Kissing Kris Kringle Read Online Free

she said.
    Inside, Holly sighed. She knew that as soon as Joy got a peek at the cute little pup snoozing at Kris’s feet, she’d be begging for one just like it. They couldn’t afford a dog, though. Not with the fear of bankruptcy looming in the future. And Holly worked so many hours that she couldn’t, in good conscience, bring a dog into the house. Who would care for it all day?
    The shadows had grown long and the night held a bite to it. No snow did not mean mild nights by any stretch. Usually this time of year, the enormous blue spruce in the courtyard would be glowing with lights and a huge star at the top. But when they’d tried to turn on the lights this year, they discovered that age had finally won out and none of them would light. Without a budget to buy new ones, without the tourists to oooh and ahhhh over the brilliant tree, there’d been nothing to do about it. They’d put up the decorations but once night fell, darkness draped the tree.
    Saddened by yet another symptom of the economy, she and Joy waited their turn in Santa’s line. Just as they reached Santa’s chair, though, dazzling light exploded around them and gasping, Holly and Joy looked up at the towering pine. It sparkled with bright, twinkly lights. Even Santa seemed caught off guard by the radiant display. As they watched, a man came down a ladder at the side of the tree. Nick Santos jumped off the last rung and admired his handiwork while the small crowd milling around Santa applauded his efforts. He made a courtly bow and when he stood, his gaze seemed to snag on Kris. The two men exchanged a cryptic glance for a charged moment. Holly wondered what they were thinking, but then Nick had turned away and Joy raced up to Santa for her turn.
    “What’s your puppy’s name?” she asked, bending to pet the cute little dog. Thrilled at her attention, the puppy rolled over and gave Joy his belly to rub. Holly had brought it some puppy chow and water earlier. And yes, she’d brought Kris a sandwich and coke, too. Both had been pitifully grateful.
    “I haven’t thought of a good name for him yet,” Kris told her daughter. “Maybe you could help me.”
    Groaning on the inside, Holly watched her daughter enchant the big man in the Santa suit as she tried to pick an appropriate name for such a cute puppy. Finally, she clapped her hands and said, “How about Cupid? Like the reindeer?”
    Kris grinned at Joy. “I like it. What do you think, Cupid?”
    The puppy gave a happy bark that sounded something like wruff.
    Joy scooped Cupid into her arms and crawled boldly onto Santa’s lap. She was only five and she’d never been shy. Staring into his face, she said, “You’re the best Santa I’ve ever seen. Your beard doesn’t even look fake.”
    Kris looked disconcerted by this statement. He reached up with tentative fingers and gave his beard a tug. Holly had to agree, it looked very real. But she’d seen Kris walking to Sugar Plum’s for coffee just yesterday and she knew that he didn’t have a beard—especially a white one. Kris usually sported a disreputable five-o’clock shadow. Coupled with his dark hair and green eyes, he was enough to make any self-respecting woman sigh.
    As if hearing her thoughts, he looked at her over Joy’s head and smiled.
    “Do you want to know if I’ve been naughty or nice, Santa?” Joy asked.
    Kris agreed that he’d like nothing better and he listened with patience that made Holly’s heart hurt as Joy listed all of her good deeds—and, honest to a fault—all of her naughty ones too. When Kris agreed that the good far outweighed the bad, Joy beamed at him. And then came the moment Holly had dreaded. Joy made her Christmas request.
    “I want a puppy just like Cupid for Christmas. Mommy says we can’t have one because she works too much and no one could take care of it. But I could. And if I had a daddy, then he could help. I mean a real daddy. One that cares about us.”
    Holly felt tears sting her