Holiday Second Chance Romance (Clarice and Trevor) novel Chapter 56

56 Motherly Hug

Simone POV

As soon as I open my eyes, I’m engulfed in a hug, “Oh my, you are even prettier than in my visions. You are petit like a pixie,” a beautiful woman says as she tightens her hold on me. “Anya sweetheart, maybe introduce yourself before you hug the girl so tight and call her short,” Santa Claus says with a chuckle, “You shoosh, Christopher Kringle. Everyone can use a motherly hug now and then, I also just meant she is tiny compared to me, she says, She has no idea how right she really is about the hug part, but I still pull back looking at the man she just called Christopher.

“I thought you said you were Santa Claus.” “Santa Claus is like a title the children of the human world use. All the men before me and myself have our real names. My son is Nick, and hopefully I can convince him to name his first son Christopher like my father Nick did to me,” he says with a twinkle. Anya slaps at him but never takes her arm from around my shoulders. “We have a lot to discuss, but first have you eaten breakfast,” she asks. Why does her question have me fighting tears?

You know exactly why, Simone. “I’m fine, really. I don’t need breakfast” “Nonsense, you need to eat, and then you can tell me all about yourself and why you can’t use magic, she says, leading me toward a beautifully decorated dining room. There is a hint of Christmas, but it is not overdone. She motions to a chair and I take a seat. A few minutes later, a woman with silver hair and bright eyes steps into the room with a tray of food and coffee.

“Winnie, this is Simone. She is part of the family now. Simone this is Winnie. She was like a second mother to my children. She has already met Clarice, my new daughter, and I wanted her to meet you too,” she says. Is she saying that I am her daughter? Of course not Simone. Before I can say I’m not really part of their family, the woman sets the tray down and moves to hug me. I hug her back without hesitation. “It is lovely to meet you, Simone. Welcome to the family,” she says. “I’m not sure about me being part of the family, but it’s nice to meet you too.”

When she releases me, she sets a plate loaded with every breakfast food I could imagine and a large mug of coffee. I’m just about to say I’m really not hungry when my stomach betrays me and growls. “Dig in. We have plenty of time to talk,” Anya says. Thirty minutes later, I’m stuffed and caffeinated. Anya leads us back into the room I first arrived in. We take seats in front of the large fireplace. “Chris tells me you can’t use your magic. Can you tell me why,” she asks. I take a deep steadying breath.

“If I use my magic my father will find me. I left the Northern Fae Kindgom ten years ago when my father decided that I would finally be of use to him and marry the Southern Fae

Kingdom’s future King. When I refused because I’d waited years to find my destined one, he flat out told me I had no choice. My father has never been warm and fuzzy to me, but I never expected he would be cruel enough to force me into a loveless mateship for his benefit. Even my brother, the future king, stood by while he decreed the marriage would be happening with the next crescent moon.”

I realize there are tears on my cheeks and I quickly wipe them away. I haven’t cried about my brother’s betrayal since the first month after I ran away. “My father hated me. He said he didn’t, of course, when I called him out for basically selling me like a brood mare. I know losing my mother during my birth broke something inside him, but it wasn’t my fault. Jared was different though. He was my protector. He took more than one punishment to protect me from my father’s wrath, so having him stand there and agree with a marriage I never wanted to be part of hurt far worse.”

“I actually ran the day of Prince Xavier’s arrival in the castle. The rumors of him were anything but good. I had heard he was a cruel fae who was used to having a variety of lovers on rotation. I watched the arrival of his royal court. The minute he stepped into the castle he didn’t even try to hide that the two different women by his side were his mistresses.”

“That was the moment I decided I would rather die than become a pawn in my father’s deals. I still have no idea what the benefit was to our marriage because I was not privy to such information as a woman. I was just supposed to accept my fate and spread my legs for a man I didn’t love. My last thought as I fled was f**k my father and f**k Jared.”

When I finally look back at Anya, I expect to see sympathy in her eyes, but instead I see pride. “That’s why I can’t use magic. The minute I do it, because I’m of royal blood, my father and brother will know where I am.” As soon as I finish, I realize I spilled far more than I really had to. Why the hell do I feel so comfortable and safe around these people? Is it part of her Elven powers? I’ve never really met one before today, but maybe it’s a gift to make others feel at ease. “That makes perfect sense, but we both know you can’t spend the rest of your life never using magic. How will you claim Trevor,” she asks.

I’m instantly on my feet as panic washes over me. I can’t claim him. “I really should get back. I have plans for this afternoon and I can’t be late. Do you think Santa Claus, I mean Christopher can take me back now?” “I will take you back, but I want you to think about what you really want in this life, Simone. Now that you’ve met the man that the goddess chose for you, the need to claim him is going to invade all your thoughts. He is the other half of your soul. After the story you just told me, I don’t see you as a woman that is going to allow your father and brother to stop you from claiming your own destiny, especially after they tried to take it from you once,” she says.

She reaches out and takes my hand. Seconds later, we are standing in my apartment. Before I can say a word, she pulls me into a hug. I melt into her embrace. “You never have to lie to

me, Simone. I know you’ve kept to yourself since you left your kingdom. I’m sure you must get lonely. You aren’t alone anymore,” she says, as she reaches into her pocket. “If your change your mind and want to spend more time with me or if you’d like to meet two women. that will gladly be your sisters, just ring this bell, and I’ll be here to collect you,” she says.

I look into her eyes not really knowing what to say or how to feel about what she had just said. I haven’t had a family in so long. She presses a kiss on my forehead like I imagine a mother would do to her child and she disappears. I move to my couch and plop down. I let the tears flow as I think about what it would be like to have people at my back who consider me family. Family that would protect me.

Loretta POV

I can’t believe I ran him off the road. What the hell was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking. He just had me so angry. Why did he have to say such hurtful things to me? Well, at least I know he’s not dead. Instead of heading to the airport, I found another hotel an hour outside of town and checked in last night. I called the only hospital I could think of and pretended to be Trevor’s sister. They wouldn’t give me any information, but they confirmed he was there.

Now what the hell do I do? I mean he might not have realized it was me. There is no way he blocked me after the accident. It was probably the last thing he was thinking about. Guilt bubbles up inside me thinking about the fact I could have killed him. Hell, I don’t even know how badly he’s hurt. It’s alright. I’ll offer to take care of him. Then he’ll give up on Clarice

completely.

I grab my phone and call his number. It rings twice before a voice I never expected to hear answers. “What do you want, Loretta,” Clarice asks. “Why the hell are you answering Trevor’s phone? Where the hell is Trevor?” “Why can’t I answer my husband’s phone,” she asks smugly. Why the hell is she calling him her husband? I can picture her standing next to his bed like she’s won. I grip the phone tighter. “You said you were divorcing him. He isn’t yours anymore, Clarice. Remember he said he loves me.”

“I think that’s my line Loretta. Although he was never really yours. Now, without sounding too cliché, don’t call my husband again you home wrecking sl*t,” she says before the call drops.” No, no, no, this can’t be happening. She can’t really be taking him back. There is no way she would ever forgive him.” I scream before I start to trash the room. After a few minutes, I finally get myself back under control.

“I refuse to accept this. She can’t have him. Not after everything I have done in order to get him to finally betray her.” I pace a few more minutes before I finally plop down on the bed. I grab my phone and open my f******k page praying the old b**ch uses social media. When I see her page, I smile and send her a friend request. I know she hates Clarice for f**king up her chances to get her kid a new daddy. Hopefully, she is willing to help me make sure that

Clarice never gets her happily ever after with Trevor.

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