now.”
Noah cocked his head to the side and gave her a wide grin. “Does that mean we’re best friends?”
Kristen smiled back, her heart beating faster. Now that she liked him, was it possible he could like her too?
On the third day of scheduled events, Kristen came to work with several slogans for the Children’s Center circling in her head. Kids connecting for fun, friendship, and adventure. Good food, fun, and friendship. Kids committed to peace, joy, and fun-filled opportunities.
Five minutes after she sat down at her desk, Noah walked in and placed a steaming cup of dark liquid on her desk.
Kristen sat up straighter. “Coffee?”
Noah shook his head. “Hot cocoa.”
“Thank you, but I think my brain needs caffeine.”
“I thought chocolate would be better for my new BFF. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine which stimulates the brain and gives one the same feeling as being in love.”
“Are you implying I’m the office Grinch?”
Noah grinned. “Nah. I always thought of you as the office Scrooge - but a very attractive Scrooge.”
“I am a Scrooge,” Kristen admitted. “I’m sorry if I haven’t been much fun.”
“Do you want to have fun?”
The sparkle in his eyes and the mischievous smile on his lips pulled the truth right out from under her, leaving her knocked down and breathless.
“Yes,” she said, “I do.”
“Then let’s make a pact. Our goal is to have fun no matter what happens today.”
“Okay,” Kristen agreed, but doubts whispered in the back of her mind. If only it were that easy.
After lunch, Kristen took extra care to put on the red Mrs. Claus dress with the red and white pin-striped apron. She tucked her long dark hair up into the white granny hat and adjusted the wire-rimmed glasses midway down her nose.
Leaning toward the bathroom mirror, she smiled at her reflection and wondered if she and Noah could get their picture taken together. Then she could show her brother on Christmas, because he wouldn’t believe her when she told him what she did this week.
The third event she and Noah were to attend was held at the Children’s Center - the same center for which she was trying to come up with an appropriate advertising slogan.
“Some of the kids come here after school because both of their parents work and can’t pick them up until later,” Noah told her. “And some of the kids come to escape family trauma at home. What they need most is love and attention, someone to talk to and believe in them.”
Kristen took a stocking filled with candy canes from the back of his car. “Just like we need kids to believe in us?”
“I believe in you,” Noah said, his gaze steady as he looked into her eyes.
Kristen hesitated. If Noah didn’t look so serious, she’d think he meant he believed in her as Mrs. Claus. But the intensity of his expression made her think he meant something more - like he believed in her as herself - Kristen.
When they arrived at the outdoor play area two of the Children’s Center coordinator’s were busy helping kids dress in wise men, shepherd, angel, and animal costumes. Three other coordinators were trying to corral the rest of the boys and girls into a group in front of a painted cardboard Nativity set.
“Look who’s here to watch our Christmas play,” one of the coordinators announced. “It’s Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus!”
The kids broke away from their assigned positions and ran toward them with cries of delight.
All except one brown-haired girl about nine years old who Kristen spotted sitting on the concrete, with her head part-way down, alone in the corner.
“Who’s that?” Kristen asked one of the women in charge. “Why isn’t that young girl in a costume?”
“Callista
Noah cocked his head to the side and gave her a wide grin. “Does that mean we’re best friends?”
Kristen smiled back, her heart beating faster. Now that she liked him, was it possible he could like her too?
On the third day of scheduled events, Kristen came to work with several slogans for the Children’s Center circling in her head. Kids connecting for fun, friendship, and adventure. Good food, fun, and friendship. Kids committed to peace, joy, and fun-filled opportunities.
Five minutes after she sat down at her desk, Noah walked in and placed a steaming cup of dark liquid on her desk.
Kristen sat up straighter. “Coffee?”
Noah shook his head. “Hot cocoa.”
“Thank you, but I think my brain needs caffeine.”
“I thought chocolate would be better for my new BFF. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine which stimulates the brain and gives one the same feeling as being in love.”
“Are you implying I’m the office Grinch?”
Noah grinned. “Nah. I always thought of you as the office Scrooge - but a very attractive Scrooge.”
“I am a Scrooge,” Kristen admitted. “I’m sorry if I haven’t been much fun.”
“Do you want to have fun?”
The sparkle in his eyes and the mischievous smile on his lips pulled the truth right out from under her, leaving her knocked down and breathless.
“Yes,” she said, “I do.”
“Then let’s make a pact. Our goal is to have fun no matter what happens today.”
“Okay,” Kristen agreed, but doubts whispered in the back of her mind. If only it were that easy.
After lunch, Kristen took extra care to put on the red Mrs. Claus dress with the red and white pin-striped apron. She tucked her long dark hair up into the white granny hat and adjusted the wire-rimmed glasses midway down her nose.
Leaning toward the bathroom mirror, she smiled at her reflection and wondered if she and Noah could get their picture taken together. Then she could show her brother on Christmas, because he wouldn’t believe her when she told him what she did this week.
The third event she and Noah were to attend was held at the Children’s Center - the same center for which she was trying to come up with an appropriate advertising slogan.
“Some of the kids come here after school because both of their parents work and can’t pick them up until later,” Noah told her. “And some of the kids come to escape family trauma at home. What they need most is love and attention, someone to talk to and believe in them.”
Kristen took a stocking filled with candy canes from the back of his car. “Just like we need kids to believe in us?”
“I believe in you,” Noah said, his gaze steady as he looked into her eyes.
Kristen hesitated. If Noah didn’t look so serious, she’d think he meant he believed in her as Mrs. Claus. But the intensity of his expression made her think he meant something more - like he believed in her as herself - Kristen.
When they arrived at the outdoor play area two of the Children’s Center coordinator’s were busy helping kids dress in wise men, shepherd, angel, and animal costumes. Three other coordinators were trying to corral the rest of the boys and girls into a group in front of a painted cardboard Nativity set.
“Look who’s here to watch our Christmas play,” one of the coordinators announced. “It’s Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus!”
The kids broke away from their assigned positions and ran toward them with cries of delight.
All except one brown-haired girl about nine years old who Kristen spotted sitting on the concrete, with her head part-way down, alone in the corner.
“Who’s that?” Kristen asked one of the women in charge. “Why isn’t that young girl in a costume?”
“Callista
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