—Jessica R. Patch, best-selling author of the Seasons of Hope and Honeyhaven series.
“The Santa Run is a warm delight full of laughter and heartfelt romance that will gift wrap readers in the holiday spirit. Pugh’s fresh, spunky voice is a star on top of the Christmas tree that shines beautifully in the rom-com genre.”
Gardner, Mary Higgins Clark Award– and Edgar Award–nominated author
“It’s always a pleasure to fnd a new author who can create a story you can’t put down. Beth’s love for Kentucky and talent for writing sweet romance shines in this wonderful Christmas story. You will endure all the feels. I highly recommend The Santa Run to my—Mindyreaders.”Steele, best-selling author of An Amish Flower Farm and Christmas Grace
“Heartwarming, wholesome, and perfect for Hallmark fans, The Santa Run is a poignant, engaging love story. Relatable characters Eliza and Bennett have chemistry to spare. Eliza’s journey through loss and uncertainty to rediscovered hope is bolstered by seriously swoonworthy Bennett, an outsider striving to repair his own past. A joyful gift to romance readers everywhere.”—Tracy
“Warm and cozy from beginning to end, The Santa Run is a feelgood charmer! A Christmas visit to Beth Pugh’s Pine Valley is like stepping inside a snow globe, and readers will be made to feel right at home. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, you’ll thoroughly enjoy watching this delightful romance come to life on the page.”—Bethany Turner, award-winning author of Plot Twist and The Do-Over
“Fans of Debbie Macomber, Denise Hunter, and Robyn Carr won’t be able to get enough. I, for one, am so happy to have found a fresh voice to add to my insatiable love for all things Christmas romance!”
“The Santa Run features all of my reader catnip: a smart, zesty voice, favourite TV Christmas movie tropes, and a fsh-out-ofwater story liberally peppered with warmth and community. A poignant tale of loss and love found, I loved the tradition of the train and its railway run providing a unique new offering in a veritable Candy Cane land of Christmas romances.
“As delicious as whipped cocoa, Pugh’s voice and irrepressible romanticism wrap you up like the warmest sweater. I would happily spend time with Eliza and Bennett in picturesque Pine Valley for many seasons to come.
—Rachel McMillan, author of The Three Quarter Time series and A Very Merry Holiday Movie Guide Other Books by Beth Pugh The Valentine Proposal
Birmingham, Alabama
BETH PUGH
TheRunSanta
of Congress Control Number: 2022940964 Scripture quotations are from the Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press. Cover design by For the Muse Designs ISBN: 978-1-64526-354-8 (paperback) ISBN: 978-1-64526-355-5 (e-book) 2 3 4 5—26 25 24 23 22
The author is represented by Julie Gwinn, president of The Seymour LibraryAgency.
1
Copyright © 2022 by Bertha Pugh No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher. Iron Stream Media serves its authors as they express their views, which may not express the views of the publisher. This is a work of fction. Names, characters, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination or are used for fctional purposes. Any mentioned brand names, places, and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners, bear no association with the author or the publisher, and are used for fctional purposes only.
The Santa Run Iron Stream Fiction An imprint of Iron Stream Media 100 Missionary Ridge Birmingham, AL IronStreamMedia.com35242
To my parents Your love continues to inspire me. I miss you more than should be possible and long for the day when I will see you again. Keep waiting at heaven’s gate.
Acknowledgments
At times, writing can feel like an endless stretch of lonely road paved with self-doubt. When I began my publishing journey, that sums up my emotions quite nicely. It was a few months after burying my daddy, and the grief nearly suffocated me. But God showed up and walked alongside me. He turned my sorrow into joy, bringing Romans 8:28 alive for me and I will forever be grateful. I pray you see Him in this story and in life because there is nothing more beautiful.Theroad might have started off lonesome, but God didn’t leave it that way. He placed people in my life to help me along the way, like an outstanding agent. Julie Gwinn, you are at the top that list. Thank you for taking a chance on this story and on me. You are a blessing. As is my writer tribe. Meghann Whistler, thank you for walking this road with me. You are an amazing critique partner and a wonderful friend. Danielle Grandinetti, our chats uplift me so much. After talking to you, I feel renewed and ready to face the keyboard again. Thank you for meeting me in my mess time after time. To Stephanie Jay Taylor, you are one of the best encouragers I have ever met. I am blessed by your heart for others and beyond honored to call you friend. Susan Tuttle, I was working on this very manuscript the frst time I messaged you out of the blue. I was humbled when you offered prayers for me then and even more so as you continued to check in
• vii •
To Buddy, Bree, Jill, Sarah, Breanna, Julie, Bea, and all my beta readers: You took the time to read this story before anyone else and I can’t thank you enough. Your encouragement and support pushed me to keep going. To my friends, coworkers, and family who cheered me through each rejection and every revision, thank you. I love you so much. I don’t know how you keep from muzzling me when I go down the rabbit hole of book talk, but your patience is much appreciated. Kat, Madison, and Nicole: you ladies made me believe in this story and in myself. I thank God for you. I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Last, but never least, to my husband and son—I am undeserving of the love you show me, but I will forever love you back with all that I have. Izaiah, being your mommy is my favorite thing and that will never change. Watching you grow is a gift I treasure. I am so proud of you. Ryan, you are the love story I want to read for the rest of my life. I would be lost without you. Your unconditional support leaves me in awe, and I can’t thank you enough for being everything I need exactly when I need it, whether that be a kick in the pants to get me moving or a bear hug to hold me together. I will always love you like coffee loves donuts.
The Santa Run • viii • with me throughout the years. I will always be thankful for yourSpecialfriendship.thanks to my editors, Jessica Nelson and Nancy J. Farrier, who weeded through a plethora of exclamation marks to fnd the heart of this story. You taught me not only the proper etiquette of punctuation but the power of show rather than tell, and I won’t forget either. Thank you for the care you poured into these words, and into me, while never letting me settle for less than the best I had to offer. Your hard work and knowledge made this book shine.
• 1 • Chapter One
Lights from the Christmas tree in the far corner of the offce fashed rhythmically, their refection barely visible on the computer screen as Eliza Lee Elliot checked her newly cleaned-out inbox for the umpteenth time. The room emanated an eerie somberness instead of the usual coziness she’d come to associate with the Appalachian Express, her home away from home for the last two years. Most days, she’d rather stay late at the offce than make the trek to her house on the edge of town. Moving out of Grandpa Walt’s had been the right decision. The time to stand on her own two feet had come, but living alone took some getting used to and she simply hadn’t acclimated yet. She’d get there. Eventually. But not today, not with her new city-slicker manager on his way.Needing reassurance, she swiveled her chair to face her brother, Jett. When he looked up, his furrowed brows and telling silence ushered in the reality of the situation. Concern instead of the comfort she’d hoped for shone in his eyes. Eliza squeezed her fngers around the armrest and rocked her chair back and forth. Without a word, Jett stood up, walked around behind her, and placed a hand on the back of her seat to still the motion. She wished harnessing her nerves were that simple. “Sorry.” Eliza offered her apology without looking up, feeling a slight warmth on her cheeks. “I still can’t believe Sean and Ava sold the railroad. Retirement is one thing, but selling?
The Appalachian Express has belonged to the Peterson family longer than I’ve been alive.”
The Santa Run • 2 •
“You’re preaching to the converted, sis.” Jett shook the back of her chair gently. “I don’t like it any more than you do, but I don’t blame them. It’d be hard to turn over the reins to a stranger. Heck, even a friend. But no kids mean no successors. Selling makes sense.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but I don’t want to.” Eliza sent a cutting gaze toward the computer screen. “And why sell to this bigshot company from New York? Pine Valley is nothing more than a dot on the map to them. They won’t understand us. Did you see how that last email was signed? Mr. Bennett M. Olsen, McCoy Railway Supervisor. Too proper and important to leave it on a frst-name basis. That middle initial is egotism at its fnest.” She crossed her arms, daring Jett to argue. Undeterred, he met the challenge. “That’s the way it’s done in theElizacity.”glared at him while her toes went to tapping, a nervous habit she’d picked up in college.
“Be still, jitterbug.” Jett patted her shoulder. “You’ll tap right outta your shoes if you don’t calm down.” Eliza let herself lean into his touch, savoring the connection. For the past few months, she’d worked so hard to prove her independence. Doing so meant distancing herself from her family more than she liked, even at work. Today, though, it was nice to know she wasn’t alone. “You’re right. I’ll try to chill. I just wish I knew when to expect our guest. That’s all.”
Spinning the chair around, Eliza caught Jett off guard, nearly rolling over his foot. Jett yelped and jumped back. “Watch it!” She stood, side-stepped, and braced herself mentally for the impending reprimand. Jett’s lips bent into a frown as he scowled at her. The look made her feel too much like the bratty sister of yesteryear instead of the responsible woman she’d
Eliza smacked his arm and let loose a giggle. “Oh hush. You’re fne. How about a fresh cup of coffee to make it up to you?”“It’s a start, I guess.” After pushing her chair under the desk, Eliza scurried to the break room. The rich notes of coffee wrapped around her halfway down the hall. Welcoming the familiar scent, she inhaled deeply as she poured her brother’s coffee. The fresh brew looked too good to pass up. She poured herself a new cup as well and returned to the front. There, she set her cup beside her keyboard before taking Jett his. He mouthed a “thank you” and pointed to his headset.
Beth Pugh • 3 • grown into. It was almost sobering enough to take the humor out of the moment. Almost. “Oops. You OK?” Eliza touched his elbow as she clamped her lips tight, locking up the laughter threatening to escape. Jett nodded. “Yeah, you missed, but not by much. I knew you were a dangerous driver, but apparently, anything with wheels becomes deadly when you’re around.”
Eliza nodded and returned to her seat, passing Hanna as she did. Hanna, sister-in-law extraordinaire and the muchneeded voice of reason between Eliza and her brother, had found her comfy spot by the main phone. Her feet sat on a box of copy paper beneath the desk and her back rested against a throw pillow. If the setup wasn’t doctor’s orders for Hanna and her growing bundle of joy, it would have been comical. Eliza waved at her, scrunching her lips between a grin and a pout at the adorable sight. The sounds of the offce settled softly around her as she resumed her work. The click of Jett’s keyboard, the rustling of papers being sorted, the tick-tock of the second hand circling the clock. Eliza focused on the medley of familiarity until her nerves got the best of her and she reopened the email from her unseen supervisor. If only she knew what to expect. Maybe I can fnd out.
“If I was any better, I’d have to sit on my hands to keep from clapping.”
“Appalachian Express, Eliza Lee speaking.”
“Hello, Eliza Lee. How are ya this morning?” Eliza smiled and crossed her legs as she answered. “I’m blessed, Trish. And you?”
The Santa Run • 4 •
A company as vast as McCoy Railway surely had an expansive website that might include bios. After a quick internet search, she found the page and clicked on the Staff subheading. There, directly beneath the CEO, a man with coffee-colored eyes and a jawline just a strong smiled at her.
“Hello, Mr. Bennett M. Olsen.” Clicking the photo, Eliza zoomed in for a better look. Immediately, she wished she hadn’t. At frst glance, the man was handsome. Up close, handsome morphed to gorgeous. Dark brown eyes deep enough to get lost in, hair nearly the same shade with a few golden strands kissed by the sun, and a nose to make the Greek Olympians jealous.Eliza closed the screen without so much as skimming the paragraph about him, too afraid whatever the website revealed would make her believe in love at frst sight. Nope, not interested. Sure, if she were searching for love she’d try to fnd a man as unlike Austin Stone as she could, which made Bennett the perfect candidate. His dark gaze could never be mistaken for Austin’s baby blues, and those hickory locks Bennett sported hit different than the blond waves of her former fancé. No matter. Landing a date ranked so low on the totem pole of Eliza’s life she’d have to limbo to fnd it. Since extinguishing the torch she’d held for Austin, she had no desire for a new relationship, especially not with a big-shot businessman who called New York City home. Eliza startled in her seat as a ringing phone pulled her away from her musings and back to reality. Hanna pointed to her, letting her know she was transferring the call, and the line lit up.
Eliza nearly leaped from her chair, but seeing Jett on his headset kept her in check. She bounced up and down as she clenched the phone tighter. “That’s such great news! It’s been a rough year for so many. Mines have shut down left and right. Those still open are hanging on by a thread. I’m afraid Christmas is going to be tight for lots of folks this year.”
The Santa Run had always been her favorite holiday tradition, but she loved it even more now that she was in charge of coordinating the event. Organizing the run was her frst leadership role with the railroad, and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. What better way to prove herself to the company and her family than overseeing the tradition her grandfather loved best? She had to get it right.
Another thud echoed through the phone, followed by Trish’s belly laugh. “Me, either. Oh, I have to let you go, sugar. A truck just pulled up with more donations. I’ll call again soon.”
A slap sounded on the line and Eliza Lee imagined Trish striking the desk in front of her. She shook her head with a smile.“I think you’re right. I can’t wait.” Eliza took another drink of her coffee. Warmth flled her once more, not from the brew alone this time but from the joy reignited inside her.
Trish sighed into the phone. “I know, darlin’ dear, but keep your chin up. This is going to be our best Run yet.”
Beth Pugh • 5 • “That’s wonderful.” Eliza tried to sound upbeat despite the frown that formed as she scanned her computer screen. Still no email. No word as to when the new supervisor would arrive. She reached across her desk for her coffee and blew across the top for a moment before taking a sip. “I wish I were half that “Listengood.”tothis and maybe you will be. We’ve got more toys and candy than ever before, oodles of gloves and hats, top-notch coats, and a thousand turkey certifcates, up from the fve hundred last Christmas. Our sponsors have truly gone above and beyond, praise the Lord.”
The Santa Run • 6 •
The line went silent. Eliza grabbed her pen and started tapping, wired with anticipation of the impending holidays. The Santa Run was the biggest event of the year for the Appalachian Express. The company provided transportation for the jolly man himself to deliver toys, warm clothing, and goodies of all sorts to hundreds of families every year. Well, a jolly man, anyway, dedicated to flling the shiny black boots as best as humanly possible.
A snapshot of Grandpa Walt surfaced, fushed face and fake beard, a broad smile stretched across his face. His tired eyes shone brightly under the brim of a velvet hat as he sang out “ho ho ho!” to the crowd. Eliza had stood front and center waiting for his instructions. Minutes before the train left the yard, the big man himself motioned for her, pulled a red bag from a hidden pocket, and handed it to her. Nestled inside was a plush tan-and-white beagle she named Spot. It was the last gift Grandpa had given her. Now, making sure the event went off without a hitch was the only gift she could give to him. “Was that Trish?” Hanna’s voice burst the bubble of Eliza’s reverie.Eliza stopped the pen mid-tap, quickly pushing the memory far away. “Sure was.” She took a breath, hoping to inhale the enthusiasm the moment deserved and exhale the grief threatening to disrupt it. Hanna smiled. “How’s the planning coming along?” “Great.” Eliza mustered as much cheer as she could. “More coats, more volunteers, more grocery vouchers. I think the construction delay gave more time for donations. The late December run is working out wonderfully. Is Jett’s ‘ho,ho,ho!’ ready?”“Sure is.” Hanna tilted her head to the phone Eliza had just hung up. “I know you’re worried about the sale, but why don’t you focus on the run for a while?” “I’ll try.” Eliza blew at her bangs. “But can I at least hold my breath until our new boss shows up?”
“If you must.” The phone rang and Hanna slipped into secretary mode as she answered. Exasperated with the uncertainty facing the railroad—and herself—Eliza Lee crossed her arms on her desk and laid her head on top of them the way she used to when her class played Heads Up Seven Up in school. I can’t stand this, Lord. I know the future is in your hands. I trust you, but it’s so distracting. Help me focus. Eliza raised her head. A sound so quiet she almost missed it rang from her computer speakers. She rolled forward to get a better look and scanned the screen. Her inbox screamed for attention as a new message arrived. This is it. Eliza moved the mouse slowly, like syrup falling over pancakes. She paused and let her fnger hover over the button, too fearful to click. Come on, now, Eliza Lee. Boss man is coming whether you like it or not. Might as well fnd out when. Forcefully, she slammed the button down. Her stomach churned as she read, making her wish she’d skipped breakfast. By the time she got to the end of the message, she was the one in need of ginger ale instead of her pregnant sister-in-law.
Beth Pugh • 7 •
Tomorrow, Mr. Bennett M. Olsen would make his appearance.Asong from an old movie Grandpa had made her watch popped into Eliza’s head. She hummed a few bars, hoping the curly-headed kid was right. That despite all the changes headed her way the sun would still come out—tomorrow.