Prologue

“Merry Christmas to you too,” Nick replied with a laugh, “I happen to be making my rounds.

You know, bringing everyone their presents.”

Grae nodded, “Of course, I’m sorry. I just didn’t think I’d ever be seeing you again, after I left.

How is Jordyn?” she asked, attempting to be polite.

Nick shook his head, “She’s good I assume,” he paused before revealing, “back home.”

“What do you mean?” she inquired, “I left, so she won.”

“Can’t win something that’s been canceled,” Nick offered, “You see, I didn’t want anyone to be

my Mrs. Claus except you. So, when you left that night I told Corym the entire thing was off.”

Grae was confused, “But, you were supposed to pick someone. That was the whole point. Aren’t

you going to get in some kind of trouble?”

“You pointed out something very important on one of our first dates,” he responded, “I am Santa

Claus, the boss of the North Pole. I don’t need some points system to pick out my future wife.

Especially not when I have feelings for someone,” Nick took a few steps closer to her, placing

his hands on her upper arms. “Did I mention how lovely you look in that gown?” he asked.

Grae shook her head, “What are you trying to tell me, Nick? My heart can’t take much more of

this,” she said, her voice low and vulnerable.

Nick placed his hand on her cheek, “I canceled the competition because I want you. You’re the

only person I want by my side, the only woman in the world who could be my Mrs. Claus,” he

whispered, leaning in to place his lips to hers.

Grae felt his lips on hers and allowed him to deepen the kiss, just as Emma entered the room

again.
“Um, I hate to break this up,” Emma cleared her throat and announced her presence, “But don’t

you have a lot to do, Santa?”

Nick pulled back from the kiss and chuckled, glancing in Emma’s direction, “You’re quite right,

but I still haven’t given Ms. Reed her present.”

Emma leaned back on the wall in anticipation.

Grae scrunched her face, “What else could you have? You already told me you sent Jordyn home

and I get to be yours. There’s nothing else I could ever need,” she stated.

Emma laughed, unable to help herself, “That’s cheesy even for you, Grae.”

Grae looked at her best friend and playfully frowned, “Sh,” she teased, “you’re going to ruin

whatever this moment is.” Grae looked back at Nick, “Though with you, this could be an

elaborate scheme to throw something at me,” she teased.

“She’s not wrong,” Nick agreed as he got down on one knee in front of Grae. “You know, I

didn’t plan on you being so well dressed for tonight, but this look really works,” he commented

on her gown once again, adding to the anticipation.

Grae rolled her eyes, “Is this what I think or are you about to just stand back up and get in your

sleigh?”

“Well, you did ruin our first kiss with questions about my beard,” he replied, teasingly, “This

was my turn to delay at your expense this time. Is it annoying you?”

Grae shook her head, “You know it is. Get on with it, Mr. Claus.”

Nick laughed before he spoke, “Ms. Grae Reed, you are stubborn and intelligent. You challenge

me at every turn. But against all odds, even the North Pole’s supposedly flawless system, I have

fallen deeply in love with you,” he paused to pull out a box. He opened it to reveal a ring. The

ring had a diamond snowflake surrounded in smaller diamonds on a white gold band.
“You better not be playing with me,” Grae warned.

Emma couldn’t stay quiet for another moment, “You’re ruining his moment again! Just hush and

let him lead the conversation,” she caught a glare from Grae. “I say it with love,” she added.

Nick glanced at Emma, mouthing ‘thank you’, before he looked at Grae once more to continue.

“Will you do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife, Mrs. Claus, and the First Lady of

Christmas?” Nick finally asked, “If you say yes, it will make me both the happiest and most

annoyed man in the universe,” he added with a small, subtle laugh and a tiny wink.

Grae rolled her eyes once again, “You just couldn’t resist could you?”

Nick shook his head, “So, what do you say? Are you going to be my Mrs. Claus?”

Grae took a deep breath and nodded, “Yes, I would love nothing more,” she answered, offering

her hand so he could place the ring on her finger.

He rose from on his knee and placed his lips to hers once more.

“I’m getting everyone eggnog!” Emma shrieked with joy.

Nick pulled back, “I’m afraid I have to get back to work,” he declined, “Grae, you once

mentioned wanting to help me hand out gifts on Christmas. Would you like to join me?”

Grae looked at Emma for approval. She didn’t want to leave her friend alone on Christmas Eve.

Emma glared at her, gesturing for her to get out of there.

“I would love to join you, Mr. Claus,” Grae replied as she took his hand and allowed her to guide

her to his sleigh, this time as his fiance.

Chapter 1
“Mom,” Grae whined as she flipped through the wedding dress magazine for the millionth time

that afternoon, “I don’t have that much longer before Nick will be here. Can’t we just agree on

one dress?” she practically begged.

Her mom, Patricia, gave her best friend Emma an exasperated shrug before she responded,

“When will you be able to come back and plan with us again? I just don’t think any of these

dresses we’ve seen are speaking to me.”

Emma quickly got up to brew another pot of coffee, not wanting to be forced to take sides.

Grae sat back down and looked at her mother, “Shouldn’t the dress be speaking to me? Like, this

one?” she asked as she flipped back to the dress which had jumped out for her. It was a lace

gown with a sweetheart neckline with short lace sleeves. It was both simple and elegant,

everything Grae was after for her special day.

Patricia picked up the catalogue and took a closer look at the dress her daughter was pointing

out. Silence followed as she studied the dress with an imaginary magnifying glass until she

finally spoke, which felt like eons later. It took her so long, in fact, that Emma had returned with

a cup of coffee for each of them.

“I do like this one,” Patricia finally agreed, “I think it’ll look quite flattering on you. What do

you think, Emma?” she asked as she handed the magazine to Grae’s best friend and maid of

honor.

Emma took the book and glanced at the dress in question, “That’s the one I like the best. My

vote is yes,” she changed the subject, “I’m, honestly, more interested in what I’m going to be

wearing. Have you and Nick decided on colors?” she asked.

“We have,” Grae beamed, “we’re going with maroon and lace,” she shared before handing

Emma a page of choices she would be able to pick her dress from, “What do you think?” she

asked, slightly nervous as she revealed the color scheme of her upcoming nuptials.

Emma and Patricia smiled brightly in unison, “Those are perfect colors for a December

wedding!” Patricia agreed, enthusiastically, before asking, “And, are you sure December 12th

gives him enough time to get back and prepare for the big night?”

“Yeah,” Grae replied, “Nick said that should be plenty of time. I mailed the invitations out

yesterday after we picked our colors so you two should be receiving yours any day now,” she

revealed.

Emma smiled once again before she passed the bridesmaid page back to Grae, pointing out the

one she wanted. “I’m going to wear this one,” Emma announced as she showed off a basic,

strapless maroon gown.

“I knew you’d pick that one,” Grae responded with a slight laugh, “I love it,” she agreed before

turning her attention to her mom, “I trust you to pick out anything because I know you have great

style so don’t let me down,” she added with a wink.

Patricia shook her head as she took a sip of her coffee, “Have I ever?” causing Grae to shake her

head before embracing her mother in a large, tight hug.

As the two women parted, they were interrupted by Nick’s entrance from the balcony, “Good

evening, ladies. I hope you’ve had enough time to get some planning done,” he stated with a

smile, “But, unfortunately, I need to take Grae back to the North Pole now.”

Grae stood and gave her mom and Emma each another hug before she walked over by Nick’s

side. Sometimes she still couldn’t get over the fact that he was so close to her age when he had
grey hair and a beard to match. Luckily for her, he had a rugged Santa look instead of a cheesy

one.

“I’m good to go,” Grae replied after she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, “We picked out

my dress and the maid of honor dress,” she shared, proudly.

Nick placed a small kiss on her forehead, “Very good, dear. Well, ladies,” he glanced back to

Patricia and Emma, “I’ll bring her back again as soon as I can.”

With his words, the couple was back in Nick’s sleigh and racing back to the North Pole at record

speeds.

Nick pulled back into the stables in twenty minutes before he hopped off the sled and came

around to Grae’s side to help her down, as well. Once she was on her feet, he leaned down and

gently placed his lips to hers.

“I can’t believe I get to marry you in just four short weeks,” Nick gushed once their lips parted,

“I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

Grae shook her head, “I hope you still feel that way after a few years,” she changed the subject,”

What’s on my agenda?” she asked.

Nick glanced down at her with a hesitant frown forming on his lips, “Actually, Corym needs to

see you. I told him you were planning the wedding and he seemed extremely agitated at the

idea,” he shared.

“Do you know anything about previous weddings between Santa and Mrs Claus?” she asked, an

idea already forming in her mind regarding what Corym wanted to see her about.

Nick gave her an honest shrug in response, “I wish I did, but I don’t really know what’s expected

of us. I have to go make sure everything’s on schedule. Will you be alright?”

Grae gave him a small nod before she stole one more quick kiss and then headed to the main

workshop where she knew Corym would be hard at work on everything from Christmas to their

wedding.

“Corym!” Grae yelled, once she entered the factory, “I heard you wanted to see me about Nick’s

and my wedding,” she added.

It only took a few moments before Corym appeared before her eyes. “I’m glad you’re here,”

Corym began, “I’ve been wanting to show you the details of your wedding to Mr. Claus,” he

announced as he opened a large binder in front of her with every detail planned out without any

input from her or Nick, not even the colors they’d chosen.

“Corym,” Grae began, “this is very sweet. But, I can plan my own wedding. In fact, I’ve already

started. I mailed out the invitations yesterday,” she responded as she pulled out the magazine to

show him the dress and bridesmaids dresses along with the color scheme.

Corym shook his head as he looked over the different papers Grae had placed on top of the ones

he’d prepared, “Grae, Mrs. Claus is not supposed to plan the wedding. It’s always been up to the

Head Elf,” he revealed.

“Excuse me?” Grae responded, her voice taking on a dangerous tone.