Un-huh. So I was right all along–sort of.”

  He shook his head. "I think you mean I was right. Shouldn't the credit go to the mysterious Santa?"

  "The real one, yes," she answered, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. She paused as a rap sounded on the door. “Special delivery for Miss Quinn,” said a voice on the other side.

  “Thanks,” said Colleen, signing for the slender package, a curious look on her face as she studied the postage. “Look at these crazy stamps,” she said, as Jack leaned over shoulder. “It looks like it came from somewhere international, but the return address is so blurred…I don’t think I know anyone overseas.”

  “Yeah, but its got your name and address, so it must be for you.”

  She pulled the wrapping away, her curiosity building as she sensed another mysterious surprise coming her way. A gasp escaped her lips as she pulled out a glossy eight by ten photograph of her and Jack at the skating rink, like the one in her desk drawer–only this one was bordered by an elegant silver frame.

  “Who sent this?” she asked. Flipping over the tag dangling from one corner to read a sweeping, old fashioned cursive:

  “Merry Christmas, Colleen and Jack! I trust you took my advice and are now ringing in the New Year together. It took quite a bit of work to bring the two of you together, but I savor a good challenge, so don’t feel bad. Instead, commit to celebrating many more Christmas Eves together.

  –Your good friend, Saint Nicholas

  “Don’t look at me,” said Jack as she turned a wide-eyed gaze in his direction. “It’s just another gift from our friendly neighborhood Secret Santa.”

  Her smile, devoid of surprise, glowed brighter than the one in the photo as his arm curved round her shoulder in a loving embrace.