Mistletoe by Lyn GardnerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another of those occasions when, late at night, I decided to see what I'd read the next day. And accidentally read an entire story. Namely this one here.
When Diana was four she 'wrote' a letter to Santa via her aunt. She asked for a soul-mate, she wanted what her parents (now dead) had had. Naturally . . . . well 1) Santa's real and he grants children's wishes (just 1 per child if I read right), though only those wishes of children, not adults; 2) it's 30 years after Diana had written that letter, and that wish has still not been granted (it got lost in the lining of a bag), though now that Santa and company know about this wish, they decide to try to do something about it.
Santa and 'Him' come to an agreement, since Santa isn't really supposed to be helping/granting wishes of adults. Santa has learned that Diana will be, or is supposed to be attending three Christmas parties, and so Santa is going to send an elf with magical mistletoe to be used at each party. The mistletoe will give a nudge, not create something that isn't there.
Diana is an unemployed former prison officer (she had been a prison teacher, but that position got removed so she moved over to prison officer, but learned she didn't really like being a guard). She is going to these three parties because her friend, who I believe is named Gloria, needs to go to these parties - is required to go to them. They are three company parties for the three different divisions at the law-firm she works at.
Division 1 and party one is lead by an asshole of a man, and let me stress that again - he is a really huge asshole. His division handles criminal matters, so his party, filled as it is by clients, is filled with 'criminals' and their barely clothed, surgically altered, and probably ex-prostitute 'girlfriends'. Also present at the party are the law firm employees, including the heads of the other two divisions, and that ‘plus one’ – Diana.
Diana enters and is immediately annoyed that she agreed to go. Based on seeing the party guests and being sexually molested by Thad Falgen’s eyeballs (I don’t actually remember the asshole’s name, but ‘Thad Falgen’ works for me). Thad is quite taken with Diana and begins to make some moves. Showing that it is clearly power and money that would cause him to ever get laid. Diana’s not interested, and not because she’s a lesbian (as far as she knows, she’s straight – yeah, I’d forgotten this was that type of story).
Recall, if you will, that there’s this elf that is supposed to be flinging mistletoes at people (okay, hanging one up). Well he arrives and is very tiny, invisible, and partakes of the food and drink. While waiting for his moment. For some odd reason he thinks that Diana’s ‘soul mate’ might be ‘Thad’ so he sets things up. Thad, super drunk, won’t let Diana leave when she wants to do so, so Diana is saved by one of the other law firm division heads – Jamison – the individual who Diana had actually spent some interesting time with talking to at the party. Saves with a kiss in a ‘now she’s been kissed, get out of the way’ way.
Jamison meant for a three second thing, at most, but there ended up being more than 3 seconds. And Jamison doesn’t know how Diana felt about the issue, because Diana immediately left after the kiss.
Division 2 and party 2 are hosted by ‘Lillian Willbourgh’ (again, I’m not actually sure about the name). ‘Lillian’ handles divorces, and only ever takes the side of the men. Also she is a very huge and very forceful bigot and homophobic individual. She also really really loves Christmas decorations and her party looks look . . . well, . hmm. Like 18 Christmas stores were raided for all products, and dumped inside her place. Also there’s like 800 tons of potpourri stinking up the place. Which causes massive issues to Jamison, but both Jamison and Diana had been looking forward to seeing each other again, so Jamison stuck it out.
And so. Two people circling each other. Spending but moments together. And one having to deal with the idea that they might actually be a lesbian, despite not previously realizing that possibility, and both dealing with massive waves of lust/love for the other based on like 4 minutes of being near each other.
Massaging the ending, and cutting most of the epilogue would make this a great perfect story. The epilogue was way too heavy-handed and sappy, though. (view spoiler)
Second time I’ve read this story.
Rating: 4.65
December 19 2016
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