Holiday Second Chance Romance (Clarice and Trevor) novel Chapter 52

Trevor POV My eyes feel heavy, and my leg hurts like a b**ch. I can hear a deep voice asking me if I’m alright, but I can’t seem to answer. I’m surrounded by darkness, but it doesn’t feel like sleep. “Open your eyes, son.” I know it’s not my dad talking, but who else would call me son? No it can’t be. The voice is way too deep. I try to recall what I was doing before the darkness came, but I can’t.

What the hell happened? Where the hell am I? A warm large hand presses against my forehead and warmth rolls through my body like a wave. The feeling goes as quickly as it came, and my eyes snap open. I’m taken aback by the man kneeling in front of me. I’d say he looks like Santa Claus with his white beard and rosy cheeks, but he is to damn big and too buff to be him. He’s wearing a red beanie and a red and black flannel shirt.

Did I hit my head? What the hell am I even thinking Santa isn’t real? “Son, can you tell me your name,” he says, and for the first time, I look around. I’m sitting on the ground in the snow and my rental car is practically sideways jammed into the guard rail. The last thing I remember was driving away from the Inn after talking to Clarice and Nick. “Son, do you know your name,” the man says again. I finally snap out of my shock.

“Yes, my name is Trevor Banister.” “Good, that’s good you know your name. It looks like you had an accident, Trevor. When I pulled you out of the car, I found your phone and called your wife. I also called the ambulance. It looks like your leg might be broken, and you hit your head, but I think you’re going to be just fine. You’re lucky I was out here and found you,” he

says.

“I guess I am. Thank you for stopping to help me and for calling the ambulance.” “Everyone needs a little help sometimes, Trevor. Just remember that nothing is ever so broken that it can’t be fixed. It may look different after the pieces are put back together, but it can be just as amazing,” he says.

I look at him confused as he stands to his full height. I wonder if I really am hallucinating. The jacked Santa is giving me advice that seems eerily accurate to my life right now. “I hear the ambulance and a truck coming. I’ll leave you in their capable hands. Take care of yourself, Trevor. Keep being the man your parents raised you to be. Learn from your mistakes. It will make you a better man and a better father,” he says.

He turns and starts to walk down the road. “Hey, who are you?” He turns back and offers me a smile but doesn’t answer. I turn toward the sound of screeching tires behind me. When I turn back, the man is gone. Did I just imagine him? I really must have hit my head harder than I thought. “Trevor” Clarice yells. She came even after everything she came when I needed her.

She really is the best woman I’ve ever met next to my mom. When she steps into view with Nick hot on her heels, I can’t help but smile.

“I’m fine Clarice. I’m over here.” She notices me sitting a few feet from the car just as the ambulance pulls off the road. “I don’t know if fine is the right word,” Nick says. “Oh don’t get me wrong, my leg hurts like a b**ch and my a** is cold, but I’m fine.” “Did you hit your head” Clarice asks, her voice laced with concern. Before I can assure her that, besides the hallucination of a buff Santa with good advice and a mild headache, that I’m fine, the paramedics surround me. Just as they lift me to the gurney, memories of my car getting hit from behind come flooding back. Who the f**k hit me?

Clarice POV

I’m just about to bite into the warm cinnamon roll that Lacey set down in front of me when my phone rings. I pull it from my pocket and look at it strangely. Why would Trevor be calling me already? I look at Nick and show him the phone before I accept the call. My first thought is it has something to do with Loretta. “Trevor, why are you calling already? Is everything alright?” “Clarice, it’s Chris. Is Nick with you,” he asks. My heart starts to race and I quickly place the call on speaker.

“He’s here with me, Chris. Why do you have Trevor’s phone?” “I need you to stay calm, sweetheart. He is alright. I got to him in time. Anya had a vision of Trevor’s car being forced off the road. I think his leg is broken, but I can’t sense any other injuries. I’m going to wake him up, but I wanted to call you and Nick first so you can head in this direction. He isn’t to far from town. I’m going to call for an ambulance too but I’ll be gone before they get here,” he

says.

“Did she see who did this, Chris?” I know the answer in my heart before he even speaks. “She did and let’s just say she has been placed on the never f**king get another chance list. Let’s not worry about her right now. Despite everything that happened and the fact your feelings for him have changed, I know you don’t want to see anything bad happen to Trevor. He deserves a chance to be the man he was meant to be. A chance to be part of your daughter’s

life,” he says.

A sob rips through my throat and Nick takes the phone from my hand. Strong arms wrap around me and I hear Chris telling Nick he’ll stay with him until we get there. “Clarice, we need to get to the truck,” Nick says. I look up at him wondering if he’ll be upset that I’m crying because I’m worried about Trevor, but he offers me a reassuring smile. I may not be in love with Trevor anymore, but Chris is right. I still care about him.

How could I not? Once I opened my heart to Nick, all those feelings of hate for how Trevor hurt me faded. I love Nick with every fiber of my being, but that doesn’t mean I can’t care about what happens to the man who is my father’s child. As soon as we reach the truck, he

lifts me into the cabin. He sprints around the front and slides into the driver’s seat. Knowing that Chris is with him has my nerves settling down.

The fear and worry are quickly replaced by anger. What if Anya didn’t have that vision? What if Chris didn’t get there in time? Would his injuries have been severe? Would my daughter have lost her father before she ever had the chance to meet him? Nick grips my hand and, despite me telling myself it’s alright to care, a feeling of guilt bubbles up inside me. “Hey, don’t do that. You are allowed to be worried about him. Hell, I don’t even like him, and I’m worried,” he says with a smile.

“How could she do that to him, Nick? That’s all she keeps going on about is how much she loves him. How she should have had my life with him and now what. She really has gone so far off the deep end that she is ready to kill him if he doesn’t want her.” “She definitely seems like she is a few holly berries short of the bunch. When dad was talking, all I kept thinking of was those movies where the crazy person says if I can’t have you, nobody will. She is totally nuts,” he says.

As soon as he says that, we spot a car sideways leaning against the guard rail. My heart speeds up again. I don’t wait for Nick to open my door. I round the truck, and he falls in step

behind me. As soon as I see the smile on Trevor’s face my heart rate starts to return to normal. When they load him into the ambulance, I pull my phone from my pocket. I

immediately dial Alexia. She picks up on the second ring.

“Clarice, I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Did you get the chance to talk with Trevor? Did he behave like he promised,” she asks. “Mom, the meeting went fine, but that’s not why I’m calling. Trevor is fine but he was in an accident. We are going to follow him to the hospital. He might have a broken leg but other than that, the paramedics didn’t seem too

father–in–law. concerned.” “Oh my God, what happened,” she asked in between yelling for my

“We aren’t sure yet, but it seems he ran off the road. Thankfully, a passerby stopped to help and called me from his phone.” Nick smirks at my description of his father. I can’t exactly say Santa Claus rescued your son because his wife, Mrs. Claus, had a vision. “Thank god. Clarice, Tom is already scheduling our flights, but it probably won’t be until tomorrow,” she says. “It’s fine mom. Like I said, Nick and I are going to head to the hospital. As soon as I know anything I’ll call you.”

“Thank you, Clarice. I know this isn’t your responsibility anymore,” she starts to say, but I cut her off. “That’s not true. He will always be part of my family. In time, I’m hoping we can be friends, but he will always be my daughter’s father. I never want to see him hurt, and I will be there when he needs me.” “You really are an amazing woman, Clarice. Thank you for having such a wonderful, big heart and a capacity to care when it isn’t deserved. I’ll let you know as soon as I have the details of our flight. I love you, Clarice, and tell Nick we love him too. We have two sons now,” she says.

“We love you too, mom,” I say and Nick nods. Once I hang up, he pulls me into his arms. “She is right, you know. Most women would have written him off after the way he hurt you, but not you. That’s what makes you the perfect Mrs. Claus.” I giggle and look up into his beautiful eyes. “So you aren’t upset that I cried, or that I want to check on him.” He presses a kiss on my lips. “I know you love me, Clarice, but that doesn’t mean I expect you not to care he has been hurt. Besides, I’m the son of Santa Claus, he has nothing on me.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “That’s the best sound I’ve ever heard. Now let’s go check on Trevor before we find out exactly what my mom saw. I, for one, won’t just be putting her name on my father’s infamous list, but right now let’s focus on making sure that Trevor is alright,” he says. “I don’t think I’m the only one with a big heart Mr. Claus.”