Sleigh Ride (Minnesota Christmas Book 2) (20 page)

Why then, couldn’t Arthur stop thinking about it? Why did the arrival of the mailman at Gabriel’s house make him nervous? Why did he hold his breath every time someone glanced at them funny?

By Thursday it was driving him so crazy he did the unthinkable. He went to his mother.

They sat at her kitchen table over coffee and cinnamon rolls, and he told her everything. “I know you said he doesn’t care, Mom, but he does. He cares a lot. He wants to fit in. He wants to belong. He wants a
family
.” He hesitated over that, then thought, fuck it. “He wants kids.” He met his mother’s eyes. “Kids with me.”

His mother somehow didn’t seem surprised, only pleased as she squeezed his hand. “Sweetheart, it’s nothing to be nervous about. He’s just letting you know where he stands. Besides, I think you’d be a wonderful father.”

“
Mom.
I’m not nervous because he wants kids.
I
want kids. But I need Gabriel to stay to make it happen. And every time I turn around somebody’s trying to lure him to some fancy library in Timbuktu or threatening to not make him welcome here. I’m scared to death—scared somebody’s going to take him away from me. It doesn’t seem to matter that he’s happy. He’s happy
now
. But what if he changes his mind? How can I fix it so he feels welcome and wants to stay?”

Corrina stared at Arthur for a long time, her expression a mixture of adoring amusement and exasperation. Finally she patted Arthur’s hand. “Sweetheart, I know sometimes it takes you a minute to solve a problem. But if you think about this, about what you said to me, I think you can find your answer.” When he still stared at her, she laughed and sat up enough to kiss his forehead. “Darling—is there a question, perhaps, you could ask Gabriel, that might make him stick around—
for good?
”

Arthur started to get indignant with her—then stopped. And went hot and cold all over. “I— But I didn’t mean…” He glanced around the kitchen nervously. “It’s…kind of early for that. Isn’t it? I mean, Marcus and Frankie have been together a
year
. And they haven’t…asked any questions.”

“Well, that’s your answer. Wait and see how long it takes one of them to propose, and you don’t ask Gabriel until that much time has gone by. So you have at least another eleven months to feel nervous and worried every time you see the postman. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Mom.”

“Sweetheart, you’re being a baby. Ask him.”

Arthur’s whole body ached with terror. “But…what if he says no?”

Corrina sighed. “When your son or daughter has this same conversation with you someday, I want you to come find me or at least look to heaven and say thank you for how much legwork I put into this. I suppose at this rate I might as well walk you through the proposal too.” When Arthur frowned, she laughed. “Oh, you never figured it out, did you? A library fundraiser. You fixing the sleigh, playing Santa. Gabriel playing elf. Planning meetings—the library director needing to talk to you about the sleigh. Then there was the railroading him into Thanksgiving when you both had your heads up your behinds. What in the world did you
think
I was trying to orchestrate, sweetheart? A cotillion?”

Arthur stared at his mother for several seconds, gobsmacked. He’d known all that, yes, but…shit, this
whole
time, she’d put that much effort and energy into getting them together? To this?

He took her hand, squeezed it, drew it to his lips. “Mom, I love you. You’re crazy and you’re a horrible busybody, but I love the hell out of you right now.”

“I know you do, honey.” She patted his arm and rose, taking her cup of coffee with her. “Now come upstairs with me, because I have an idea.”

C
hapter Twenty-One

T
he day of the fundraiser dawned bright and sunny…and almost too cold to drive the horses.

Gabriel was crestfallen over the idea that after so much preparation the sleigh ride wouldn’t happen, but after several meetings with Mr. Peterson and the local veterinarian, Arthur worked out an abbreviated schedule and hatched a plan for Dr. Manders to give regular checkups to both animals. It worked out because people wouldn’t want to ride too long given how cold it was, and in any event mostly they wanted the photo opportunities with Santa and his elf. The American Legion was decked out and ready, Marcus’s friend from the Cities was setting up with his husband to give ballroom dance lessons, and an army of stylists were on hand to transform the citizens of Logan and the surrounding area into Christmas belles and beaus—at least, so said the flyers Frankie had hung in the windows of his salon.

Gabriel had to be transformed into an elf, a detail he had put out of his head until Frankie showed up at the library with prosthetic ears and a mini makeup kit to go with the jolly green-and-red outfit—with tights—which Gabriel grudgingly climbed into.

“Hush,” Frankie scolded him as the spirit gum dried on his ears and he dabbed rouge on Gabriel’s cheeks. “The children will love seeing you dressed up. And if nothing else, be glad you’re not Arthur. He’s only twenty percent through his transformation and already swearing.”

That cheered Gabriel up considerably. “Why, what do you have to do to him?”

“Well, to start, I’ve dyed his eyebrows and beard.
It will wash out,
” Frankie said when Gabriel started laughing. “In a few days.”

Gabriel couldn’t wait to see this. “He’s got to be fit to be tied.”

“He swore enough to make a sailor blush, but he let me do it, and he looks amazing. Wait until you see.”

Gabriel glanced at the wall clock. “Will he be here on time?”

“Absolutely.” Frankie tested Gabriel’s ear. “The children will arrive in a half hour or so, and he’ll definitely be here by then.”

Gabriel was as excited for the children’s home visitors to arrive as the kids themselves likely were. He’d always loved the idea of including them, but now that he knew Arthur wanted kids too someday, meeting these children, many who could never go home and almost all who hoped for adoption…well, he didn’t have to guard his heart in quite the same way, not any longer. “I’m hoping we can sneak a few of them along with us in the sleigh for a ride before things get going. I wish the cold weather hadn’t mucked everything up.”

“I’m sure it’ll all work out in the end.” Frankie stood, turned Gabriel’s head side to side a few times, and smiled, pleased with himself. “Yes. I believe you’re all set. Santa’s helper, ready for action.” He dusted off his hands. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a small urban population to make beautiful and only a few hours to do it in.”

Shortly after Frankie left, Alex and her husband and children arrived at the library. Gabriel hugged them all, not even bothered when Alex laughed at his outfit.

“Oh, honey, you look beautifully ridiculous. I love it.” She stepped back and took him in. “You look
happy
. Crazy, perfectly happy.”

Gabriel smiled. “I am happy. I love it here, Alex.”

She arched an eyebrow. “You love
him
.”

Gabriel shrugged, smiling wider. “Yeah. I do.”

Alex kissed his cheek. “Good for you.”

They chatted as they waited for the van from the children’s home. The library was closed, mostly so when Santa arrived they wouldn’t wonder why he was only giving presents to some of the children. Gabriel warned Alex about this since her own children were present, and was telling her she had a bit of time to escape when his phone rang. It was Marcus, so he answered. “Yes? Is something wrong? Are the horses okay?”

“You need to go outside,” Marcus said. “Right now.” He hung up.

Gabriel frowned at his phone. “He told me to go outside. Right now.”

“Then you’d better go outside.” Alex rose, hoisting her baby onto her hip. “Right now.”

Gabriel paused, suddenly suspicious. “Is there something going on here I should know about?”

“I’m pretty sure something’s going on outside.” Alex’s husband looked pleased with himself.

“Grab your coat,” Alex suggested. “The cute elf one Corrina made for you.”

“I have the terrible feeling I’m going to regret this,” Gabriel murmured as he slid into the thick green faux fur.

Alex laughed. “I’ll remind you that you said so later.”

What the hell was going on? Gabriel picked up his hat, scarf and gloves—all part of his outfit—and went outside.

He arrived on the steps in time to see Arthur coming down the street toward him, driving Shakey in his beautiful, gleaming sleigh.

Gabriel grinned, laughed even, because Arthur was a dead ringer for Saint Nick. No sign of his red hair bled through his wig, not so much as a bit of eyebrow. His red coat was gorgeous, a work of art in its own right, stitched with gold to match his sleigh. The sleigh he pulled right up to the front steps of the library. As he climbed down, calling “
Ho, ho, ho,
” with his voice pitched low, people loitering around the street stopped and smiled, drifting over to watch the spectacle.

Alex whipped out her smartphone and held it up, taking a video.

“Merry Christmas, Mr. Higgins,” Arthur called, ambling up to Gabriel bearing a brown cloth bag over his shoulder. It looked a little thin.

“You’re early, Santa,” Gabriel told him, but smiling. He wondered if they could ride up to the library when the children arrived, together. Maybe that was why he’d come ahead of schedule.

“I have some gifts to deliver.” Arthur adjusted the wire-rimmed, glass-only spectacles on his nose and bent down to Alex’s two older children, who were clinging to her pant legs and looking at Arthur in an expression somewhere between joy and terror. Arthur held out a white glove to Jeremy, the eldest. “Is this Jeremy? Because I have a present here for Jeremy. One for Kylie too.”

“Go on,” Alex urged her children. “You can take the presents. But say thank you.”

“Thank you, Santa,” the kids said in unison.

“You’re very welcome.” Arthur winked at them, and Gabriel’s heart fluttered.
Someday. For our kids, he’ll do this too.

Arthur passed a small box to Alex, and to Sean, and then he turned to Gabriel, though when he poked around in his sack, he looked concerned. “Ho, ho,
no
, that’s no good. There’s a present missing. Where did Mr. Higgins’s present go?”

He said it all in Santa singsong, and Gabriel couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s all right, Santa. I’m sure you’ll give me a present later.”

“No, no. This is a special present. Has to be given right now. Oh, no. I wonder if Shakey ate it.”

It was all so obviously put on, a stunt leading up to something. Honestly, Gabriel loved it, so he played along, smiling, getting a little excited. It must be good, because Alex was still filming. Oh, and Marcus was crossing the street with Frankie, hurrying like they didn’t want to miss the show. Goodness, Paul too.

And here came Corrina, and Big Tom. And Becky and the girls, and Thomas.

Gabriel’s smile faltered as a shiver ran through him, as a thought crossed his mind and made his breath catch—then it evaporated. No.

No, that was ridiculous. Far, far too soon.

Except as everyone crowded in close and Alex fixed the camera on Gabriel, Arthur came closer, pulling a pouch out of his pocket. A beautiful, embroidered gold pouch.

“Oh ho ho. Here it is.” But Santa’s voice wavered now, and his hand shook as he held it out to Gabriel. “This present isn’t from me. This is from Arthur. I’m just delivering it for him.”

“And all of Arthur’s family,” Big Tom called from the back.

Gabriel could barely breathe, and he fumbled at the pouch with shaking hands until the strings gave way, revealing a simple, shining gold ring inside.

A golden wedding band.

Gabriel clapped a hand over his mouth as tears pricked his eyes.

“This was Grandpa Anderson’s. Wore it when he went off to WWII. Arthur wanted you to have it. He told me to tell you—” Arthur’s voice shook now, belying his nerves, Santa evaporated from it now. “He told me to tell you, if it’s come a little early, to save it, to count it as a promise. A reminder. That what this symbolizes is what he wants. W-with you. Here, or wherever you go.” He held Gabriel’s hand. “Always.”

Gabriel bit his lip and closed his eyes, but the tears spilled out. He could feel everyone around him, feel them waiting, hoping, worrying.

Loving him. Just the way he was.

Gabriel opened his eyes and met Arthur Anderson’s nervous gaze peering out over Santa’s spectacles. Sniffling, wiping his tears away with the tips of his gloves, he smiled. “You big idiot, doing this in a Santa suit.”

Arthur squeezed his hand. “I mean it, Gabriel,” he whispered. “Every word. I know it’s fast. I can wait. But…I needed you to know.
Now.
”

Gabriel closed the distance between them, clutching the silk bag tight as Arthur’s arms circled around him. “I need you to know I want that too.” He touched Arthur’s cheek. “Right now.”

Arthur let out a heavy breath as everyone around them cheered. Gabriel smiled and started to kiss him—then stopped, unsure if he should kiss Santa, whether he was engaged to him or not.

Arthur grinned through the thick white beard. “Go right ahead. Santa loves kisses from librarians. Especially the ones he’s getting married to.”

Gabriel laughed and tweaked his nose—rouged red by Frankie’s expert hand. “Gay Santa is a little naughty for Main Street, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, well, I’m feeling wicked today.” His eyes shone, hazel jewels of light and life Gabriel would never, ever tire of. “What about you?”

“I’m always a little naughty,” Gabriel whispered as he closed his eyes and kissed his Santa firmly on the mouth.

About the Author

Heidi Cullinan has always loved a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. She enjoys writing across many genres but loves above all to write happy, romantic endings for LGBT characters because there just aren’t enough of those stories out there. When Heidi isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, knitting, listening to music, and watching television with her husband and ten-year-old daughter. Heidi is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights and is proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality. Find out more about Heidi, including her social networks, at
www.heidicullinan.com
.