In the northernmost region of the world, in the quiet end of the village of Santa's Circle, down a crooked snow-packed lane, through tall narrow houses painted various shades of green, one house stood apart from the rest at the end of a long winding road. No doubt about it. Nicholas developed feelings for Jane, and they came on fast. As Santa Claus, Nicholas' free time feels limited. But he wants to make time for Jane, and give love a chance to flourish. The question remains: What about Jane's interest in him? To let her know of his fondness for her, Nicholas decides to send her a present. And he knows just the elves to help him come up with the perfect thing. Unfortunately for Nicholas, his most brilliant elvish inventors also remain the most unpredictable. If you love holiday stories with a side of romance, pick up "The Christmas Stocking Gambit" today! This short sweet romantic story originally appeared in the collection The Future Mrs. Claus, by R.S. Kellogg, and is now available for purchase as a stand-alone story here. The complete list of stories in order from The Future Mrs. Claus sequence in stand-alone format is: 1. "Meeting the Future Mrs. Claus," which reveals what happens when Nicholas visits his old friend Peter to ask a favor, and unexpectedly meets a woman he instantly feels attracted to. 2. "The Candy Cane Date," in which Jane takes a break from cooking dinner on Christmas Eve, and tries to imagine Nicholas' night. 3. "The Christmas Toy Genius," in which Jane prepares for a visit from Nicholas on a very cold morning. 4. "The Christmas Stocking Gambit," in which Nicholas attempts to give Jane a token of his affection, with help from some unpredictable elves. 5. "The Dance at Santa's Circle," in which Nicholas takes Jane to the North Pole for a dance. 6. "Love Comes for Santa Claus," in which Nicholas decides to ask Jane a very important question, and runs into unexpected obstacles.