Scrambled Christmas Novels & Stories

she asked. “You look beautiful,” I replied, sounding corny. “I look the same as always. Thanks though. You just needed to paint yourself orange to top off your outfit,” she laughed, tapping my chest. “Merry Christmas, papa pooh!” Amber yelled and dashed towards me. “Merry Christmas, bambi,” I answered happily, kissing her cheek. I placed a red and green headband on her head. Now she looks like Bambi, the reindeer. “The table is set. Assist me in carrying out the food, please?” she asked.

Christmas arrived like a long, deep, and relieved sigh after a storm that had lasted entire years. Declan's, Evie's, and Harvey’s house was a truly grand yet welcoming refuge, situated on a vast property surrounded by wide gardens, ancient trees, and a small lake that reflected the Christmas lights like a magical mirror. Soft white lights twinkled in the garden trees, green and red garlands adorned the main door with golden bows, and the smell of fresh pine, cinnamon, nutmeg, roasted turkey, and gingerbread cookies filled every room like a warm, comforting embrace. It was the first time we were celebrating Christmas all together as a large extended family after everything we had been through

Chapter Five Marguerite “Merry Christmas,” I muttered, wiping off nonexistent dust from my shirt. “Say it like you mean it.” Vinn made a face. “Do you want me to pick you up after school? We could spend Christmas together if you don’t have plans.” Vinn suggested as he dropped me off right in front of our school gate. He casually leaned on his baby—the Kawasaki ZX10R SE. It was Christmas Day. Fucking Christmas Day and our professors who weren’t loved at home, set the day for classes.

Before I could figure out what was going on, a tall and slender woman approached Dylan and me. She locked arms with Dylan and shot me an irritated look, asking, "Who's this?" Dylan answered before I could even say a word, speaking in a tone that made it seem like we had coincidentally run into each other. "She's Blake's girlfriend. She came to look for him." The woman immediately dropped her guard and curiously gave me a once-over. She smiled sweetly and introduced herself as Trixie Ashford. She was Dylan's girlfriend, and she had returned to the country specifically to celebrate Christmas with him.

Not with the paycheck. Christmas just got a whole lot fucking worse.

Now it was an unspoken rule in the company because I wouldn't have it any other way. A text notification lit up the screen of my phone, snagging my attention away from the past, and I picked it up, quickly dialing the number of the agency Parker had just sent, and waited with bated breath as it rang. “You have reached The Xmas Xpress, Erika speaking. What can I do for you?” a feminine voice chirped in one breath with practiced professionalism. “Um, hello, I'd like to book a Santa Claus mascot,” I said, shifting on my feet.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Jaxon said low and careful from his place at the door to the living room, his hand resting on the frame. His eyes were on me, like he was trying to gauge whether I meant it when I said everything was fine. I stood at the window, staring out as snow fell in languid flakes, casting a pale luminance over everything in sight. Christmas was looming, yet somehow, it didn't feel quite as festively joyful as it had other years.

It is. A sausage and cheese salad. Salt-crusted rack of lamb. And now, a raspberry and spiced rose meringue parfait with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate syrup and thin honey biscuits on top. I pick one up and marvel at the design on it. It looks like a bouquet of flowers. "It's called a tirggel," Shawn informs me. "Traditionally, they're baked during Christmas with designs of old buildings, knights and horse-drawn carriages."