Sweet Cinderella (A Christmas Novella) (The Klaus Brothers Book 4) by Penny Watson Page A
Authors: Penny Watson
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shrugged at Hannah.
Matteo plopped the tins onto his grandfather’s lap. “Here, Nonno. Cookies! Are you gonna share?”
“Of course.” Hannah’s father opened the box and laughed. “Mr. Klaus, I wouldn’t quit your day job.”
Sven sauntered over and peered into the tin. “Oh my God, Gregor. What did you do?”
Gregor rolled his eyes with embarrassment. “It was my first time baking. So they don’t look perfect. But they still taste okay.”
Anthony crammed a cookie into his mouth. “They taste great.”
Hannah’s mother nodded. “They’re delicious. I love gingerbread. Thank you very much, Gregor.”
Hannah wanted to hug her mom. The look of relief on Gregor’s face was palpable.
He pulled out another package from the bag. “Andi, here’s a old-fashioned journal for you. Sven told me you like to write poetry this way.”
Andi looked surprised. “A gift? For me?” She unwrapped the ribbon and leafed through the journal. “It’s beautiful. And very thoughtful. Thank you.”
“I have something for Dominic, too.” He reached into the sack and pulled out a CD. “You told me he still likes to use CDs for his music, right?”
Hannah nodded. “Yes. He loves circular things, and he loves to organize his CD collection.”
Gregor slowly approached Dominic. “It’s nice to meet you. Hannah has told me how much you love music, so I thought you might like this new holiday collection. Merry Christmas.”
Her uncle took the CD without making eye contact. A few minutes later the music started to play, and everyone stopped to listen. It was pure magic . . . traditional carols sung by angelic-sounding voices.
“Oh, my. This is lovely.” Hannah’s mom was mesmerized by the music.
Hannah turned to Gregor. “What is this?”
He whispered in her ear. “Elves. Their choir. I knew your mom and Dominic would love it.”
Dominic had a small smile on his face as he tapped his foot to the music.
Hannah’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know how to thank you for this.”
“You know how. I want you to give us a chance.”
Gregor’s fierce expression stunned her.
Before she could answer, Matteo and Anthony skipped over to the bag. “Gregor, do you have something for us?”
He reluctantly pulled his gaze from Hannah. “Hmm. Let’s take a look . . . .” He kneeled on the floor and reached into the sack. “Do you boys like candy canes?”
“Yeah!” Matteo yelled.
“A friend of mine sent these.” He handed the twins a package. “And there are enough in there to share with everyone.”
Hannah peered at the tag attached to the gift and gasped. “This is from Shirley?” She lifted her eyebrows.
Gregor nodded. “Yes. She wants you to have a Merry Christmas.”
Hannah touched the package in disbelief. Her very own guardian angel-elf had sent her a Christmas gift!
“Gregor, is there anything else for me and Matteo?” Anthony asked impatiently.
“I think I spy a few things from Klaus Toys . . .”
The boys screamed with excitement as Gregor pulled out an entire train set with cars and track. The twins were thrilled.
“Here are a couple of special cars just for you. Sven helped me with these.”
Sven laughed. “Gregor not only failed basic cookie-baking, but his wood-working skills are less than stellar, too. However” —he shot his brother a wicked grin— “he managed pretty well for a novice.”
Gregor grunted. “I’d like to see you in the boardroom, Mr. Lumberjack.”
Sven shook his head. “Not in this lifetime. I’ll leave the wheeling and dealing to you, bro. Honestly, I like the work you did on Matteo and Anthony’s cars. Crude, but effective.”
“I think Gregor did a great job for a newb,” Andi said. She high-fived him.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Gregor said.
Matteo and Anthony showed Hannah their custom trains, and she laughed. Their names had been carved into the side. “Nice job, Gregor. I’m impressed.”
“I’m proud of
Matteo plopped the tins onto his grandfather’s lap. “Here, Nonno. Cookies! Are you gonna share?”
“Of course.” Hannah’s father opened the box and laughed. “Mr. Klaus, I wouldn’t quit your day job.”
Sven sauntered over and peered into the tin. “Oh my God, Gregor. What did you do?”
Gregor rolled his eyes with embarrassment. “It was my first time baking. So they don’t look perfect. But they still taste okay.”
Anthony crammed a cookie into his mouth. “They taste great.”
Hannah’s mother nodded. “They’re delicious. I love gingerbread. Thank you very much, Gregor.”
Hannah wanted to hug her mom. The look of relief on Gregor’s face was palpable.
He pulled out another package from the bag. “Andi, here’s a old-fashioned journal for you. Sven told me you like to write poetry this way.”
Andi looked surprised. “A gift? For me?” She unwrapped the ribbon and leafed through the journal. “It’s beautiful. And very thoughtful. Thank you.”
“I have something for Dominic, too.” He reached into the sack and pulled out a CD. “You told me he still likes to use CDs for his music, right?”
Hannah nodded. “Yes. He loves circular things, and he loves to organize his CD collection.”
Gregor slowly approached Dominic. “It’s nice to meet you. Hannah has told me how much you love music, so I thought you might like this new holiday collection. Merry Christmas.”
Her uncle took the CD without making eye contact. A few minutes later the music started to play, and everyone stopped to listen. It was pure magic . . . traditional carols sung by angelic-sounding voices.
“Oh, my. This is lovely.” Hannah’s mom was mesmerized by the music.
Hannah turned to Gregor. “What is this?”
He whispered in her ear. “Elves. Their choir. I knew your mom and Dominic would love it.”
Dominic had a small smile on his face as he tapped his foot to the music.
Hannah’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know how to thank you for this.”
“You know how. I want you to give us a chance.”
Gregor’s fierce expression stunned her.
Before she could answer, Matteo and Anthony skipped over to the bag. “Gregor, do you have something for us?”
He reluctantly pulled his gaze from Hannah. “Hmm. Let’s take a look . . . .” He kneeled on the floor and reached into the sack. “Do you boys like candy canes?”
“Yeah!” Matteo yelled.
“A friend of mine sent these.” He handed the twins a package. “And there are enough in there to share with everyone.”
Hannah peered at the tag attached to the gift and gasped. “This is from Shirley?” She lifted her eyebrows.
Gregor nodded. “Yes. She wants you to have a Merry Christmas.”
Hannah touched the package in disbelief. Her very own guardian angel-elf had sent her a Christmas gift!
“Gregor, is there anything else for me and Matteo?” Anthony asked impatiently.
“I think I spy a few things from Klaus Toys . . .”
The boys screamed with excitement as Gregor pulled out an entire train set with cars and track. The twins were thrilled.
“Here are a couple of special cars just for you. Sven helped me with these.”
Sven laughed. “Gregor not only failed basic cookie-baking, but his wood-working skills are less than stellar, too. However” —he shot his brother a wicked grin— “he managed pretty well for a novice.”
Gregor grunted. “I’d like to see you in the boardroom, Mr. Lumberjack.”
Sven shook his head. “Not in this lifetime. I’ll leave the wheeling and dealing to you, bro. Honestly, I like the work you did on Matteo and Anthony’s cars. Crude, but effective.”
“I think Gregor did a great job for a newb,” Andi said. She high-fived him.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Gregor said.
Matteo and Anthony showed Hannah their custom trains, and she laughed. Their names had been carved into the side. “Nice job, Gregor. I’m impressed.”
“I’m proud of
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