Elves with Benefits (Reindeer Falls)

“I have no idea,” Ryan answers, still staring at me like I’m some kind of delusional vision.

“Look, if you just let me inside the house, I can help you. I’m sure Uncle Joe left some decorations behind. His house was never under violation before. We can fix this.”

“It’s probably all been tossed,” he says with a shrug.

I gasp. No one should throw Christmas decorations away, especially not in Reindeer Falls. I’m about to let him have it when he holds up a hand.

“I’ve got a Zoom meeting in twenty minutes,” he says. “Just… give me another day.”

I bristle. Oooh, all of the things I’d like to say to this Grinch.

Things like “Harder” and “Do that again,” and “You ignorant, arrogant, son of a nutcracker.”

So conflicting.

“Fine,” I finally manage to mutter. “I’ve got things to do today, too.”

“I’m sure you do, Christmas cop.”

Waste of a face.

Waste of a body.

And, maybe worst of all, waste of that dog.

Chapter Five

My desk at Mistletoe Lane Realty is one of my favorite places in Reindeer Falls. And it’s not just because I’ve got a desk tree. It’s one of those vintage ceramic trees with the tiny colorful lightbulbs, in case you were wondering. And it’s not because I have an ideal view out the window, of a large pine tree decked out with holiday lights.

No, it’s because here, in this room, dreams come true.

This is the place people sign paperwork to become part of the Reindeer Falls family. This is where they get to hear the magical words, “They accepted your offer.” Or, even more magical, “You’ve cleared escrow.”

It’s a beautiful thing, helping someone find their perfect fit. A home they’ll make their own. Where they’ll raise their children. Have pancake breakfasts and plant tomatoes in the garden.

I sigh just thinking about it. Not an annoyed sigh, which I’ve been doing too much lately. No, this is a contented sigh. An ‘I can’t believe how lucky I am’ sigh.

My own dream is still in the making. Between my two jobs, I’m saving every penny I can for a down payment on a house. Because that’s my goal, home ownership in Reindeer Falls. This is where I want to be, forever. I want to put a ring on it, so to speak—by signing a thirty-year agreement with the bank. Right now, I’m renting, but my apartment is as cute as whiskers on kittens. I can promise you that. I’ve added my own touches all over the place, just like I have with this office. But every day that I get to come into Mistletoe Lane Realty, I can’t help but browse the home listings and dream about the future. I flip through the design and inspiration magazines that I keep in a stack near the front door, imagining my future home, all decked out for the holidays.

I do the same thing now, scouring the most recent copy of Architecture Digest. I flip through until I see a kitchen that makes me pause. It’s a dream kitchen, complete with a fancy statement sink and “new, innovative spins on subway tiles.” I can totally see myself there in a Christmas apron, maybe making scrambled eggs. The Food Network won’t be knocking on my door to offer me a show or anything, but I can do a decent scramble. I can smell the paprika that I’d add, feel the heat of the kitchen…

Feel the strong arms of Ryan Sheppard come around my waist.

In my fantasy, I drop the pan. In real life, I drop the magazine.

God, I have got to get laid. Or, at the very least, I need to pick a new man to fantasize about. A nice guy, not some stuck-up city asshole who doesn’t even appreciate the perfect house that he’s inherited.

I might have to extend my dating search out to Saginaw, or even Lansing, because I’ve run out of options within the perimeter of Reindeer Falls and clearly it’s becoming a real problem when the Grinch himself is getting me all hot and bothered. A hot Grinch, but still.

I distract myself by arranging my office supplies. I keep three cups of pens. One of them, full of my Flair Pens, is in a reindeer mug. The next, full of Inkjoy pens, is in a Santa mug. The last one, full of boring ballpoint pens that I let clients use, is in a red mug with the Reindeer Falls town logo. I had them made myself, and I gift one to every client to start them off on the right foot. I make sure all of the pens are pointing the same way, and then I tidy my stack of sticky notes. I cross off the last day of November on my desk calendar and flip it over to December, then fluff the Christmas pillow that I keep on my desk chair.