Molly“Sounds like a date.”“It wasn’t a date.” Molly crossed her arms, looking grouchy.“Okay, but it totally was a date,” Hannah informed her. She shrugged over at Molly while seated on Molly’s living room couch. “So, was I right or was I right?”“Hannah, it wasn’t a date,” Molly repeated. She pouted as she plopped down beside Hannah on the couch. “We just got some food and went ice skating. And I was the one who invited him.”“Please don’t tell me you’re saying that it doesn’t count as a date because you invited him out,” Hannah scoffed, while taking a sip of her coffee. “Hello, Molly! It’s the 21st century. Women are allowed to make the first move. And congrats to you for your bravery.”Molly rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t not a date because just I invited him out! It wasn’t a date because it wasn’t a date!” Molly threw up her arms in frustration. “It was just two co-workers hanging out. That’s it.”“Right.” Hannah’s tone indicated that she didn’t believe a word of what Molly had jus
Molly “See you in the morning, Hannah,” Molly called out as the door shut. She closed her eyes and sighed.She was an idiot. Nicholas Kerstman was not someone she should have a crush on. He wasn't someone she should be fantasizing about kissing. Or sitting here on the couch with her. Or not wearing those fancy suits, or really not wearing anything at allShe was both disappointed and glad when Molly felt her phone vibrating on the couch cushion beside her, stopping her from imagining Nicholas wearing nothing but her sheets.She picked up her phone, hoping it might be him before remembering that he didn't have her number either. It was her mom’s phone number.“Hey, Mom! What’s up?” Molly answered right before it would go to voice mail. “Are you guys already at the airport?”“There's been a slight change of plans,” her mom said, sounding annoyed on the other end of the line. “There’s a big snowstorm at one of our scheduled stops. We won’t be able to leave town until the plane is cleare
NicholasNicholas waited in front of Christmas Wishes feeling a bit unsettled about the shop being closed and so quiet.In such a short time, he’d come to know the shop as a place of light and laughter. Molly and Liam were usually blasting Christmas music through the shop’s speakers and laughing between themselves as they hung more and more ornaments on the display trees in the window. Having the windows dark and without music felt very strange.He leaned against the storefront, holding a freshly brewed Americano in one hand, and a sugary iced cinnamon roll in the other.He’d stopped by one of the town’s food trucks on the way over, wanting to ensure that Molly would have something to eat for breakfast. He’d noticed that on some days she’d get so busy with working the register, or wrapping another gift, or trying to sort through pounds of gold tinsel, that she wouldn’t always take time to think about herself in the process.Nicholas stilled as he looked down at the pastry in his hand.
NicholasNicholas now realized that saying the parade was “kind of a big deal” was a massive understatement.The town square had been transformed overnight with each and every storefront being painted with neon golds and silvers, applique snowflakes lining their windows by the dozens, and strings and strings of tinsel piled up on the street below. Everything was red, green, sparkly, or all three.Even the smallest details weren't left out. The town and its inhabitants went all out. Previously decorated trees on the street corners had even more prominent decorations hanging from their limbs, and there were now candy canes painted on the pavement as well. Even the crosswalks had been repainted to look like the stripes on a candy cane.Nicholas’ mind couldn’t wrap around the fact that the most Christmas-y place he’d ever been to in his life had somehow managed to get even Christmas-y-er.Molly seemed comfortable with the Christmas-y-er transformation as she made her way down the pavement
NicholasNicholas felt like a complete imposter. He was the last person on Earth that should be dressed like this.He checked Molly's now empty duffel bag one last time and tried to adjust the white beard. It was scratchy on his face and smelled a little dusty. His own father, the usual Santa, had a real beard. He wondered just how long this one had been in storage.He came out from the back of the shop ow decked out in Santa’s over-sized black boots, Santa’s long, white beard, Santa’s pair of ever-present, tiny glasses, and Santa’s tell-tale, jolly stomach, which now protruded out from Nicholas’ slim frame.Molly was grinning at him. “Nicholas, you look—”“Don’t. Don’t say a word,” Nicholas cut her off as he rolled his eyes behind his glasses. He motioned to Molly to move to the side so he could get on the float. “At least let me get up there before you start making fun of me.”“I wasn’t going to make fun of you. I was going to say you look kind of... cute,” Molly said, smiling as sh
MollyFor a man who claimed to be so uninterested in candy, Nicholas seemed to have no problem with helping little Naomi with reaching the top of the Christmas tree so she could have a candy cane.Molly thought that the gesture was just so sweet, not expecting Nicholas to be so generous with his height, or as comfortable with his place as Santa in the middle of the town’s parade.Nicholas Kerstman was full of so many surprises and Molly wondered if there would ever be an end to him pulling rabbit after rabbit out of his unassuming hat.It was time to walk off the float and over to the chair set up in the town square for Santa to sit. Nicholas offered her his arm, and together they walked like they really were Mr. and Mrs. Claus to the seating area. All around them, children cheered.At one point, the path was too narrow for them to continue walking arm in arm. Instead, Mr. Claus took her hand as they slipped through the narrow spot. He didn't let go and she found herself enjoying the
MollyNicholas and Molly sat side by side on a bench, right on the edge of the relatively empty park. They watched as a few teenagers hung out near the back of a pick-up truck, clamoring with shared laughter from time to time.Their breath rose like dragon's breath as they sat with their cups and talked. Molly almost wished she hadn't worn a warm jacket so she could steal his again. She liked having the scent of him wrapped around her.Molly’s mind wandered back to when she and Hannah used to hang out in the park between classes, often trying to glean information from each other’s scribbled notes, while eating out of the same family sized bag of chips they’d been working on for a week straight. She'd loved those times with Hannah.“What’s wrong?” Nicholas asked, scooting a bit closer to Molly on the bench, his eyes looking down at her with concern. “You’re so quiet.”“Nothing,” Molly lied. She looked up into his hazel eyes and sighed. “Well, something. Hannah might be moving to New Yo
NicholasNicholas and Molly had been working side-by-side at Christmas Wishes all morning. Nicholas noted that their collaborative workflow seemed to improve with more time spent together. They now took count of inventory, wrapped up the remaining gifts in the store and kept a watchful eye on Liam with relative ease.Earlier, Molly had mentioned that both of their parents would be coming back into town today, although she wasn’t sure of the time since they had to switch their flights due to the previous snowstorm.At first, Nicholas felt the familiar pang of worry that comes with having to introduce someone to his parents, whether it be a co-worker, a friend or a certain Head Elf he’d found himself quite fond of.But then he recalled that Molly had known his parents for years, which meant that she was aware of their oddities and possibly even liked them all the more for it. Plus, he knew they already liked her. It was nice not to have the stress of it.Molly had gone to the back of th