Merry Kisses (Riverbend Romance 5) by Valerie Comer Read Free Book Online

view of Santa’s throne and the guy who sat on it. A line of expectant faces waited. A woman in a green velvet elf suit roved the line. See, someone like that would swoop in and gain Heath’s love. They’d deserve each other, too.
    The elf turned away from the children and coughed into the crook of her arm, a deep wracking cough that had Sonya’s insides clenching in sympathy. Sounded like someone — especially someone who worked with children — should have called in sick.

    * * *

    Heath cast a worried glance at Destiny. He’d had his phone turned off while plowing last night’s huge dump of snow from the mall’s parking lot then half a dozen smaller lots downtown. When he got in the door at nine-thirty after six hours in the cab of his Bobcat, he’d set the alarm and collapsed for a three-hour nap.  
    If only she’d been able to reach him, he’d have told her to stay home. But who would have filled in as his elf? There wasn’t really a backup Santa either, though he could probably bully Corbin into subbing if necessary. The farm was quiet this time of year. But Corbin would make a lousy elf.
    Destiny coughed again, doubled over as the spasms wracked her body. Two moms took their youngsters by the hand and dragged them out of the line. He couldn’t blame them, though the toddlers yelled and screamed.
    Would anyone fault him for simply shutting down the North Pole today? But it was going to take more than twenty-four hours for Destiny to recover.
    Something moved in his periphery. Someone. Sonya, peering inside her pink folder.  
    She hated Santa and everything he stood for. But... she needed a job, and managing the line didn’t require significant training.
    Heath whispered Santa-like responses — he hoped — to the little boy on his lap then set the kiddo down. He stood then jumped over the piles of silvery gifts that kept the line contained and strode toward Sonya before she could dash away.
    Her eyes widened as she took in his quick strides. A glance darting down the corridor showed she would’ve bolted given a few seconds longer.
    “Hi, Sonya.”
    “Um. Hi.”
    “How’s the job hunt going?”
    She straightened and looked him in the eye. “You broke rank to ask me that? You should get back to your adoring audience. They’re waiting.”
    “I’d like to offer you a few hours of work.” In the background, another coughing fit exploded. “Hear that? Destiny can’t work. She needs to go home, but if I send her home, I have to close down the North Pole.”
    “I see that’s a problem.”
    “It pays minimum wage and it’s only ten hours a week through Christmas Eve. She’ll need at least a few days off to recover, so this is temp. A cash job.” He hesitated. Why even bother? She’d never do it. But still. “Please?”
    “You must be kidding me.”
    “Not even a little bit.” Heath scrambled for something more convincing and came up empty.
    “You’re desperate.”
    “Yes. But I wouldn’t ask just anyone, even so. Give it a chance, Sonya? You’ll help a lot of families get into the Christmas spirit.”
    She narrowed her eyes at him. “Do I get to tell all the little kids you’re a fake Santa?”
    He managed a lopsided smile. “I doubt it will come as a surprise to most of them.”
    That got her attention. After a few seconds she looked past him. “I sure wouldn’t fit that uniform. She must be a size two.”
    Heath’s heart leaped. She was actually considering it? “There’s no need for the elf suit. It belongs to Destiny, and she loves wearing it. What you’ve got on right now is perfect.”
    More than perfect, really. She wore the same dark green slacks as she had at church last Sunday, but paired with a dark red sweater with bits of gold glitter on it. Very festive. But the best part was how attractive she was, no matter what she wore.
    He quirked a grin. “So much better than a Toy Treehouse uniform with a giraffe looking over your shoulder.”
    That got a little smile