by Wendy Knight
He expected her to stretch, to move away, to get up and go to her own bed, but she just snuggled closer, burying her face against his chest, her knees against his thighs.
Hope.
He had hope.
“Okay, Butterfly. You ready for this?”
Azura raised an eyebrow. “I feel like I should have shoulder pads and those black stripy things under my eyes. Are we delivering gifts or running a football play?”
Everyone was partnered up. All 400 of the magazine’s employees, in New York and all the surrounding areas, were ready to play Santa.
It was Crew’s favorite moment of the entire year.
“Both. It takes skill, Z. Timing. Precision. A plan.” Crew paced around his giant red Santa sack. It was heavier than he’d anticipated and carrying it undetected to the porch would be a challenge, but he was up for it. “Luckily, I have all those things.”
Azura pursed her lips, leaning back and watching while she—was she trying not to laugh at him?
“Now, we’ll have to park a ways away.” He jabbed a finger at the map in front of him. Azura nodded, still fighting a smile, as she leaned forward. He’d been worried—he’d admit it—when Kat had said she was going with Garrett this year. Azura was the anti-elf. How was she supposed to help him bring Christmas cheer?
And yet...maybe this was how he’d bring the Christmas cheer to her.
They’d spent the day making cookies, gingerbread, all kinds of tasty treats, and getting ready for the party that night. They’d listened to Christmas music.
Her head hadn’t exploded.
“If we park here,” she was saying, tracing her finger along the little blue line on the map, and he struggled to catch up, “we’ll be around the corner so they can’t see us directly, but we won’t have to drag the bag as far. Also, we bought a skateboard, right?”
“I—yeah—” Was she re-planning his plan?
“Perfect. Let’s pull that baby out and put the bag on it. The wheels will help until we get to the lawn.”
Crew blinked at her and she smiled brightly. She was brilliant. It was like she was made for this. “Where have you been all my life while I’ve been stuck with Garrett and Kat? Amateurs.”
Azura snickered, still studying the map.
He leaned over it too, their hands nearly touching as they traced roadways. “Okay...we’ll park here. Absolute silence. Wheel the bag here—I really don’t know what to do with you right now.”
Azura played absently with one of her curls. “When in Rome, right?”
He didn’t even know what to do with that statement. “What?”
“Your thing is Christmas. I’m here with you. So my thing will be Christmas, and not to brag, but I was Ah.Mazing. at doorbell ditching when I was a kid.”
“You’re just telling me this now?” Crew shook his head. “I could have used this information in the planning stages, Butterfly.”
She giggled, motioning to the map. “Proceed, Galahad. We’re running out of time.”
It was true. They hadn’t finished decorating and the party started in a few hours. They still had to drive clear across town, drop the bag and make it back in time to help his mom or she’d have a nervous breakdown.
She took her parties very seriously.
“Okay, right. I’ll carry the bag across the lawn. You grab the skateboard. We drop it on the front porch, ring the bell and run like hell. Can you do that?”
Azura adorably twitched her lips to the side, frowning just a bit. “I hope so. I mean, before the curse—”
“The curse is broken. You haven’t fallen or tripped all day.”
She raised her chin. “You’re right. I got this.”
“Yeah, you do. Let’s move. Where’s your gear?”
“My gear?” She plucked the Santa hat off her lap. “You mean this?”
“Yes, ma’am. Let’s go.”
She pulled the hat over her head and pushed herself out of her chair. Her feet tangled around the chair legs and she almost fell but caught herself at the last minute.
The curse was fading.
Which was a good thing. He needed her in top form. “How fast can you run?” He grunted, dragging the bag behind him across the tile floor.
She grabbed the other side, tugging with him to get it over the threshold and into the garage. “I mean—I don’t know? I haven’t timed myself since high school.”
“High school? Did you do track?”
She nodded, breathing hard. “Yep.”
“Again, Z, you’re telling me information I should have known in the planning stages. Next time, I need all relevant information in advance.”
She giggled again. “Yes, sir.”
Crew hefted the bag up onto his shoulder and carried it to the truck, pushing it into the back. Azura climbed into the front, already digging through the bag for the skateboard by the time he got in. “We really should have done this first. Your plan has holes, Galahad.”
“That was actually your part of the plan.” He narrowed his eyes, but she had her head buried in the bag and missed it. “Buckle up, Butterfly. Roads aren’t great.”
She pulled the skateboard out and flopped back into her seat, narrowly missing whacking him in the head. “Got it.”
Crew backed the truck out into the snow. He couldn’t remember the last time they’d had a storm like this, and snow piled on both sides of the driveway like a wall. Christmas lights were somehow still fighting their way through to light the path. Azura leaned forward, peering through the windshield to watch the huge flakes come down. “This might impact your plan, Galahad.”
“It might make wading across the front lawn a little difficult. We might have to do some surveillance and reconsider.”
She grinned over at him before she went back to the window. They rode in silence, Crew focusing on the roads and Azura watching the scenery, the heater blasting and the big engine growling. There were very few cars on the road for early evening on Christmas Eve, but the storm was putting a halt to most Christmas travel. He was glad Kat and Garrett were borrowing his dad’s truck. Neither of their cars were made for winter weather.
“Is that it?” Azura pointed past him at the tiny house, lights bright within but no decorations outside. No lights, at least, but there was a snowman family dressed for the storm on the front lawn. Which meant that a good deal of the snow had been rolled up into giant balls and was not in his path.
Perfect.
“That’s it. I think we can make it across the lawn.”
Azura gnawed on the inside of her cheek, eyebrows drawn together in concentration while Crew drove by at a snail’s pace. “We’ll have to be careful not to hit the snowmen. The sidewalk is mostly shoveled. It might be better to go that route, even though it’s a little further.”
She looked adorable in her Santa hat, dark curls tumbling across her shoulders and down her back, lit by the dashboard lights while she scrutinized their target. If she played football, they’d win every time because no one would be able to tear their eyes off her and focus on the plays.
He should channel that somehow. Maybe talk to the coach...
“Crew, focus. You almost ran into that garbage can.” Azura snapped her fingers in front of his face and he shook his head, trying to displace the sudden cobwebs. “This is serious.”
He loved her.
More than he thought possible.
“Right. Sorry. I’m going to park up here.”
She nodded, turning in her seat to watch the house. “It looks like they’re inside. I see movement through the curtains.”
Crew pulled up to the sidewalk and put the truck in park, killing the engine. Azura jumped out almost before the truck stopped moving and was on the driver’s side with the skateboard before he could get his seatbelt off.
Curse was definitely fading.
She never would have been able to do that the day before.
She situated the skateboard while he lifted the bag out, setting it carefull
y in place. “Ready?”
Azura stood up, sucking in a deep breath. “Ooh, I’m so nervous.”
Crew impulsively kissed her on the forehead. “It will be fun. You’ll see.”
Except he could barely breath now and the smell of her—lilacs and winter snow—filled his head. He stumbled, nearly knocked the bag over, and crashed into the truck.
She caught him. Somehow, inexplicably, she caught him before he slid and pulled him back to his feet. “Crew, focus!”
He outweighed her by at least sixty pounds.
Snickering, Azura started pushing the giant bag up the sidewalk while Crew tried to regain his bearings. By the time he’d come to his senses, she was almost to the lawn. “Man, I hope you don’t pull this in your football games or you’re gonna get sacked every time.”
He didn’t typically fall in love or kiss his teammates before a game, so that hadn’t been a problem. Not like it was now.
But she was right. He needed to get his head in the game. He couldn’t ruin Christmas for those kids just because he was flying on cloud nine while Cupid danced around his head and shot him in the chest with little heart arrows.
“Are we going across the lawn or up the sidewalk, Galahad?” She risked a glance over her shoulder, balancing the bag with both arms and her foot.
“Lawn. I got this. Ready?”
She nodded, face deadly serious. Crew hefted the bag to his shoulder and started to run. Azura scooped up the skateboard and raced after him. They hit the porch, he dropped the bag and she propped the skateboard next to it. Crew banged on the door while she rang the bell.
“Run!” he hissed, but she was already whirling, leaping down the three concrete stairs while footsteps sounded within.
They weren’t going to make it.
She was fast. Much faster than he had anticipated, sprinting around snowmen like the hounds of hell were on her heels. Crew raced after her, slipping and sliding in the snow. They made it to the sidewalk and raced for the corner, just making it out of sight when the door opened, spilling light across the lawn.
Azura toppled into the snow, clapping a hand over her mouth to smother her giggles. Crew crouched low and crept back toward the house. This was the best part.
Azura’s laughter died in her throat as she rolled onto her stomach, watching through the snow-covered bushes. “Oh, Crew, look,” she breathed.
A woman Crew guessed to be the mother had gotten there first. The little ones were right behind her. Tentatively, she reached out, peeking into the bag, and then she sobbed, pressing her fist against her mouth while her other hand clutched her jacket together. “Jay, Jay, look,” she cried over and over again while the kids stared out the door in wonder.
“Mom, what is it?” the little boy asked. “It looks like Santa’s bag!”
The husband, who must have been Jay, appeared behind his family. He looked exhausted, sadness pulling his mouth tight.
Until he saw the bag. He cried, and with his tears, Crew fought his own. Azura’s hand found his, squeezing tight as she scrubbed at her cheeks.
“It’s a Christmas miracle, Jess. It’s a Christmas miracle.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
They were the last two back to Crew’s house because Azura hadn’t wanted to leave. Long after the family had pulled the bag inside and shut the door, she’d stayed with Crew and watched, her heart in her throat the entire time.
“How did it go?” Kat asked as soon as they came through the kitchen.
“Did the newbie slow you down?” Garrett asked Crew, ruffling Azura’s hair.
She batted his hand away. “It was amazing,” Azura breathed.
Amazing didn’t even cover it. She’d been a part of something magical. And maybe that was what Christmas was about. Bringing magic to a world that was too often cold and magic-less. Maybe she’d missed the point for all these years. She wasn’t sure, but she would never forget the way her heart felt when she watched those parents realize they would have something for their babies to look forward to the next morning.
Crew said, “The newbie was amazing. Like she was born for stealth-elf mode.”
Everyone laughed, launching into their own stories while Lila passed around hot chocolate. The party was an hour away and Azura could feel the tension, the anticipation, but there was no anger, no yelling.
Just laughter. Lots of laughter, and lots of talking.
Lots of chaos.
The number of people in the house had doubled. The only new face Azura recognized was Leah, who waved from where she filled a giant bag with glittering fake snow coated with something that made it stick to whatever it touched. Leah was one giant head to toe glitter bomb. Azura waved back, accidentally bumping the bag.
Leah caught it quickly, gasping before she laughed in relief. “This stuff is like the plague, spreading to whatever it touches. Let’s hope the spray adhesive dries before we drop it on everyone at midnight.” She tipped her head, considering. “Or maybe let’s not hope. That would be pretty hilarious. This stuff does not come off.”
Azura retreated to the safety of the kitchen, not realizing Crew leaned against the counter behind her until he said, “Next year, you should choose a family to Secret Santa with us. Imagine us spreading Christmas cheer all through the town like ninja rock star elves.”
Next year.
Did that mean he wasn’t leaving now that the curse was broken? He wouldn’t disappear from her life as soon as they went back to school?
“I’m not sure you could handle two bags that big in one night. You won’t have football next year to keep you in shape,” she teased.
He raised an eyebrow. “I’ll always have football, Butterfly. Don’t you worry. We’ll fill those bags even fuller next year, and I won’t break a sweat.”
“Is that right?”
He blew on his hot chocolate and winked at her.
“Azura! Are you free?” Lila called. Azura turned, searching for the tiny woman through the throng of family. This many people and the party hadn’t even started yet. She wondered how many people they could pack into this huge house of theirs.
“I’m free! What do you need?”
“Crew, I need a ladder!” Garrett yelped. “Quick!”
Crew disappeared to help find his cousin, and Azura abandoned her hot chocolate to locate Lila. She found her up to her elbows in Christmas treats, trying to fit them all onto the huge table lining the back wall. The fireplace roared, and everyone scurried in different directions. She caught a glimpse of Crew trying to save his cousin while Katrina laughed hysterically, tangled in frosted wreaths on the floor.
She couldn’t even guess what had happened there.
“Thank goodness. We’ve got to get all the bags of fake snow up to Ru. Leah’s got her hands full. Can you carry them up to him? He’s at the top of the stairs on a ladder.”
Fake snow? A bag as big as she was? Azura swallowed.
“I really don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m still pretty clumsy and—”
“Nonsense, Azura. The curse is broken and Ru needs the snow.” Lila winked at her. “We’re dumping it on everyone at the end of the evening. Around eleven-thirty. You might want to take cover.”
“Okay, but I—is there something less—umm—messy I can help with just in case?”
Lila waved a hand through the air. “Everyone else is busy and you just asked what you could do to help.” Reaching across the table, Lila patted her on the cheek. “It will be fine.”
“I... really—isn’t there something else I can do?”
“Is someone bringing me that snow?” Ruben called.
“The curse is broken, Z. It’s fine. I have faith in you.” Katrina gave her an encouraging smile from where she sat on the floor, still tangled in holly and pine branches.
Hesitantly, Azura found Leah and her giant bag of fake snow. “You are a lifesaver.” Leah blew out a breath. “I’ve been packing this snow for an hour. I’m not sure I can even move now. So much glit
ter.” She shook her head, glittery fake snow cascaded around her.
Azura hefted the bag up to her chest and started toward the stairs.
“Nothing like every eye in the room watching your every move, huh?” Crew asked as he walked by with a huge ladder on his broad shoulder. “I think now would be a good time to talk about our relationship.” Crew grinned. “Why aren’t we together, again? You told me, but I can’t remember.” He scratched his head and quirked an eyebrow.
Trust Crew to come to her rescue, easing the palpable tension with his weird jokes. “Don’t. Even. Think. About. It,” Azura said with a teasing grin.
CREW’S eyes shot open as the words hit him. Don’t even think about it. “Oh no,” he murmured as Azura hoisted the bag of snow higher into her arms and started up the stairs.
The curse wasn’t broken, and Crew knew why.
“Azura, wait—”
It was too late. Something slid, something didn’t hold, and the bag toppled from her hands just as she reached the top and tried to hand it to Ruben.
The glittering fake snow spilled everywhere, down Azura, down the stairs, covering the railing and the red and white rug sweeping up each step. Their entire grand staircase, buried, just before guests were supposed to arrive.
Everyone gasped, everyone froze. Azura stared at the disaster in front of her, eyes wide as her face drained of color.
“It’s okay—” Ruben started and Lila dropped her whole tin of cookies, rushing to Azura’s side as she said over and over, “Everything’s fine, we’ll clean it up.”
“That’s the curse girl? Someone should probably lock her in her room until after the party. For everyone’s safety,” one of Crew’s uncles joked.
Azura slowly raised her head, each word hitting her like an arrow.
Crew had never wanted to punch a family member until that very moment.
“Let’s just get you cleaned up,” Lila was saying, and Kat was struggling toward Azura, but the fake snow made the stairs slick and she was still tangled in holly. Crew could only watch from a distance, the ladder balanced on his shoulder. He’d seen that look before.