A Christmas Message

by Debbie Macomber

Jake’s smile was somber and poignant. “He’ll never come, Holly. He hates anything to do with Christmas—outside of the business, anyway.”

  “Maybe so, but I’d still like to ask him.” She wasn’t sure why she couldn’t simply drop this. It took audacity to invite two wealthy men to her small apartment, when their alternative was an elaborate meal in an exotic location.

  She was embarrassed now. “I apologize, Jake. I don’t know what made me think you’d want to give up the sunshine and warmth of a Caribbean island for dinner with me and Gabe.”

  “Don’t say that! I want to be with you both.”

  “But you don’t feel you can leave your father.”

  “That’s true, but maybe it’s time I started creating traditions of my own. I’d be honored to spend Christmas Day with the two of you,” he said formally.

  Holly felt tears spring to her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  She turned to face him. He smiled as she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. Standing on the tips of her toes with a light snow falling down on them, she pressed her mouth to his.

  Jake held her tight. Holly sensed that they’d crossed a barrier in their relationship and established a real commitment to each other.

  “When I come, I’ll bring the robot for Gabe and hide it under the tree so it’ll be a real surprise.”

  “I’ll give you the money on Friday—Christmas Eve.”

  Christmas Eve.

  “Okay.” She knew he’d rather not take it, but there was no question—she had every intention of paying.

  Jake called his car service, and a limousine met them at Rockefeller Center fifteen minutes later. When he dropped her off at the apartment Mrs. Miracle was sound asleep, still in the blue chair. Jake helped her out to the car, then had the driver take her home. Holly was touched by his thoughtfulness.

  Even after Jake had left, Holly had trouble falling asleep. Her mind whirled as she relived scenes and moments of what had been one of the most memorable evenings of her life. When the alarm woke her early Thursday morning, she couldn’t get up and just dozed off again. She finally roused herself, horrified to discover that she was almost half an hour behind schedule.

  She managed to drag herself out of bed, gulp down a cup of coffee and get Gabe up and dressed and over to the Krantzes’.

  Filled with dread, Holly rushed to work. As she yanked off her coat, she heard her name being called. Breathless, she flew into Lindy Lee’s office; as usual, Lindy looked pointedly at her watch.

  Holly tried to apologize. “I’m sorry I’m late. I’ll make up the twenty-five minutes, I promise.”

  Lindy Lee raised one eyebrow. “Make sure you do.”

  Holly stood waiting for the lecture that inevitably followed. To her astonishment, this time it didn’t. “Thank you for understanding.”

  “See to it that this doesn’t happen again,” her employer said, dismissing Holly with a wave of her hand.

  “It won’t... I just couldn’t seem to get moving this morning.” Thinking she’d probably said too much already, she started to leave, then remembered her resolve to discuss a Christmas party with Lindy Lee.

  Aware that Holly was lingering, Lindy Lee raised her head and frowned. “Was there something else?”

  “Well, yes. Do you mind if I speak freely?”

  “That depends on what you have to say.” Lindy Lee held her pen poised over a sheet of paper.

  “I was at the employees’ party for Finley’s Department Store last evening,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “It was a wonderful event. The employees work together as a team and...and they feel such loyalty to the company. You could just tell. They feel valued, and I doubt there’s anything they wouldn’t do to help the company succeed.”

  “And your point is?” Lindy Lee said impatiently.

  “My point is we all need to work as a team here, too, and it seemed to me that maybe we should have a Christmas party.”

  Lindy Lee leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “In a faltering economy, with flat sales and an uncertain future, you want me to throw a Christmas party?”

  “It’s...it’s just an idea for next year,” Holly said, and regretted making the suggestion. Still, she couldn’t seem to stop. “The future is always uncertain, isn’t it? And there’ll always be ups and downs in the economy. But the one constant is the fact that as long as you’re in business you’ll have a staff, right? And you need them to be committed and—”

  “I get it,” Lindy Lee said dryly.

  Holly waited.

  And waited.

  “Let me think about it,” Lindy Lee finally mumbled.

  She’d actually agreed to think about it. Now, this was progress—more progress than Holly had dared to expect.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The best vitamin for a Christian is B1.

  —Mrs. Miracle

  Jake Finley was in love. Logically, he knew, it was too soon to be so sure of his feelings, and yet he couldn’t deny his heart. Love wasn’t about logic. He’d been attracted to Holly from the moment he met her, but this was more than attraction. He felt...connected to Holly, absorbed in her. He thought about her constantly. Over the years he’d been in other relationships, but no woman had made him feel the way Holly did.

  When he arrived at work Thursday morning, he went directly to his father’s office. Dora Coffey seemed surprised to see him.

  “Is my father in yet?” Jake asked her.

  “Yes, he’s been here for a couple of hours. You know your father—this store is his life.”

  “Does he have time to see me?” Jake asked next. “No meetings or conference calls?”

  “He’s free for a few minutes.” She left her desk and announced Jake, who trailed behind her.

  When Jake entered the office, his father stood. “Good morning, son. What can I do for you?” He gestured for Jake to take a seat, which he did, and settled back in his own chair.

  Jake leaned forward, unsure where to start. He should’ve worked out what he was going to say before coming up here.

  “I suppose you want to gloat.” J.R. chuckled. “You were right about that robot. Hardly anyone else forecast this trend. I turned on the TV this morning and there was a story on Telly the SuperRobot. Hottest toy of the season, they said. Who would’ve guessed it? Not me, that’s for sure.”

  “Not Mike Scott, either,” Jake added, although he didn’t fault the buyer.

  “True enough. And yet Mike was the first to admit he didn’t see this coming.”

  So Scott had mentioned it to J.R. but not to him. Still, it must’ve taken real humility to acknowledge that he’d been wrong.

  “I’m proud of you, son,” J.R. continued. “You went with your gut and you were right to do it.”

  Jake wondered what would’ve happened if Finley’s had been stuck with four hundred leftover robots. Fortunately, however, he wouldn’t have to find out.

  “I checked inventory this morning, and we have less than twenty of the robots in stock.”

  Jake didn’t need to point out the benefits of being the only store in the tristate area with any robots in stock. Having a supply—even a rapidly dwindling supply—of the season’s most popular toy brought more shoppers into the store and created customer loyalty.

  “They’re selling fast. The entire quantity will be gone before Christmas.”

  “Good. Good,” his father said. He grinned as he tilted back in his high leather chair. “Oh, I enjoyed meeting your lady friend last night.”

  “Holly enjoyed meeting you.”

  “She’s special, isn’t she?”

  Jake was astonished that his father had immediately discerned his feelings for Holly. “Yes, but... What makes you say that?” He had to ask why it had been so obvious to his father.

  J.R. didn’t re
spond for a moment. Finally he said, “I recognized it from the way you looked at her. The way you looked at each other.”

  Jake nodded but didn’t speak.

  “I remember when I met your mother.” There was a faraway expression in his eyes. “I think I fell in love with Helene as soon as I saw her. She was the daughter of one of my competitors and so beautiful I had trouble getting out a complete sentence. It’s a wonder she ever agreed to that first date.” He smiled at the memory.

  So rarely did his father discuss his mother and sister that Jake kept quiet, afraid that any questions would distract J.R. He craved details, but knew he had to be cautious.

  “I loved your mother more than life itself. I still do.”

  “I know,” Jake said softly.

  “She wasn’t just beautiful,” he murmured, and the same faraway look stole over him. “She had a heart unlike anyone I’ve ever known. Everyone came to her when they needed something, whether it was a kind word, a job, some advice. She never turned anyone away.” His face, so often tense, relaxed as he sighed. “I felt that my world ended the day your mother and Kaitlyn died. Since then you’ve been my only reason for going on.”

  “Well, I hope your grandchildren will be another good reason,” Jake teased, hoping to lighten the moment.

  J.R. gave a hearty laugh. “They certainly will. So... I was right about you and Holly.”

  “It’s too early to say for sure,” Jake hedged. Confident though he was about his own feelings, he didn’t want to speak for Holly. Not yet...

  “But you know.”

  “It looks...promising.”

  Slapping the top of his desk, J.R. laughed again. “I thought so. I’m happy for you, Jake.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” But he doubted J.R. would be as happy when he found out what that meant, at least as far as Christmas was concerned.

  “Oh, before I forget,” J.R. said with exquisite timing. “Dora’s ordered the plane tickets for Christmas Eve. We leave JFK at seven and land in Saint John around—”

  “Dad, I’ll need to change my ticket,” Jake said, interrupting his father.

  That brought J.R. up short. “Change your ticket? Why?”

  “I’ll join you on the twenty-sixth,” Jake explained. “Holly invited me to spend Christmas Day with her and her nephew.”

  J.R.’s frown was back as he mulled over that statement. “You’re going to do it?”

  “Yes. I told her I would.”

  J.R. stood and walked to the window, turning his back to Jake. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Holly invited you, too.”

  “You told her it was out of the question, didn’t you?”

  More or less. “You’d be welcome if you chose to come.”

  Slowly J.R. turned around. “Well,” he said with a sigh, “I suppose it was unrealistic of me not to realize times are changing.” He paused. “I look forward to our vacation every year.”

  Jake had never thought of their trip to the Caribbean as a getaway. His father always brought work with him and they spent their week discussing trends, reading reports and forecasting budgets. It was business, not relaxation.

  “You call it a vacation?” Jake asked, amused.

  “Well, yes. What would you call it?” J.R. frowned in confusion.

  Jake hesitated, then decided to tell the truth, even if his father wasn’t ready to hear it. “I call it an escape from reality—but not from work. A vacation is supposed to be fun, a break, a chance to do nothing or else do something completely out of the ordinary. Not sit in a hotel room and do exactly the same thing you’d be doing here.”

  J.R.’s frown deepened.

  “Admit it, Dad,” Jake said. “You don’t go to the islands to lounge on the beach or snorkel or take sightseeing trips. Far from it. You escape New York because you can’t bear to be here over Christmas.”

  J.R. shook his head.

  Jake wasn’t willing to let it go. “From the time Mom and Kaitlyn died, you’ve done everything possible to pretend there’s no Christmas.

  “As a businessman you need the holidays to survive financially but if it wasn’t for that, you’d ban anything to do with Christmas from your life—and mine.”

  J.R. glared at Jake. “I believe you’ve said enough.”

  “You need to accept that Christmas had nothing to do with the accident. It happened, and it changed both our lives forever, but it was a fluke, a twist of fate. I wish with everything in me that Mom and Kaitlyn had stayed home that afternoon, but the fact is, they didn’t. They went out, and because their cab collided with another one, they were killed.”

  “Enough!” J.R. shouted.

  Jake stood. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Dad.”

  “If that’s the case, then you’ve failed. I am upset.”

  Jake regretted that; nevertheless, he felt this had to be said. “I’m tired of running away on Christmas Eve. You can do it if you want, but I’m through.”

  “Fine. Spend the day with Holly if you prefer. It’s not going to bother me.”

  “I wish you’d reconsider and join us.”

  J.R. tightened his lips. “No, thanks. You might think I’m hiding my head in the sand, but the truth is, I enjoy the islands.”

  Jake might have believed him if J.R. had walked along the beach even once or taken any pleasure in their surroundings. Instead, he worked from early morning to late evening, burying himself in his work in a desperate effort to ignore the time of year—the anniversary of his loss.

  “Yes, Dad,” Jake said rather than allow their discussion to escalate into a full-scale argument.

  “You’ll come the next day, then?”

  Jake nodded. He’d make his own flight arrangements. They always stayed at the same four-star hotel, the same suite of rooms.

  “Good.”

  Jake left the office and hurried down to the toy department. He was surprised to see Mrs. Miracle on the floor. According to the schedule she wasn’t even supposed to be in. That was his decision; since she’d volunteered to watch Gabe, he’d given her the day off.

  “I didn’t expect to see you this morning,” he said.

  “Oh, I thought I’d come in and do a bit of shopping myself.”

  “I didn’t realize you had grandchildren,” he said. In fact, he knew next to nothing about Mrs. Miracle’s personal life, including her address. He’d offered to have the driver take her home and she’d agreed, but only on the condition that he be dropped off first. For some reason, he had the impression that she lived close to the store....

  “So how’d the meeting with your father go?” she asked, disregarding his remark about grandchildren.

  “How did you know that’s where I was?” Jake asked, peering at her suspiciously.

  “I didn’t, but you looked so concerned, I guessed it had to do with J.R.”

  “It went fine,” he said, unwilling to reveal the details of his conversation with an employee, even if she’d become a special friend. He didn’t plan to mention it to Holly, either. All he’d say was that he’d extended the dinner invitation to his father and J.R. had thanked her but sent his regrets.

  “I’m worried about J.R.,” Mrs. Miracle said, again surprising him.

  “Why? He’s in good health.”

  “Physically, yes, he’s doing well for a man of his age.”

  “Then why are you worried?” Jake pressed.

  Instead of answering, the older woman patted his back. “I’m leaving in a few minutes. Would you like me to wrap Gabe’s robot before I go?”

  “Ah, sure,” he said.

  “You are taking it with you when you go to Holly’s for Christmas, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I’ll wrap it for you. I’ll get some ribbon and nice paper from the gift-wrapping kiosk.”

&nb
sp; “Thank you,” Jake said, still wondering what she’d meant about J.R.

  The older woman disappeared, leaving Jake standing in the toy department scratching his head. He valued Mrs. Miracle as an employee and as a new friend, and yet every now and then she’d say something that totally confused him. How did she know so much about him and his father? Perhaps she’d met his parents years ago. Or...

  Well, he couldn’t waste time trying to figure it out now.

  Jake was walking to the customer service counter when his cell phone rang. Holly. He answered immediately.

  “Can you talk?” she asked. “I know it’s probably insane at the store, but I had to tell you something.”

  “What is it? Everything okay?”

  “It’s my boss, Lindy Lee. Oh, Jake, I think I’m going to cry.”

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, alarmed.

  “Nothing. This is good. Lindy just called me into her office. I spoke with her this morning about a Christmas party. I saw what a great time your employees had. I thought it would help morale, so I mentioned it to Lindy Lee.”

  “She’s going to have a party?”

  “No, even better than that. I can have a real Christmas dinner now with a turkey and stuffing and all the extras like I originally planned. I... I’d decided to make fried chicken because I couldn’t really afford anything else, and now I can prepare a traditional meal.”

  “You got your bonus?”

  “Yes! And it’s bigger than last year’s, so I can pay for the robot now.”

  “That’s fabulous news!”

  “It is, Jake, it really is.” She took a deep breath. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to call your father and invite him personally.”

  Jake’s smile faded. “I should tell you I already talked to Dad about joining us on Christmas Day.”

  “I hope he will.”

  “Don’t count on it.” Jake felt bad about discouraging her. “I think he’d like to, but he can’t let go of his grief. He feels he’d dishonor the memory of my mother and sister if he celebrated Christmas. For him, their deaths and Christmas are all tied together.”

  “Oh, Jake, that’s so sad.”

  “Yes...” He didn’t say what he knew was obvious—that, until now, the same thing had been true of him.