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Chapter One

“Oh, and I’ll take the Santa hat cookie with sprinkles, too,” I say, s at Nancy as she packs up the ridiculous a with me today I couldn’t just pick one, and I know I’ll need them later when I start to feel a little down

“Soivesme the box

“How much do I owe you?”

“It’s on me Merry Christmas”

“Oh, I al the cookie box down on the counter, I dig through my purse until I find the small present I pull it out and hand it to her

“You shouldn’t have!” she says as her eyes light up and she rips off the wrapping She opens the sotten ornaot hot chocolate cups and filled the, even if it’s small It is my favorite holiday, after all

Thearound and the s is snow, and I’ to coht when I get home

“I love it,” Nancy says, coar wraps around me before she pulls away “I better hurry up and close My honey is waiting for randkids”

I give her a small wave, wish her a merry Christmas, before I head back to one The Christ of sadness washes over me This is the tih it was just the two of us, ays celebrated big I fight theto take over and keep a smile pasted on my face as I walk

It felt like Christmas went so fast this year I blinked and the holiday was over I always get a little sad when each holiday co home to an empty apartment to spend the day alone makes my heart sink It’s the only day of the year the mall completely shuts down, so I don’t have work to distract

Rounding the corner, I take the back hallway to er Krista sitting at her desk still, and I’one by now

“Hey, what are you still doing here?” I ask, setting down the box of cookies

“I need a favor,” she sighs, looking up fro all day I love being around people, and I lovepeople set to do all the holiday decorations and events at the ht up with exciteet to see Santa or even the Easter Bunny Their smiles are infectious

“Anything,” I tell her,her lips pull into a smile as the worry lines on her face fade away

“I need you to go to an event tonight”

I pause, then look down at my outfit I’m still dressed up as one of Santa’s little helpers I love it because it makes me feel super festive, and because I ht, so I pulled this together But so Krista wants

“I’ll have to run hoe Do I have time?”

“No, I need you to go like that It was requested”

“It was requested?” I ask, wondering what that means

“It was, and so were you”

“Oh,” I say, and feel exciteo hos of happiness start to fizz into do other thanin my own self-pity “I was requested personally?”

She nods and sood impression on someone if they want uest or if I’

“What do I even do?”

“It didn’t really say Just that they wanted you, and to dress like you do when you’re Santa’s helper”

I clap excitedly, but Krista doesn’t seem to have my enthusiasm

“Why so glum? This sounds like fun!”

She shakes her head, stands up from behind her desk, and coainst it and looks at ht’s mansion”

That makes me pause, but not because I’m scared I’m curious I’ve only heard ru, or so they say I know for a fact he own

s this mall, and I’m sure a dozen others

“I didn’t think anyone was ever allowed at his house” It’s another ru with the one where he never leaves his hos about him That he’s mean and broody, and I wonder if it’s all true I also wonder if I could ood one

“I’ve worked here five years and I’ve never seen him I’ve also never received an email from him, either Until today”

“This is exciting” I can feelit almost hurts

“There is so else I wanted to talk to you about” She folds her hands across her chest It’s so I’ve noticed she does when she’s really worried “There’s talk about hi the mall down”

I gasp at her words Close the mall down? I love this place I don’t think I could ever find a job like this one, one where hter I need this job When o, I was lost and lonely When I got this job, I foundto make others smile, too

“You wantit No way a him shut this place down There are so many people with businesses here I’ve made a little family here, and now this place is all I have

“Christ her hands drop “Shit I feel like I’er”