“Used to what?”
“You clicking your fingers and we’re instantly someplace else.” I peered at him. “So now what? Do I go wake him up? Without waking Layla, of course.”
Nicholas smiled. “No need. He’ll be here any minute.”
I was about to ask him how he knew that, when the door opened and Ben walked in, wearing sleep pants and a tee, and making a bee line for the kitchen. He came to a dead stop when he saw us.
“How… what…?” He rubbed his eyes.
“You’re awake,” I told him. “This isn’t a dream.” Then it hit me.
There was no sound.
I turned to Nicholas. “You’ve stopped time, haven’t you?”
He nodded. “And it’ll stay like that until we leave. That way, there’s no chance of us being interrupted.”
Ben coughed. “Okay, this is getting weird. I only got up because I was having this really strange dream.” He stared at me. “And you were in it. I dreamed I was going into the kitchen to make coffee for you. Actually, you and Santa—” He looked past me to where Nicholas stood, and his eyes widened. “What on earth is going on?” A trace of fear flickered across his face before he straightened, his shoulders back. “I think you owe me an explanation.”
I glanced at Nicholas. “Let me guess. He got a little push.”
Nicholas shrugged. “It’s what I do, right?”
Ben frowned. “Don’t you think the kids are a little old for Santa Claus? I hope you’re paying this guy a ton of money to do this.” Then he frowned. “What am I saying? I still have no clue how you got in here.” He locked gazes with me. “What the hell is going on, Anthony?”
I gestured to the couches. “Can we sit? Because I really think you need to be sitting down for what I’m about to tell you.”
Without a word, he sat, his gaze trained on us.
Nicholas and I perched on the other couch. I opened my mouth to speak, and before I could utter a word, he took my hand in his. Calm flowed through me, and I gave him a grateful glance. I faced Ben.
“Before I begin, I told you a few years ago that there was someone in my life.” I gestured to Nicholas. “This is him.”
Ben gaped. “You came all this way to introduce me to yourboyfriend?” He arched his eyebrows. “You left out the part that he’s a Santa Claus.”
I took a deep breath. “NotaSanta Claus—theSanta Claus.”
He laughed. “Nice one.” He glanced at Nicholas. “Hey. Pleased to meet you. How’s Rudolph? Got all your deliveries done for the night? Isn’t it time you were on your way back to the North Pole?”
I sighed. “This isn’t a joke. His name is Nicholas. Don’t ask me how old he is because you wouldn’t believe me if I told you, and I love him.” Another breath. “And we’re here because… I’m going to be with him, and that will mean changes.”
Ben stared at me. “Have you been drinking?”
I’d known it wasn’t going to be easy. “I’m stone-cold sober. And every word I just said was true.”
“Sure. Whatever you say.” Ben chuckled. “Thisisa dream, isn’t it? I’m going to wake up any second now.”
“We don’t have much time.” Nicholas said with a sigh. “So I have to make you believe your brother.” He clicked his fingers, and all three of us stood beside the sleigh. Around us was nothing but snow, the boughs of the trees weighed down by it, and far off in the distance was the air base, its bright lights stark against the whiteness.
The wind picked up, and Ben shivered. “Why am I so cold? I shouldn’t be cold in a dream.” He gazed at his surroundings. “How… how did you do that?” He blinked. “Wait a minute. I know this place. This… this is three miles from my house.”
Nicholas nodded. “And I brought you here—by magic.”
Ben stared at him. “There’s no such thing.”
“Then how else do you explain it? You’re not a man given to hallucinations, so you can discount that theory. You believe what you see with your own eyes, so right now the only option open to you is to believe I am who Anthony says I am.” Nicholas clicked his fingers again, and we were standing in Ben’s living room.
Ben jerked his head, blinking furiously. “You can make a guy dizzy doing that. Don’t do it again. And Istilldon’t believe you. I might not have suffered from hallucinations before, but I’m sure having one now.”