his eyes at him for a split moment. "Finally you show up. The poor girl's been waiting, you bloody bastard."
"Lucy? Is here? Thank God. I've been searching everywhere. Where the hell is she?"
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"Playing with the boys. They've been teaching her darts, and she's got a real knack for it. She's got a nice big pile of magik pebbles to take home."
"Is she...okay?" Nicholas was almost embarrassed to look Dag in the eye. "She left in tears, and I've been desperate to talk to her."
"We've taken good care of your girl. Fed her Sloppy Joes, which she loved, and a nice pitcher of beer."
"A pitcher? By herself? Christ, Dag, she's barely a hundred pounds. I don't think Lucy can handle that much beer, especially the way you brew it up."
"Well, she seems fine to me. And not crying anymore. In fact, she's been all smiles since she forgot all about you humiliating her in front of your employees. And yelling at her for being friendly. And..."
"All right! I get it...I'm a jerk." Nicholas sighed and rolled his eyes. Dag could be a real judgmental pain in the ass sometimes.
"Well, at least we agree on something." Dag whistled shrilly through his teeth and the crowd quieted down. "Nick Jr.'s here, boys."
Nicholas pushed his way through the crowd of hostile looking elves and finally found Lucy standing in front of the dartboard, her curls a little wild, her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink.
"Thank God, you're all right. I've been searching everywhere for you." He suddenly remembered the bouquet of red roses, pepper berries and ivy he had bought at the florist's. The flowers were wilted, the red satin ribbon was 102
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
unraveling, and all of the pepper berries had fallen off several hours ago.
"I got you these, but they're not looking too good anymore." Nick took a step forward, but a group of angry-looking elves intercepted him.
"Not so fast, Nicholas. You've insulted Miss Lucy, and I haven't heard an apology."
"The poor girl was crying her heart out, you son of a bitch."
"Nice flowers, asshole. They're dead."
"Shoulda gotten her some honey."
Nicholas ignored the elves and peered over the tops of their heads to look at Lucy. "I'm sorry, love. Could we please go home so we can talk, in private ?"
Lucy stepped forward and tapped Monie on the shoulder.
"Thanks for looking out for me, but Nicholas is right. We need to talk in private." The elves shuffled apart so Lucy could walk up to Nicholas. He yanked her into his arms and kissed the side of her neck.
"Please don't ever scare me like that again. No matter how angry you are, just let me know you're okay. I almost lost you a few days ago, and I'm still not over that terror."
Lucy trembled in his arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I guess I lost track of time." She hiccupped. "And I think I've had too much beer, Nicholas. I feel a little bit wobbly."
Nicholas leaned his forehead against hers and sighed. "It's okay, sweetheart. I'll take care of you. And please forgive me for being such a jackass earlier."
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Lucy reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"And I'm sorry I disrupted your workroom. I hope you're not too far behind."
"None of that matters. I had no right to insult you or embarrass you in front of the elves. They were so pissed off at me I feared I had a rebellion on my hands. You've already stolen their hearts."
"Nicholas, can we go home now?" Lucy's eyes were closing. He scooped her up in his arms and headed toward the front door.
"Out of my way, gentlemen. I'm taking her home." He paused and looked at the elves, still staring at him with disgust. "By the way, thanks for cheering her up. I owe you."
"Don't forget these." Jorg handed a bag of magik pebbles to Nick. "That girl's a natural. I think we got played, boys!" All the elves started to laugh, slap each other's backs and stomp around the room.
Nicholas snuck out of the bar
"Lucy? Is here? Thank God. I've been searching everywhere. Where the hell is she?"
101
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
"Playing with the boys. They've been teaching her darts, and she's got a real knack for it. She's got a nice big pile of magik pebbles to take home."
"Is she...okay?" Nicholas was almost embarrassed to look Dag in the eye. "She left in tears, and I've been desperate to talk to her."
"We've taken good care of your girl. Fed her Sloppy Joes, which she loved, and a nice pitcher of beer."
"A pitcher? By herself? Christ, Dag, she's barely a hundred pounds. I don't think Lucy can handle that much beer, especially the way you brew it up."
"Well, she seems fine to me. And not crying anymore. In fact, she's been all smiles since she forgot all about you humiliating her in front of your employees. And yelling at her for being friendly. And..."
"All right! I get it...I'm a jerk." Nicholas sighed and rolled his eyes. Dag could be a real judgmental pain in the ass sometimes.
"Well, at least we agree on something." Dag whistled shrilly through his teeth and the crowd quieted down. "Nick Jr.'s here, boys."
Nicholas pushed his way through the crowd of hostile looking elves and finally found Lucy standing in front of the dartboard, her curls a little wild, her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink.
"Thank God, you're all right. I've been searching everywhere for you." He suddenly remembered the bouquet of red roses, pepper berries and ivy he had bought at the florist's. The flowers were wilted, the red satin ribbon was 102
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
unraveling, and all of the pepper berries had fallen off several hours ago.
"I got you these, but they're not looking too good anymore." Nick took a step forward, but a group of angry-looking elves intercepted him.
"Not so fast, Nicholas. You've insulted Miss Lucy, and I haven't heard an apology."
"The poor girl was crying her heart out, you son of a bitch."
"Nice flowers, asshole. They're dead."
"Shoulda gotten her some honey."
Nicholas ignored the elves and peered over the tops of their heads to look at Lucy. "I'm sorry, love. Could we please go home so we can talk, in private ?"
Lucy stepped forward and tapped Monie on the shoulder.
"Thanks for looking out for me, but Nicholas is right. We need to talk in private." The elves shuffled apart so Lucy could walk up to Nicholas. He yanked her into his arms and kissed the side of her neck.
"Please don't ever scare me like that again. No matter how angry you are, just let me know you're okay. I almost lost you a few days ago, and I'm still not over that terror."
Lucy trembled in his arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I guess I lost track of time." She hiccupped. "And I think I've had too much beer, Nicholas. I feel a little bit wobbly."
Nicholas leaned his forehead against hers and sighed. "It's okay, sweetheart. I'll take care of you. And please forgive me for being such a jackass earlier."
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Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
Lucy reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"And I'm sorry I disrupted your workroom. I hope you're not too far behind."
"None of that matters. I had no right to insult you or embarrass you in front of the elves. They were so pissed off at me I feared I had a rebellion on my hands. You've already stolen their hearts."
"Nicholas, can we go home now?" Lucy's eyes were closing. He scooped her up in his arms and headed toward the front door.
"Out of my way, gentlemen. I'm taking her home." He paused and looked at the elves, still staring at him with disgust. "By the way, thanks for cheering her up. I owe you."
"Don't forget these." Jorg handed a bag of magik pebbles to Nick. "That girl's a natural. I think we got played, boys!" All the elves started to laugh, slap each other's backs and stomp around the room.
Nicholas snuck out of the bar
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