“Then you should buy it. I wouldn’t want you to be on your boss’s bad list. I’m sure it’s worse than Santa’s naughty list.”
“That’s funny. Actually my boss is a decent guy,” he says.
“Well, that’s good. Not many people can say that.”
“This little trinket box is for an ad we are running after Christmas,” he rambles. “And the one we had, my assistant lost it, somehow. And since my assistant is out with the flu, I’m the one roaming God’s green earth for this specific one.”
“That seems to be going around.”
“What is?”
“The flu,” I answer.
“Tell me about it. I can’t afford to be sick.”
“That’s why I take my vitamins and drink lots of green tea,” I add. “You should do the same.”
“I will. Thank you for the advice.” He lifts the jewelry box one last time. “Listen, I have to go. It was nice chatting with you.”
“Likewise.”
“Merry Christmas,” he says and gives me a nod.
“Merry Christmas,” I mumble to myself as I watch my mysterious drop-dead gorgeous man turn around without a backward glance and pay for the small vintage box.
Michael
Guilt overwhelms me as I walk up to the register and her sad smile flashes in my head. It was clear she wanted this wooden box.
My mom would kick my ass if she knew how rude I was. She raised me to be better. But at least I caught myself and did small talk. I still have the Christmas spirit. So, I’ll do the next best thing. I will buy this thing and treat the woman to a cup of hot tea. It’s the least I can do.
The man behind the register rings me up, tucks the white vintage jewelry box in the brown paper bag, and hands it to me. When I turn around, she’s gone. Damn, I lost my chance.
“Sir? Do you know which way that woman went?” I ask the clerk.
He shakes his head. “Sorry. No clue.”
I rush out of the store and swing my head left to right, peering over the sea of shoppers. I peek in the few boutiques to find her, but it was like she disappeared.
That woman has the most beautiful lavender eyes behind her black-framed glasses, rosy cheeks, and kissable lips with a beauty mark just below the corner of her mouth. Now, I will never get to redeem myself from being an asshole and taking the one thing that reminds her of her childhood.
Then, in the distance, I see brown hair under a white knitted beanie, scarf that matches. and the red jacket the woman was wearing. I quickly zig-zag through the crowd, and when I finally reach her, I pull at the woman’s elbow. When she turns around to face me, I immediately apologize because it’s not her.
What the hell am I doing? It’s just a jewelry box and it was just a woman. So why am I so hell-bent on finding her? Because she wasn’t just any woman. We had a moment when our eyes met. My chest tightened, my heart did weird flip-flops, and my palms got clammy. From the look on her face, I swear she felt the same as I did.
My phone rings and I pull it out of my jacket pocket. “This is Michael Zander speaking,” I answer sharply, knowing who is on the other end of the line, and keeping it professional.
“Mikey, this is Gage.”
“Hey, man. What’s up?” I say sharply to my boss and friend. I’ve known him since we were kids. When he offered me a job to work at Kyndal Magazine as the advertising executive, how could I refuse? It pays good, it has all the perks, including the hot women to gawk at all day. But right now, all I can think about is the woman with the lavender eyes who told me she ice-skates.
“You okay?” he asks, most likely hearing the irritation in my voice.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine,” Gage prompts. “What gives?”
“I was out getting the one item on my list for the ad campaign. And just when I thought it was going to be impossible to find, there it was.”
And there she was.
“That’s great! So you found it?”
“I took it from a woman who clearly wanted it.”
“Nice going, Scrooge. And you feel like shit?”
“Of course, I do. I feel like a total douche. Have I mentioned this idea is stupid? Why the jewelry box?”
A chuckle fills the line. “Listen, man, trust me, it’s not stupid. In due time, you will soon find out why I set it up this way.”
“Whatever.” I roll my eyes. “So, why’d you call?”
“I need a favor. And if you do this for me, you can take the rest of the day off.”
“Must be serious if you’re giving me the rest of the day off,” I reply.
“It’s for Hannah.”
I stifle a chuckle, tightening the black scarf around my neck. “Married life,” I joke.
“It’s the best damn decision I made. And soon you will see that too, playboy, when you find the one.”
“Love is too complicated. Been there, done that. Single is good,” I tell him and convince myself as I peer into another store, hoping I find Lavender-Eyes.
“Join me and some guys for a pick-up game of hockey?”
“A game of hockey? Seriously?” I raise my hand to hail down a taxi. The temperature is dropping, and I don’t know if I can take another second of this artic chill in the air. Coming from California where the sun is warm all year round to New York winter weather is nothing I could have prepared for.
“Trust me, it’ll be fun.”
I look down at the brown bag in my hand and let out a breath. “Fine, when is it?”
“Next Saturday at eleven in Staten Island. A family friend of Harper’s arranges an annual hockey game with a bunch of guys. It’s been a tradition and a few guys can’t make it. So, you in?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve played,” I remind him.
“Oh come on, it’ll be a great way to let off some steam,” he says.
“I could think of a few other ways to let off some steam.”
Gage laughs. “Then it’s a yes?”
“Yeah, sure. Why not?” I say as a matter of fact.
“I knew I could count on you.”
“You ready, big guy?” my sister calls from behind me. I turn to face her blue eyes and blonde locks that she gets from our mother.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I say, fixing my bow tie for good measure and tucking the index card inside the pocket of my tux for the speech I need to make tonight.
The vintage jewelry box catches my eye resting on the dining table. Now that we are done with the ad campaign, I couldn’t help but hold on to it for myself as if it had some kind of sentimental value. Maybe it’s because of that woman the other day.
“You okay?” Sybil asks.
“Huh? Yeah. Sorry, just thinking that’s all,” I tell her as I smooth out the lapels of my black jacket. “Let’s get going. I don’t want to be late.”
“Thanks for asking me to be your date, big brother.”
I kiss her cheek. “Thanks for agreeing to come with me last minute.”
“It’s not like you have a shortage of gorgeous women. Why did you ask me anyway?”
I laugh. “Being single is my focus. My work has me busy enough, I don’t need to entertain a woman on top of that.”
“Not all women are high maintenance like Daniella. And not all women are cheaters and lie like her, too,” Sybil says, referring to my ex-wife of six years. “There’s a woman out there for you, Mikey, and I bet when you see her, she will be your serendipity.”
I shrug. “Well, Miss Serendipity will have to wait.”
“Don’t be such a scrooge.” She smiles, looping her hand in the crook of my elbow. “It’s Christmas and if you’re on Santa’s nice list, maybe he’ll gift you the perfect woman.”
“There’s no such thing.”
“Trust me. Your rock-bottom humiliation with Dani, will turn out to be the silver lining moment you’ve been waiting for.”
“I love your optimism. But, right now we need to hurry to the party.”
The town car picks us up in front of my high-rise luxury building in Lower Manhattan and we climb in. It takes us almost an hour to drive less than ten miles to the venue. Once we arrive, the driver opens the back door. There is a long red carpet and cameras flashing as I take my sister’s hand to help her out of the back seat.
Sybil is not only my baby sister, but a top model and has a large social media following. Paparazzi call her name and she poses for them. I mentally roll my eyes because she’s just the quirky girl I know and love, not some front cover on the magazine rack for all to gawk at.
We finally make our way through the double doors and enter to the elevator where it takes us to the top floor to the exclusive party.
Sybil turns to me and says, “I know this is random, but I do hope you will find a nice girl to spend Christmas with. I hate to see you alone again.”
I laugh. “Sy, you sound like Mom. Besides, I’ll be spending it with Gage and his wife.”
“Maybe you should fly out to California with me and spend time with Mom, too?” she suggests.
“And hear Mom throw questions at me of when I’m going to settle down? That’s what I’ve got you for. Besides, I promised Gage I’d fill in for a player for a pick-up game of hockey.”
“Seriously? You haven’t played since you were in your twenties. Are you picking up the sport again?”
“It’s just one game and I think it’ll be fun.”
“You were really good at it. I miss those days when you were carefree,” she says.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well, since you’ve been climbing the corporate ladder, I think you’ve forgotten how to be, well, you.”
I stifle a laugh. “Well, I’ve changed and learned my lesson with Daniella. I felt like all I did was work to satisfy her lifestyle.”
Sybil tiptoes and kisses my cheek. “Since you learned your lesson, find a girl that likes simplicity.”
The woman with stunning lavender eyes behind her reading glasses, flashes in my head. It doesn’t matter I spent less than five minutes with her. I will never forget how I felt when I watched her from afar as she opened the jewelry box and hummed the melody. As she gazed at the twirling figurine and she made my heart beat harder in my chest.
She was the epitome of simplicity, yet her beauty was picturesque. The way she smiled at the treasure box in her hands as if it was her prized possession, made her even more perfect and I will never know her name.
Tiffany
I barely recognize the woman in the full-length mirror. Is that really me? Hannah and I had a makeover day getting ready for Gage’s company Christmas party. And like the good man he is, Gage took care of everything, from the stylists to the outfits. He is the chief editor of the Kyndal Magazine, after all, and his resources came in handy.
My hair is no longer that dull brown, but now has blonde and copper highlights, giving it a healthy glow. My makeup is absolutely flawless, and I look like a model from a magazine. Although the flamboyant makeup artist kept saying he loved the color of my eyes, he encouraged me to ditch my reading glasses and wear hazel contacts to make my hair pop. Whatever that means.
I twist in this amazing ruby-red dress that shows off my long ice-skater legs that meet the strappy gold heels, giving me another three more inches. The fury faux shawl wraps around my bare shoulders giving this ensemble that extra glamour in order for me to fit in this bougie and pretentious social event of the year.
The only thing that doesn’t go with this outfit is the bracelet with an ice-skate charm that my parents gave me when I was sixteen and I never leave home without it.
If only Mister Blue-Eyes who bought the jewelry box could see me now. He didn’t even take a second glance at me. Then again, why should he? I was plain and unnoticeable. He probably has some stunning woman wrapped in his arms this holiday. But it didn’t stop me from thinking about him.
“You look stunning,” Hannah says next to me after she slides the mauve gloss over her lips. “Now let’s get out there and show you off.”
“Hannah,” I say in a motherly voice. “You promised you wouldn’t play Christmas Cupid.”
“I’m simply saying that you need to be out there showing off the stunning job Dimitri did on you,” she feigns innocence.
“He did do an amazing job, didn’t he? I almost don’t recognize myself.”
Hannah wraps her arm around my shoulder. “Tiff, you were already gorgeous. You just needed a little pick-me-up to give you a little bit of confidence.” She straightens her back. “Now, let’s go before Gage sends the cavalry to come look for us.”
We exit the ladies’ room and head straight to our table where Gage is waiting for us, tapping his expensive watch. “It’s about time. I was beginning to think you both ditched the party.”
“Sorry, Gage. It’s my fault. I couldn’t stop staring at myself,” I tell him. “Thanks for giving me a girlie day.”
“You look beautiful, Tiffany,” he compliments as he pulls both our chairs out for me and Hannah to sit. “And it was my pleasure.”
I glance over at the two vacant seats across from me. “Are you expecting two more people?”
“Yes. My advertising executive and his plus-one.” Gage’s eyes veer up. “And here they are,” he says.
When I turn to look up, I’m completely frozen.
It’s him. Mister Blue-Eyes. This can’t be. My palms become clammy and my heart beats extra fast.
All I thought about was him. He’s like a falling star and I am completely mesmerized at how attractive he is. He looks amazing in his tuxedo and all I can do is imagine what’s under the fabric—a chiseled chest, rippled abs, and muscular arms sends tingles to my inner thighs.
I need to get him out of my head and stop thinking of him like that, especially if he has a bombshell of a woman looped in his arms.
Mister Blue-Eyes shakes Gage’s hand and they give each other a half-hug. Then Gage greets the stunning blonde looped in his arm.
Gage introduces the couple to the guests already sitting at the table and it finally comes to me. “And this is Tiffany Carr, Hannah’s childhood friend,” he tells them. “Tiffany, this is Michael and Sybil.”
Sybil shakes my hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” I reply and jealous as hell she has a man like Michael.
Then it’s his turn. Michael shakes my hand and holds me in his palm just a beat longer. “Have we met before?” he asks.
I gaze into his sparkling eyes and I’m speechless.
He doesn’t recognize me from the other day. He saw an ordinary woman. Now, he can’t stop staring at me as he narrows his eyes as if he’s trying to place me.
“No, I don’t believe so,” I lie, disguising my voice.
“Are you sure? I swear I’ve seen you before. Are you a model from the agency?”
I snicker. “Hardly.”
“Tiffany’s brother is the one who arranged the holiday hockey game,” Gage says.
“So, I guess tonight won’t be the only time I get to see you,” Michael says and a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.
A flush warms my cheeks and thank God the lights dim, and an announcement is made at the front podium and we all take our seats.
I keep my eyes on the speakers, avoiding at all cost to steal a look at Michael as I feel the weight of his stare. Gage is introduced to take center stage and his speech draws out about the amazing year they had. Then, Michael takes the podium to make his introductory speech. The sound of his voice is smooth, sultry, and seductive and he keeps glancing my way as he speaks.
My phone buzzes in my clutch and I retrieve it. I roll my eyes and look at her. She motions to read the text.
Hannah: Michael cannot stop looking at you.
I take a long sip of my Cosmopolitan. It’s my second one since dinner and what I need to calm my nerves. Hannah is right. Michael is looking at me and how dare he while his date is sitting across from me.
Me: He’s not staring at me.
Hannah: I beg to differ.
Me: He’s studying Dimitri’s masterpiece. Not me.
Hannah: You were already a masterpiece, Tiff. Stop putting yourself down. I think Michael likes you.
Me: Don’t start, Cupid.
I turn to look at Hannah and give her the evil eye. Innocence feigns on her pretty face and she shrugs her shoulders.
Hannah: He’s single as a pringle.
Me: And I am too and plan to remain single for a while.
Hannah: Single is overrated. Ditch your faithful Mister Biggs and have a night of the real thing.
If she only knew he’s been the star of my dreams for the last few weeks.
“And now it’s time to get this party going,” the DJ bellows in the microphone and music blares in the speakers.
People stand to their feet and make their way to the dance floor, while I stay seated and finish off my drink.
Gage approaches and extends his hand toward his wife. “Hannah, baby, will you come and boogie with me on the dance floor?”
“Did you seriously say boogie?” I giggle.
“I did,” he replies, giving me a wink. “You’re welcome to join us, Tiff.”
“No, thanks. I think I’ll finish my cake and Cosmo.”
Hannah looks at me. “Don’t be a scrooge and sit on your ass all night. Maybe you should check out the balcony?” she urges. “The view is spectacular.”
“I think that is a great idea,” I say, rising to my feet. I wrap my shawl around my shoulders and grab my glass. “I’m going to get some fresh air.”
I catch Hannah’s eyes veer to the right. “It’s kind of hot in here, isn’t it, Tiff?” Hannah’s innuendo doesn’t go unnoticed when I see Michael coming in our direction.
Christmas Wishes: A Christmas Romance Anthology Page 2
