Betting On Santa
Thursday, November 29, 2007"Smile, Santa."
Cole tried. It wasn't easy with Sally Knutson on his knee and her three cats wreaking havoc on his costume. The gray one was tangled in the glossy white beard, batting at the lush strands. The calico perched on his shoulder had every needle-tipped claw hooked solidly through the red velvet, his undershirt and his flesh. The slightest movement on Cole's part meant instant pain. The third—the "shy" one—was wedged between its owner's ample bosom and Cole's two-pillow padding.
His mother hadn't said anything about hazard pay when she volunteered him to fill in for Ray Hardy, the man who truly was Santa to most of the citizens of River Bluff, Texas. A fixture at the Congressional Church's annual holiday bazaar and toy drive, Ray hadn't missed a night—until he slipped in the shower that morning. Now the man was facing hip surgery.
"Look at the camera, Sugar Baby," Sally cooed. Cole assumed she was talking to the feline on his you were was to flex Unfortuthe cat on his lap pounce, which spooked the cat on his shoulder.
"Somebody moved," Melody accused, fiddling with the camera. "Stay put. We have to try another." ... read full excerpt from Betting on Santa ebook
