Dunder snorted, drawing Oliver’s attention. He stared wide-eyed at the sleigh, his mouth slack. Lux made her way over to the reindeer. Quik stayed close, not knowing what else to do and worried the often ornery reindeer would nip at Oliver as he did every time Quik was within biting range.
“This is Dunder.” Lux took Oliver’s hand and showed him how to rub behind Dunder’s ear. Unlike when Quik tried to get close, Dunder moved slowly and with tender care.
“He’s soft,” said Oliver.
Lux caught Quik’s eye, a small, triumphant smile on her lips. “He is. And he’s going to take us home.”
“How?”
Lux cupped her hand as if telling Oliver a secret. “He can fly.”
The look of wonder on Oliver’s face was precious. Quik wondered if he’d ever looked like that—had he ever believed in Christmas Magic? He must have as a child. How he longed to tap into that uncluttered belief.
“And your dad is going to drive the sleigh.”
Both Dunder and Quik snorted. Quik looked at the reindeer, who was just as offended as he was.
“That’s right.” Lux kept right on talking as if neither of them had objected in the least. “Your dad’s going to fly the sleigh so I can hold you, and Dunder is going to fly real nice or I’ll tell the elves not to give him carrots for a week.” She smiled sweetly at the two of them before heading for the bench in the sleigh.
Quik regarded the reindeer. “I think we’ve been bamboozled.”
Dunder huffed.
Quik lifted both hands. “Hey, I don’t like it either. Let’s just get through this for the kid.”
Dunder shook his whole body, sending hair flying.
“I’m taking that as a yes.” Quik climbed in the sleigh and lifted the reins from the loop as he’d seen Lux do. “Like this?” he asked over his shoulder. His back muscles tightened and his knees shook. Not that he’d tell Lux he was scared. He wasn’t scared.
“Brace your foot against that block.” She pointed to the piece of wood in the middle of the floor. The bench was too far back to use for stability. He pushed his heavy boot in place. Lux put her arm around Oliver and nodded for him to go. He slapped the reins and nothing happened.
“Dunder,” she warned.
He huffed, which sounded a lot like he was laughing at Quik.
Lux laughed too. “I have to ask, what did you ever do to him?”
Quik’s neck burned as he thought back to the night in the cave where he’d almost kissed Lux awake. Thought hard about how to tell the truth. “I promise I didn’t do anything to Dunder.”
Lux’s disbelief was written across her face. She didn’t press him, though—a fact he was extremely grateful for. “You have to give the command. And say it like you mean it.”
He rolled his eyes, feeling like a complete idiot. “On, Dunder!” he bellowed in his best Santa impersonation.
Dunder lunged against the harness, the runners scratching against the gravel. Quik pulled with the right rein and they turned, giving them room for a long run across the length of the roof. Riding in a flying sleigh was one thing; flying it was an entirely different experience.
They cleared the edge of the roof and began to drop.
“Give him rein—you’re pulling too tight!” yelled Lux.
Quik forced his arms forward, moving his hands away from his chest, and they slowly began to lift. His arms were frozen in place.
“Take us north,” said Lux.
“Which way’s north?” He glanced back. Lux pointed. With a nod of thanks, he maneuvered the sleigh in that direction. He’d relax, except that flying a sleigh over California wasn’t the most difficult part of this journey.
With much tribulation and turbulence, they made it to the stables. Quik fell out of the sleigh and kissed the sawdust-covered ground. Dunder growled low, their temporary truce at an end.
“Just do it,” he gasped. He’d been hyperventilating the entire flight. Besides worrying for his own life, the two most precious people in the world were in that sleigh. He’d never known pressure like that, and he’d worked on top-secret bomb projects.
Dunder leaned within biting distance and Quik put his hand on the animal’s neck. “I swear, I’ll do everything in my power to never drive again.” Dunder puffed out a hot breath.
Lux and Oliver stared down at the two of them. “If you two are done behaving like children, we have things to do.”
Oliver looked from Lux to Quik. He reached up and took Lux’s hand.
“Are you ready to see the palace?” she asked excitedly.
He nodded, but stopped with his chin up as Selora arrived to take care of Dunder. Bumble bustled in. “Ah, Miss Lux. I see you’ve brought home another stray.” He smiled kindly at Oliver, who beamed in return.
Quik scrambled to his feet and reached for Oliver’s other hand. Oliver allowed him to take it, though he was reluctant. That was okay. Quik didn’t want to miss one gasp of delight or hand-clapping as he gave Oliver a tour of Santa’s Ice Palace. He was eager to experience this place through the eyes of a child. Maybe Oliver could unlock the part of his heart that hadn’t opened to Christmas Magic.
Maybe Oliver would teach him how to be like a little child again.
Maybe Oliver would want to stay.
Maybe he’d get a chance to be a father.
After all, if reindeer could fly, anything was possible.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Where are we going to put him?” Quik opened the door to his and Lux’s apartment. He wouldn’t mind setting up a bed on the couch in his bedroom. That made the most sense. He didn’t get much further in his plans. A third door had appeared on the wall to the bedrooms. This one was painted blue with wood paneling. He tossed his arms in the air in defeat. “Never mind.”
Lux and Oliver swooped in, holding hands. Well, Oliver clung to her hand. The elves were jolly, welcoming Oliver to the North Pole and shaking his hand like he was the King of England or something. He laughed and giggled at their antics as they took care of Dunder. Before the reindeer was taken to his stall and given a double feeding of his favorite oats, Dunder bent his head so Oliver could give him a good scratch.
Quik wondered, several times, if the elves and reindeer were that welcoming to everyone but him, or if they pulled out all the stops for a child. Layla was highly favored around the palace. Everywhere she went, elves’ faces lit up like the Griswolds’ light display. He tried—very hard—not to take it personally.
“Are you hungry?” Lux asked Oliver.
Oliver yawned and shook his head in response.
“Would you like a story?”
He nodded.
“Doesn’t say much, does he?” Quik commented.
“He’s had a big day.”
“So have I.” Quik rubbed his stomach.
“Why don’t you make sandwiches. I’ll get him down for a nap.” She disappeared into the mysterious new door.
Quik made quick work of their lunch. Turkey on whole grain wheat for Lux, with lettuce, mayo, spicy mustard, and tomato. Roast beef for him, with lettuce, mayo, and salt and pepper. He found the celery sticks and put peanut butter on them for her and grabbed an apple for himself. He wiped crumbs off the counter.
Not sure what else to do, he crossed the room and pushed open the door. Even Christmas Magic had outdone itself welcoming Oliver to the North Pole. The bedroom walls were carved to resemble ship’s timbers, the furniture rustic. A large mast supported a crow’s nest in the corner, giving Oliver his own playhouse inside his room. A slide went from the nest to the soft carpet below.
Lux was in a padded rocker, Oliver asleep on her lap. He looked so at peace that it tugged at Quik’s heart. He slipped into the room, the plush blue carpet muffling his movements. Lux smiled contentedly.
Quik squatted in front of them, brushing his finger over Oliver’s arm. “He doesn’t like me.”
“He doesn’t know you.”
“He doesn’t know you either, but h
e likes you.”
“I’m a Kringle.” She grinned, and he could see the confidence she had in her heritage. He wished she believed in herself as Lux—not just as Santa’s daughter. What she’d done with Oliver today was truly magical.
“I’m a Kringle now too.”
She shook her head. “The magic isn’t inside of you—not like it is in the rest of us. Haven’t you noticed?” She spoke softly, her words like a melody.
He had. And it bothered him. Joseph could work for hours on end without a break. Quik was still forced to sleep eight hours out of every twenty-four. “It’s in Joseph.”
“That’s different.”
“Why?”
She brushed Oliver’s hair off his forehead and he sighed. “Ginger and Joseph’s marriage is different than ours.”
“Of course.” Quik rose to standing. His marriage was different, and the reason was as clear as the three distinct doors in their apartment. There should only be two. But there were three.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want that kind of relationship with Lux—it was that he couldn’t have it. He was here to save Christmas, not ruin it. “Lunch is ready.” He left as Lux stood to transfer Oliver to the boat-shaped bed.
As far as he could see, the danger of ruining Christmas came in three different forms. The first was if he acted on the deep and abiding feelings he had for Lux, they would blow the roof off the palace. That would be unacceptable, especially now that Oliver was here. His son needed stability. Peace. Comfort.
The second danger was if Lux didn’t feel the same for him as he felt for her. True love was required to keep Christmas going; if they weren’t in love, building the substation was pointless, because there wouldn’t be any magic to regulate.
The third danger was not finishing the substation in time. If he was ever going to profess his love for Lux, he had to have the proper safety measures in place. And all of this needed to happen in one hundred and seven days or less.
Quik scrubbed his face. If he didn’t get to kiss Lux soon, he would explode in one big boom. He was looking forward to Christmas like never before. And that counted the year he’d asked for a Nintendo. Instead of sitting down to eat, he wrapped his sandwich in a napkin so he could eat on the way to the jobsite. They’d spent almost six hours on their errand. He wouldn’t take them back—he wanted Oliver here. But they were six hours closer to their deadline.
He suddenly understood the draw behind advent calendars.
He’d count down. He’d work and he’d count and he’d do everything he could for his family. He paused, mid-step. He had a family. On shaky legs, he continued on; his determination to save Christmas grew three sizes.
Chapter Thirty-Five
81 Days until Christmas Eve
“Okay, let’s move that over this way.” Lux put her hand over Oliver’s on the lever and they slowly moved the crane to the left. The supporting insulator swayed in the air, coming dangerously close to knocking Matthew off the ladder. “Oh. Oh. Oh.” She squeaked in a breath, which she held. She pulled Oliver’s hand away from the lever, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand to let him know she wasn’t upset. The back swing wasn’t as big and the insulator’s movements became manageable once again. “Sorry!” she called through the open window.
Quik waved. The noise from the crane made it difficult to communicate. She would have used the radio to talk to him, but her hands were full trying to keep a five-year-old from touching every button and lever in the cab. Seriously, how had her mother done this five times? Especially with Stella in the mix. Lux had to admit that she wasn’t much better—always taking things apart to find out how they worked, including the microwave. It was a wonder she hadn’t died of radiation poisoning at some point.
Props to Mom.
A little over a month had passed since the visit to the hospital, and Oliver still had a hard time letting Lux out of his sight. Or maybe it was just that Lux got to do cool things like drive a crane that drew the kid to her. She pressed a kiss to his hair. “Let’s try this a little slower.”
He nodded, his straight hair bouncing off his forehead. Matthew wanted to buzz it off, but Lux thought Oliver should retain parts of who he was before he came here. Too much change could overwhelm him. As it was, he woke with bad dreams about the accident and the hospital. It was a good thing she could go without sleep, because otherwise she’d be a zombie.
Together, they moved the insulator into place, and Matthew attached the bolts.
“Auntie Lux!”
Lux turned to find Layla and her dog, Timber, by the back of the crane, where Dunder stood inside a hamster wheel. He wasn’t happy about his new assignment, but Oliver adored him and spoiled him with carrots.
Mom waved from the doorway. “Look, there’s Layla.” She pointed as she spoke in Oliver’s ear. Matthew would be busy for another fifteen minutes or so; instead of trying to entertain Oliver in the small space, she decided to let them both out to stretch their legs. “Let’s go see what she’s doing.”
“’Kay.” Oliver beamed. He adored his older cousin and only playmate. Lux couldn’t say that she hadn’t worried about Oliver’s social development without playdates and school. She promised herself that she’d be a better stepmom and find him friends, right after Christmas.
They scrambled out of the cab and down the tracks to the marbled ice floor. Lux pointed to the hallway, where it was much quieter. She took Oliver’s hand, and Layla reached for her other hand. Lux’s heart warmed. She’d always loved her family, but there was a different kind of love that came from and for little ones. The trust they exhibited in the smallest actions was magnificent.
Lux shut the door behind her. The quiet made her ears ring.
Mom smiled. “How’s it coming?”
“Good. We’re hoping to be done before Thanksgiving.”
“That’s wonderful! We’ll have a feast to celebrate.”
Layla giggled. “Don’t you always have a feast for Thanksgiving?”
Mom tapped Layla’s nose. “Smartie.” She handed Layla a card. “You give it to them.”
Layla grinned. “We made this for you.” She handed the card to Oliver.
He looked up at Lux to read it. She tilted the envelope so she could make out Layla’s handwriting. For a seven-year-old, it wasn’t bad. “Nice penmanship, Layla. Your cursive is really coming along.”
“Thanks,” Layla chirped.
“What’s it say?” asked Oliver.
“It says: An Invitation for the Quik Family.”
His eyes went wide. “That’s us.”
If he got any cuter, he may just burst her heart wide open. “Open it.” Lux nudged his shoulder.
Layla clapped her hands before clasping them in front of her. Mom glowed with excitement. Oliver ripped off a corner of the envelope, then tore through the back of it to get to the card inside. Lux eyed the hallway to make sure her youngest sister wasn’t around. Frost would have flipped her lid over his sloppy envelope opening.
The card was black and orange and white and green with a ghost in the top left corner. “You’re doing Halloween again?” Lux asked.
Mom played with her long necklace, a silver chain with a small bell at the end. “This is Layla and Oliver’s first Halloween at the North Pole. I got to thinking about how much fun you girls used to have dressing up and trick-or-treating with the elves, and I thought, why not?”
“I think it’s a great idea.” Lux hugged her.
Oliver tugged on her shirt. “What’s it say?”
Lux laughed at herself. In her excitement, she’d forgotten to read the invitation to him. She knelt down so she was on his level. “It says that we’re invited to a Halloween party.”
“You can wear a costume too.” Layla spun in a circle. “I’m going to be a princess.”
“Which one?” asked Mom.
“Princess Me,” Layla replied. “Auntie Ginger is going to help with my costume. She’s going to be a queen, and Uncle Joseph is still thinki
ng about it.”
Lux exchanged an amused look with her mom. Joseph was quiet, reserved even. Getting him out of his woodshop was an effort. She could only imagine what it would take to get him into a costume that didn’t involve a flannel shirt of some sort.
“We have more invitations to deliver. Do you want to help?” Mom held her hand out to Oliver.
He looked at Lux. “Can we tell Dad about the party first?”
“He should almost be done.” She stood up. “Can you two wait for a minute?”
“Sure.” Mom smiled. “But I’m waiting out here where it’s not so noisy.”
Layla nodded in solemn agreement.
“Okay. We’ll hurry.” Lux opened the door and held it while Oliver went under her arm to enter the room without a name. She’d batted around several ideas, but still hadn’t found one that sounded right. She hurried over to the crane and pulled the lever that locked Dunder’s wheel in place. Without his powerful hooves pounding against the wood, the room was much quieter. They moved to the bottom of Matthew’s ladder. “How’s it coming?”
“I’m on the last bolt.”
“Dad! We got an invitation!” Oliver held the paper over his head and waved it.
“That’s great,” Matthew replied, barely loud enough for them to hear.
“Come see.”
“In a second.”
Lux gave Oliver’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. After much longer than a second, Matthew made his way down the aluminum ladder. He was almost as loud as Dunder in the wheel. “I’ve got it bolted into place. You can bring in the next part.”
Oliver tugged on Matthew’s shirt. “Dad.”
“Just a minute, Oliver.”
Lux used her eyes to tell him to look at Oliver.
“Are you okay? You’re twitching.”
She resisted the urge to throw her hands in the air and scream. “Oliver has something to show you.” She smiled sweetly.
Oliver held up the invitation with both hands. “We’re having a party.”
Marrying Miss Kringle: Lux Page 16