Reese and Heather slithered in between the chairs and faced Eric, each of their faces wreathed in a wide grin. Heather held out her hands, cupped one on top the other. Suppressed merriment threatened to escape from the girls at any moment. Marissa knew they were up to something, but hadn’t been able to decipher any of their covert whispers.
The moment Heather lifted her top hand, a toad leapt onto Eric’s chest.
“What the—!” He jumped back in his seat, sending the girls into a fit of hysterics. By the time they’d contained themselves, he held the toad above his chest, the amphibian’s feet dangling.
It peed on him.
Marissa’s amusement burst free so hard she snorted. Then she couldn’t stop laughing for the life of her.
“Take this thing,” Eric ordered as the toad let loose a couple of frantic chirps.
Reese shook her head. “You were the last one here.”
“I—” Eric broke off with a reluctant chuckle. “Get outta here. I’m not kissing a toad.”
Reese pulled a hand from behind her back. With a triumphant grin, she held the rapidly disintegrating sprig of mistletoe over the toad. Eric gave a bark of laughter as a few pieces of sawdust fell onto his chest. He swung his head in Marissa’s direction, his expression an obvious plea for help.
She shook her head and managed to curb her mirth long enough to say, “Mistletoe rules.”
Eric looked from Marissa, to Reese, to Heather, and finally, with a sigh of resignation, at the toad. “Does she have a name?”
The toad gave three indignant sounding chirps.
“Warts is a boy,” Reese announced.
“Great.”
Marissa’s cheeks ached from her permanent grin. Eric brought the toad closer with a comical look of distaste, then laughed with the rest of them when Warts squeezed his eyes shut tight at the split-second touch of his lips.
While handing the toad back to Heather, Eric snatched the mistletoe from Reese’s grasp with his free hand. In the blink of an eye, he sat up and held it above Marissa’s head. The girls pointed and snickered but were smart enough to scamper a safe distance away.
“Hey!” she protested, trying to catch her breath from laughing so much.
Leaves floated down in front of her face and one berry dropped down the v-neck of her black shirt to lodge in her bra.
“I’m taking whatever I can get now that we have an audience again,” Eric warned as he leaned in for another kiss.
She halted his forward movement long enough to wipe the toad cooties from his mouth, then partook in some child-friendly mistletoe mischief with a newfound affection for Christmas in July.
Epilogue
Eric wound his way through the crowd, aiming for the garbage can to toss empty coffee and hot chocolate cups. The mall teemed with holiday shoppers and fighting his way back to his girls wasn’t exactly a walk at the zoo. But the effort was oh so worth it.
He paused to watch the three of them where they waited by the fudge shop. Whether dressed for business, or casual in jeans and a sweater like now, Marissa never failed to take his breath away. Next to her, with carbon-copy honey-blond hair and blue eyes, Heather was sure to be just as beautiful when she grew up, the lucky little girl. And Reese…well, he may be a little biased, but she was as perfect as an angel sent from heaven.
Someone bumped into him from behind. The person continued without looking up or even bothering with an apology.
“Happy Holidays,” Eric offered with a smile before resuming his trek. He’d definitely been blessed over the last five months, so he’d be the last one to act like Scrooge.
Eric stepped up behind Marissa and wrapped his arms around her to rest his chin on her shoulder. “Anyone want dessert?”
Marissa turned her head with a positive, “Mmm,” and he pressed a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth.
“Now or later?” he whispered.
“Both.”
“I’ll have a cookie, please,” Heather said.
“Daaadd,” Reese whined. “You said we could go see Santa now.” She made it sound as if getting a treat would take hours instead of only two minutes.
Eric stepped back to pull some money from his pocket. “You want a cookie or not?”
She looked at the display case full of fudge, cookies and other treats. “Yeah.”
When Eric paused and lifted his eyebrows, she corrected her response with a small smile.
“Yes, please.”
Five minutes later they took their place in the line to see Santa Claus. It didn’t take long to understand why the wait was so long, even though it was only the weekend before Thanksgiving. The mall had gone all-out on the North Pole set-up, including real trees to give off a fragrant pine scent, fake snow falling gently in the background, and most impressive, a live reindeer stalled just to the left behind St. Nick so the antlered animal would be in all the pictures.
The girls munched their cookies and found something new every couple seconds to point out to each other or their parents. Five months and it still amazed him how little the two fought, especially since in August Nina had agreed to joint custody and they now spent a lot of time together.
“So what did Mark have to say when he called earlier?” Marissa asked as they shuffled along.
“He ETS’s in two weeks and should be home a few days later.”
“ETS?”
“Sorry—military speak for expiration term of service. Once they process all the paperwork, he’ll be all set. He won’t make it for Thanksgiving, but he’ll be here for Christmas.”
“It’ll be nice to have him around more.”
“So long as he behaves,” Eric agreed, watching the kids in line ahead of them.
“Oh, come on. He’s fun to flirt with, but you know you’re the only man for me.”
“And it better stay that way,” he warned with a mock scowl.
“Always.” She lifted her face for a kiss and it took some effort to keep the affection public-friendly. The look in her blue eyes promised him sinful dessert later. “I love you.”
He threaded his fingers with hers and raised her hand to his lips. “I love you, too.”
She kissed him again before leaning her head against his shoulder. As they inched along closer to the front, Eric found his attention drawn more often to the jolly, bearded man in the red velvet chair. A lady dressed as Mrs. Claus stepped over to adjust the man’s hat before the next child took a seat on his lap. She paused to kiss his rosy cheek. The two shared a loving smile, and that’s when it hit him why the man looked so familiar. A glance at the redheaded elf taking pictures cinched it.
Marissa had bent to pick up a stray mitten and when she straightened, Eric leaned close so the girls wouldn’t hear. “Recognize Santa?”
She stared for a long moment.
“Check out Mrs. Claus,” he suggested.
A smile curved her lips. “Judy.”
“Yeah. I’m glad we get to see them again.”
“Me, too.” Marissa’s grin told him they both remembered that first mistletoe kiss in Santa’s cart at the zoo.
Reese was next in line, and she scampered up to Santa to make her requests. When Heather finished her turn, Santa Butch called them both back and set one on each knee.
“Janey,” he said to the elf behind the camera, “get a picture with both these little darlin’s. Mother, come over here with us, too.”
Judy hugged Heather to her side while they all smiled for the camera. Butch winked at Eric and Marissa just before the flash. Eric nodded to Mrs. Claus as the girls slid off Santa’s lap, and then stepped forward to shake the man’s hand.
“Santa. Eric Riley—don’t know if you remember us from this past—”
“I remember, boy, I ain’t senile.”
Eric chuckled and put an arm around Marissa. “Well, then, let me formally introduce you both to my wife, Marissa Riley.”
Santa’s brows disappeared under the trim of his hat. “You don’t waste no time,
do you?”
“No, Sir,” Eric said with a chuckle. Judy admired the newly acquired diamonds on Marissa’s left hand.
Heather sidled up next to Santa’s knee. “Mom and Eric got married in October. Reese and me got to be flower girls.”
Santa leaned forward, looking from one girl to the other. “And you were both beautiful.”
Their eyes widened. Reese whispered, “How’d you know?”
“Same way I know if you’ve been naughty or nice. You girls keep up the good work, you hear?”
They both nodded with wide grins.
“We’d better let you get back to work,” Marissa said, glancing back at the long line. “Thanks so much for everything. This is amazing, by the way.” She indicated the North Pole scene surrounding them.
Judy beamed with pride. “Our granddaughter Janelle set everything up.”
The short, cute photographer nodded her thanks, her red curls peeking from beneath the white trim on her green cap.
“Before we go, can I get your phone number?” Eric asked Judy. “I have a present for the two of you that I’d love to deliver before Christmas.”
Reese giggled. “Daddy, that’s backwards.”
“She’s right. I bring the presents, not the other way around,” Butch scolded. “Though, it looks like my work with you two is done fer this year.”
“Actually…” Marissa threaded her fingers with Eric’s. “Santa, I have a request.”
Butch insisted she sit on Santa’s knee. Eric gave her a smiling frown of confusion, but she just settled down without releasing his hand. Her other palm pressed against her stomach.
“We wouldn’t trade our girls for anything…” She lifted her shining blue eyes from Santa to Eric. “…but I think it’s time for a boy.”
It took a moment for her words to register. Eric’s grip slackened in shock. The camera flash jarred him from the momentary daze. He blinked toward a grinning Janelle, then focused on his wife.
“A baby? Already?” he asked in a stunned whisper.
She nodded, her smile more beautiful than he’d ever seen. Pulling her to her feet with a loud whoop that echoed off the mall ceiling, he swung her around in his arms. The girls crowded around the moment he stopped, so Eric stooped to lift both of them up for a family hug.
“Eric…”
Eric glanced over his shoulder at Butch. Santa winked, his white-gloved hand pointing above their heads. Familiar leaves and holly berries adorned an elaborately decorated arch. Eric gave a hearty laugh and met Marissa’s twinkling eyes.
Then, because mistletoe ruled in their house, he gave each one of his girls an early Christmas kiss.
~~~
Thank you for reading!
Want more of Santa Butch, Judy, and the Riley family? Check out the next book in the Romancing Wisconsin Series for a little bit of...
Mistletoe Magic
Major Mark Riley plays Court Jester to Janelle Walsh's Snow Queen at the Christmas Parade and is instantly captivated by the cute redhead whose grandpa just happens to be Santa. When Mark learns she's the tenant he evicted from his newly purchased property, it's going to take a little bit of Santa's mistletoe magic to save their romance.
and then stick around for a...
Mistletoe Match-up
When Lisa Riley comes home for Mark's Christmas Eve wedding, her high school rivalry with Janelle's cousin, Derek Walsh, picks up right where it left off, only this time Derek's got the upper hand. Santa bides his time as they battle it out because he's waited a whole year for this mistletoe match-up.
Mistletoe Magic
Chapter One
Mark Riley kicked the flat front left tire of his old Jeep and shoved his hands into the pockets of his desert camouflage military field jacket. Three miles from town, and the Christmas parade was set to start in half an hour. He squinted down the deserted road toward Pulaski, and then swung around, walking backward to survey the direction he’d come from.
Where was all the traffic? Had the seventeen degrees and imminent hazard of the first significant snow of the season convinced people to stay home? Really? Wisconsin residents should be used to weather like that, not hide from it. Granted, six to ten inches was nothing to scoff at once the wind began whipping it around later, but man, he had rotten luck this morning!
The distant sound of ringing bells caught his attention. Mark spun around and located the source—a horse-drawn wagon turning onto St. Augustine’s from a side road about a quarter mile ahead. Headed toward town.
“Hey!”
He started jogging, then broke into a run when the small figure in the driver’s seat didn’t slow the team of horses. Probably some kid with music blaring in their ears. From about twenty yards away, he cupped his hands to his mouth, hoping the driver would hear him.
“Hey, hold up!”
The horses bolted forward, jerking the kid holding the reins straight up in the seat. The wagon lurched and a discordant jangle of bells assaulted his ears.
“Whoa! Easy, easy.”
Mark cringed and ran faster, hoping to catch the animals before the kid got hurt because of his mistake. Relief flooded in when the wagon slowed and rolled to a stop. A soft feminine tone worked to calm the spooked animals.
That’s no kid’s voice.
He sucked cold air into his burning lungs and eased around the back of the wagon. After a brief glance for the matched team of reddish-brown horses with black manes and tails, he lifted his gaze to the driver.
Whoa. A very cute redheaded elf gripped the reins in her small, white-gloved hands. Hold the dead cell phone—his luck appeared to be changing. Then he noticed the elf’s frown and his moment of hope nosedived.
He summoned an apologetic smile. “I am so sorry about that.”
“Where did you even come from?” She glanced around as if he’d appeared out of nowhere.
He jerked his head toward his jeep, parked a half-mile down the road. “I got a flat tire back that way.”
“So you decided to chase me down and scare the hell out of my horses?”
The team still shifted restlessly in their harnesses, the silver bells adorning their necks jingled softly with each movement. Red blankets with green and white tassels covered their backs.
Mark sighed. “Yeah, I know, it was stupid and I’m really sorry. I didn’t think past catching a ride to the parade.” His gaze shifted up to her hat, then down again. “You are headed to the parade, right?”
“No. I drive around dressed like this all the time.”
Her sarcasm caught him off guard until he noticed a twinkle of merriment brighten her green eyes. Her unexpected teasing enchanted almost as much as the elf ears sticking out over the white trim on her emerald velvet hat. He gave what he hoped was a charming smile and adopted a more formal tone. “In the spirit of the season, can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”
One gloved hand lifted to tap fingers against her unglossed lips. She shrugged. “Considering it’s only three weeks until Christmas, I suppose I can let it slide.”
He held back a laugh. “So generous—thank you. Now about that ride…”
“You’re pushing your luck, Major.”
Her use of his rank surprised him. He didn’t run across many civilians who could identify military insignias, and especially not women.
“Come on,” he coaxed. “Surely Santa would want his helper to offer a guy a ride so he’s not late for the parade. He might even consider it your civic duty.”
That green gaze of hers took stock of him with a downward sweep of long, dark lashes. Finally, she scooted over with a small smile. “Fine. Hop on.”
Mark grasped the edges of the wagon and pulled himself up to sit alongside her before she changed her mind. “Someone knows their military ranks.”
She gave the reins a light snap and the wagon lurched forward. “I was an Army brat the first thirteen years of my life.”
“And then what, your father retired?”
“He a
nd my mother were killed in a plane crash,” she replied quietly.
“Oh. God, I’m so sorry.” Yeah, luck had completely deserted him today.
Her shoulder lifted, but she kept her attention on the road. “It’s okay. I’ve had another thirteen years to adjust.”
Mark still felt like a jerk. She was an itty-bitty thing, even wrapped up in a long, rich velvet cloak with white fur trim to match her dark green elf hat. If he hadn’t stopped believing in Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny back in the fourth grade, he might actually think she was the real deal. Though he hadn’t ever expected elves to be so cute.
“So, are you in the parade or just going to it?” she asked before he could think of anything more to say.
Relieved to skip the awkward silence, he said, “I’m meeting my brother Eric to collect Toys for Tots with the Reserves unit.”
“Eric Riley?”
Mark met her glance of surprise with one of his own. “You know him?”
“I’ve met him and his wife a couple times.”
Considering Eric and Marissa had only married two months ago, Mark hesitantly asked, “Nina or Marissa?”
Her eyebrows rose and her gaze swung to his once more. “He has two wives?”
“Nina’s the ex,” he clarified.
“Oh, good, because I met Marissa.”
Thank heavens she wasn’t a friend of Nina’s. He might have to not like her on principle. She reined the horses around the last corner and the parade headquarters at the high school was in sight. The parking lot overflowed with floats, fire trucks, the Pulaski High School Marching Band, plus numerous other parade entries.
“Their girls are adorable,” the elf beside him added.
Mark nodded, surveying the mass chaos at T minus thirty seconds and counting.
“You must be the Uncle Mark Reese goes on and on about.”
Mistletoe Mischief Page 7
