Holly Garland on Santa's Lap [COMPLETE]

CHAPTER 2 ~Ticking clock to doom~

I step into the lobby just as the first guests arrive.

Great timing!

Barbara is there too, her long brown hair cascading over a gorgeous red dress. She and I welcome all the newcomers, taking their photos for the company intranet.

When the room starts to fill up, I decide to give a short welcome speech. I thank each of my colleagues for their presence and their hard work throughout the past year, and I end by wishing them a happy holiday and a wonderful evening.

Now that the buffet is open, everyone is rushing to it.

Okay, everything is going well.

Phew! I let out a breath to relieve the fatigue and stress caused by this crappy holiday season.

Suddenly, I feel a gentle tap on my thigh that demands my attention.

I look down and see a tiny hand belonging to a tiny five-year-old girl. She's as dark-haired as her mother, but her eyes are much more mischievous.

"Holly, Holly!!! Where's Santa? Mommy promised you'd bring him."

I blink several times, a little startled to hear someone say my name in my workplace.

It's weird.

Almost mystical.

I get chills down my arms.

It's like saying Beetlejuice out loud. If you say it three times in a row, it triggers a series of unpredictable disasters.

In my ears, it sounds like a warning.

"Now, Sarah!" Carolyn intervenes, pulling her daughter away from me."Don't talk to Miss Garland like that! Go join your father, we're going to see where Santa is."

The little girl obeys while I remain stunned.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Garland," her mother apologizes immediately, worried. "She doesn't mean any harm..."

"It's okay," I say to reassure her, or to reassure myself, I'm not sure.

"Your daughter hasn't done anything wrong. And besides, she's right. Where is Santa?" I ask.

I look at the mountain of presents at the back of the room, the large Christmas tree adorned with red and white decorations, and the beautiful velvet armchair with its pretty cushions that is completely empty.

Damn it! Everything was going perfectly.

It was too good to be true...

I immediately go to Barbara, with Carolyn on my heels. She's taking pictures of families and groups of colleagues raising their glasses in front of the buffet.

"Santa hasn't shown up?" I ask her bluntly.

"Uh, yes. I even set him up in Mr. Tate's office, like you asked me to. I gave him his costume and then I left him to get ready. I don't understand..."

"Maybe he has a problem?" suggests Carolyn. "Do you want me to go check, Miss Garland?"

"No, thank you, Carolyn. It's the employee party. Stay here with your family and have fun. I'll go see what's going on."

I turn around to go there immediately, and I bump right into a broad chest.

"Holly! I was just looking for you," begins the guy I just ran into and who stopped me from falling.

And damn it!!! That's all I needed.

I pull away from his arms and take a step back.

Double whammy! Not only is it Craig Randall, the guy who gave me that black eye last Christmas, but also, correct me if I'm wrong, he just called me by my first name.