Christmas Magic (Believe Book 2) Read online

  Christmas Magic

  Believe Book 2

  Do you believe in the magic of Christmas? Tim Richards didn’t, so why had he thought he could make a Christmas wish and have it come true?

  Much to his surprise, he met the man of his dreams when Nick Snow walked into his world and turned it upside down. The life he had always hated was becoming something from a dream and more than anything he could have ever possibly imagined. For Tim, to believe childhood fantasies could come true, was impossible.

  Nick Snow tended to only think about work. That was, until he met Tim. He’d never imagined anyone would ever come between him and his career. Now he knew that there was so much more to life than a job.

  Can Nick show Tim that Christmas Magic is real?

  Warning: This book contains frivolity, laughter, and a lot of sex. Nothing is off the table when these two figure out if their reality is nothing more than fantasy, or if their fantasies can become reality, with faith in a little Christmas Magic.

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  Christmas Magic

  Copyright © 2018 by Shea Balik

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be

  reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including

  electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without

  express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance

  to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  Cover by: Harris Channing

  Edited by: Avril Stepowski

  Table of Contents

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  PROLOGUE

  “I want to thank everyone for another great year.”

  Tim Richards wished like hell his boss, Rick, hadn’t forced them to stay for his longwinded speech every damn time. The fact was that he’d had to deal with screaming kids, angry, exhausted parents, who didn’t understand why it took so long to get to the front of the line and to see Santa and Mrs. Claus. Both were supposed to be sweet and kind, but were more like sadistic asses who seemed to enjoy it most when their elves, like Tim, suffered through it all.

  “This year we served a record number of guests with rave reviews for our staff.”

  Tim had to bite his tongue not to laugh out loud at that lie. Tim had been there in the trenches. Other than the first week, where parents were stupidly still excited for the beginning of the Christmas season, Tim couldn’t remember one parent who hadn’t bitched, moaned, or straight out yelled at them for taking too damn long to take a picture.

  Never mind their kid or kids were screaming their heads off and everyone from Santa to the elves were doing what they could to get a half-decent shot with no tears. Not that it mattered. No matter how hard they worked to get the children smiling, it was never good enough for the parents. Too often they demanded the picture be taken again.

  Which, if they’d bothered to pay attention to anything other than themselves, they would have understood why it took so long to get through the line in the first place.

  “I would like to personally invite everyone back to this spring’s Easter extravaganza, which will start the last week of February.”

  Tim would love to say, ‘Hell no,’ but he needed the job.

  “If you know you will be coming back, please write yes next to your name on the sign-up sheet. Make sure your contact information is still correct and we will call you the first of February to make arrangements to put you on the schedule.” With way too much cheer, Rick added, “Have a great holiday season everyone. There is an envelope with your bonus on the table. Make sure to pick it up before you go.”

  Having been through this the last several years, Tim had been standing at the table. He quickly picked up the envelop, which was always a gift certificate to the mall where they had been working, then he grabbed a pen and wrote yes next to his name on the clipboard and took off without a word to anyone.

  It was seven on Christmas Eve. As much as Tim would love to go home and snuggle under the covers, he had a shift at the diner. At least he wouldn’t have to work his morning job at the café tomorrow.

  For the first time since Santa’s photoshop opened early in November, Tim would have a morning and afternoon off. He’d still have to work at the diner that evening, but at least he’d be able to sleep in and maybe, if the washers and dryers were working in his building, get some laundry done without having to rush.

  Good times.

  Since the buses were already stopped for the night, Tim had to walk home, but he didn’t mind. Sure it was cold, but after sweating for hours as he chased kids around to get them on Santa’s lap, if felt nice.

  As he made his through the Uptown district, Tim stopped at the towering Christmas tree all lit up. He worked at the mall, with several trees all around, but for some reason, every time Tim passed this one, he couldn’t help but stop and stare. It was magical.

  Lights twinkled amongst the big ornaments. It made no sense, but Tim found himself wishing for a different life. He’d grown up without the chance to celebrate Christmas, or birthdays, or… well, anything if he were being honest. His mom didn’t believe in spending money on Tim or his brother if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

  Christmas? Not necessary.

  But as he stood there, in front of that giant tree, Tim couldn’t stop himself from closing his eyes and doing something he’d never imagined doing. He wished his life had been different. He wanted that childhood that had been denied him.

  His breath caught in his throat as he opened his eyes. What had he expected? Tim wasn’t sure. What he got? The same life he’d had before that stupid wish.

  What had he been thinking? That magic really did exist at Christmas? Tim scoffed and shuffled past the tree toward his tiny studio apartment to change for his shift at the diner.

  Tim was too smart to believe that magic was real. Whenever he forgot that, life made sure to
kick him in the nuts to remind him.

  CHAPTER 1

  “Fucking great,” Tim Richards swore way too loudly considering he was one of the Easter Bunny’s helpers at the mall.

  Several gasps told him what he hadn’t wanted to know, the parents had heard him. If that wasn’t bad enough, there were many, “Ohhhs,” from the kids shocked by him using a “naughty” word while they waited in line.

  What did they expect? The kid he’d been carrying back to his parents after his picture with the Easter Bunny, just got the runs and shit all over both of them. At least they’d gotten the picture before the kid ruined his little suit. Who put a two-year-old in a suit anyway?

  It might have been cute, but it had taken way too long to get the outfit just right for the perfect shot. If they hadn’t spent the extra time, it wouldn’t be Tim holding him when he’d let loose in his diaper. Nor would he have committed the ultimate sin right in front of his now glaring boss, Rick.

  Three quick strides later, Rick was right there in Tim’s face. “Timmy, I’ve already warned you about your language in front of the customers.”

  Tim didn’t bother to hide the scowl when his boss used that ridiculous nickname. He was twenty-five not five. He hadn’t been Timmy since elementary school and he preferred it that way. Not that there was any reason for him to remind Rick, again. The man never listened. Not to mention, unless Tim was wrong, he wouldn’t have to hear Rick’s annoyingly high pitched voice much longer. Who knew a six-foot-five man who must have weighed around three hundred and fifty pounds could sound just like Mickey Mouse?

  “Give dear little Johnny back to his mother. Then you may collect your things. You no longer work here, and in the future, don’t bother to apply for any mall events. You won’t ever be hired here again.” It was hard to take Rick serious when all Tim could imagine was a big mouse giggling every time he talked.

  Still, he’d known this would be coming. It had been a miracle he hadn’t been fired when he’d been an elf for the mall at Christmas. Tim should have known better than to come back.

  Money might be tight, but being crapped on wasn’t worth it. Still, if he was being fired he might as well go all out. “Good. Then you can deal with little Johnny.”

  Before Rick knew what was happening, Tim shoved the poop covered kid at him. Dealing with kids so often, Rick’s arms automatically went out to take him much to his dismay when he realized what Tim had done. Horror registered on Rick’s face when he looked down to find himself covered in shit.

  Was it wrong to find it funny that even more of the runny diarrhea seeped from the kid’s diaper to run down Rick’s pant leg? Tim sure as hell hoped not, because he laughed all the way to the employee lounge. It was no less than what the asshole deserved.

  The only small miracle to his day was that he would now have time to go home and shower before his shift at the diner tonight. That and he had a change of clothes since there was no way he was going to be allowed on the bus with shit all over his uniform.

  What had made him think working these ridiculous jobs at the mall was a good idea? He hated holidays. He hated kids. And after working these special events for the past year, he really hated the parents who just had to get their kids’ pictures with Santa, the Easter Bunny, or the Pumpkin King.

  Now that he’d had a taste of just how awful the whole thing was, he was beginning to wonder if his parents hadn’t been right by never letting him believe in any of that crap. He slammed his locker closed after putting on new clothes and just left the shit covered mall uniform on the bench in front of it for Rick.

  If his ex-boss wanted to take it out of his salary, fine. It wasn’t like Tim wasn’t used to skipping a meal or two when needed.

  Just as he exited the mall he heard the dreaded music from Psycho coming from his phone. It was the ringtone he had assigned to his mother. She was always calling when something went wrong. It was creepy.

  “Seriously,” he answered. “Are you having me followed?” Tim glanced around just to be sure no eyes were on him as he made his way to the bus stop at the other end of the parking lot.

  His mother cackled. That’s right, she cackled, because the sound she made didn’t sound anything like a normal laugh and it had the unnerving ability to send fear racing up and down his spine. “What happened this time, dear?”

  No, ‘how are you,’ or ‘are you eating okay.’ That had never been his mother’s style. Once he had come home from school with a black eye and a cut on his lip after Henry Vaugh had decided to appoint himself as class bully.

  Did his mom hug him and ask who did this to him? Nope. All she did was shake her head and ask him what he’d done. Like it was his fault for being punched.

  For all of a second, Tim had considered lying to his mother, but he knew there was no point. She had the ability to know whenever anyone lied to her. He swore in her previous life she had to have worked for the CIA as an interrogator.

  “I was fired from the mall,” he said as he blessedly was able to find a seat on one of the two benches at the bus stop. Usually they were packed, but because it was only two, there weren’t as many people out shopping yet.

  He could almost see her roll her eyes. “I don’t see why you would want to work in a job that perpetuates a lie to little kids anyway. I mean really, Tim. You might as well take candy from a baby.”

  This time it was Tim who rolled his eyes. It was the always the same from his mother. “Yeah, I know Mom. Kids should face the harsh realities of life so they don’t get ridiculous notions of grandeur in their heads only to end up having their dreams crushed when they enter the real world.”

  She huffed to let him know she didn’t appreciate the way he repeated the words she’d told him and his brother all their lives. “Well, it’s true. You know it would be nice if you and Ralph thanked me instead of feeling it necessary to constantly mock me for trying to protect you.”

  Tim wasn’t feeling like trying to pacify his mother at the moment. “Maybe if you’d listen to your own words, you’d understand that life doesn’t ever give you what you want.”

  Thankfully, before he could say anything more to offend her, his bus pulled up. “Look mom, I have to go. My bus is here and I need to get home and shower before heading to the diner.”

  “You promised to come to dinner this week. I expect to see on Sunday at four,” his mom told him before he had the chance to hang up on her.

  Dinner with his mom was the last thing he wanted to attend. The only good thing to come of it was the free meal. If he filled up enough, it might last him until his shift at the diner Monday night. His boss Armando always gave his employees free meals when they worked six hours or more.

  “I’ll be there, mom,” he said before disconnecting the call.

  He took a seat near the back of the bus. Not about to have anyone try to strike up some lame conversation, he stuck in his earbuds and hit play on his radio app.

  Sitting back for the fifteen-minute ride to his studio apartment that barely fit his twin bed and a small love seat, Tim went through his finances in his head. He had rent covered for next month, barely, but he still had to make enough for electric, water and his phone.

  With only two weeks left before those were due, it would be tight only working two jobs. He was a waiter at a café in the mornings and a diner at night. The events at the mall filled his days off from the other jobs and some of his free time in between. It had been perfect. Well, other than dealing with overbearing parents and screaming kids who shit on him.

  He’d actually taken the job as helper last year at Easter because he’d wanted, if only from the sidelines, to experience the joy his friends always had seemed to find in the holidays when they were kids. That had been a mistake.

  No. Whatever disillusions Tim had before taking the job as helper at Easter, Halloween, and Christmas had been thoroughly stomped on, crushed, and pulverized for good measure. He most assuredly wouldn’t miss the job, but somehow, Tim needed to find a third job.<
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  The stink of shit assailed his nose once again. Maybe he should take the whole experience as a sign. There was no place for him in the world of make believe. His mom had made sure of that.

  And that was fine with him. Even he had to roll his eyes at that lie. All Tim wanted was for the opportunity to fantasize about what life could be like if he weren’t struggling for every dollar he made.

  As a kid, he’d envied his friends who had excitedly showed off their gifts from Santa or the Easter Bunny. He never got to hang a stocking or hunt for Easter eggs. Hell, even when he lost a tooth, his mother felt the need to disabuse him of a magical Tooth Fairy who could miraculously fly through brick or glass to enter their house in order to exchange the tooth for money.

  She’d actually laughed at the absurdity when he’d tried to tell her what his friends had told him after losing their teeth. He’d hated her in that moment. The whole day he’d been allowed to feel excitement as he’d listened to two of his friends who had been visited by the Tooth Fairy that previous weekend only to have his hopes crushed by her harsh words and cruel laughter.

  He’d come to understand it wasn’t life that was crushing his dreams, it was his mother. Unable to see a point in much of anything, including his future, Tim barely managed to pass high school. With no skills and no way of paying for college, he took whatever job he could.

  To add insult to injury, his mother felt it her job not to coddle her children by allowing them to live with her once he and Ralph had graduated high school. She’d given Tim one month to find his own place.

  That had been eight years ago, and he still hadn’t managed to afford anything better than a studio apartment in a sketchy part of town. He really needed to find a way to improve his life.

  Even as the thought ran through his mind, Tim could hear his mother’s voice reminding him life would only crush his dreams.

  When the bus stopped a block from his apartment, Tim got off and made his way home. There was no point in fantasizing about a different life. This was reality. His only hope for the day was to wash the scent of shit off and not screw up at one of this other jobs.