"You knew about the ice-skating field trip today, right?" the principal continued.
She frowned. "Yes. I signed the permission slip."
"Well, Rudy had a bit of a tumble on the ice," Principal Peppers stated reluctantly. "Nothing too serious, but we thought it best he gets checked out by a doctor. The school nurse rode with him to the hospital in the ambulance.”
"Hospital?" Every alarm bell went off in Chrissy's head. "He's in the hospital? He was in an ambulance?“
"He's on his way there now in the ambulance,” she replied. "I'm sure they'll be there soon."
"Oh my God, I'll be right there," Chrissy replied. "Did they say what they think happened?"
"Possibly a broken leg, but it's hard to say." Principal Peppers cleared her throat. "I really am so sorry about all of this. If it makes you feel any better, Rudy is handling it like a champ. That kid is resilient."
"Ma'am, I found the Lego kit." The sales associate walked up to her in that moment and handed her the large box. "Want me to ring you up?"
She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder and opened her wallet, pulling out the cash and handing it to him. "I have to go! Thank you!"
With that, she dashed out of the store and hung up the phone. She got about halfway back to the pretzel store before she realized that she had just given the last of her money to the toy store, and she didn't have enough left for a cab…or even the bus.
Crap! She stretched out her neck, trying to figure out another solution quickly. Looking up, she spotted Dash with a group of kids taking a photo at the front of Santa's Village.
He was her only hope.
"Dash!" she called out to him and took off at a run.
He glanced up at her as the kids scooted away once their photo was done. "It's Santa," he joked, but then his expression changed to one of concern when he surveyed her face. "Are you okay?"
She shook her head, gasping for breath as she came to an abrupt stop in front of him. "I need to borrow your car. Rudy's hurt, and he's in the hospital."
Dash took one look at her and nodded. "Okay, but I'll drive you. You're shaking. There's no way you'd make it there safely. Come on, let's go."
He grabbed her hand and they both ran toward the parking lot.
"Hey!" The irritable-looking elf yelled after them. "You can't leave!"
"Sorry, Donner! Emergency at the North Pole," Dash shouted back.
If she hadn't been about to have a nervous breakdown, she would have laughed at an elf named Donner. Right now was not the time. They piled into his car minutes later and she tossed the White House Lego kit in the backseat as he peeled out of the parking lot.
"He's going to be fine," Dash told her after she'd explained the phone call with the principal. "Hell, kids think casts are cool. Or at least they did when I was in grade school. Everyone signs it and draws on it. The teachers bring you your books and lunch. Another student has to carry everything for you. It’s a sweet gig.”
She chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to push away her nerves. "I know, I know. Kids break bones. It happens. I know that logically, but we've never had a health scare with him before. He's never been seriously hurt or sick or anything. And he's there all by himself with just the school nurse? He must be terrified."
Dash nodded, pulling the car onto the highway that would lead them to the hospital on the outskirts of town. "We'll be there in a few minutes."
"Thanks, Dash," she said after a few quiet moments of anxiously staring out the window. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there today."
In fact, she was beginning to realize that not only had he been there in her moment of need…but he's the only person she had wanted there.
She wanted him. Permanently.
Chapter Seven
Dash
Dash had dropped Chrissy off at the emergency room entrance to the hospital so that she could rush in and find Rudy as soon as possible, instead of waiting for him to park the car. Despite her head start, he wasn't planning on taking his time. He pulled into the first available spot in the parking garage and jumped out of his car, jogging toward the hospital entrance.
"I'm looking for Rudy Eve's room," Dash asked the attendant at the information desk in the lobby. "Can you tell me where he is?"
"Parent?" the woman asked, looking up at him over owl-eyed glasses.
Dash shook his head. "Family friend. His mom should already be there."
She seemed skeptical, but started typing on the computer anyway. "Looks like he doesn't have a room yet. He's still being seen in the emergency room. Bay six. You just go down this hall on the left and take the elevators to the ground floor."
"Thank you!" Dash took off in the direction she'd pointed and found the elevators. While he waited for one to arrive, he shot Chrissy a quick text to let her know he was close.
"Dash?" a familiar voice called out to him.
He whirled around to see his sister, Nell, walking toward him in medical scrubs with her purple hair tucked up under a cap. "Nell? What the heck are you doing here?"
"I'm on a break," she replied. "Needed to find something to eat. What are you doing at the hospital?"
"My friend's son is in the emergency room," he replied. "I drove her here."
"Ooh, is this the girl you were telling me about?" Nell's brows lifted and she smiled. "Can I meet her?"
The elevator opened behind him and he glanced between her and the elevator car. "Well, hurry. I'm in a rush."
She hopped on the elevator with him. "Is her son okay?"
"I think so," he answered, watching the numbers change on the lighted panel. "I think he broke his leg. Hopefully nothing more than that."
"Poor kid," Nell mused.
Dash turned to face his sister. "But, wait…what the hell are you doing in scrubs at a hospital?"
"My internship is with this hospital. Once I finish medical school, I'm hoping they'll take me on as a resident," she stated, like it wasn't the first time she was telling him a gigantic piece of information.
The elevator dinged and the doors slid open to the ground floor.
He stepped off, but felt like he was in the Twilight Zone. "Medical school? Since when are you in medical school? What the hell is going on here?"
Nell shrugged as she led him toward the emergency room. "Just because I don't talk to you guys about my life much, doesn't mean I'm sitting at home doing nothing."
"Holy shit, Lilian is going to be so freaking happy when she hears this," Dash said, imagining his mother's face hearing that Nell was working toward becoming a doctor.
"You absolutely cannot tell her!" Nell replied. "I want to tell her. I will tell her. Eventually. I promise."
He lifted one brow. "When?"
She sighed. "Christmas dinner."
"So, you're coming?" He grinned, wrapping an arm around Nell's shoulders and hugging her tight to his side. "You're the best sister a brother could ask for."
"Ew, gross. Get off me." She pushed him away, but she was smiling. "Come on. Let's find your girlfriend."
A few minutes later, they'd located Rudy's bed and found Chrissy standing beside it, holding his hand.
"Hey, kiddo." He patted Rudy on the shoulder gently. "Good to see you're in one piece. Your mom was worried about you!"
"Dash, guess what?" Rudy replied. "I'm getting a cast on my whole leg. And crutches!"
"Whoa!" Dash pretended to make a shocked face. "That's super cool! You're going to be like Tiny Tim for Christmas!"
Chrissy shot him a look, but then laughed. "I guess you were right that casts are a commodity in second grade."
"Chrissy, Rudy, this is my sister, Nell." Dash pointed toward his scrubbed sister proudly. "She's interning here. She's going to be a doctor."
"Nice to meet you, Nell," Chrissy said, extending a hand to her. "Dash talks about you all the time."
"Does he?" Nell raised one brow toward him. "He always was a chatterbox. Terrible at keeping secrets.“
"I'm going to be an architect!" Rudy announced, but then shook Nell's hand. "Maybe I can build a hospital for you to work in one day."
"That would be really cool, kid," Nell agreed. "What would we name it?"
"Rudy's Hospital!" he replied, his tone suggesting the answer was obvious.
Nell nodded. "Yes. I like it. Really rolls off the tongue."
Chrissy smiled at them, chuckling to herself. "Would you mind staying with him for a second? I'm going to grab him some water."
Dash looked at his sister. "Can you? I'll go with Chrissy."
"Sure. I've got a few minutes," Nell replied. "Hey, kid. Do you like snakes?"
Rudy's face lit up and Dash knew he was in good hands. He followed Chrissy down the hallway toward the family waiting area that had an ice machine and water dispenser.
"Did the doctor say what happened?" he asked as she grabbed a cup and began filling it. "His leg is broken?"
She nodded. "In two places. Poor kid is going to be in a cast for a while, and then physical therapy after that. They've got some pain meds in him right now, so he isn't feeling a thing."
"Wow." Dash exhaled. "That's a lot."
"Yeah," she agreed. "But, the doctor was very optimistic. He said kids are very resilient and this type of injury won't cause any permanent damage after he’s healed.”
Dash grabbed himself a cup of water as well and took a sip. "Good. That's really good."
"Hey, Dash?" Chrissy's voice lowered slightly in volume and she looked around the empty room, then brought her gaze back to him. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course," he answered. "What is it?"
"I, uh…" Her hands were fidgeting as she stepped closer to him. "Remember when I said I don't date mall Santas?"
He laughed. "Hard to forget."
"I was thinking, maybe it's time to change that?" She bit the corner of her lip, pulling it between her teeth. "If Santa is still single?"
"I heard Santa's got a wife back in the North Pole," he joked, stepping closer and running his hand down the length of her arm. "But Dash is single."
"Hmm, I'd prefer Santa." She shrugged nonchalantly, a smile forming. "But, I guess I can settle for his driver instead."
"Your sacrifice will not go unnoticed." He leaned closer to her and his hands came to the side of her face. Gently, he tilted her chin to look up at him. She was breathless in that moment, and he could see the vulnerability in her eyes.
There was no doubt in his mind. In fact, he'd decided the moment they met. This was the woman for him—the family for him. He was going to be a permanent fixture for her. He was going to give consistency and love to her son. Whatever happened with his career, if he sold his app or not, he wasn't going anywhere without the two of them.
Her eyes fluttered to a close and he pressed his lips to hers softly. She sighed softly, melting forward as she pressed against his chest. Her hands twisted in his shirt, as if she was holding on for fear she might fall, or he might leave.
He'd never let either happen. She was all he'd ever wanted, and he was going to make damn sure she—and Rudy—never wanted for anything ever again.
"Thank you, Dash," she whispered as they pulled apart.
He shook his head. "For what?"
"Making this the best Christmas yet," she replied, smiling as she looked up at him under thick lashes. "For making holidays happy again."
"Just don't tell Mrs. Claus," he teased. "She might shatter my jingle balls."
She swatted at his chest. "You're a regular comedian."
"I love you, Chrissy." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles.
Chrissy smiled. "I love you, too."
Epilogue
One Year Later | Rudy
"Why is it green?" Lloyd Winters looked down at Rudy with a confused expression on his face. "I thought these were supposed to be scrambled eggs."
Rudy laughed as he watched his mother spoon the green eggs from the pan into a serving bowl for Christmas morning breakfast.
"It's green eggs and ham," Rudy explained to Lloyd. "It's our tradition every Christmas morning."
Chrissy nodded. "Rudy's loved it ever since he read Dr. Seuss a few years ago. Mix a little grape jelly into the scrambled eggs while they cook and you get sweet, green eggs."
Lloyd didn't look super thrilled. "But it's green…"
"Dad, just try it." Dash handed his father a cup of free coffee. "I bet you'll like it."
"It's good!" Rudy insisted, pulling out his seat at the end of the large dining room table in the Winters house.
The entire family was helping bring dishes from the kitchen to the table, and finding their seats. His grandpa and grandma were seated to his left, which Rudy was happy about because he hadn't seen them in a few weeks since his grandpa's heart attack. His mom had assured him that he was just fine now and it had been minor, but it had scared Rudy. He'd never lost anyone before, and the thought of losing his grandpa scared him more than he was willing to admit.
He looked across the table at Dash's parents—Lilian and Lloyd. They were going to be good grandparents, he could tell. Lilian always had hard candies in her pocket that she snuck to him when his mom wasn't looking, and Lloyd looked perpetually grumpy even though he actually told the best knock-knock jokes that Rudy had ever heard.
Nell was seated next to Dash and his mom, and, to be honest, she scared him a little bit, but that’s what he loved most about her. She was certainly odd, but he adored her.
"Chrissy, careful," Lilian cautioned, taking a very full plate of French toast out of her hands. "You shouldn't be lifting anything heavy."
Chrissy rubbed a hand over her protruding stomach, and Rudy wondered if she could feel his little sister moving in there. He wasn't sure how he felt about becoming a big brother, but he was pretty sure he'd be good at it. Dash had helped him work on a Christmas present for the baby even though she wasn't here yet. He'd built her a small dollhouse which he'd showed his teacher who'd said it was the best house he'd ever seen.
Dash grabbed his mom's arm in the doorway to the dining room. He pointed above them. "Mistletoe!"
Chrissy laughed and pushed up on her toes to kiss him.
Rudy grimaced. Adults were gross.
"Dash, remind me again when the launch is?" Lloyd poured some maple syrup on his French toast as everyone began serving themselves.
"Fostering Friends launches nationally on January 15th," he told his dad. "I'll fly out to California for the launch day, but not for very longer. I don't want to miss the birth!"
"Babe, I'm only twenty-eight weeks. You've got time," Chrissy reassured him. "Plus, I desperately need to focus on my last semester of college."
"I can't believe you're only one semester away from your degree," Chrissy's mom said proudly, then patted Rudy on the shoulder. "You should look up to your mom, kiddo. She's a hard worker."
Rudy looked over at his mom, and there seemed to be tears in her eyes but he wasn't sure because Grandma hadn't said anything sad.
"What about you, Rudy?" Chrissy changed the subject. "Tell your grandparents how third grade is going."
"Mom, you should see the dollhouse that Rudy built for the baby," Dash bragged to Lilian. "It's incredible. He's going to be an amazing architect one day."
Lilian beamed with pride. "I bet Noelle is going to love playing with her big brother and dollhouse one day."
"I just want to point out that Noelle is very close to Nell," Nell stated from the other end of the table where she was drinking her breakfast in a champagne flute. "So, clearly, this child is my namesake and I am her godmother."
Dash laughed and looked at Chrissy. "Should we tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Nell asked, leaning forward against the table. "It's not twins, is it? You’ll have to pick one.“
"No," Chrissy assured her, laughing. "But, we were hoping you'd be the godmother…and our officiant."
Nell furrowed her brow. "What?"
"Remember that time you got ordaine
d online to marry your friend Joe to his parrot?" Dash asked.
She laughed. "That was a good day. Pretty sure it wasn't legally binding though."
"Well, uh…" Dash took a deep breath and looked over at Rudy. "You want to tell everyone the big news, kid?"
Rudy grinned. "Mom and Dash are getting married on New Year's Day!"
The entire table erupted in questions and compliments, excitement pouring out of everyone. Rudy was glad he got to be the one to tell everyone. He'd helped Dash pick out the ring for his mom weeks ago and then last night, Dash had gotten down on one knee in their small home and asked her to marry him. Rudy insisted she had to say yes. He wanted a dad, and he wanted Dash to be that dad.
His mom said yes.
"Wait, so I get to be the officiant who marries you two?" Nell asked again. "Can I say anything I want?"
"Within reason," Chrissy cautioned.
Dash laughed. "Yeah, I mean, some liberties, but nothing too crazy."
Nell looked disappointed. "All right, fine. I'll get to work on it right away. But, I'm not wearing a dress to the wedding."
"I'd be shocked if you did," Dash teased. "Oh, and I have one more thing to ask for the wedding."
"What?" Nell asked.
Dash shook his head, then turned to Rudy. "Rudy, would you be my best man?"
Rudy jumped up out of his seat and ran around the table, giving Dash a big hug. "Yes!"
Chrissy smiled and pulled him in for a hug with her as well. "I love you, kiddo. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Mom," Rudy said, then he leaned down and whispered to her stomach. "Merry Christmas, baby Noelle. I love you, too."
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Mall I Want for Christmas is You: A Mall Santa Holiday Standalone Romance Page 5