by Parker, Ali
I shook my head. “I’m worried for your soul.”
“My soul is just fine.”
“She would never agree to it,” I said, actually giving the ridiculous idea some thought.
“But she might. What’s the harm in asking?”
“She might never want to talk to me again,” I snapped. “If she thinks I’m using her or if scheming is a general character trait for me, she will kick me to the curb. She’s not like that. I don’t know her well, but I know she isn’t like that.”
I stopped in the drop-off zone and put the truck in park.
He turned to look at me. “Your future depends on this. My future is tied to your future. Don’t let me down.”
“I’ll do my best, but I won’t lie,” I told him.
He shrugged a shoulder. “Suit yourself.”
He got out of the truck. I got out and walked around. I shook his hand. “Have a great Christmas and soak up all that sunshine. You’re going to need it to carry you through the next couple of months.”
He laughed. “I will. Have a good Christmas. Enjoy your new family.”
“Ha. Ha.”
“Hey, it isn’t lying or cheating if it’s true. You’re spending the holidays with her and her mom and kids. I think that puts you pretty damn close to being in a relationship.”
“Go,” I ordered, not wanting to listen to his schemes another minute.
He was still laughing as he walked into the airport. I got back in the truck and pulled away. His idea did have some good value, but it felt wrong. Then again, it felt wrong to be excluded from funding because I was a bachelor.
I would see how Christmas went. There was always a good chance her mother would hate me and the girls ended up having a miserable time. I might not even have to worry about asking her to be my pretend wife if she wasn’t talking to me anymore.
I ran through a fast food restaurant before leaving town and going back home. There were still a few more things I wanted to do to get the place ready. I needed to get the cabin for her mom ready to go as well. I was putting more effort into getting the place ready for Cadence and her family than I did for a week of paying guests.
By the time I got back to the retreat, I had thought of more things I wanted to do. I was going to be very busy all day and well into the night. Everything had to be perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
After hearing about the girls’ story, I wanted them to know they were special and they were worthy. Putting in the extra effort to make the holiday special for them would hopefully make them feel good. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for them to be abandoned by their father.
He was a piece of shit and I would tell him so if I ever got the chance. I would let him know he was a damn fool for walking away from a gorgeous wife and two beautiful daughters. The man didn’t deserve to know them.
I would treat them like the princesses they were.
Chapter 22
Cadence
I leaned back in my chair, satisfied with what I had accomplished. I had taken a complete, total pile of shit and transformed it into a tidy little package. I had a feeling Joe was testing me by giving me such a difficult client. I was confident I had passed the test with flying colors.
Giving myself a little pat on the back was well deserved. I checked the time. I had been counting down the minutes until I could leave work. It was my last day before Christmas. The girls only had a half-day at school and then we were officially on Christmas vacation. I was excited to have somewhere to go and someone to see.
I loved Christmas, but it was usually one day of frantic shopping and preparations and then a day of chaos followed by a day of cleaning and trying to restore order to the house. I felt fancy. We were going out of town—to a resort!
I hadn’t told anyone except for Kassie, but I was dying to shout it from the rooftops. I took a deep breath, steering my concentration back to the work at hand. I reviewed my work before sending it to Joe. Two seconds after I hit the send button, Joe was knocking on my open office door.
“That was fast,” I commented.
“What do you mean?”
“I just sent you the file for the new client you gave me a couple of weeks ago.”
“Oh!” he exclaimed with genuine surprise. “You’re finished?”
“Yep. Cleaned up and ready for a new quarter.”
He came in and took a seat without bothering to wait for an invitation. “You never cease to impress me.”
“Thank you.”
“That’s actually why I’m here,” he said.
My stomach tumbled with excitement. He reached into the inside pocket of his suit and pulled out an envelope. Christmas bonus! My heart pounded in my chest. I had hoped for one, but I wasn’t banking on it.
“What’s this?” I asked nonchalantly, reaching across my desk to take the envelope.
He chuckled. “I think you know, but I will tell you anyway. It’s a bonus and not just because it is Christmas. It’s a reward for doing such a good job. This team would not be where we are today if it wasn’t for you. I remembered when I first hired you. You were green and the higher-ups told me to look for someone with more experience. I saw your drive and determination and I knew you would be good.”
I smiled, blushing a little. I wasn’t used to be complimented. He always made me feel like a superstar. Sometimes, it felt forced and maybe even a little contrived, but he kept saying it. I had to believe it.
“I appreciate your kind words,” I told him.
“They’re not just words, Cadence. I’m serious. I know I can be a little over the top sometimes, but I mean it when I say you are truly an asset to this company and to me. You have made me a shining star in the company and I want to pass that on to you. I think it’s time we had a talk about where you go from here.”
My earlier excitement evaporated. Those were not words that generally led to anything good. “What do you mean?” I asked, wondering if what I was holding in my hands was a severance package of some sort.
“I mean, you’ve been invaluable to me. You are my right hand. I’d like to make it official.”
My mouth went dry. “As in?” I asked.
I didn’t want to get too excited. I knew there were plenty of other people in the office that had worked there longer than I had and had a lot more experience. I knew there was talk of Joe moving up in the company and the only way he could do that was to replace himself as the manager of our accounting department.
“As in, I think after the first of the year, it’s time to start talking about making you the manager of the department.”
I took a second to process the words. “Thank you.”
“You deserve it. You work hard and you set the bar high.”
I nodded. “I’ve worked my butt off for this. Does anyone else know?”
He smiled. “Only the people that need to.”
“I appreciate it, Joe. I really do. I promise you I will keep up the dedication and hard work if and when I’m promoted. I like my job and I like doing it well.”
“Good to know because I would hate to fire you after promoting you,” he said with a wink.
My mouth dropped open. “No!”
“I’m kidding. I have no doubt in my mind you are going to do great!”
“Thank you. Um, I hope this is a good time to remind you I’ll be leaving at one today.”
He nodded. “I remembered. Have a great vacation.”
“Thank you, Joe. I really do appreciate your praise. It makes me want to do better.”
“That’s what I’m counting on,” he said before walking out the door.
I waited about thirty-two seconds before I tore into the envelope. My heart stopped as I stared at the numbers on the check. He really liked my work. I could feel tears welling in my eyes. I had worked tirelessly for two years to get where I was. When Trent had walked out on us, I thought for sure we were destined for a life of poverty.
After spending way t
oo many days crying my eyes out and feeling like a complete piece of shit, I had gotten up, dusted myself off, and decided I could raise my girls on my own. I could do it and I could do it well.
I checked the time again and decided I had worked enough. I wanted to get the check in the bank and pick up the girls. I was anxious to get started on my vacation. We weren’t supposed to go up to Gabriel’s until Christmas Eve, but I wondered if he would be bothered if we went up a day early.
I set my away message on my voicemail and email, packed up my laptop and purse, and walked out of the office. I walked to the cubicle where Kassie was filing her nails. “Working hard?” I asked.
She popped her head up. “No one is working hard today. We shouldn’t have come into work today. No one is productive.”
I smiled. “I’m out of here.”
She frowned at me. “Not fair.”
“I skipped the manicure and busted my ass,” I said with a smile. “Have a good Christmas.”
“I think your Christmas is going to be so much better. You’re going to get lots of sex.”
“Shh,” I scowled. “I’m not going to be having lots of sex. My mom and daughters will be there.”
“Oh, please. You’ll be sneaking into his bed.”
I smiled. “I might.”
I left the office, took care of a few errands, and made it to the girls’ school just as they were getting out. “What do you guys think about going up to the retreat tomorrow?” I asked.
They both shouted their approval at the same time.
“Can we, Mom, can we?” Autumn asked.
“I need to call and see if that works for Nanny and then I need to make sure it’s okay with Gabriel.”
“I want to go now!” Hazel exclaimed.
I laughed. “We have to pack and take care of a few things around the house before we can go.”
They groaned but agreed to clean up their rooms and help with the packing. I waited until the girls were in their rooms before I went into my own room to call Gabriel. I didn’t think he would mind the early arrival at all, but I had to ask.
“Hi,” I said when he answered.
“Hi,” he greeted.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
His soft laugh washed over me, conjuring up an image of him. I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m taking care of a few things before you get here.”
“Does that mean you’re not ready for company?” I asked, unable to hide my disappointment.
“I’m so ready for company,” he said.
“Even if said company was a day early?” I asked tentatively.
“Seriously?”
“If that’s okay,” I said. “I’m done with work early and the girls are out of school.”
“Absolutely. I would be thrilled to have you come early. Everything is ready. I’ve got a cabin for your mom if she wants it and one for myself. If she wants to crash with you guys, that works as well.”
“I will talk to her, but I have a feeling she’ll appreciate her own cabin.”
“Great! I can’t wait to see you guys.”
I smiled, tamping down the nerves that rose to life in my belly. “Is there anything I can bring?”
“Just that sexy body,” he said with a laugh.
His compliments always felt genuine. “My body will be there—maybe even with bells on.”
“I like the sound of that,” he said in a husky voice.
I ended the call and quickly called my mom. She was on board with moving up our plans. I put the phone down and let out a long breath. I was nervous to see him again. I couldn’t quite explain why. Maybe it was the idea of my mother meeting him. That made it feel real.
I wasn’t ready for real. At least, I didn’t think I was ready for real. Maybe I was. Maybe that was why I was so enamored with him. I didn’t want to fall in love with a man that would break my heart. Gabriel was gorgeous and successful and way out of my league. He was not the kind of man who wanted a woman with two kids.
I pushed the nerves to the side. Even if Gabriel and I didn’t get a happily ever after, I could enjoy living in the moment. I didn’t want the girls to get too attached to him, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t enjoy a few days away from our boring lives in the city. It would be a special Christmas, one we could look back on fondly.
Gabriel said he didn’t want us to bring anything, but I could not show up empty handed. I walked down the hall, popped my head into each of the girls’ rooms, and made sure they were cleaning up their rooms. I walked into the kitchen and pulled out the ingredients I had picked up to make a pecan pie.
I picked up my phone and turned on the Christmas station on Pandora. It was the first time in a long time I had felt truly happy. Even when Trent had been around, I hadn’t been happy. I had been getting through life and waiting for him to leave me. Weirdly enough, I had known it would happen one day.
My mother had lectured me about getting pregnant with Hazel when my marriage was a mess. I had naively thought a child would make it better. I didn’t regret having her. I was thrilled I had two healthy girls. I wanted them to have one another.
“Can I help?” Hazel asked, coming into the kitchen.
I smiled, reached down, and hugged her tight. “Absolutely. Where’s your sister?”
“She’s watching TV.”
I grabbed the stool and dragged it to the counter for her. “Are you excited?”
“I am. Can we build a snowman?”
“I’m not sure if there is any snow up there.”
“But we can roast marshmallows?” she asked.
I grinned. It was probably the tenth time she’d asked me. “Yes. I promise I will light a cabin on fire if I have to and you can roast marshmallows until your heart is content.”
“Mom! You can’t start a fire!”
I laughed. The joy of children and taking everything literally. “I won’t start a fire, but I promise I will find a way to roast marshmallows with you.”
She looked up at me, her little face beaming. Sometimes when I looked at my kids, my heart felt so full of love for them it almost hurt. I wasn’t fond of Trent, but I could never hate the man that had given me the two best gifts in the entire world.
Chapter 23
Gabriel
I checked and doublechecked all the decorations. I made sure there was plenty of food for snacking and dinners and every other meal. It was my first time hosting. I’d hosted plenty of groups and guests, but Cadence and her family were different. I wasn’t going to be on duty. That was new as well.
I glanced in the mirror and made sure I didn’t have anything stuck in my teeth before using my fingers to comb through my short hair. I was nervous. I had met parents before but not the parents of a woman I was truly interested in. I just knew she was going to be a discerning woman. She would want to make sure her granddaughters and her own daughter were not getting into another bad situation.
I was going to be on my best behavior. When my phone beeped alerting me to a text, my heart skipped a beat. It had to be her. I checked the message. They were coming up the road. I texted her back and told her to drive all the way up. There was no point in dragging their luggage up to the cabins.
I grabbed my jacket and walked outside to wait for them. I heard the tires crunching over the gravel in the parking area. A few seconds later, she was pulling to a stop a few feet away from me. I opened her car door.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” she said, climbing out of the car. “I’m going to open the back door. Brace yourself.”
I chuckled, stepping out of the way. Autumn bounded out of the car with Hazel coming around the other side. Both girls were hopping and dancing around.
“Hi, guys,” I greeted them.
“We’re here, we’re here!” Autumn exclaimed.
“He can see you,” Hazel said dryly.
“I’m happy to see you guys,” I told them both.
Autumn gave me a hug before stepping away.
I looked up to see an older version of Cadence standing near the front of the car. I pegged her to be in her mid to late fifties. Her hair had a touch of gray in it with the same soft curls. Her hair was cut much shorter than Cadence’s, giving her a far more mature look.
“Hello,” I said with a smile. “I’m Gabriel.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Gabriel. I’m Laura, or as everyone calls me, Nanny.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Laura,” I said, not feeling totally comfortable calling her Nanny.
“Thank you for inviting us. You have a beautiful place here.”
I smiled, looking to Cadence who looked a little nervous. I turned my smile back to Laura. “You’re very welcome. It’s me who should be thanking you for letting me be a part of your holiday.”
Laura smiled, looked at her daughter, and gave her a look that I didn’t understand but Cadence seemed to. Cadence cleared her throat and turned back to me. “Thank you for inviting us.”
I nodded, dying to touch her but keeping my hands to myself. “I’ll help you with your bags.”
She pushed the button on her key fob, popping open the trunk. “Thank you,” she muttered.
I could sense her discomfort. I hoped it would subside soon. I grabbed a suitcase and turned to see Laura watching me. “I have you set up in your own cabin if that’s okay with you,” I said nervously.
“That would be lovely,” she said with a warm smile.
“Are we sleeping at your house again?” Hazel asked.
I smiled. “Yes, you are.”
“Are you going to sleep there too?” she asked.
“No!” Cadence and I said at the same time.
“Gabriel is going to stay in a cabin like last time. What do you guys tell him?”
“Thank you,” they both said in a sing-song voice.
“This one is your cabin,” I said to Laura. “I’ll be right next door if there are any issues.”
