Best Friends or True Love? Only Santa Knows.
Kathryn Graham hates Christmas. She hates the snow, the decorations, the whole nine yards. Nick Pringle on the other hand can’t get enough of the season. He may be her best friend and fellow writer at Redburn Weekly Magazine, but sometimes his exuberance gets on her very last nerve. Now they’ve been assigned to cover the orphan toy drive story. It’s just a puff piece not the serious journalism Kathryn hopes for, but maybe—as Nick says—there are no old stories just new angles.
Nick Pringle has been in love with Kathryn practically since the day they met. When he realizes that she’s lost her Christmas spirit, he figures he’s just the guy to help her find it again. He enacts a plan to send her anonymous gifts from Secret Santa, but will any of this really make a difference in her? Will she ever see him as anything more than her smart-aleck partner even after their passionate kisses? Then again maybe he’ll get what he wants for Christmas after all.
Excerpt:
Kathryn rubbed her tired eyes while walking into the office the next morning. Coffee! Where is the coffee? her exhausted body called out. Thoughts about her Christmas assignment kept waking her up all night. Her introspections were merciless. She couldn’t let it go. It was as if it was taunting her—you’ll never be any better than to write those puff pieces—never—you’ll never be a serious journalist. And when she finally fell asleep at two a.m., she was so tired she’d slept right through the alarm this morning.
After falling into her desk chair, she opened her left hand bottom drawer. She paused before placing her purse inside and instead pulled out a petite package. Her fingers trembled as she touched the shimmering red paper. With her fingertips, she slowly traced over the glossy, green ribbon which was curled up beautifully. She darted a glance over her cubical wall and around the newsroom. No one was looking her way.
Who sent this? Someone is playing me, I know it.
The package looked perfect sitting on her desktop, but her curiosity—which was more than piqued—wouldn’t allow her to wait any longer. She pulled open the paper gently. No need to bring attention to herself. Inside, she found a luscious piece of chocolate sitting in its paper cradle. Included was a printed note:
Dear Kathryn,
The Twelve Days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day and continue through the New Year, but how much more fun would it be for you to get a gift everyday until Christmas! That’s sure to get you into the holiday spirit.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…one raspberry-filled chocolate truffle. Enjoy.
Until tomorrow.
Your Secret Santa
Kathryn took another guarded look around the room. She stood to gain an unimpeded view over the cubical wall while placing her gift and its wrapping onto her desk. No one seemed to be watching her so she sat back down and thought about popping the chocolate into her mouth.
“So, you do believe in Christmas,” said a voice out of nowhere.
Kathryn shot out of her seat once more with her package and contents spreading across the surface of her desk. Her heart pounded as she whipped her body around to face the speaker.
“Nick Pringle…you scared the living life out of me.” Her overworked heart caused her throat to pulse painfully. Quickly she grabbed the present—wrapping and all—and threw it back into the drawer.
“So, what was that?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing? It looked like a present to me.”
“So, what if it was? I said I didn’t plan on buying any presents. That doesn’t mean that someone else might not want to give one to me.”
“Who was it from?” A curious smile appeared on his impeccable face with the bright florescent lights bringing out the highlights in his sandy-brown tinted hair.
“Does it really matter? It was just a trifle.”
“A trifle? It looked like a truffle to me.”
She glared at him. “Do you have a lead for the orphan story yet?”
“Not yet. I thought we should head down there today and check it out ourselves. You might even get that new angle.”
He handed her a paper cup from her favorite coffee shop. The creamy, chocolate-caramel flavor smelled delicious. Before taking her first sip, she breathed deeply of the enticing fragrance. Then she let the beverage slip down her throat and warm her body and soul. Giving Nick a look of gratitude, she thought about saying something nice. Instead she said, “Well come on, Pringle. We haven’t got all day.”
Kathryn’s mind took off again while she walked with Nick to the elevator. Who could have possibly left the present? It had to be someone who knew she wasn’t interested in Christmas, but everyone in the office knew that. Whoever it was had to know she loved chocolate, but just about everyone did. She glanced at Nick and his nicely combed, light brown hair. She couldn’t remember a time when he’d had a hair out of place or a wrinkle in his suit.
Could it be Nick? He knows me better than anyone. He met her blue eyes with his hazel ones and then smiled. No, Nick wouldn’t. He couldn’t pull it off if he tried. He’s just too transparent.
Cindy K. Green
Humor & Heart Wrapped Up Together
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