Chapter 1“I have a Santa emergency and I desperately need your help.” The words pour from my new neighbor’s mouth the moment I open the front door, before I even have time to say hello.
He recently moved in, so I’ve seen him only a few times, but I’ve definitely noticed him. He always looks friendly and happy, even when sprinting from his house to his car in the mornings so fast, I fear he’ll spill his coffee from his thermos mug. His hair and beard are inky black, neat, and impeccably styled, but not even the beard can hide how young he looks. The early twenties, had been my guess, but up close, I see a few thin lines radiating from the corners of his eyes. His eyes are warm and chocolatey, sprinkled with golden flecks and mischief.
Like every other time I’ve seen him, he’s wearing a su
