Santa Bring Me a Ryan

by Rene Penn

  Ernie walked one way. Jules walked the other. And Bryan looked back and forth between the two, deciding who to follow.

  An invisible force pulled him in Jules’ direction. Why would he follow Ernie? Ernie didn’t wear a tight, red sweater dress and flirty reindeer hat.

  Bryan shook off the attraction. No, the invisible force was guilt, and a heavy dose of appreciation because Jules had lied on his behalf—even if the lie was far-fetched and practically transparent. Regardless, Bryan appreciated the gesture. Sort of.

  He sifted through the crowd, staying close behind Jules. Those damn carolers seemed to be everywhere. One of them almost smacked him in the head while doing a dance move.

  Jules snaked her way through the room, exited, and headed for the escalator.

  “Where are you going?” Bryan hopped on the escalator after her.

  She turned around, and he noted a flicker of surprise. Then she faced forward again. “Home.” She walked the rest of the way up the escalator.

  “The party’s not over yet.”

  “It will be in thirty minutes. I’ll beat the rush out.”

  “Where’s your coat?”

  “I don’t know,” she mumbled, getting off the escalator.

  “It’s freezing outside.” He hopped off and got in her path. “How many of those punch drinks have you had?” She avoided his gaze. “I know liquid courage when I see it.”

  Jules crossed her arms. “Two. Maybe four.”

  Bryan thought about Doug, who’d leaned on him after three of those drinks. “I’m not going to let you drive. I’ll take you home.”

  “No, thanks,” she said flatly. “I’ll take the Metro or Lyft.”

  "The Metro isn't anywhere near here. And if you wait for Lyft, you'll be standing out in the cold until they show up. I parked right in the garage. Come on. I'll take you home."

  Her arms crossed tighter. “Fine.”

  They walked through the hotel, out into the passageway and garage. For a moment, Bryan wondered what it might look like if a colleague saw them leaving together. But it hardly mattered at this point.

  Within a few minutes, they reached Bryan’s car. He pointed his key fob at the Acura and opened the door for Jules to step in. Eyes up, he reminded himself, as she adjusted her legs for him to close the door. He’d noticed her legs before. But they were more noticeable tonight in that short holiday dress.

  He got in the car, started it up, and headed out of the garage. “You’re in Pentagon City, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  He lived in Alexandria, so dropping her off would be on the way. Easy enough.

  They rode along in silence a few minutes—except for the radio. Bryan cut the tension as he turned onto Fourteenth Street. “Listen, I should’ve told you about Ernie’s niece. I guess I didn’t want to—”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore.” She faced the car window on her side. “Don’t worry about it.”

  How could she dismiss the news about her niece? Clearly, it upset her, especially the way she'd heard it.

  And knowing that Bryan didn’t tell her himself…

  He felt disgusted. The whole thing was disgusting.

  No matter how he handled it, no matter how he told her, or when he told her, it would've sucked, regardless.

  Four

  The next day, Jules startled awake to the familiar sound of a text message notification on her phone. She jumped again as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings.

  She lay on a soft bed in a sparsely decorated room—but it was not her bed and not her bedroom.

  She pushed a blanket aside and put her legs over the edge of the bed. Her high heels had been neatly placed on the floor. Her small black purse sat on a dark wooden nightstand next to her. She stood up to straighten her red sweater dress, which had twisted in various ways on her slender frame. She smoothed a hand over her hair. Her fingers brushed over something foreign. She pulled the object out—a paper snowflake.

  Thoughts of the night before surged forward like a wave. The party. The tense conversation between Ernie and Bryan. She'd learned about Ernie's niece, accepted a ride home from Bryan, and rested her eyes during the car ride home.

  Damn it.

  She must've fallen asleep, exhausted from the long day. Getting to the Marriott at six a.m. to help prepare for the party had taken its toll. And drinking the punch had been a recipe for disaster.

  She had a dodgy history of sleeping like the dead, sometimes at inopportune times.

  Ex-roommates and ex-boyfriends had worried about her near-comatose sleeping ability, even checking her pulse.

  She vaguely remembered Bryan trying to wake her up. And he may have thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

  Oh, no. This is terrible.

  Bryan, of all people. He'd brought her home, to his guest room, taken off her shoes, and tucked her into bed. Her boss… ex-boss… whatever.

  Jules swallowed, trying to gulp back embarrassment. The idea of facing Bryan made her want to jump out of the bedroom window. But she needed to see him. She deserved to be chewed out, despite how amazing the party turned out.

  Mission accomplished.

  But that mission also got Bryan in trouble with Ernie. Guilt gnawed at her—enough to keep her from bolting out the window. She pulled the bedroom door open and followed the short hallway into the living room. A cozy, open floorplan featured a big, navy blue, sectional sofa, a charcoal gray coffee table, and a desk, where Bryan sat, facing a window.

  Sunlight streamed through the open blinds, shining a spotlight on him, making his brown hair glisten and his skin glow. Wearing a simple brown t-shirt and jeans, he still made her pulse thump. She’d never seen him that casual before. Had she ever seen his bare arms before? Maybe so, but not like this. Her heart pounded at the novelty of it.

  Bryan turned around to face her, a cautious smile on his lips. "I tried waking you up last night, but you wouldn't budge. I hope you slept okay."

  Jules word-vomited in return. “I’m so embarrassed. I can’t believe I fell asleep in your car. I fell asleep, right? I mean, I must have. Otherwise, there’s no other reason I’d be here right now, in your place, in your living room. And you’re my boss…were my boss...because I'm not an employee anymore. Do you think Ernie meant it when he said I can't go back to JSA? I have some things at my desk to clear out." Jules' eyes started to mist, but she couldn't stop talking. "Or are they going to pack it all in a box and mail it to me?"

  Tears started flowing, river tears. She only cried like this when she was alone and emotionally raw from a bad case of PMS.

  “I’m so embarrassed,” Jules repeated, her voice shuddering.

  Bryan stood up and handed her a box of tissues. “Technically, I’m not your boss anymore, so it’s okay.” He put on a pitying grin.

  “Gee, thanks for clarifying.” Her shoulders shook as she continued crying.

  “I didn’t mean it like that.” Bryan put his hands out toward her, then quickly pulled them back. “That was a bad joke. Here.” He pointed to the couch. “Sit down, Jules. Do you want some coffee?” He darted into the kitchen without waiting for an answer. “I ground some beans this morning. Still fresh.”

  Jules tried to settle herself down, but the embarrassment made it harder than she hoped. Her crying-off-switch wasn’t working. She rubbed several tissues over her eyes and blew her nose as delicately as possible. But a snort or whistle or something happened. Bryan probably heard it.

  She wanted to leave. She should. Nothing held her back…

  Except that she had no idea where she was. She had no car. And she didn’t even have a coat. It was hanging on a coat rack somewhere at the Marriott in DC, probably stolen by now.

  Bryan returned with two coffee mugs. The sight and delicious scent made her caffeine-dependent veins open up. Maybe she'd have a few sips before jumping out the nearest window—a better chance for an accurate landing.

  She brought the cup to her lips. The perfect roast fl
avor hit her senses just right, calming her. Bryan sat on the other side of the sectional, waiting for her to speak.

  She wiped her eyes with a wadded tissue. “For the record, I’m not crying because of the party.”

  “Okay.”

  "I'm proud of the way it came out."

  He frowned at her admission. “So, you did plan it?”

  That was a dumb question, but she figured Bryan wanted to hear her say it, like a cop pulling a confession out of a suspect. For all Jules knew, the room was being recorded. Ernie Duchall could have been standing behind the mirror that hung on the wall, listening from a spare room.

  “Yes, I planned it all,” she said with a smugness that surprised herself.

  Bryan sighed. “Revenge?”

  A phone rang, interrupting Jules’ confession.

  "Hang on." Bryan set his mug on the coffee table and walked back to his desk. "I need to take this for a second." He held the phone up to his ear, his free hand at his hip, in that casual, masculine, I've-got-this way. "Hey…Yeah, I've got a quick second…Right, I'll get there on December twenty-third." He leaned over his computer, pushed a few buttons, and clicked the mouse. "Flight 298 on United… Connect in Denver… I’ll arrive at 8:57 p.m.” He chuckled a little. “Yeah, I hope so, too.”

  He glanced over at Jules, who hung on his every word. She wrapped her hands around the coffee mug and let the warmth cover her fingers. Admiration pinched her as she listened to his travel plans for the holiday. If he only knew that she’d imagined him with her for Christmas.

  He said, “Mom, I’m sorry to cut this short, but I’ve gotta go.”

  Oh, how sweet. He's discussing holiday plans with his mom.

  Jules' eyes started to well with tears again. Maybe she should see her mom, after all. She could find a last-minute ticket.

  Bryan said, “Love you, too. Bye,” and hung up.

  Jules tried to brush away her brewing tears before he saw, but it was too late. His eyes brimmed with worry again. He sat on the couch, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

  Jules asked, “Are you going to see your mom for Christmas?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Where?”

  “Montana.”

  "Where you're from." Jules sniffled. "I bet it's pretty up there this time of year."

  “It is. Cold, too, but nice.”

  She fiddled with the handle of her mug. “Will your dad be there?”

  "Yeah, the whole fam. We have a cabin where we like to spend the holiday. Extended family and neighbors come to hang out, too."

  Family. Neighbors.

  Jules blinked back more river tears. "That sounds nice."

  You. Will. Not. Melt. Down. Again. Julia. Carmichael. Damn you.

  “What are you doing for Christmas?” asked Bryan.

  Agh!

  The lake behind her eyes went full force, and the water released. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she get it together?

  “Jules, what’s going on? I’m getting a little worried here.” His brow wrinkled in a way that she’d never seen before. “What is it?”

  She plucked another tissue from the box. “I don’t have any plans for Christmas. That’s all. And hearing you talk to your mom…” She flicked the tissue in the air and explained her situation, which sounded more and more ridiculous as she said it out loud.

  Bryan sat back a little. “Look, I don’t know your family dynamics. And I don’t want to overstep, but… what if you…”

  She shook her head. “Please, don’t waste your breath going through different scenarios. I’ve thought it through already. My mind’s made up.”

  “Sorry.” He put a hand up. “Just trying to help.”

  “Can you help me get my job back?” she muttered.

  His voice softened. “I doubt it.”

  They sat in silence a moment, and Bryan picked up his coffee cup. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Ernie’s niece…”

  Jules didn't want to talk about that. She didn't want to think about her job or her looming unemployment. She had no control over that, and neither did Bryan. But there was something she had control over.

  A jolt pulsed up Jules’ spine.

  Clarity.

  “I’ve never been to Montana before. I wonder what it would be like at Christmas.” She saw Bryan’s eyes widen a smidge. He slowly raised the coffee mug to his lips. “I always wanted to go,” Jules lied. He took a sip. “Maybe I could go out there for Christmas, too.”

  He sputtered, choking a little. “What are you saying?”

  “Maybe I could, you know, meet you out there.”

  Bryan set the cup back on the table. “Jules, I think you’re going through a lot right now, but—”

  “You’re right. I am going through a lot.” Her voice scratched the air like a month-old razor. “You said that you wanted to try to help—”

  “As in giving suggestions.”

  “Okay, well, I’m giving a suggestion.”

  “No, I was supposed to give the suggestion to help you out.”

  “Well, I’m giving you a suggestion to help me out.”

  His brow knitted again. “Huh?”

  She didn't know what she meant, either. It was a Jedi-mind trick. A deflection tactic. Words that didn't make sense.

  There was one thing she knew for sure—she didn't want to spend Christmas alone. So why couldn't she spend it in Montana? No snowflake machine needed. It would be a beautiful, postcard-style Christmas with real snowflakes—not paper ones that got tangled in her hair overnight.

  Jules wanted to be in a home surrounded by family and neighbors on Christmas, even if it wasn't her own, even if she had to see it through someone else's eyes, to experience it, in a cheaply borrowed fashion, through her boss.

  But as Bryan had said earlier, he wasn't her boss anymore.

  She stared at him. “I don’t want to be alone for Christmas. I don’t want to be jobless, either. You said you want to help, so…”

  Bryan’s jaw tightened. “I don’t think this is a good idea. You’re… you were my…" He hesitated over what to say next and met her gaze. His eyes softened, and a warmth passed through her. "Fine," he said through pursed lips, his face blooming red. "You can meet me there.

  Five

  It was Christmas Eve in Missoula. A fresh blanket of snow had fallen that morning, surrounding the Blakely family's large cabin. Bryan and his mother, Kathy, prepared one of the upstairs bedrooms for Jules' arrival.

  Though the room was a bit small—only large enough for a bed, small closet, dresser, and nightstand—it was Bryan's favorite bedroom in the house, thanks to the touches of wood trim, the tartan rug by the bed, and what he called the "antler lamp," a lamp with deer antlers at the base. A DC girl like Jules wouldn't appreciate the rustic charm. He tossed a folded pile of bedsheets and pillowcases on the bed.

  Kathy threw him a sideways glance. “You’re upset that I’m making you give up your favorite room?”

  “I am.” He stuffed the pillows into the cases with a punch. “I like to stay in here.” He knew he sounded immature, but he didn’t care. He hurled one of the cased pillows onto the bed.

  “Don’t put the pillow there. We still have to make the bed,” Kathy pointed out.

  He picked up the pillow and flung it onto the dresser. It slid across the maple-wood surface and fell onto the carpet.

  “Ba-jeez, Bryan.” Kathy retrieved the pillow and set it back on top of the dresser. “What’s gotten into you? If you didn’t want your girlfriend to come, you shouldn’t have invited her.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend.” If his chin jutted out any further, it would have poked his mother in the shoulder.

  “Fine, fine. It’s just been a while since you brought anyone home, that’s all. Your father and I couldn’t help but wonder.”

  He shook his head with enough vigor to crack his neck. “Don’t read anything into this. I felt sorry for her. Like a rescue animal.”

/>   And Jules weaseled me into coming here.

  He sighed at the recognition of being manipulated by a woman again. Only this was a new kind of bait-and-switch. He hadn’t experienced this since his ex-girlfriend. And he wasn’t even dating Jules.

  Kathy smirked. “You felt sorry enough to fly her states away to spend the holiday with your family?”

  “You’re making something out of nothing. And I didn’t pay for it. I used points.”

  “Mmhmm. Is she pretty?”

  "In a cute librarian sort of way." Though in that red sweater dress she had on, she was a freakin' ten. "She's…I don't know. She's just Jules."

  “Okay, Mister Tough Guy.”

  His brow furrowed at the nickname. “Look, I was forced to lay her off. I felt bad. And when I found out she was going to be alone for the holidays, I…” His voice softened a notch. “I invited her here.”

  I caved!

  He continued, “You should’ve seen the tears. It was like the waterworks display outside the Bellagio. I hadn’t thought she was the type to become a different person when push came to shove.”

  “Ah. Sounds familiar. Like another woman you know, huh?”

  “Yes.” Bryan mashed the other pillow into a pillowcase. “No.”

  “But if you’re not dating her, why are you putting her under the same microscope as Kaitlyn?”

  “Because Kaitlyn ruined my outlook on any human with a double-X chromosome.” Bryan added, “Present company excluded.”

  “Maybe you like this coworker of yours.”

  “Absolutely not,” he chided.

  “You must. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have invited her.”

  Bryan grumbled, “I told you, I felt sorry for her. Nothing more.”

  They tucked the sheets onto the bed, and Kathy smoothed them straight. “I find this all intriguing.”

  “Intriguing?” Bryan couldn’t believe his ears.

  “Yes. I’m looking forward to meeting her. Jules. I like that name, too. Matter-of-fact. No nonsense.”

  “Hmph.”

  She cupped a hand over Bryan’s cheek. “I know why you did what you did.” She patted his face and then worked on placing the comforter over the bed. “You felt guilty about what happened to her. And you didn’t like the idea of her spending Christmas alone. You have a kind heart.”