Dear Santa Claus - 14 Short Stories Until Christmas

11th December - Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Christmas sucks (or perhaps not) (2)

By the time he talked to her, Katie had already picked the names of the three imaginary dogs he owned, had pinned him to be a social worker working in a very difficult case of child abuse because of which he couldn't leave the country (the jury was still out, but she had faith he could win it), had picked imaginary jobs for his parents which allowed them to spend on plane tickets and accommodations abroad, and had deemed him single for at least six months now.

(The last part was only for her own amusement.)

After dinner, everyone had moved back to the living room to chat and joke around merrily. For about half an hour, Katie had done small talk with her relatives, but after the third comment from her aunt Susan about how at her age she was already married with children, she excused herself and moved to stand next to the snack table.

It was as she was nursing her already half-empty glass of wine that Jesse came to stand by her side.

"Hi, can I join you?" He asked shyly. "You're the only one who looks my age and I don't feel like being the third wheel all night."

Katie looked over his shoulder and yes, indeed, her little cousin and Matt were flirting and being all adorable for some, cringe-worthy for others.

"Yes, of course," she replied, showing a welcoming smile to make him relax. She spun toward the table to grab a small silver tray and offered it to him. "Christmas cookies?"

"Oh, thank you," he smiled and grabbed a gingerbread man.

Katie put the tray back and played with the glass of wine in her hands only to have something to do with them. She stared forward, pretending to be appreciating the cheery view of people talking and laughing around the Christmas tree— Anything to not show she was nervous. Especially when she could see him staring at her from the corner of her eye. Was he checking her out? Did she want him to?

"So, um, Katie, right?"

Katie finally turned to face him. With his eyes focused on her, the fluttering in her stomach got a little stronger, but she managed to keep a casual demeanor.

"Yes. And you're Jesse?" She said more like a question than a statement, even though she had already memorized his name. He didn't need to know that.

Looking a little more loosened now that she hadn't ignored him or told him to get lost, he smiled at her and offered a hand in greeting. "Jesse Evans. Very nice to meet you."

Katie placed her glass in her left hand to shake his hand. "Nice to meet you too," she said half chuckling, amused by the formal gesture. Judging by the way his smile widened, it had been the intention.

"So, where are the rest of the Evans?" She asked curiously and took a sip from her drink.

"In London," he replied. "My mom had always wanted to go there, and everyone got excited with the idea of experiencing Christmas season covered in snow like in the movies, so there they went."

She raised an eyebrow. "Looks like that backfired spectacularly."

He laughed. "Yeah, it did. Well, it did for me. Them? I think they're having a blast. They've sent me like a hundred pictures and my little sister won't stop posting Instagram stories." He chuckled and then sighed. "I wish I was with them."

"Why aren't you? I mean, why didn't you go with them?" Katie asked and felt herself fill with anticipation. She'd finally get the answer to the question she had been turning around in her head all night.

"I would've loved to, but I had a concert with my band and I couldn't abandon them."

Okay, that is so not what she would've guessed.