Page 67 of Chasing Cheer
Ash took her hand and followed her.
As they strode deeper into the forest, she wished for her reindeer. After coming to a stop, they waited. Within a minute, four reindeer emerged from the trees. Dasher, Gale, Ivy, and Clove had all insisted on being the ones to return with her after they’d had a dose of the reserve magic lichen.
“Go ahead,” Holly said. “Show him.”
Ivy and Clove both turned to look at Dasher, who nodded. Then, slowly, the four of them rose into the air. Holly chanced a peek at Ash. He was standing perfectly still, his eyes locked on the reindeer. They began to fan their legs in a way that resembled swimming, slowly revolving in a circle above Holly and Ash. He reached over and squeezed Holly’s hand a little too tightly. His jaw had dropped.
“What’s happening?” he breathed.
“It’s just like I said. They’re reindeer, and they can fly.” Holly squeezed his hand back, hoping she was transferring some kind of calming magic. She didn’t know if that existed, but she was putting her faith in lots of unknowns.
“Like in the Christmas stories,” Ash said, still unable to take his eyes off the reindeer as they floated softly back to the ground.
“Yes.”
He met her eyes then.
“I’d like to show you something else,” she said, hoping the reindeer had softened him up enough for it.
“Don’t tell me we’re going to the North Pole,” Ash joked, then his laugh cut off at the expression on her face.
Holly led him down the path to where the golden sleigh was waiting. The reindeer had walked ahead of them and had already harnessed themselves to it.
“This is your sleigh?” Ash asked, incredulous.
Holly nodded, giving a shy smile.
“So what does that make you? Santa Claus?” Ash was still trying to joke, but Holly could see the confusion playing out all over his face.
She reacted to his joke with a loud, startled laugh. “No way. Santa Claus was my father. I’m Holly Claus. Ms. Claus to the elves.” Holly hadn’t meant to spill all that at once, but her reaction to his calling her Santa Claus had been automatic.
Ash’s eyes grew wide, and he swallowed. “Did you say elves?”
Holly grinned. Since she’d said the worst of it and he hadn’t yet dropped the snow globe, she felt a sudden sense of relief and courage. She hadn’t told him about her watch or the Cheer meter. But there would be time for that later. She still couldn’t believe she’d told him she was a Claus, and that he hadn’t run away, fainted, or laughed.
“Do you want to see them? The elves? And the North Pole? I know this is unbelievable, so I’ll do whatever I can to prove it to you. Or if you want to return to the Emerald House and pretend this is all a dream, I’ll leave you alone.” She paused, her voice dropped to a whisper, and she gripped his hand more tightly. “I’d hate to, but I would. If that’s what you want.”
As much as she wanted him, as much as she knew, even without the Cheer, that she was in love with him, the choice of whether he wanted her would always be his.
She wasn’t sure if it was magic or something innate to Ash, but she could feel an unearthly sense of calm settle over him. His expression changed from one of shock to one of wonder. Maybe he really was becoming a Claus. He reached for her hands, and trust and understanding seemed to pass between them. All her anxieties melted away, replaced by a feeling even more powerful. Neither of them pulled back.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear again, still holding her other hand. “I want to see it all.”
At Ash’s words, the Cheer meter on Holly’s wrist began to vibrate even harder, the warmth seeping into her skin like water into parched earth.
ChapterFifty-Two
“Iknow there are some things you need to take care of now,” Holly said, thinking of the Christmas faire. Christmas Eve was upon them, and the town had to be filling with visitors. She glanced down at her watch. Her Cheer meter was completely full and showed no signs of going down. It vibrated, creating warmth on her wrist, just as her blood was pumping warmly through her veins.
Ash had heard her, and he hadn’t run away. He’d had a million questions as they sat there in the sleigh, but he hadn’t run away. For the first time in a long time, every scale that Holly weighed felt balanced. As much as she wanted to stay and reside in that feeling, she had to give it up for just a little while. She would have to get to the North Pole and discharge the Cheer, or else Christmas would be canceled.
“There’s something I have to do also. It won’t take long. I promise. I’ll be back.”
Ash opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again and nodded.
She gave his hand a little squeeze. “I promise.”
“Are you going to tell me this involves saving Christmas?” Ash asked, his eyes sparkling, still full of surprise and disbelief.
