Santa's Secret

“Wait a minute, this is the guy from the lounge the other night. I remember him,” Mindy says. “He totally creeped you out, D.” I look again and nod because she’s right.

“What do you mean?” Calvin asks. He looks from Mindy to me, except when he makes eye contact with me, he’s glaring. Oops. I suppose I should’ve told him.

“I bought him a drink.” I hang my head, waiting for Calvin to rip into me. When he doesn’t, I glance at him, only to see him seething, trying to keep his temper in check.

“Continue.”

“Right, so you guys were at the hockey game and I went out with my mom, Mindy and Eileen. We went to New Hampshire to this cute lounge for some drinks. He was sitting at the bar when I went up to order a drink and I bought him one. He seemed nice, until he looked at me and I felt something off about him.”

“You told me you’d stay home.”

I reach over and place my hand on top of his. Calvin takes his job very seriously and had he known I was planning to

go out, he would’ve never gone with the guys and I didn’t want him to feel like he was just here to work. “I’m sorry. I know and I should’ve told you, but I honestly didn’t think anything of it. But now—”

“But now, he’s showing up in other places because I saw him at the festival,” Mindy adds. Calvin grumbles something very profane and clenches his jaw. I need to help Mindy understand there’s a time and place to drop these kind of bombs. This is definitely not one of those times.

“I can’t do my job, Delaney, if you’re not being honest with me. It’s one thing if you’re out with your dad, Dominic or Aiden, but when you’re vulnerable with no one to protect you—”

“Hey!” Mindy yells loudly and punches Calvin in the shoulder. This proves to be a mistake since she’s shaking her hand out. “We wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”

“But you wouldn’t know to protect her either from someone like him.”

Calvin has a point. I never thought the paparazzi would show up here, let alone during the holidays when there are so many more important people to follow around Los Angeles or in some tropical destination. Who in their right mind visits the land of frozen trees, knee-deep snow and wind chill temperatures below twenty? I wouldn’t, not if my family didn’t live here.

Calvin excuses himself and goes over to the man. I can’t tell what’s going on, by the way he’s standing, but I have a feeling my bodyguard is telling him exactly where he needs to be and it isn’t Ramona Falls. When he comes back, his shoulders are square and he’s pulling my chair out. “We’re leaving.”

“Okay.” I know better than to argue with him. Mindy and I grab our things and she drops a few twenties down on the table to pay for our appetizer and drinks. “What about shopping?” I ask, hesitantly. Our plan today was to do some Christmas shopping. We only stopped to have lunch, which has turned out to be a complete failure.

“If you insist, but take this warning to heart. I’m not going to leave your side.”

“Duly noted.” I thread my arm into his as he leads me to the SUV. Behind me, Mindy is chuckling, at what, I don’t know. Maybe she finds it funny that he’s actually the boss. I suppose in a sense he is.

Calvin dutifully drives Mindy and I to the outdoor mall. Of course, it’s snowing and we have to bundle up. As soon as Mindy and I see Starbucks, we head in for venti peppermint mochas. Calvin says he doesn’t want one, but ends up with his own regardless. Deep down, I know he loves them, but will never admit it.

Outside, I spin in a circle with my arms spread out wide and my head tilted back. The white lights that connect from each building light the cobblestone walkway, casting the perfect holiday glow. “I love it here,” I say to anyone listening. “Don’t you?” I look at Calvin, who’s shaking his head. “Come on, Calvin. It’s December, Christmas is in the air and look at the storefronts, they’re beautiful, and the music… don’t you want to sing?”

“No, Delaney. I want to go inside where it’s warm.”

“Don’t be a scrooge.”

“He’s right though, D. It’s cold. Come on, let’s shop. I have kids to buy for.”

Grudgingly, I follow behind Calvin and Mindy as if I’ve been scolded. After making snow angels with Holly the other day, I’ve had a strong urge to play in the snow. Maybe I missed being home during winter more than I thought.

Our first stop is this cute little kids’ store. It’s a place I’ve never been to before, but there’s a special little girl in my heart I want to shop for. Mindy gives me a look that I easily brush off. Each dress, tutu, leggings, every little girl item I pick up, I love, and they get added to the pile forming in Calvin’s arms.

“You’re going overboard,” Mindy says as she hands me an outfit her daughter will like. I feel bad I haven’t spent anytime with her children yet, but I plan on it. The closer we get to Christmas the more I’ll be over at her house, celebrating with them.

With one store down, we stop at another and so on. At each one, I find things Holly needs. Giant teddy bears, tiaras, dolls, every art supply possible. Everything I see, I pick up and hand to Calvin.

“Are you sure Aiden will be okay with this?” he asks after the fifth, sixth or tenth store. We’ve been to so many now, I’ve lost count.

“Why wouldn’t he be? I’m only picking up a few things.”

“A few?” Mindy questions. “I think you’ve single-handedly helped each store meet their holiday quota for sales.”

“I have not.”