Holiday Second Chance Romance (Clarice and Trevor) novel Chapter 43

43 Spirited Little Elf

Chris POV (Santa)

I grab my list and begin to look it over. I smile when I notice a lot of names that were on the naughty list last year have made it to the nice list this year. I’m halfway done checking the names when Anya appears in front of my desk, startling me. “Mrs. Claus, are you trying to give me a heart attack a week before the most important night of the year?” She rolls her eyes and rounds the desk. As soon as she is close enough, I give her a tap on her a** before I pull her onto my lap.

“As if the most magical Christmas being could have a heart attack. You are as fit as a fiddle and will be around for hundreds more years,” she says, and I nip her ear. “How was Clarice? Did you get a chance to reassure her that Nick wasn’t in any trouble?” Anya smirks before she finally answers. I wonder what my beautiful wife is hiding from me She must have had a vision. “She was resting. I didn’t want to wake her. I just wish I could have been there today when that little trollop tried to get to my new daughter. I know Chrissy was upset she didn’t get to take another swing at her,” she says. I chuckle at my spirited little elf. “You saw Chrissy? How is my little girl? She usually stops to see me a few times before the run, but she hasn’t been by in days.”

“I’m just worried about that crazy b**ch, Chris. You and I both know that she has always used Clarice. There friendship was very much one–sided. Now she is hell–bent on having what was never hers. Even if Clarice doesn’t want that stupid man, Looney Loretta still believes Clarice is an obstacle to her relationship with him.” “Nick protected her today, sweetheart, and he will continue to protect her. He would never let anything happen to her or the baby. You don’t need to worry. Nothing will happen to our new daughter.”

“I know that he will protect her. I also know he wouldn’t hit a woman, but I would. If she keeps coming for Clarice, she is going to find out what happens when you piss off an elf.” I throw my head back and laugh. “Let’s hope she doesn’t find out. I wouldn’t want to have to explain to the magical council why my wife beat the hell out of a human.”

“At least half of them will agree once they meet Clarice. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about the pledging for Nick and Clarice. Do you think they will be ready to perform the ritual on Christmas? I know Nick doesn’t want to rush her, but I want to make sure that the baby shares our blood. She will always be part of the human world, but I want her to be part of the magical world,” she says. I smile. I haven’t told her what Clarice said before I left Nick’s apartment.

“I don’t think you have to worry Anya. Clarice seemed quite irritated with our son for him making her decisions when talking about the pledging. She specifically told me that they would be here on Christmas Eve. I believe that they will be pledged on Christmas day and I will be passing the mantle very soon after. You need to start thinking about where you want to go first. I want a very

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43 Sperited Little Elf

long vacation when your son finally takes over his duties.”

“We can’t think about that yet. We have to prepare for the ceremony. I know you don’t want anything elaborate, but the Elven Kingdom must be invited. I don’t want to overwhelm Clarice, sol will be very clear that the royal family are only to attend. I will ask Winnie, along with a few of the other women, to prepare a meal for after the pledging. I think we should hold the ceremony in the clearing near the reindeer stables. You know how beautiful it is after the snow falls on the night of

your ride,” she says.

“I will leave the details in your very capable hands, my love. All I ask is that there be a single malt bottle of scotch waiting for me to celebrate my last run.” She turns and cups my cheeks in her hands. “We both know you are full of it. You will insist on going on Nick’s first run to make sure he doesn’t forget any children. Hell, even after that, you’ll go when I threaten to beat you with a candy cane for driving me crazy,” she says.

She presses a kiss to my lips and I wrap my arms around her tightly. I bury my nose in her neck and nuzzle her. “You know me so well, but I promise not to drive you to crazy and I’ll always make sure you are stocked up on peppermint schnapps.” Without warning, I stand with her in my arms. “Chris, what the hell are you doing” she asks as I step around my desk. “Taking my wife to our room so we can practice how to fill our time during retirement.” She squeals as I take off at a jog toward our room. Best Christmas Ever.

Loretta POV

As soon as I reach the hotel, I head straight for the elevators. I have to talk to Trevor. I need to make him see that even if Clarice doesn’t take him back, he still has me. I will not lose him after I was so close to having everything I wanted. It took me months to get him alone in that restaurant. That night, when my cousin called to tell me he was there alone and had been drinking, I knew it was the night that everything would change between us.

Clarice was so concerned with her writing and book signings that she left her husband alone. It didn’t take long that night to convince Trevor that Clarice was neglecting him by putting her own career before his. When the elevator dings, I step off and stalk down the hallway to his door. I knock twice and wait, but I hear no movement on the other side of the door. He has to be here. Where the hell else would he go?

It’s not like he knows anyone in town. Hell, I don’t know if his parents are ever going to forgive him for hurting their precious Clarice. All she had to do was fall in line, but she is too f**king selfish. I bang twice more but harder this time. “Trevor, I know you are in there. Open up so we can talk. I know you are hurting after everything that Clarice just said and did. You didn’t deserve that,” I say through the door.

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43 Spirited Little Elf

I’m just about to bang again when a housekeeper steps out of the elevator. “Are you alright

ma’am?” “Not really. My husband and I had a fight, and he has the only key to our room. I have no idea where he is, and I have no way of getting into the room.” I let some tears fall, hoping to play on her sympathy. I want to be in that room if he isn’t, so he has no choice but to talk to me when he finally gets back. “I just want to take a bath and drink a glass of wine. I think he might be cheating, but I can’t prove it. For all I know, he could be with her right now, but he won’t answer my calls.”

Her eyes fill with sympathy, and she takes a step toward me. She reaches out and pats my hand. “Men are ba**ards. Us ladies have to stick together,” she says before pulling a card from her pocket. “Please don’t ever tell anyone I did this. I can’t afford to lose my job, but I’ve been where you are. I hope you find happiness and a good lawyer,” she says before she waves the card in front of the reader. I pull her in for a quick hug and step into the room.

He really isn’t here. Where the hell could he have gone? I pull the phone from my pocket and dial his number. After a few seconds, it goes right to voicemail. I call three more times. I scream when I realize he has blocked me on the last call. You will not get rid of me that easily, Trevor. I throw my phone on the bed and move to the wet bar. I grab a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates before making my way to the bathroom.

I’m going to do exactly what I told that woman while I wait for Trevor to return. Hopefully, we can talk things out, and he’ll be ready to f**k me again. I really need to feel him inside me. It’s been almost two weeks and I need to remind him how good we are together because this isn’t over.

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