Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 88(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 88(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Marianne is waiting for me the second I have my coffee in hand and in my seat. “Okay, what is the major problem that couldn’t wait for you to knock?”
“Our Santa is a registered sex offender.” Her face pales as the words leave her lips.
“What the fuck?” I shoot out of my chair, sending my coffee cup tumbling onto the desk. Luckily, I spring forward, catching it before it ruins all the documents on my desk.
“Yes, I told you it was super important.” She brushes her curly loose strands back behind her ears.
“You should have led with that.”
“I had him pulled last night when Mrs. Claus alerted us quietly after the dress rehearsal, but apparently, the agency that sent him hadn’t done a background check, and he hadn’t revealed his status to the agency either. She quit as well.”
“I want my lawyer called on this now, Dennis.” Son of a bitch. This could get us in big trouble. I look back at Marianne and ask, “Please don’t tell me this sick fuck was a pedo.”
“Unfortunately.” I slam my eyes shut, wishing this was whiskey and not coffee right now.
At least we had the good grace to have a dress rehearsal yesterday, and this happened before the kids appeared. “God. We almost let him go around all those kids.”
“What are your ideas for a replacement?”
“We don’t have anyone to replace him. I’ve been looking while you’re talking, and there are only two companies in the area. All the Santas have been scooped up. It’s three days before Christmas,” my assistant says nervously.
“You have got to be kidding me. We’ve been marking it down, and promoting it for weeks, only to deal with this last-minute fail. What can we do?” I look at the brilliant manager to see if she’s got any rabbits in that hat of hers.
“We have a costume ready. We just need someone to fill it,” Marianne offers.
“Okay. Do you have anyone in mind?” I ask, hoping she has already worked out a plan of action to move forward. We’re in the middle of small town, USA, where almost everyone knows everyone.
“For Mrs. Claus, I was able to rope my younger sister into the role, but for Santa, we only have two options. For legal purposes, we need to know that they have a clean record, so it would have to be someone from security, but security is already stretched thin… or yourself.” We could add a lot of stuffing to make me Santa, but at six-three, I might be too tall for the suit.
“Those are the only two options. Then again, we could use your driver.” I think about Frank and he’s not a pleasant type to put up with kids. Dennis and I both shake our heads at that idea. “No, Frank won’t work.”
“How about I handle security, and Dennis goes as Santa?” I offer. Dennis looks at us like I’ve just asked for his firstborn. He pales and shakes his head.
“Um… I’m not good with kids.”
“You don’t have a choice. My sister has already agreed to be Mrs. Claus, and she’s a cutie, so maybe you can ask her out on a date. She’s a little young for you, but you’re pretty handsome.” She winks at him.
“Not interested,” he growls at her.
“We must get him suited up quickly to see if he fits. I want to do a trial run for tomorrow,” she huffs.
We all leave the office and head down to the staging area near the main village. Several crowds of people are working on last-minute additions to the design and fixing anything that got damaged in the past week that it’s been on display.
That’s when I see her, Mrs. Claus, and a low rumble comes from deep within my chest. Standing in the throng of people is a petite woman pinning up her long, dark hair. Her eyes are a grayish blue, catching me by surprise and pulling me in like a magnetic force.
“You look green, Dennis. I think Mr. Nicholas should take over as Santa,” Sellers says. Smart woman, because no one but me will be that close to her in that damn costume.
“You have a meeting tomorrow,” Dennis reminds me.
“I’ll do it. Reschedule it for this afternoon. If not, make it for next week. This is a bigger priority, and it’s only four hours,” I answer without hesitation. There will not be anyone else allowed to be playing her husband but me.
“Yes, boss.” I can see him on his phone out of the corner of my eye because I still haven’t taken my eyes off her. The beauty in the tight, tiny red suspender dress that barely goes to her knees and the white top that hugs her ample tits. If I had time, I’d make her change the costume, but I know damn well that’s not an option I have. Suddenly, she slips on a winter stole and I feel a thousand times better and don’t have to murder other men for looking at what’s mine.