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*side eye emoji*
You’ll tell me if something ELSE is on your mind?
Fletcher
You’ll be the first to know.
Micah
Okay. *kissy face emoji*
My client just arrived, so I have to go.
Fletcher
Go change the world, Mick.
Micah
*kissy face emoji* *kissy face emoji* *kissy face emoji*
With his phone still open to their conversation and tucked into the cup holder in his truck—so he could see the emojis blowing kisses his way—Fletcher drove to meet with Jensen Mars about the next three weeks of his life. While they usually met at town hall, Jensen had insisted on meeting outdoors that day and Fletcher was glad for it.
The crew was already putting up Santa’s Village when he pulled up beside Jensen’s flashy sports car. Pocketing his phone, Fletcher took a minute to admire the design. While the concept stayed mostly the same—a candy lane decorated Main Street covered the entire space, with shop fronts on either side where local businesses could set up their wares and sell it during the three weeks Santa’s Village was open—the decorations and designs changed slightly every year.
Jensen was in the middle of a huddle with men in hardhats, shouting and pointing as he gave everyone directions. Fletcher stayed against his truck, watching everything unfold. He’d been doing this for four years and it still blew him away. The fact that people spent so much time and money on Christmas every year was quite unbelievable. And the fact that a small town like Sirena Beach had a Santa’s Village that brought people from all over the state, and sometimes the country, was quite incredible. Fletcher had to admit that despite his hesitation about taking on the job and moving to the beach town, he liked how much they cared about the community.
Even though he’d grown up in a small town, he couldn’t remember Christmas ever looking like this. And they had actual snow, none of the fake stuff that sometimes made him sneeze continuously. Christmas in the Kelley household had also never been a big deal. Fletcher had been to enough friends’ homes where they had decorations covering every surface and he’d seen all the movies about the holiday to know what Christmas was supposed to be like. But to his family, it seemed frivolous and unnecessary.
His father would build the life size nativity set for the town every year, while Fletcher and his siblings watched in awe as everything came together so beautifully. That was the extent of Christmas spirit in their home. While they got gifts on Christmas morning, because there were four kids, they only got one each. And it was only when he was a teenager that Fletcher realized all the gifts were the same price. Whatever they got his eldest brother would be the benchmark and the rest would get gifts within the same price range. So often the gifts weren’t even what the kids wanted, but Fletcher and his siblings knew better than to complain.
When The Rescuers was formed and they celebrated their first Christmas together, Fletcher was introduced to the magic of holiday cheer. Everything from the music to eggnog, mistletoe and a giant Christmas tree. Not to mention the thoughtful gifts and fun that came with the season. As their fame increased, they were invited to bigger Christmas parties where there were more gifts and large trees. One year, they were even in Rockefeller Center for the tree lighting. For Fletcher—a young man who had always craved the exciting Christmas—that night was one of the greatest in his life.
Once they were picked up by a record label, Fletcher actually convinced the producers and executives to let them record a few Christmas songs one year. Anything that would allow him to spread his cheer as much as possible. The EP didn’t do as well as they hoped, but Fletcher didn’t care. He’d been able to perform his favorite Christmas songs with his favorite people. And that was more than enough.
Fletcher might have protested and tried to refuse when Hank enlisted him for this job four years ago. But secretly, he was excited. The holidays were about family for everyone else, but for Fletcher it was about the joy that he felt. His chest always felt like it was going to expand and explode with how much he loved the time of year. Add the fact that little kids got so excited when they saw Santa and his elves, and Fletcher’s life was made.
The only nuisance was the dumb outfits Jensen and the town made him wear, but Fletcher had decided that it was all part of the job and he would suffer for…art.
“Fletcher Claus!” Jensen called out, breaking him from his thoughts about Christmases past.
“I hate you,” he grumbled and with his hands shoved into his pockets, he walked over to where Jensen was handing out the last few instructions to the crew.
“You ready for this?”
“Yes?”
Jensen laughed and clapped Fletcher on the back, both of them watching as the guys lifted one stretch of designed shop fronts upright. This was the other thing he liked about being Santa—he got to watch the Village come to life.
“How’s your outfit coming along?”
“You know Flora. Gave me grief the whole time.”
Jensen smirked. “But she’s the best there is.”
“Yeah. So…what’s the plan this year?”
As much as he wanted to hang around and talk about Flora, Fletcher also wanted to get back to the shop in time for Emery and Nico’s lesson. And then hope that he could see Micah when she wrapped up for the day. He’d allowed himself to get distracted by Christmas and holiday cheer, but Fletcher still itched to hold Micah. Nothing else, just hold her. Maybe kiss her. Play with her soft curls. Trace her tattoos and kiss her soft brown skin.
