All He Wants for Christmas

by Karen Booth

  She arrived at work and strode through the parking lot, noticing that Astrid’s little silver convertible was already there. Miranda was really glad that she’d decided to hire her future sister-in-law. She was not only a hard worker, and eager to learn the business of interior design, but was also a positive presence in the office. Everyone on Miranda’s team loved her and that gave Miranda a real sense of peace. Astrid could shoulder a lot of the workload in the weeks after the baby arrived. As for what the rest of Miranda’s life would look like at that time, she didn’t know. Could she count on the help of those around her? Would Andrew make his presence known? The uncertainty made her especially thankful for Astrid. She knew she could count on her.

  “Good morning.” Miranda popped her head into Astrid’s office.

  She looked up from her desk, a warm smile crossing her face. “Hello. How are you after the big Thanksgiving awkwardness?”

  Miranda had been so horrified in the moment on Thursday evening, but it almost seemed like an afterthought now. If that situation hadn’t happened, emotions wouldn’t have been running so high that night. She and Andrew wouldn’t have ended up kissing in the kitchen or even making love. Miranda gestured to one of the chairs opposite Astrid’s desk. “May I?”

  “Yes. Of course.”

  Miranda took a seat and crossed her legs. “That was something, wasn’t it?”

  “I wasn’t there for the truly ugly part, but it’s pretty obvious that Tara and Grant don’t trust him. At all.”

  “So much of it seems like it should be water under the bridge, but obviously that’s not the case.”

  “Andrew was well out of Johnathon’s life when we were married,” Astrid said.

  “Same for me,” Miranda said. “He talked about his brother, but it was all stuff that had happened in the past.”

  “It’s really hard for me to say whether Andrew should be trusted, but he seems like a good person. Clay likes him a lot.”

  That counted for a great deal, as far as Miranda was concerned. Her brother was an excellent judge of character. “It doesn’t really matter though, does it? Andrew will be here for a short while and then he’ll return to Seattle and that will be it.” Miranda drew in a deep breath through her nose. “The problem is that I want more than that. I want him to be part of the baby’s life. He’ll be one of her few living relatives.”

  “Do you think you can count on him for that? Johnathon always said Andrew was erratic. He might seem solid right now, but you don’t know for sure, right?” Astrid picked up a pen and tapped it on her desk. “I don’t want to be pessimistic, but I also don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  Miranda appreciated Astrid’s intentions, but she hated the misgivings these questions stirred up inside her. Andrew had been nothing less than rock-solid over the last few weeks. He’d been caring and attentive. “I’m pretty sure that Johnathon was letting other things color his opinions. Like the history between the brothers. Andrew told me some stories over the weekend.”

  “Like what?”

  “He talked about how Johnathon was the golden boy of the family. He was the one who could do no wrong. Andrew really looked up to him, but from everything he said, Johnathon used that against him. He blamed things on Andrew, but he’d later say that it was just part of their rivalry and that if Andrew didn’t want to be in trouble, he should learn how to turn the tables on Johnathon.”

  “Was he ever able to do that?”

  “Not to the degree he wanted to. Johnathon was always a step ahead.”

  “Until the Seaport Promenade project came along.”

  “Exactly. That was when Andrew finally saw his chance to get even.” Miranda decided against sharing the details of Andrew’s broken engagement. It was deeply personal and he’d kept it from Miranda for a while, even when he’d had chances to tell her and bring his motives into focus. “But then we lost Johnathon and Andrew had to try to stop his plan.”

  Astrid nodded slowly, as if she was still digesting all of this information. “Maybe Tara and Grant need to hear more of this. I don’t think anyone can discount the fact that Clay likes him. That has to matter a lot, especially to you.”

  That was a silver lining, for sure. Her brother was deeply skeptical of most people. If it was Clay’s gut instinct to trust Andrew, Miranda felt that she could, too. “And what do you think?”

  “He’s incredibly handsome and smart and kind. What’s not to like?”

  The corners of Miranda’s lips twitched, threatening a smile, and heat flooded her cheeks. She couldn’t have stopped if she’d wanted to. There wasn’t a single thing not to admire about Andrew. Or at least not a thing that she’d seen.

  Astrid narrowed her gaze on Miranda. She was incredibly perceptive, which made Miranda nervous. “Why do you have that look on your face?”

  “What look? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The tone of her voice betrayed her. It was high and squeaky, like a little girl who was terrible at keeping secrets.

  Astrid sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, pivoting left and right. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

  Miranda wanted to tell someone what had happened, but she also feared sharing it, especially with Astrid. What if she thought less of her? What if she thought Miranda hadn’t let enough time transpire since Johnathon’s death? “I’m afraid to tell you. If I’m being perfectly honest.”

  “You can always confide in me. I won’t tell a soul. Not even Clay.”

  “I slept with him.” The words practically shot out of Miranda’s mouth.

  Astrid’s eyes grew impossibly wide with surprise. “With Andrew?”

  “Who else would I possibly be talking about?”

  Astrid stared off, nodding as if she was adding this all up. “I did notice you two flirting.”

  “You did?” Miranda was horrified. She’d thought that any connection between her and Andrew was undetectable. Hidden.

  “It’s not a bad thing. I liked seeing it. I know how hard it’s been for you. Dealing with Johnathon’s death.”

  “Sleeping with his brother was probably not the healthiest way to chase away my grief.”

  Astrid shrugged. “You two have a very unusual connection, and you’re living in the same house. It’s not a big surprise to me that you were drawn to each other.”

  But where did all of that lead? Miranda had no earthly idea. And with a baby on the way, it was impossible for her to not think about the future. To fixate on it. Would it be okay if she and Andrew ultimately decided that they’d had a little fun together? Would she be able to maintain a relationship with him moving forward? Or would it always be uncomfortable and awkward, with sex as the elephant in the room?

  * * *

  Monday morning, soon after Miranda left for work, Andrew caught a break.

  “I’ve found Sandy,” Pietro said when Andrew answered his cell phone.

  The relief that washed over him was immense. He had to get to Victor, and Sandy, Victor’s foot soldier and one-time mole at Sterling Enterprises, was the best path. “Where is she?”

  “She moved into an apartment downtown. It’s a brand-new building. Not a lot of residents yet, but they have major security.”

  “Do you think we have any chance of getting to her?”

  “Yes. We have found a way to access the garage and my guys have a good sense of her schedule. I’m outside the building right now.”

  Andrew grabbed his car keys from the desk. “I’ll meet you.”

  “I have it under control, Mr. Sterling. I don’t know that it’s safe.”

  Andrew admired Pietro’s dedication to protecting him, but Andrew was done caring about himself. He had to get to Victor. He had to find a way to convince him to stop. Andrew cared deeply about undoing the harm he’d done by setting the plan to destroy Sterling’s chance at the Seaport P
romenade project. But much more than that now, Miranda and the baby were the most important thing. He would not let them be hurt, physically or financially. More than that, he would not fail with the promises he’d made.

  “I’ll be fine,” Andrew said. “Just ping me your location, okay?”

  “Of course, Mr. Sterling.”

  Miranda and the baby were front and center in his thoughts as Andrew climbed into his car and zipped out through Miranda’s gate. His heart was racing as he realized what it would mean if he got to Sandy and she was able to convince Victor to stop. He would have fixed the problem he’d created. He would also have no more reason to stay in San Diego with Miranda. The last few weeks had been incredible, a taste of the life he’d wanted so badly but couldn’t help but think wasn’t ultimately meant for him. It might be best to resolve everything, move on and leave Miranda to her life. But if he did that, it would be the hardest thing he’d ever done. There was a nagging sense that it wasn’t the answer, but it was certainly the simplest solution—get through the pain and move past it.

  He found Pietro on a side street. “Any sign of her?” Andrew asked as he climbed out of his car and met him on the sidewalk.

  “She should be pulling out of the garage soon. We have surveillance that says she just left her apartment.”

  “What are we waiting for?” Andrew asked, starting across the street.

  “I was waiting on you.” Pietro jogged behind him to catch up.

  At the garage entrance was a keypad. Pietro punched in a code and the metal door rolled up. Andrew made a mental note to give the man a raise. He never failed to amaze him. Inside, it was evident the building was both brand-new and for only the most well-heeled. Everything was pristine. It was more like a waiting room for cars, with no evidence of smells like motor oil or gasoline.

  “Put on your sunglasses,” Pietro suggested. “It’ll be harder to ID you on tape.”

  Smart. Pietro was on it, as usual. Andrew did as he was told and the men strode through the concrete structure until they reached the elevator. Sure enough, a mere moment after they arrived, the lights above the door indicated that someone was heading down.

  “I don’t want to scare her,” Andrew said. He’d been the one to hire Sandy. He did know her pretty well and he couldn’t help but think that she had become a pawn in a game that was far outside her control.

  “Of course not. It’s merely my job to put you in a position to speak to her.”

  “Perfect. Thank you.”

  Seconds later, the door dinged and rolled open. Sandy took one look at Andrew and her already pale skin lost all color. Her eyes went wide and she jabbed the button. Pietro was one step ahead and stuck out his foot, preventing the door from closing and causing it to open again.

  “I have nothing to say to you,” she blurted at Andrew as he stepped closer. Her dark hair was styled in a new way, cut in a sleek and sophisticated bob.

  “Fine. You don’t need to talk to me. I just need you to relay a message to your new boss.”

  “That’s it?” She seemed unconvinced.

  “That’s it.”

  Sandy rolled her eyes and breezed past him and Pietro, into the garage. The door slid shut behind her. “Then what’s the message?” She turned and faced him defiantly. She had a very large designer handbag hanging from her elbow. Victor was obviously compensating her well.

  “Tell Victor that I will pay him ten million to go away. That’s twice what he lost in his deal with Johnathon.”

  Sandy did not appear impressed by that number. “Where does that leave me?”

  “Victor’s the person who should answer that question. I’m no longer your employer.”

  “And if you really want me to deliver this message, you should probably pay the messenger her own fee.”

  “Fine. An extra million straight to you.”

  “I could spend that in three months. This building is ridiculously expensive. Try harder.”

  “Two?”

  She pressed her lips together tightly, but everything in her eyes said she wasn’t stressed. She was calculating. “Four.”

  This was becoming absurd. “If I give you four and Victor finds out about it, he’ll only ask me for more.”

  “You’re a very rich man.”

  “Twenty to Victor. Five to you. Final offer.”

  Sandy swallowed hard. Finally some sign that he was getting somewhere. “I’ll take it to him. No promises.”

  “Please let him know that I’d like to hear from him today.”

  “I will.” She clicked a key fob and the lights on a shiny black Audi flashed.

  “So he’s in town?” he asked.

  “Nice try. I’m not telling you where he is.” She put her sunglasses on, then reached for the car’s door handle. “And please don’t do this little act again. I don’t appreciate you showing up where I live.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Andrew and Pietro watched as Sandy got into her car. They waited for her to leave before following through the open garage door and back outside. Moments later, they were at their vehicles across the street.

  “Only thing we can do now is wait,” Andrew said.

  “You’ll let me know if you hear anything?” Pietro asked.

  “Absolutely.” Andrew climbed into his car and pulled away from the curb, heading back to Miranda’s. He was nearly there when his phone rang. The caller ID popped up on the screen on his dash. Unknown caller. He took the call, anyway. “Hello?”

  “You must be getting desperate,” the voice said.

  Victor. “What makes you say that?” Andrew did his best to maintain his composure.

  “You’re trying to bribe me. Which I can only guess means that you are getting close to your brother’s widow. Miranda, right?”

  Andrew’s stomach turned. Waves of nausea rolled over him. He didn’t ever want to hear Victor utter Miranda’s name again. “That’s not why I made the offer. I just want this done.”

  “You must realize that money does no good. I couldn’t spend everything I already have if I tried.”

  Andrew needed to focus on this conversation, which meant he needed to get off the road. He flipped his blinker and took the next exit, pulling onto a side street. He put the car in Park and killed the engine. “It’s not about the money. It’s about making up for my brother’s mistake. It’s the principle.”

  “Mistakes. Plural. It was more than the five million I lost in that deal that you know about. That was the final insult. There was another forty or fifty before that. And the lies. Your brother left a wake of destruction wherever he went.”

  Andrew was looking at paying a small fortune if he wanted to appease Victor, but he would do anything to finally have it resolved. To have a chance to look at his future and see some possibilities for happiness. “What do you want? Name your price.”

  Victor laughed. “What I want, you can’t give me. Unless you come back to my side.”

  Andrew pinched the bridge of his nose as a headache sprang up right behind his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I want Sterling Enterprises destroyed. Over. Erased.”

  Andrew blew out an exasperated breath. “Johnathon’s dead. What’s the point?”

  “The point is that Sterling is going to land the Seaport project and Johnathon’s picture is going to be all over the place. His firm will win accolades and awards. They’re hoping to get the new playground at Seaport named after him. It will be like he never did a single bad thing and that’s not right.”

  “But you’re only punishing the people he left behind.”

  “You mean like his wives? And his business partner, Grant Singleton?”

  “Well, yes. That’s exactly who I mean.” He wasn’t about to mention the baby, but Andrew’s niece would also be a victim. He was sure Vict
or knew that Miranda was pregnant, but Andrew didn’t want to call attention to it.

  “This way, they will all know that Johnathon wasn’t the perfect man they all think he was.”

  Andrew’s frustration was growing by the minute. “Why do you care so much? This just seems like it’s about more than money and ego.”

  “Johnathon seduced my daughter when she was only twenty years old. He broke her heart. He made promises to her and he didn’t keep a single one. I can’t forgive him for that. Never.”

  Andrew stared straight ahead at the city scene before him—a busy Mexican restaurant and people milling around on the sidewalk—but it was like he wasn’t truly seeing any of it. He was too busy grappling with this revelation. “When did this happen?”

  “He was married to the second wife.”

  “Astrid.”

  “That’s her name.”

  Andrew shook his head in disbelief. There was a very big part of him that was so tired of cleaning up his brother’s messes. But he knew that this one wouldn’t simply go away. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say about your daughter. I didn’t know that happened. Why in the world did you keep working with him after that happened?”

  “I kept hoping that at some point, I would have a chance to get back at Johnathon with one of our deals. Screw him over. Unfortunately, he always seemed to be a step ahead of me. I don’t like it when that happens. I don’t like being made to look like a fool.”

  Andrew felt like he was out of options. “What do you want me to do, Victor? This needs to end. I’ll give you whatever you want. You can have every last penny I have in the bank.”

  “I have a few tricks up my sleeve. If they pan out, I’ll go away. I just want to see a few people squirm. If I can’t bury Sterling Enterprises, I can at least hurt them badly.”