by Dani Wyatt
“Am I still on the naughty list, Santa?” She licks her lips and I lean down and kiss her softly, pulling out to see white cream dripping from her opening.
“You’re on all my lists, Candy Cane. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I pull her panties back up, stand her on the floor until she’s steady, and then put my cock away.
“You okay?”
She nods. “I’m fine.”
“I know you’re fine.” I kiss her forehead. “I asked if you were okay. Let’s go get some lunch.” I pull her dress back into place, then run my hand down her hair.
“You going to go as Santa?”
I nod. “Can’t break character now.”
I get dressed and we go out the back door of the shop, walking down a short alley onto the small downtown strip.
“There’s Palmetto’s. They have good food.” I reach down and hold her hand, but she jerks away. “What?”
“Someone might see us.”
I narrow my eyes. “I don’t give a shit. Who are we hiding from? It’s not like I’m married or you’re under eighteen.”
“I know, it’s just...this is a small town and people know you, and my dad. I don’t want to ruin Christmas.”
“Come on. We’re more important than Christmas.”
With some hesitation, she lets me take her hand, and we make our way down half a block to the restaurant, taking a table by the window. I’m wearing the get up, minus the beard and mustache because eating with that on would be impossible.
A waitress comes and takes our order, smiling at me the whole time, and I reach across the table and squeeze both of Holly’s hands between mine, bringing them to my mouth and kissing each finger, watching her smile with each touch of my lips.
Her lips pull into a straight line. “Just promise me something...”
“If I can. What is it?”
“Just tonight, let’s not dump this on Dad. Let’s just play along until after Christmas. Take me to Mom’s. She said I can borrow her car. She needs some money...” She must catch the dubious look in my eyes, because she trails off. “I just know Dad’s going to lose his mind. And I feel like the whole business could be hurt, all because my own selfish...”
I stare at her and she lets out a frustrated huff.
“Please. I want a nice Christmas. Such as it is.”
I relent. “Okay. Just until after Christmas. Then, I’m taking care of it. I’m not living without you and I’m not living like we’re some dirty little secret.”
Holly smiles and I look out the window onto the street. Standing next to a car, grinning wide with a Starbucks in her hand, is Amanda. And she’s looking right at us.
I give her a dead stare and she smiles wider, then laughs and gets into her car as I look back, keeping Holly’s attention on me as she pulls my hand to her mouth and gives it a kiss. I don’t think she saw Amanda watching us, but she sees the question in my face.
“What?”
I draw a breath. “Why would your mom think you and Amanda were friends if she was so mean to you at school?”
“It’s kind of weird.” She says, her face twisting in a frown. “My mom never really paid much attention to anything I said to her when I was at school. I’d tell her I was being bullied, and she’d say that I should learn to fight my own battles. Looking back now, I’m sure if I’d told my dad he would have dealt with it somehow, but at the time I couldn’t see how him getting involved would make any difference. He could hardly appeal to Amanda’s father, since he didn’t want anything to do with her. And her mother wasn’t much better.”
“Martin would have fixed it. He cares about you.”
She nods. “I know. But at the time... Anyway, when I went away to Philly, it turns out Amanda and my mom started hanging out. Apparently they met at a bar where Amanda was working, and my mom of course didn’t remember that I’d ever said anything about being bullied. Second day I was back, Amanda comes around to drop in on my mom and we’re face to face. You know the first thing she said to me?”
I shake my head, dreading what I’m about to hear.
“Hey, Roly-poly Holy, you’re back.” She pulls her lips to the side and shrugs. “Like I say, I’m used to it from her, but how can my mom just let that slide? Anyway, life is too short to make a fuss.”
I let out a breath, imagining what I’d have done if I’d been there to hear that. “Sometimes, baby, you have to make a fuss. Rolling over and taking what everyone dishes out is bullshit. You know a lot of people think I’m an asshole, but I just don’t take shit from anyone and my fuse is short as fuck. You gotta take care of you.”
She nods. “I guess, Daddy.” Her eyes go wide and she glances around the restaurant. “Sorry, it just—”
“Don’t be sorry,” I growl. “Besides, you have me now to take care of you.”
“But it’s just...I don’t know. It feels right, but isn’t it a sex thing? The whole Daddy thing...”
I shake my head. “It’s our thing. Does it feel like a sex thing to you? Because it doesn’t to me.”
“No. I guess not.”
“There’s no guess. It’s you and me, babygirl. I am your Daddy, and I always will be. I’ll look after you and protect you, and make sure you have everything you need. And you’ll do as I say, or else...” I narrow my eyes and watch her shiver.
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Good girl. Now, eat up, we have to get back to the North Pole.”
Ten
Holly
“WHAT DID HE SAY?” I narrow my eyes at Cole, hoping that if he tells me again I’ll be able to work out exactly what’s going on.
I scratch my forehead, a little twinge of a headache starting. My mom messaged me to ask if I would be home soon with some money. She knows I made five-hundred dollars today, and all of a sudden the electric is about to be cut off and I need to get cash to her right away. But that’s not what’s bothering me. She can have the money. It’s something about the call Cole just received from my dad.
I don’t know, I’m just feeling twitchy all of a sudden.
“Don’t worry. We’ve been best friends and business partners for a long time. It’s not the first time he’s been irritated with me. I just told him I wasn’t working Christmas Eve. He should have listened to me at the party. He’ll get over it. I’ll bring him a bottle of Crown tonight.”
“Okay.” I blow out a breath, still not convinced. “So, you’ll drop me at Mom’s? I’ll grab the presents I have for Dad. She said I can use her car tonight so our stories will line up—”
“Holly.” He pinches my chin, forcing my eyes to his. “Stop. Worrying. I’ve got you. I’ve got this.”
“I know, but—”
“No buts. Just let me handle it.”
I already answered a message my dad sent hours ago, telling him I would be leaving soon and be at his house on time. He hasn’t replied, which is unlike him, so I’m just praying everything will go smoothly tonight.
We are back at Cole’s. He took a quick shower and changed while I talked with my mom about borrowing her car, trying to not lie but hoping to cover my bases with everyone.
Cole’s phone rings as we get ready to head out the front door and into his pickup.
“Yeah.” He answers. “Told you I’d be there—”
He licks his lips, looks at me, then away as he steps into the kitchen, lowering his voice as I listen.
“Hey, no.” There’s a long pause. “I’ll be there. Don’t—” I turn to see him hold the phone away from his ear and shake his head.
“Everything okay?”
He nods. “Yep. Just a little work issue. Let’s go. Get you to your mom’s.”
Something in his voice tells me it’s not just a little work issue, and I hate that I think he’s lying to me. But there will be time to tackle that later. Right now I need to get to my mom’s and figure out what’s going on with her.
“WHAT THE FUCK?” COLE mutters as he pulls the car a
round into my mom’s street. And I see it at the same time as he does.
“That’s my dad’s car, I thought you were going to meet him at work?”
My heart is in my throat, because if he and my mom are comparing notes, the game’s up. Things are going to go from bad to worse on Christmas Eve, and that fairytale romantic Christmas I’ve been dreaming of? Well, I can kiss that goodbye right now, no need to wait for the mistletoe.
“Let’s just find out what’s going on. I’m here for you, baby.”
I shake my head. “No, just go to work like you were going to. Hopefully he just dropped by and there’s nothing—”
“That’s not going to happen, Holly. Your dad said he’d see me at work, but he’s here, which means he knew you were with me and I’d be bringing you here.”
“Mom could have called him I guess.”
“Either way, he’s probably figured out by now you weren’t with her last night.”
I pout, but I know he’s right. As much as I don’t want this to be happening, it is, and I’m just going to have to face it. At least I’ll have Cole by my side. I just want everyone to be happy, and I can see this turning into the complete opposite very fast.
Cole pulls the pickup into my mom’s drive, and hops out, coming around to my side to open my door and help me climb down. He takes me under my arms and then sweeps us around, depositing me on the ground.
“So, it’s true.” My dad’s voice is a growl from behind me and I turn to find him standing there in my mom’s doorway. “What the fuck, Cole?” He starts towards us and Cole puts out a hand, palm out.
“Hold up, let’s not do this out here.”
“I’ll do this wherever the fuck I like. I fucking paid for this house. And that’s my fucking daughter, you prick.” He shoves Cole’s chest with his flat hands and Cole steps back.
“Dad, please.” I can feel my shoulders raising, trying to hide my head down between them. “Please don’t do—”
“You can get inside, young lady. Cole and I have some shit to discuss.”
“If by discuss you mean—”
“Get inside, I won’t tell you again!” Anger burns in my Dad’s eyes like I’ve never seen especially directed toward me and tears burn my eyes.
“Hey,” Cole steps forward, putting himself between me and my dad. “Don’t fucking talk to her like that. You call me whatever you like, but don’t yell at her.”
“Cole, please don’t,” I say, my voice shaking fighting back the tears. “I’m going inside. Dad, promise you won’t hurt him.”
“I’m coming in with you.” Cole is by my side as I walk, and he takes me by the elbow, and somehow that small gesture makes me feel safer, even with my dad following on our heels, shouting at Cole to stay there and face him like a man.
But nothing can prepare me for what I find inside. And I’m not talking about the empty beer cans and liquor bottles, or the overflowing garbage and ash trays.
“Holly! So nice to see you!” Amanda beams from her seat in the front room, my mom sitting next to her with her brows drawn together in a frown. “Someone’s on Santa’s naughty list, I think.”
“What’s going on?” I say, glaring, but my mom shakes her head.
Cole addresses Amanda. “You did this, didn’t you?” He shakes his head, looking like he’s about to reach over and snap her neck.
Amanda smirks at me. “Saw your little lunch with Santa yesterday. Got to talking with your mom, guess no one knew about you two. Sorry.” She mocks us both with a fake pout.
“You know this is going to screw everything up.” My mother glares at me. He’s your Dad’s business partner, for God’s sake, you want to ruin everything we have going here? Do you have the money?”
I want to tell her she’s the one ruining things, but instead I nod. “I got it for you. What do you need it for?” I hold the money out to and she stands to snatch it from my hand as Cole and my dad start arguing again behind me. It’s getting difficult to concentrate.
“Bills, Holly, there are bills to keep this house going.”
I clasp my hand to my forehead, trying to steady my nerves as my dad screams at Cole. “You stay away from my fucking daughter man. I thought we were friends...”
“Why do you need cash, mom?” I ask, unable to settle myself as a fury begins swirling inside of me. “And why am I only just hearing about this bill?”
She hesitates before answering. “Well, I already paid the bill, didn’t I? So, this money is to pay me back. You have to contribute while you’re living here, Holly. Especially if you’re going to be off sleeping with all your dad’s friends, the least you can do is get some money for—”
“I already pre-paid you rent and some extra. That’s all I had.”
Amanda snickers. “Grown woman, still living with her mom and whining about paying rent. Too bad no man will even look at you, or you could get yourself a nice little sugar daddy.”
Cole’s voice is deep behind me. “Martin, you need to calm the fuck down. I’m not going to fight you but I will not let you disrespect Holly.”
It’s all too much. I can’t work out how to handle this. The nice Holly, the one that just takes whatever everyone throws at her, is struggling to see a way forward. My head is hurting. My nerves are shattered. I just want to hide behind Cole and let him take care of all of it, but I can’t.
He said I had to be a bitch sometimes. Maybe that’s the way forward? Maybe if I was more of a bitch, none of this would have happened.
Amanda’s words echo in my head: no man will even look at you. Sugar daddy. Daddy...
My mother keeps going on about being responsible while Amanda is twisting the knife, backing her up and sitting there looking like she’s in the middle of a circus.
My dad and Cole’s voices rise and I snap.
“EVERYONE SHUT THE HELL UP!” I scream, my hands on the sides of my head like a crazy person and like a little bit of Christmas magic, they all fall silent.
Eleven
Cole
HOLLY FIRST POINTS at Amanda. “Amanda, get out of this house. You don’t live here, you’re not my friend and you never ever will be.” Holly steps toward Amanda and to my surprise she actually stands from her seat and takes a step back.
Then she smirks. “Psycho bitch. It’s not your house, it’s your mom’s.”
But she’s clearly not expecting the slap. It comes so fast, I don’t think anyone sees Holly’s arm move. She clips her good, and Amanda’s eyes go wide. “I said, get out. I don’t know what sort of burr you’ve had under your saddle for me all these years but I’m D.O.N.E. being your punching bag. GET. OUT.” Holly japs her finger at the door and Amanda gives her a dirty look but doesn’t speak.
The silence is so crisp, I’m surprised it doesn’t crunch like snow under Amanda’s stiletto heels as she makes her way through the door, swearing as she goes out into the street.
But Holly isn’t done and it takes a lot of willpower not to slow clap in encouragement.
“Mom, I love you, but you need to respect me. And you need to have more respect for yourself. I’ve already given you money for rent and bills since I moved home, so unless you can give me an actual reason why you need the money I earned, I’m going to need it back.” She stands up straighter, raising her chin as she holds out her hand, palm up, waiting.
“Okay, you’re obviously upset, maybe we just need to—”
“The money, Mom. Now.”
Her mother nods, her face falling as she hands over the wad of cash.
“Good. Clean yourself up. Clean this place up, too, it’s disgusting.”
“Hey, now hold on a minute,” Martin starts, but falls instantly silent when Holly’s gaze turns on him.
I step forward, going to her side, and wrap an arm around her shoulders. She softens against me, but doesn’t take her eyes from her father.
“Dad, you need to be quiet for a second and just listen to me. I’m not a little girl anymore. I appreciate everything you�
�ve done for me. I love you. But, you can’t protect me from the entire world, and you don’t need to protect me from Cole. This is what I want, and you’re going to have to accept that.”
Martin growls, fixing his gaze on me. “And if I can’t?”
Holly draws a deep breath, and for a moment I think she’s going to back down, then she sighs. “That’s your choice. I’m not responsible for your choices. I’m responsible for mine, and I choose to be with Cole. If you can’t live with that, then as much as I hate it, I’ll accept it as your choice and I’ll always hope you’ll change your mind.”
Martin opens his mouth to speak, then closes it again.
“Hey, look man,” I say, for the first time in my life feeling like I need to say something rather than just grunt. “This isn’t just a fling. It’s been a long time coming. I love Holly. I’m going to take care of her.”
He lets out a breath through his nose, then addresses his daughter, and I can’t say I blame him for being mad at me. “And how do you feel about him?”
She shrugs. “I feel the same. I’ve felt the same since I first met him, I just never thought I’d stand a chance until last night.”
Martin sets his jaw so firm I think he might crack his teeth, and I see the expressions cross his face as he processes what he’s just been told. I see anger, frustration, even a little fear, but then he nods. “You’re right, I can’t protect you from everything in the world.” His gaze settles on me again. “Be that as it may, Cole, if you hurt my little girl I’ll—”
“I never will,” I say, shaking my head.
He narrows his eyes, but there’s a small amount of respect in them. “Fair enough. I guess we all need to sit down, together, and talk this through.” He sighs. “Like adults. Sorry, Holly, I guess I’ve still been treating you like a child.”
“Thank you,” she says, and in an instant she becomes the same girl I fell for, soft and easy going. “It’s Christmas Eve and I plan on having the best Christmas ever. I hope you’ll both be able to be a part of it, because Cole will be.”