Sweet Cinderella (A Christmas Novella) (The Klaus Brothers Book 4) (14 page)

“I—I’m not sure. What could I possibly offer him? The man who has everything. What could I give him that he doesn’t already have?”

Shirley frowned. “Are you kidding? You’re the gift, Hannah. Your love. Don’t you know that?”

Hannah stood up in a daze. Shirley was right. Gregor needed her love. That was her gift to him. And that was his gift to her.

She glanced at the twins. They were sliding down a snowy mound on an old-fashioned sled. Santa and Alena chatted with a small group of elves.
Sternschnuppen
danced around the street, filling the air with music.

Hannah walked slowly to Gregor. He stood alone, waiting for her. How long had he been waiting? It was long enough.

“You asked me, on Christmas Eve, if I believe we have a future together.”

Gregor held his breath, waiting.

Hannah pressed her palms against his chest and smiled. “I believe.”

Epilogue

One Year Later . . .

“Do my eyes deceive me? Gregor has a hair out of place.” Oskar inspected Gregor’s hair with great interest. “This is a new development. Especially on his wedding day.”

Sven nodded. “You’re right, O. I’m noticing a distinct lack of hair product. What’s up, Gregor? Going for the natural look?”

Nicholas chuckled. “It’s about time. And it appears that the goatee has filled in, too. Nice.”

Wolfgang stroked his thick beard. “Still not as epic as mine. But . . . yeah. You look more relaxed, Gregor. It’s a good look for you.”

Gregor faced his brothers with his arms crossed. “Seriously? You guys are critiquing my appearance.
On my wedding day
? Give me a break.”

“Just saying, you look laid-back. For you. Not as laid-back as me.” Oskar patted his neon-orange hair.

“I didn’t say anything about your hair, only because Matteo and Anthony think it’s” —Gregor cringed— “
cool
. So you’re off the hook today, O. But I’ll remember this.”

Santa walked up to the front of St. Nicholas Chapel and pounded Gregor on the back. “Almost time for the bride to arrive. Feeling nervous?”

“Not at all. In fact, I’m impatient. I wanted to marry her the first week we met.” Gregor sighed. “She made me wait.”

“That was a wise decision. You had two families to meld together. That takes time.” Santa frowned. “Your hair looks different.”

Oskar roared with laughter. “Even Dad noticed. It’s a Christmas miracle.”

“I’m glad my hair is entertaining all of you.” Gregor craned his neck to look down the chapel aisle. No sign of Hannah yet.

“Well, mine is snowy white, but I still have a full head of hair. I’m proud of that.” Santa wagged his eyebrows.

“You feeling tired, old man? I know we got an extension from the Council about the Überholen, but if you’re feeling wiped out, we can hustle on that decision. This was another hectic Christmas season,” Oskar said.

“Who are you calling
old man
? I’m in the best shape of my life. And no, I’m not exhausted. When the time is right, and all of you are settled, we’ll figure that out.” He cleared his throat. “I want my sons to find their own paths first, before they get saddled with the responsibility of the
Weihnachtsmann
.”

Sven slung an arm around Wolfgang’s shoulder. “You’re next.”

Wolfgang responded with a small, tight smile. “I sure hope so.”

Nicholas shushed his brothers. “The bride’s coming. Here we go.”

All of the Klaus men stopped to stare at the back of the church. Organ music filled the vestibule. St. Nicholas Chapel was aglow with candlelight and sparkling
sternschnuppen
. Gregor took a deep breath and waited for Hannah to appear in the foyer.

And finally she stepped into the aisle, and a hush fell over the chapel. She looked like a princess encased in fitted white lace. A train trailed behind her, edged with satin rosebuds. Her bouquet was exquisite, bursting with red roses and amaryllis and evergreens. Beneath her sheer veil, Gregor could see her face. She beamed at him with her glorious smile. Her hair was long and loose, just the way he liked it. Like bronze silk. And perched on the top of her head was a delicate tiara, a wedding gift from Gregor. A gift that had made Hannah bawl like a baby.

He watched with impatience as his almost-wife walked slowly down the aisle of the chapel. She took measured steps in her green satin pumps . . . his very own Cinderella. He had to wait for the music to play and the readings to be spoken and the priest—an ancient elf—to bless them. And then finally, Gregor Alric Klaus, Fourth Son of Nicholas and Alena Klaus, Director of Finance for Klaus Enterprises, was married to the love of his life.

He lifted the veil over her face and smiled at his new wife.

She laughed back, radiating joy. “We did it.”

“Yes, finally. You led me on a merry chase, Mrs. Klaus.”

Gregor kissed her knuckles, grazing the delicate bands on her fingers that looked like holly and ivy.

Hannah’s eyelashes glittered with tears. “Perhaps I did. I couldn’t believe in my good fortune. Falling in love with you, and you loving me back.”

Gregor squeezed her fingers gently. “Now you know.”

Hannah nodded. “I’m not fighting you anymore, Gregor. I know you’re my destiny.”

He kissed her slowly, a kiss filled with passion and promises for the future. “Thank God for that. You melted the iceman, and gave me back my Christmas spirit. You’re my holiday angel, Hannah. I need you . . . forever.”

Hannah kissed him back. A sweet shy kiss. “Merry Christmas, Gregor. My love.”

“And many more to come.”

They were all celebrating. His four brothers. All of them laughing and filled with joy. And why not? All of them had found their soul mates.

Nicholas and Lucy.

Oskar and Kiana.

Sven and Andi.

And now Gregor and Hannah.

He loved his brothers. More than anything. He wanted them to be happy.

But he couldn’t help his bitterness.
Why not him? What was wrong with him?

Wolfgang had traveled all over the world at least a hundred times. He’d been to big cities teaming with life and tiny rural villages so sleepy they weren’t on the map. He’d built schools and planned hospital additions and attended meetings focused on poverty, education, and health care. But still he waited for . . .
the one
. The one who would drive away the darkness. Complete him. The one he could share his life with. Just like his brothers.
Why couldn’t he find her?
He’d been looking forever.

His position at Klaus Enterprises was crushing his soul. He’d watched children suffer and die and families desperate for help. Some days his job was like a dagger in his heart. No matter how hard he worked, there were people who couldn’t be saved. Some children would never know the joy of another Christmas.

His heart grew bitter and resentful—resentful of those filled with joy and happiness.

He watched his brothers dance with their wives and laugh with their children, and he painted on a mask for the world. But deep inside of him was a darkness that wouldn’t go away.

There was only one way to fix it.

Escape.

And so as his brothers danced with their wives and laughed with their children, Wolfgang Reinhard Klaus quietly left the church, left behind Glasdorf and Magik and Christmas. Left behind the icy North Pole.

And ventured out.

Alone.

COMING CHRISTMAS 2016

SWEET DESTINY

Klaus Brothers Series #5

The Final Chapter

Penny Watson’s Klaus Brothers Series Cheat Sheet

AKA, Who The Heck Are All These People?

Nicholas Klaus Senior:
Santa Claus. Married to Alena Klaus. CEO of Klaus Enterprises. Fitness buff, runs marathons and works out like a boss. Has a snowy-white goatee and is built like Paul Bunyan.

Alena Klaus:
Mrs. Santa. The cute, pixie-like matriarch of the Klaus family. Bohemian style of dress. Awful cook. Also loves to work out, especially triathlons.

Nicholas Klaus (SWEET INSPIRATION):
Oldest son. Highly disciplined master pastry chef at Klaus Küche. Specialty is Christmas cookies. Big beard, wears glasses.

Sven Klaus (SWEET ADVENTURE):
Second oldest son. Chief Toy Designer and Woodworker. Tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing hippie. Resembles a blond lumberjack.

Wolfgang Klaus (SWEET DESTINY, 2016):
Middle son. Director of Charitable Donations at Klaus Enterprises. General do-gooder. Spends a lot of time in pediatric hospitals and third world countries. Tall, dark, and handsome.

Gregor Klaus (SWEET CINDERELLA, 2015):
Second youngest son. Financial guru for Klaus Enterprises. Lives in Manhattan. Likes designer duds and expensive coffee. Goatee and Rolex not optional.

Oskar Klaus (SWEET MAGIK):
Youngest son. Director of Elfin Resources. Green-haired punk. Extreme snowboarder. Reformed Bad Boy.

Glossary of Terms

Council of Seven:
governing elfin body of Glasdorf

Demaskierend:
Unmasking Spell

Glasdorf:
Village near the North Pole where the Klaus family resides

Honigbienchen:
little honeybee

Klaus Küche:
Nicholas’s bakery in Glasdorf

Magik:
elfin Magik in the North Pole

Magik Bändiger:
Magik tamer

Pfefferkuchen:
gingerbread

Regelbrecher:
Rule Breaker

Schneemonster:
Snowmonster or Yeti

Sternschnuppen:
“shooting stars,” bits of sparkling Magik

Suddie/Sudlander:
any person living south of Glasdorf

Sudenwelt:
the “Southern World”

Tag der Rache:
the “day of reckoning,” when the Council determines the punishment for a law breaker in Glasdorf

The Gate:
doorway to Glasdorf, composed of ice, invisible to Suddies

The Tunnel:
underground “old skool” passageway to Glasdorf, in Alaska

Überholen:
the “passing of the torch,” when the current Santa steps down and his heir takes his place

Weihnachtsmann:
Santa Claus

Zeit einfrieren:
Time Freeze

About the Author

PENNY WATSON is a native Pittsburgher whose love of romance started at the age of twelve when she discovered
Gone With The Wind
in the middle school library. This resulted in numerous attempts at a first novel involving a young lady with windswept hair who lived in a tree house.

A biologist by training, Penny has worked at various times as a dolphin trainer, science teacher, florist, and turf grass researcher (don’t ask). After taking time off to raise her two spirited children, she decided to rekindle her passion for storytelling. Now she gets to incorporate her wide array of interests—including gardening, cooking, and travel—into her works of fiction.

Penny lives outside of Boston with one fly-fishing crazed husband, two lively Filipino kids, and a wiener dog.

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More Titles by Penny Watson/Nina Clark

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Recipe for Thanksgiving Dinner:

Start with sixty-two year old politically incorrect, chain-smoking, hard-cussing curmudgeon.

Add fifty-nine year old sexually-repressed know-it-all in pearls.

Throw in a beer can-turkey, a battle for horticultural supremacy, and nudist next-door neighbor.

Serve on paper plates, garnished with garden gnome.

Tastes like happily ever after.