Sleigh Ride: A Holiday Novella

by Breezie Bennett

  I know my moping has been bringing her and her whole family down. I know it’s not the cheery Christmas spirit that everyone wants. I know that.

  I also know that she thinks I’m making a drastic mistake by leaving John and, damn it, maybe I am. But I made a choice. I don’t want to be only his second priority anymore. For years now, football has been all he thinks or speaks about. No romance, no quality time. Just Super Bowl this, Chase Kennedy’s shoulder that, training camp this…it goes on and on.

  I’m tired. And I keep having to constantly remind myself of why I left, because I’m questioning it every second of every day.

  I take a slow, shaky breath as I follow the directions and turn left at a light into a beach access parking lot.

  A pang of sadness and emptiness settles in my gut. Christmas Eve. Christmas effing Eve.

  I fight a tear and swallow my emotion as I pull into a space and look around for whoever the hell I’m supposed to be buying this doll from.

  I better text Lizzie. I don’t see anyone who looks like—

  “Jeanette?”

  A spritely looking young woman with shiny, light pink hair comes bouncing toward my car, wearing a smile way too big for me to even look at right now. She’s got on red and green leggings with little candy canes on them and a painfully ugly Christmas sweater.

  I open the door and examine her slowly. “Are you the one who has the Princess Penelope doll? It’s for my niece, evidently the last one in the state of Florida or something…”

  “Come with me.” Pink Hair takes my hand gently. “I’m with the Riders. Don’t worry.”

  I dig my heels into the pavement and resist her grasp. “The Riders? My husband’s, er, future ex-husband’s team? Why are you—”

  “Please.” The girl levels her dazzling blue gaze with mine. “I promise this is something you want to see. It’s a Christmas present.”

  I frown, looking around for any more possible clues of what the hell might be going on here. “For me?”

  “Just come.”

  I might as well. I follow the little nymph up to the boardwalk and along the path. I’m confused, yes. But I’m too drained and tired and sad to even go crazy wondering what I’m about to step into.

  It’s not like I have anything to lose at this point. I already walked away from my marriage. I already possibly made the biggest mistake of my life.

  As we step onto the sand, my mind takes an extra beat to process what’s in front of me, and any words that might have come out get stuck in my throat like glue.

  A sleigh. A small, red sleigh is sitting on the sand.

  I walk closer slowly, my knees beginning to shake a little as I start to realize what’s going on.

  Little flurries of snow are dancing through the air. A dog, a big, happy-looking dog, is wearing a pair of antlers and is hooked up to the sleigh.

  My hands quiver, and my whole body feels like it’s melting into the ground. I hold a palm to my chest and breathe shakily, overrun by the crashing tidal wave of emotions.

  “What is…what is this?” That’s all I can manage, my voice barely audible as shock and amazement and confusion all swirl through me.

  “It’s a sleigh ride.” Pink Hair gestures toward the sleigh as I walk closer, and my vision clears.

  John. My John. My loving, brilliant, passionate, wonderful John is sitting in the sleigh, holding a clear bottle and patting the seat next to him.

  “How did you…” I look around, recognizing some of the people along the beach as players from the Riders team. “You did this?”

  My palms feel sweaty, and my heart is tugging hard. I can sense tears burning behind my eyes, but I’m still in too much shock to cry.

  “Jeanette…” John scoots over and offers a smile. “Would you like to take a sleigh ride with me?”

  I swallow and nod quickly, my whole body and mind spinning with emotion.

  I climb up into the sleigh and notice two of his players are behind us. They start pushing the sleigh along the sand as soon as I get settled, and I can’t help but let a laugh bubble out of my chest.

  “Are these…” I run my fingers over what looks like hundreds of tiny cardboard Christmas trees. “Are these air fresheners?”

  “Yes. Yes, they are.” John laughs heartily.

  Oh, that laugh. I’ve missed that laugh.

  “The pine smell.” Every dot starts connecting in my brain as I realize this is some sort of over-the-top attempt to re-create the night we met. Twenty years ago today.

  “And…” John reaches down and holds up the glass bottle. It looks like water with syrup floating in it. “Maple liqueur. Sort of. I think.”

  “Every detail…” I whisper, emotion gripping me. “Did you…” I lose myself for a second in his brown eyes and the laugh lines that frame them so perfectly from every smile we’ve shared over the past two decades. “Did you do all this?”

  The sleigh moves slowly, and the ocean waves crash next to us. I feel like I’m floating.

  “Actually, no. This was all my team,” John admits, glancing around. “I didn’t want to be some desperate sap who just begs and begs for you to come back. But I’m looking at you now and…” He takes my shaky hand, holding it firmly in both of his. “I realized that I am a desperate sap. And I’m okay with being a desperate sap, because all I want is to have you back.”

  “John…” A salty tear falls from my eye.

  “I know I screwed up. I know I put you second for a long time. But that changes now.” He points his finger downward with certainty. “I swear, Jeanette.”

  “Your team…” I look around again, still taking it all in. “They did all of this for you? For us? To help get us back together?”

  He shrugs. “What can I say? They’re just a bunch of gooey romantics at heart.”

  I draw in a breath and hold his loving and comforting gaze. “Any man who is this loved by his team should be this loved by me.”

  He draws back in surprise, relief and happiness relaxing into a smile. “I know I haven’t been the best husband—”

  “Please,” I cut him off, fully letting my guard down now and drowning in this blissful and unforgettable moment. “I was being selfish and stubborn and digging my heels in.” I run my finger along the sleigh and smile, looking up at him. “I love you, John.”

  “I love you, too, Jeanette.” He leans over and kisses me.

  It’s one of those kisses you only have once in a while. One of those kisses that knocks you off your feet and makes your head spin.

  “Now…” He wraps his arm around me and presses his forehead to mine. “Will you come home? And never, ever leave again?”

  I tickle his nose with mine, a flurry of joy and butterflies swirling in my chest and making me feel like I could take flight. “Yes.”

  “Woo!” Cheers erupt from Leo and Elliot, the two Riders players who are pushing our sleigh and clearly eavesdropping. “Guys!” They wave wildly.

  The other teammates and their wives and even a couple little kids come rushing toward the sleigh, whooping and cheering.

  I throw my head back and laugh, feeling the sun warm my soul almost as much as this moment.

  “You’re all…” I look around at the muscular guys and beautiful women. “You’re all really amazing for this. Thank you.”

  Pink Hair steps forward. “We just wanted to bring back that Christmas magic for you guys. Well…” She shrugs and looks around, laughing softly. “As much as we could.”

  “What do you say we celebrate?” John holds up the bottle of liqueur that is definitely not the same stuff we had in Addison Grove.

  “What the hell?” I laugh and take a drink from the bottle. “It’s actually pretty good!”

  A sweet-looking blond girl next to Andre Smoke perks up. “Right? We made it ourselves.”

  “Have some.” I pass it around to them as we all melt into a chorus of laughter and joy, and I can feel every heavy doubt fading away by the second.

  “M
erry Christmas, my love.” John kisses my cheek.

  I take a slow breath of the smooth, salty air and look out at the crashing waves. As John and I snuggle into the sleigh, the conversation and laughter of the players fade away. I smell the pine and smile at the dog and realize that this has now taken the new first-place spot for Best Christmas Ever.

  I smile at my husband, beaming with excitement for the many, many more years we’ll spend together. “Merry Christmas, Coach.”

  Coming Soon

  The Miami Vices

  by Breezie Bennett

  As the South Florida Riders series comes to a dramatic close, get ready to fall in love with the new billionaire team owners, the Miami Vices. This colorful South Florida family has secrets, makes mistakes, gives into temptations, and takes risks…all in the name of love. A brand new series from Breezie Bennett…coming early 2021!

  Want to know the day Breezie Bennett releases a new book?

  Sign up for The Cool Breeze and stay updated on all things Breezie at www.breeziebennett.com.

  About the Author

  Breezie Bennett has had her fingers on a keyboard since she was a middle schooler writing sports romances about her brother’s baseball team. A graduate of the University of Florida, she is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, can dance on pointe, and has been known to shotgun a beer in 5.2 seconds. When not writing romance, you’ll find her on a Florida beach with her two dogs, Ginger and Rosemary, and a playlist full of Pink Floyd and Lil Wayne.