Chapter 1 - Eve's Christmas Wedding

“A Christmas wedding?" Eve Bennington, one of Manhattan’s most prestigious wedding planners, eyed the woman who sat across her office desk. "As in this Christmas? You've got to be kidding me. You know how I feel about the holidays.”

“How can I forget? You remind me every year.” Staci, Eve's best friend since the sixth grade and now her business partner, crossed her arms across her chest. "Eve, just trust me when I say that we need to not only plan this wedding, we need to pull out all the stops."

A silent stand-off between the two women ensued. To Eve's knowledge, she and Staci had never actually disagreed about anything more substantial than where to have lunch. In fact, considering that they were as opposite as any two women could be, it was amazing how compatible they were. Whereas Eve preferred to spend her quiet evenings with a book and a mug of cocoa, Staci was a social butterfly who loved parties and champagne. While Eve was a tall, slender, brown-eyed brunette, Staci was petite, with blond curls and bright blue eyes. But their biggest difference was that Staci loved Christmas. Eve detested it.

"This is something we need to do, Eve," Staci reiterated.

Eve raised an eyebrow. “Why would you even consider this? It’s not like we need the money.” She looked pointedly at Staci’s very pregnant waistline. “You’ll be on maternity leave and I will be on a beach in Kauai over Christmas. Neither of us are in a position to change our plans.”

Staci wrapped her hands around her bundle of joy-to-be. “That’s true enough for me. But you can still change your plans. Fly out to Hawaii right after the holidays and extend your trip a few extra days into January. We don't have a single thing planned between New Year and the tenth of January.”

"Yes, I know, because we planned it that way." Eve pushed away from her desk and swiveled around in her chair. She fixed her gaze on the tree lined street below so that she could compose herself without having to look into her best friend’s hopeful eyes. Had Staci flat out lost her mind? Or was this temporary insanity a result of raging pregnancy hormones. This was December, and they were busy planning weddings for the next autumn. And Staci wanted to talk about a Christmas Eve wedding? Really?

Staci’s voice broke through her reverie. “I’ll do all the legwork and paperwork. I just need you on the ground that day to do what you do best.”

Eve swiveled back around to face her partner. “Coercion and strong arm tactics aren’t going to convince me to take this on. I'm sorry, Staci, but you know why I can’t do this.”

“I know why you think you can’t, and no one would blame you for feeling this way, but maybe it’s time to let it go. It’s not like you really miss Phillip, is it?”

“No, of course not." Not even for a second, actually. Phillip rarely crossed Eve's mind these days. Being left at the altar on Christmas Eve at her own wedding three years ago had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. Not that it hadn't been humiliating. It most certainly had. But believing she and Phillip belonged together had been a colossal mistake, and he’d figured it out in time, even if she hadn't.

Of course, it would have been nice if he’d come to that realization before she’d walked down the aisle and stood beside him in front of three hundred guests. But after the first rush of humiliation had passed, relief quickly set in. She and Phillip didn't belong together. He was a good guy in his own right, but he wasn't Hunter. Eve turned her attention back to the conversation at hand. “But that doesn’t mean I want to have anything to do with a Christmas wedding. I can’t believe you even asked.”

“One of us has to handle this, Eve. And it won't be me because I'll be giving birth." Staci had the good grace to look sheepish just before she lowered the boom. "I’ve already signed the contract.”

Eve sucked in her breath. It took her several seconds before she could do more than stare. And splutter. “You did what? Good grief, Staci, have you lost your mind? I can’t believe you’d do something like-”

Staci held up her hands to make a time out sign. “Hold up, Eve. Let me explain.”

But there wasn’t a thing her friend could say that would begin to justify signing a contract without Eve’s agreement. Especially one for a Christmas wedding. Staci’s baby was due on December twenty-third, which would mean the actual wedding itself would fall squarely on Eve’s shoulders. Eve stood and grabbed a handful of bridal magazines from her desk. She shoved them into her tote bag. “Let’s chalk this whole craziness up to hormones, because there isn’t any other way to defend your lapse of judgment.”

Eve moved around her desk but Staci beat her to the doorway. She flung her arms out and blocked Eve's exit.

“Not so fast,” Staci cried. “This isn’t like you to back down from a challenge. We both know you could organize an entire presidential inauguration in your sleep. You can do this, Eve.”

Eve shifted her tote to her shoulder and closed her eyes. Twenty-two years they’d been friends and never, not once, had Staci been so unreasonable. Ever. About anything. “I know I can do it. I also know I’m not going to do it. You got us into this, Staci, and now you can get us out of it. I don’t care what you do. Give the bride back her deposit, comp her a free cake, whatever. I don’t care. Just tell her to find someone else to plan it.”

Staci dropped her arms to her sides and sagged against the door frame. “I can’t, Eve. You don’t understand.”

“No, you’re right. I don’t understand.”

“This couple is really special.”

Eve rolled her eyes. “Every bride is special. That doesn’t mean we have to plan every wedding in the world. The bride, whoever she is, will recover when you tell her no. Hearing that word does not have legal consequences.”

“I tried to turn the job down, honestly I did.” Staci put her hands on her lower back. “But then her uncle paid me a visit.”

“So? What did he do? Threaten us with bodily harm?”

Staci hesitated. “No, but he’s not the kind of man you can say no to.”

Eve studied her friend. Despite Staci’s delicate appearance, she was no slouch in the assertiveness department. Like Eve, she was an astute business woman. This craziness could only be explained by her friend's pregnancy hormones running amok. Staci herself admitted to being weepy and ultra-emotional over every little thing after she’d hit thirty weeks. Eve sighed. “Set up a meeting. I’ll make him see reason.”

Staci shook her head emphatically. “No, you can’t back out of this, Eve. I'm telling you, he won’t take no for an answer.”

Eve whipped out her phone. “Just give me his number and consider the whole thing cancelled.” She waited but Staci remained silent. Eve fought a wave of exasperation that washed over her. The last thing she wanted to do was argue with her best friend. “Just give me a name. Who is this uncle?”

“Santa Claus.”

* * *

 

Santa Claus didn't try to hide his delight when his assistant ushered his niece, Kris, and her fiancé, Kyle, into his office. "Come in, come in. I've got some exciting news for you both." He greeted both of his visitors with a warm hug and then gestured to the two red velvet covered chairs in front of his desk. "Have a seat so I can share all the details."

His niece spoke first. "You certainly looked happy about something, Santa. Don't keep us in suspense."

Santa grinned broadly. "Okay, I won't. I've just signed a contract with the most amazing wedding planners down below. Which means that in precisely twenty-four days you two will be able to tie the proverbial knot in grand style. How's that for fabulous?"

Kris and Kyle exchanged startled glances.

"I'm sorry, Santa, sir, but I must have heard you wrong." Kyle leaned forward in his chair, his expression perplexed. "You've chosen Christmas Eve as our wedding date?"

"Well, of course I have. It's the obvious choice." He looked to his niece for support. "Doesn't that sound perfect to you?"

"Actually, Santa, I can't think of a worse date. Well, actually, the twenty-fifth would be worse, but just barely." Kris fiddled with the string of pearls she always wore. "Kyle and I have actually been talking about planning something a little less traditional."

Santa's bushy white eyebrows shot up. "Less traditional?"

"Yes, sir. We're tossing around the idea of a destination wedding. Someplace warm, on a beach."

"And most certainly not in December," Kris added. "February in Hawaii is always gorgeous."

"February?" Santa groped for his desk chair and sank into it, all traces of earlier enthusiasm erased from his face. He looked between them both. "But I had my heart set on a Christmas Eve wedding."

An uneasy silence filled the wood-paneled office. The logs in the fireplace crackled and the grandfather clock chimed the half hour, but no one spoke for several long moments.

When Kris spoke, her voice was gentle. "Uncle Santa, a Christmas wedding isn't the least bit feasible. Christmas Central is at peak activity under the best of circumstances. We're all usually in a state of near panic trying to pull off Christmas. You're not even going to be here until late in the evening on the twenty-fourth, and that's assuming all goes well. Why would we add something as stressful as a wedding to the mix?"

"Because it's romantic?"

"So is Valentine's Day." Kris turned to her fiancé for support. "Kyle?"

"Right, so here's the thing, Santa, sir. Kris and I love each other. Our focus is on our marriage, not on the wedding itself. We'll be perfectly happy with a simple ceremony as long as the family is all together. We know what we want, and what we don't want." He reached for Kris' hand and held it in his. "And we don't want crazy."

"And you think that Christmas Eve at the North Pole is crazy?"

Kyle nodded. "Yes. In a good way, of course. But it's not the kind of atmosphere or energy that we want."

Santa shrugged. "Well, then, it's decided. You'll have the wedding you both deserve." He got to his feet. "But the least Mrs. Claus and I can do is plan the wedding for you. We both know and love the Hawaiian islands so you'll be in good hands. Please say yes."

After he'd secured Kris and Kyle's rather reluctant promise to leave the wedding planning to him, Santa ushered them out of his office. Once alone, he plopped down in a wingback chair in front of the fireplace. He stared into the flames, a small frown marring his features. Valentine's Day was romantic? Since when? He sighed.

"What's the matter, Mr. C?"

Santa jumped. "Oh, I didn't hear you come in, Rapz, my boy." He smiled at one of his favorite, and most mischievous, elves. "I was lost in thought."

Rapz climbed up onto the chair next to Santa's and settled into it. "So I see. Anything the matter?"

"Did you see Kris and Kyle just leave here?"

Rapz nodded.

"We were discussing wedding plans."

"You don't sound very happy about it," the elf said. "But I can tell you this, I speak for all of the elves when I say how much we're looking forward to the wedding. It's going to be the event of the year. Besides Christmas, of course."

This was the last thing Santa wanted to hear. Disappointing the elves was simply adding insult to injury. He looked at Rapz, his expression grave. "There isn't going to be a wedding. At least not a Christmas one."

"What?" Rapz's eyes grew wide. "Why not?"

"Because the bride and groom think a beach wedding in Hawaii is what they want." He lifted a white gloved hand to forestall Rapz's protest. "Hold on, that's not all. They also have this idea in their heads that it would be romantic to get married on Valentine's Day." Santa rolled his eyes. "Have you ever heard of such a thing?"

"That's ludicrous." Rapz shook his head ruefully. "Did you agree to their unreasonable requests?"

Santa nodded. "More or less. What else could I do? I love my niece. She and Kyle are going to have a wonderful life together. Naturally, I want them to have a dream wedding."

"Naturally." Rapz fiddled with the heavy gold chain he wore around his neck. "A dream wedding. It's what every bride deserves."

"Quite." Santa's tone of voice was downright morose.

"Even brides who don't know what they want should have a perfect day." Rapz cast a sideways glance at Santa. "If you know what I mean."

Santa turned in his chair to face the elf. "I'm not sure that I do. Go on."

"Well, I don't think this is so much different than when we have a child who puts dynamite on their Christmas wish list." Rapz paused to make sure that Santa was picking up the breadcrumbs he was dropping. "Children don't really want explosives, they just think they do. And how do we handle these requests?"

Santa's eyes twinkled merrily. "We give them a chemistry set."

"Exactly." Rapz grinned. "They get the bang they want, no one gets hurt, and the whole family is happy."

"Good thinking, my boy." Santa beamed. "After all, I'm Santa Claus. It's my job to make the choices that I know will make people happy."

Rapz slid off his chair. "A beach wedding, whoever heard of such a thing?" He grimaced. "I'd better get back to work. Do you need any help with the wedding plans?"

Santa stood. "Perhaps soon. But for now, the best way for you to help is to keep this all hush-hush. We wouldn't want to ruin Kris' surprise, would we?"

Rapz shook his head solemnly. "No, we would not."

"Thank you, Rapz." Santa patted the elf's shoulder. "Without a doubt, this is going to be the best wedding the North Pole has ever seen."