Forever Santa

by Leeanna Morgan

  A chorus of, “No,” filled the room.

  “Turn the lights off,” someone whispered.

  Gracie frowned. “Is that you, Karen?”

  “It is. We won’t be long.”

  Finally, she heard Trent say, “Open your eyes, Gracie.”

  She opened her eyes and blinked a few times. Sitting in the corner of their room was a Christmas tree complete with sparkly lights and decorations. And they weren’t just any decorations. They’d chosen the stars her mom had bought each Christmas in New Zealand.

  “Merry Christmas,” Trent said. Jordan, Karen, and Tess smiled at her.

  “It’s beautiful. You chose mom’s stars.”

  Jordan turned the lights on above Gracie’s bed. “You’ll be in the hospital for at least another week, so we thought we’d bring Christmas to you.”

  “Am I allowed a tree in the room?”

  Karen patted her hand. “The nurses said it was okay as long as it wasn’t a real pine tree. Macy’s had a sale, so Trent and I went Christmas tree hunting. We want Christmas to be special for you.”

  “I’m baking Christmas cookies when I get back to the cafe,” Tess said. “I’ll bring them with me tomorrow.”

  “And mom spoke with the nurses,” Jordan added. “They said we could eat our Christmas lunch in the hospital with you. We just need to be reasonably quiet and bring them dessert.”

  “Sounds like the kind of deal you’d make, Jordan.”

  He smiled. “I thought the same thing myself.”

  Trent sat in the chair beside Gracie’s bed and held her hand.

  “How are you feeling?” Tess asked.

  “A bit sore, but the catheters should be coming out tomorrow.”

  “You’ll feel better when everything’s gone and you can breathe easier,” Karen said. “I’m going to get a coffee from the cafeteria. Does anyone want to join me?” she looked pointedly at Jordan.

  “Do I have too?”

  “You might meet a nice single nurse or doctor upstairs,” Tess added. “Just imagine the opportunities that might be waiting for you.”

  “I’m not looking for opportunities,” Jordan grumbled. “Unless they can help with my website, I haven’t got time for anyone.”

  “Come and spend time with your mom, Jordan. You can save me from a tall, dark, distinguished doctor who might be looking for opportunities.”

  “Jeez, mom. Keep it clean.” Jordan moved to the foot of the bed. “But if I have to go, so does Tess. She could do with meeting someone.”

  Tess glared at the smile on Jordan’s face. “Anyone would think the hospital cafeteria is a singles bar. And just for the record, I’m not looking for any opportunities either.”

  “Have all of you been drinking eggnog when I wasn’t looking?” Trent asked.

  “Nope. We’re high on Christmas spirit.” Jordan linked his arms between his mom and Tess. “Ladies, your escort awaits.”

  Tess rolled her eyes and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. “If you so much as glance at a doctor or nurse I’m going to kick you in the shins.”

  “I’ll make sure I’m not sitting opposite you then.” Jordan looked into the corridor and smiled. “You’ll have another visitor in a couple of minutes, Gracie.”

  Karen, Jordan, and Tess left the room. Gracie listened to them joking with each other as they walked down the hallway.

  “How’s the head?” Gracie asked.

  “Still there.” Trent smiled. “We’ll have matching scars.”

  “Must be a sign of true love.”

  Someone tapped on the door and Gracie looked across the room. “Dad.” She held her arms out and gave him a big hug.

  “Trent told me about the accident. I got here as soon as I could. How are you?”

  “I’m doing okay. The doctor said my lung’s inflating really well. The catheter can come out tomorrow. Did Trent tell you…”

  “No, Gracie. I haven’t told him.”

  Her dad looked worried and tired. Gracie held his hand and hoped what she had to say would make him a little happier. “We’re having a baby, dad. A little girl. We were leaving the hospital after our scan when the accident happened.”

  Tears filled her dad’s eyes. “Oh, Gracie. I’m so happy for you. Is the baby all right?”

  “She’s fine, dad.”

  “And what about your ribs and your lung. Will you be okay as the baby gets bigger?”

  Gracie had asked her doctor the same thing this morning. “I’ll be looked after by a specialist while I’m pregnant. I’ll see them more often than I normally would, especially in the last three months. Being pregnant isn’t the best time to fracture your ribs, but we’ll be okay.”

  “Kristina’s going to be so happy. She’ll keep herself busy by knitting bonnets and bootees while she sits with Alex.”

  “How is he, dad?”

  “Better than a few days ago. He’s never liked hospitals, but he doesn’t have much choice this time.”

  Gracie knew the feeling. This was the first time she’d stayed overnight in a hospital and she missed her own bed all ready. “Do they think he’ll be able to ride again?”

  “If he wants to ride, he’ll be able to. His doctor thinks it will take about four months for his leg to fully heal. They’ve told him the risks of going back, but he’s not listening.”

  “Sounds like some other stubborn bull rider I know.” Gracie smiled at her dad. He’d toured the world, riding in rodeos. Between rodeos he’d given classes on how to ride.

  Even now, more than thirty years after he’d given up professional bull riding, he still had sell-out classes at his ranch. But her dad’s most successful business was breeding bulls. Each year his company sired some of the highest ranked bulls in the world, and this year was no different.

  Alex took after their dad. He was an adrenalin junkie. Gracie didn’t know what her brother would do if he wasn’t able to ride bulls.

  “Don’t worry about Alex,” her dad said. “You’ve got more important things to focus on. And for now, it looks as though sleep should be at the top of your list.”

  “You can stay longer,” Gracie said.

  Her dad kissed her cheek. “You look tired. Karen’s invited me to stay with her to save me driving all the way out to our ranch. I’ll come and have Christmas lunch with you tomorrow.”

  Gracie’s dad gave Trent a hug. “Take care of her son.”

  “I will. Mom’s upstairs in the cafeteria with Jordan and Tess if you want to join them for coffee?”

  Her dad smiled. “Don’t mind if I do. See you later, Gracie.”

  “Bye, dad.”

  Gracie closed her eyes and sighed. “It’s been a big day.”

  “A good day. You’re getting better.” Trent held her hand and wound his fingers through hers. “I’ll miss my room mate tonight.”

  Gracie tried to laugh, but her ribs hurt too much. “You snore.”

  “Snoring is a primitive form of communication, cave man style. Every time you hear me snore I’m telling you I love you.”

  “You could do it with flowers.”

  “But they don’t make any noise.”

  “Precisely.” Gracie grinned at her husband. “Thank you for bringing in the Christmas tree. It beats a bouquet of flowers any day.”

  “Did you see the invisible, I love you, words in it’s branches?”

  “I did. I saw mom’s decorations, too.” Gracie’s eyes filled with tears. “We could have lost our baby girl yesterday.”

  Trent wrapped her in his arms and held her close. “But we didn’t. Hold that thought close to your heart. Our little girl’s alive, you’re getting better. We’ve got family and friends who love us. You can’t get much better than that.”

  Gracie soaked in his warmth and tried to slow down her breathing. “Could you pass me some tissues?”

  Trent reached for a box on her bedside cabinet. “That I can do. As many as you want.”

  Gracie blew her nose and thought about
what Trent had said. They had a lot to be thankful for. But the thing she was most grateful for was her husband.

  “Ho, ho, ho.” Jordan stood in the doorway of Gracie’s hospital room, grinning beneath the white beard on his face.

  Gracie laughed at the big tummy filling his jacket. “You’ve put on at least fifty pounds since I last saw you, Santa.”

  “I’ve been overindulging in Christmas cookies.”

  Trent pushed his brother into the room. “Keep moving. I want to kiss my wife.”

  “You’ll have to stand in line behind me.” Jordan leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Merry Christmas, Gracie.”

  “Merry Christmas, Jordan,” she said softly.

  Trent tapped his brother on the shoulder. “Are you done yet?”

  “I know you had to spend the night apart,” Jordan said. “But this is ridiculous. Tell him he’s gone loopy, mom.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with your brother.” Karen smiled at Gracie as she walked into the room holding a picnic basket. “If you’re getting all hot and bothered in your Santa suit, you can go and get the rest of our lunch out of the truck.”

  Jordan smiled at Gracie. “Be careful when you kiss my brother. His lips will get you into trouble.”

  “They already have.” Trent grinned. “Aren’t you supposed to be getting something out of the truck?”

  “I’m going now,” Jordan grumbled as he left the room.

  Trent kissed Gracie quickly on the mouth. “I’ve got something for you.” He disappeared into the corridor and came back carrying something big under a blanket.

  “It’s huge.” Gracie frowned at whatever was under the blanket. “Did you borrow Santa’s sleigh?”

  “Close, but not quite. It’s your Christmas present.” He put it on the floor beside her. “Do you want me to take the cover off?”

  Trent looked so excited that Gracie began to wonder what was actually under the blanket. She pushed the remote on her bed and sat more upright. “Okay. I’m ready for your surprise.”

  Trent held onto the front of the blanket and pulled it off the present.

  “Oh, wow,” Gracie whispered. “It’s beautiful.” The rocking chair gleamed under the lights in her room. “Did you make it?”

  Trent tipped the chair so that it rocked gently. “Nathan let me use his workshop so it would be a surprise. I hope you like it.”

  “Like it? I love it. Now come here so I can give you a kiss.”

  Jordan walked into the room. “You’re still kissing?”

  “Trying to,” Trent muttered.

  “Well you can’t kiss Gracie now. Santa’s brought you a Christmas gift.” Jordan checked the tag and read it out loud. “To Trent. I love you, even though you snore. Gracie.”

  “I didn’t say that.” Gracie laughed, then groaned.

  Jordan frowned. “You’re just too polite. Here you go.” He passed Trent the box in his arms and stood back.

  Trent wasted no time ripping the paper and ribbon off the box. “A reciprocating saw?”

  Gracie smiled as he checked out what it could do. “Someone told me that every man should have one.”

  Jacob walked into the room carrying a box that smelled like roast turkey and gravy. “Merry Christmas, little sister.”

  “Merry Christmas, Jacob. I think Santa’s got something for you.” Gracie looked over at Jordan.

  “Ho, ho, ho,” Jordan said as he dug deep in the red sack in front of him.

  Jacob found a space for the box of food he was carrying and frowned. “Weren’t we going to open our presents when you get home?”

  “We were,” Gracie said. “But I thought I might get a Christmas present dispensation because of my injuries.”

  “You’re pulling the sick card now?” Jordan asked. “Here I was feeling sorry for you and all the time you were twisting me around your little finger.”

  Gracie smiled her sweetest smile at Jordan. “Will you forgive me?”

  “Hard not to,” he mumbled. “I know Jacob’s present is in here somewhere.” He tried bending over his stomach, but couldn’t move with the extra stuffing around his waist. “If anyone believes in Santa, look away now. This isn’t going to be pretty.”

  He reached into his red jacket and pulled out two fluffy pillows. “There goes the extra fifty pounds.” He winked at Gracie and kept hunting. “Here it is, Jacob. Merry Christmas.”

  Jacob opened the little box and smiled at Gracie.

  She watched him lift one of the little gold clips out of the box. “They’re cuff links shaped like kiwis for when you wear your fancy shirts to work.”

  “They’ll remind me of you.” He leaned across the rail on Gracie’s bed and gave her a kiss. “Thank you.”

  “And next out of Santa’s happy sack of goodies is a present for mom.” Jordan handed Karen her gift.

  “You shouldn’t have, Gracie.” She carefully opened the box. “It’s a fancy cell phone.”

  “You can take lots of pictures of your new granddaughter and email them to your friends,” Gracie said. “Trent and Jordan will show you how to use it.”

  “It’s lovely, thank you.”

  Jordan reached into his sack and handed Gracie’s dad his present.

  He tore the wrapping off and smiled. “Figure this might come in handy to take my granddaughter around the ranch.” He held the baby front pack up for everyone to see. “Does this mean you’ve got babysitting duties in mind for us?”

  “If you’d like to, dad.”

  “It would be my pleasure, Gracie.” He kissed Gracie’s cheek and she brushed a tear away from his eyes.

  “Well I guess it must be my turn?” Jordan dipped his hand in the sack and came out with an envelope.

  “I hope you like it, Jordan,” Gracie said.

  He pulled out the voucher and grinned. “You know the way to my heart.”

  “What is it?” Karen asked.

  Jordan looked at Gracie. “I’ll read the voucher to everyone. To the second most sweetest guy I know, for the sweetest place I know. Bon appetit. The voucher is for Angel Wings Cafe.”

  “Get ready to put that fifty pounds back on,” Trent said.

  “You work me too hard for that,” Jordan said. “Thanks, Gracie.”

  “And on that calorie filled note,” Karen said. “I think we should have lunch.”

  While Trent handed out their roast turkey meals, Jacob unscrewed the cap on a bottle of apple cider. Jordan found extra chairs in the empty rooms around them and they sat down to enjoy each other’s company.

  It wasn’t the Christmas day any of them had expected, but it was filled with love, hope and laughter.

  After the cider was finished and lunch had been eaten, Gracie watched her family. She didn’t know what the next few months would have in store for them, but right now, it didn’t matter. They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

  THE END

  Thank You

  Thank you for reading Forever Santa. I hope you enjoyed it! If you did…

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  Keep reading for a preview of Forever Cowboy, Alex and Emily’s story.

  * * *

  Jordan and Sarah’s story continues in Forever and a Day.

  Chapter 1

  “Drop everything. I’ve found the perfect building.”

  Emily looked up from her work table at her stepsister, her scissors hovering in mid air. “That’s what you said about the last one.”

  “It had potential.” The gleam in Nicky’s eyes brought a smile to Emily’s face. “If you discounted the noisy neighbors.”

  “Hard to ignore them when they taught kids how to play the drums and the electric guitar.” Emily went back to cutting the fabric in front of her,
allowing a little extra grow room for the pregnant body that would wear the dress. “So tell me why this building is any different to the last ones we’ve seen?”

  “The owners of the building aren’t looking for tenants, so you won’t have to worry about an over-inflated lease. They want to sell it. It’s two stores down from Angel Wings Café. Now grab your coat.”

  Emily stopped cutting. Since Tess had opened the cafe, it had become one of the busiest eateries in downtown Bozeman. The food was so good that it had come second two years in a row in Montana’s Supreme Café Award.

  The location of the building was great. The foot traffic would be huge. But what Emily liked most was that it was in the historic district. The area had character, a place in the founding stories of Bozeman. All of the things she wanted her fashion boutique to be part of.

  She’d walked past the businesses either side of the café each week, admiring the handcrafts on one side and the florist on the other. She tried to remember what stores were beside them. “It can’t be the bookstore. I was in there last week and Kelly didn’t say anything about selling. Tell me it’s not the old library?”

  “I’m not telling you anything until you see it for yourself.”

  “You can’t be serious?” Emily stared at her sister. She’d officially gone nuts. The old library was a disaster. From the photos that had made the front page of the Bozeman Chronicle, there wasn’t much left inside that wasn’t burned to a crisp. “I thought the insurance company was still investigating the fire?”

  “All finished. As of this morning it’s officially for sale.”

  And probably in need of a major overhaul. Even though her step-family owned one of the largest construction companies in Montana, Emily wasn’t about to pull strings and get the building remodeled by someone else. She couldn’t afford to.

  “How much do they want for it?” That was the crunch question that had kept her working from her two bedroom home for the last year.

  “Ask me again after you’ve seen it.”

  Emily started getting a little worried. Nicky was a hot-shot business consultant. She always had the facts and figures of each property engraved on her brain before they went to look at them. “I’m not going if it’s too expensive.”