Chapter Three

Frosty tipped and face-planted on the hood of the car with a thump and a crash. Justin stared at the snowman’s plastic bottom.

“Well, this is awkward,” Lilly said.

“Cool,” said Cisco. “Let me out so I can record.”

Lilly grabbed Justin’s forearm. “Stay here. I don’t think it will look good if you’re seen out there.”

Justin shook her hand away and opened his car door. “Unbelievable, Maddox. You really are a menace. Come on. Let’s go see if anyone is hurt.” He thrust the car into park and turned it off. The PA system shut off right in the middle of “Dominick the Donkey.”

His coworkers crowded around the front of the car. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Kevin, laughing. Of course. His humiliation was Kevin’s win.

Kevin would never let him live this down. Ever.

Think bunny costume and carry on.

Justin threaded through the crowd of fellow cops to assess the damage to the front of the squad car and to see if anyone on the mayor’s float had gotten hurt. Lilly appeared beside him. Cisco followed, camera on.

Of course.

The Rudolph nose on the front grille had been squashed, and Frosty the Plastic Snowman had put a deep scratch in the paint. That wasn’t good. Neither was the crack in the bumper.

Beside him, Lilly said, “At least we’re at city hall. They’ll have time to fix Frosty while you do your speech.”

Really? That was her concern? “Oh thank God!” He waved his hands in false excitement. “Frosty will be okay. Yay.” Justin shook his head as adrenaline flooded his veins. I’m so sunk. He spotted Mayor Liu headed for the staging set up in front of city hall and left Lilly to hurry after her. His job was in jeopardy. And it was Lilly’s fault. He’d known this was a bad idea from the start. Lilly Menace strikes again. “Madam Mayor, is everyone all right?”

The mayor turned to Justin with a scowl. But then Lilly was there, waving a microphone in her face. “Lilly Maddox, Madam Mayor, from Channel 10 news. I’ve heard that the Ho-Ho-Patrol was about to end, but you and several officers on the force spearheaded the return of Cop Kringle, and it looks like the voters approve. Care to comment?”

The mayor’s scowl turned to a grin. Then she waved her hand at the float and Justin’s squad car-sleigh. “As mayor of Holly Hollow, I’m happy to provide the Ho-Ho-Ho Patrol to our community. Even if Santa needs to work on his driving skills. Fortunately, Frosty is made of snow. And plastic.”

Lilly led her away, using her microphone like a carrot, leaving Justin behind. At least one crisis had been averted. He got back behind the wheel and started the car, but Lieutenant Hanley appeared at the driver’s-side window. Justin rolled it down.

“That was quite some driving, Santa. Did you lose control of your sleigh?”

Lost control of myself is more like it, Justin thought. The idea of Lilly sitting on his lap had sent all the blood in his body pooling to his nether regions and sent his imagination into a place it best not go. He shook his head. “I’m so sorry, sir. My”—brain had shut down—“foot slipped.”

“Well, see that it doesn’t happen again. Good thing for you, it appears your elf has managed to distract Mayor Liu. After the parade, get this car to the motor pool for repairs. And don’t forget to write up a report.”

Great. “Yes, sir. Thank you.”

The lieutenant looked up over the roof at the mayor and Lilly. “I’ll forgive you this time, if you’ll introduce me to your elf.” He smiled. “I’ve always wanted to be on TV.”

…

The high school chorus started a rousing, rocking rendition of “Hey, Santa,” Justin’s cue to approach the podium.

But right now, he didn’t look at all jolly. In fact, he was Grinch green and appeared frozen at the bottom of the stairs to the stage.

They had to make this look good. Really good. And the only way for that to happen was to make Justin the best Santa the city had ever seen. Lilly took him by his elbow. “Come on, Santa. Can’t keep your adoring public waiting.”

“Don’t make me do this,” Justin muttered, but let her lead him up the stairs to the microphone.

Lilly reached to adjust his hat and help him straighten his beard, brushing his lips with her fingertips as she pushed the stray white hairs away from his mouth. His warm breath blew over her palm and up her wrist. Lilly shivered.

“You’re doing a good thing. Think of the kids. Forget everything else.”

“No problem. My mind is blank already.”

“Don’t feel bad about how you’re dressed. At least you’re completely covered by your ensemble. And nothing is hotter than a cute guy who’s willing to humiliate himself for children.”

He exhaled a chuckle. His normal color reappeared, and his ears pinkened beneath Santa’s white wig. She gave him a nudge. “Now get up there and give ’em the best Merry Christmas you can manage, Officer Kringle.”

But Justin stood still, blinking at her. “Wait. Did you just say you think I’m cute?”

Lilly gazed up into his dark eyes as Justin pinned her with a steady gaze. Her mouth grew dry, and her stomach tingled. “Of course. I’ve always thought you were cute,” she said.

He licked his lips beneath his fake mustache. “I’ve always thought you were cute, too,” he said softly. “But I never thought about it much…until now.” His eyes dropped and suddenly, Lilly realized, Justin was seeing her. Really seeing her. Not as Lilly the girl he knew but as Lilly the woman she was now. “More than cute.”

His ears darkened from pink to red.

Oh boy. She tried to swallow but couldn’t because her mouth was as dry as a desert. How could this be happening? Especially here? Focus, Lilly.

She needed to get him up on that stage and talking, or her opportunity to win her job would be over. She reached out and gave his chest a final pat. “Are you still feeling like you’re going to throw up? I bet you’re not. Go give your speech, Santa.”

He blinked, then turned and tripped up the stairs to the podium.

Justin took in a deep breath and leaned into the microphone. “Ho ho ho, Ms. Mayor. And Meeerry Christmaaas!”

The crowd cheered. Justin appeared startled. He took another deep breath and said, “Peace on Earth and all that fa-la-la-la blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…” then trailed off. And stared at the crowd, who stared back. Silent.

This was not going well.

Lilly forced herself to stand still on the top step leading toward the stage.

The crowd shifted on their feet in a collective wave, and murmurs began.

“Justin. Talk about lighting the tree.”

He started at the sound of her voice and then blinked. “So, here we are, ready to light the tree. Again. Because it’s Christmas.” He sighed. “Again.” He paused once more and stared out at the crowd. “You know, we do this every year, but nothing ever changes. I guess that means we’re just a bunch of hopeful idiots.”

Oh boy…cut. Cut, cut, cut! People were starting to frown. In front of the podium, Cisco moved to peer out from behind his camera and make a panicked do something! gesture at her. She had to fix this, now.

Lilly hopped onto the stage and moved to the microphone. There was no way she was going to allow Justin—or her piece—to fail. She placed her hand on his back; despite the cold, he was sweating. “Yaaaaay, Santa. Isn’t he great?” Lilly said into the mike.

The crowd gave her a few claps and lots of boos.

Justin frowned and took a step back.

Good, Lilly thought. It gave her more room in front of the lectern. Lilly put on her happiest, most congenial expression and continued speaking. The bells on her hat jingled merrily. “You know, kids, Santa is really sad this year. He’s gloomy as the Grinch. And do you know why?”

“Why?” Justin breathed beside her.

She barely glanced at him, barely paused. “It’s because Santa has a really big goal this year. And the elves—like me”—she pointed to herself with her free hand—“have been very naughty! We’ve been busy playing on our phones and game systems, and we didn’t make enough toys! Isn’t that right, Santa?” She elbowed him in the side, hoping to get him out of his own panicked head and back to reality.

He looked around, suddenly appearing to realize that having a meltdown in front of hundreds of parents and children was not the way to do Cop Kringle. “Uh, that’s right, Elf. Right?” he croaked.

She peered up at him out of the corner of her eye. Then she pinched him right on the hip where no one could see. Justin jumped, but he got the hint. He had to talk. “Yeah, naughty. Lazy slackers, the lot of you.”

People started to laugh and finally to clap. “You see, this year Santa wants to give toys to kids in need all over the city who may not be expecting them this year, for whatever reason. For that to happen, Santa will need your help!” She tilted her head and grinned up at him. “Right, Santa?”

Justin nodded as she raised her arm to gesture at him. “Just the thought of all the toys he’ll need has Santa tongue-tied.” She shrugged and poked him in the chest with her finger. Ouch. He’s like a stone wall. “Too much cocoa and cookies on the trip down from the North Pole, I think. All those carbs…”

The crowd laughed. Lilly laughed with them. “So don’t be surprised when, in the next few days, Santa and I show up at your workplace to collect some extra toys. You don’t have to wrap them, just place them in the bins we’ve left. We all want to spread some Christmas cheer, right?”

There was loud applause. Justin looked out at the crowd. Lilly elbowed him again, and when he looked down at her, she mouthed at him, Light. The. Tree. And gestured at the city hall’s tree with her chin.

Justin leaned past her shoulder to croak into the microphone, “And so it’s time to light the tree.”

The cheers of the crowd were so loud, they almost drowned out the sound of the chorus. The mayor stepped up and flicked the switch on the power strip, and the tree twinkled with light. “There!” Lilly said, sounding satisfied. “Isn’t that beautiful?”

“Yes,” Justin murmured, but when she turned, she realized he wasn’t looking at the tree. He was looking at her.