Christmas Snow
Jillian Clare
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Synopsis
Andi Winters, the gorgeous billionaire CEO, has always hated Christmas. For her, the holiday season holds too many broken dreams…
Nicole Russo, one of her employees, exudes Christmas Spirit even having a reindeer phone cover and Santa tunes for her ringtones.
Andi booked a holiday trip to the ski resort in Nicole’s hometown. However, Andi’s flight gets cancelled, every other flight is full, and Andi’s car is in the shop.
Nicole offers Andi a ride, but neither anticipates the wild ride ahead.
They are caught in a blizzard and have to wait out the storm in a cute B&B.
This Christmas season, Andi finds a woman truly in love with life. Can Nicole bring Andi out of her shell and teach Andi the true joy of Christmas?
ONE
Andi Winters ran her hand through the hair at the nap of her neck. She absently twirled a lock of hair around her finger as she talked on the phone.
“Are you sure you don’t have any cars? … Can’t you pull one in from— No, I understand. Thank you for trying.”
She put down her phone, rested her chin on her steepled fingers and closed her eyes. There went any chance of her having a nice holiday. She hadn’t been looking forward to a week by herself. She couldn’t tell her employees they had to work just so she could come into work and not be by herself. She felt horrible she’d even thought about the idea.
This year was going to be different. Andi looked out the glass wall to the cubicles outside her office. Her employees had strung Christmas lights around the tops of the glass-walled cubicles. Small Christmas trees sat on all the large file cabinets. One person was the driving force behind all that office holiday cheer. Andi’s gaze went unerringly to the woman with long dark curls bouncing as she talked to her neighbor.
Andi had booked herself into the resort Nicole Russo talked about, the one near her parents’ house. Andi had hoped she and Nicole could run into each other and spend some time together away from the office.
Now, Andi had no hope of getting to know the beautiful woman who’d been driving her crazy for months. Andi couldn’t approach Nicole at work. As Nicole’s boss, Andi didn’t want Nicole to think she had to agree to spend time with Andi.
Andi didn’t want to make that mistake twice.
***
Nicole Russo caught her phone on the second line of ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’, her father’s ring tone.
“Hello, Papa.” She gave an apologetic smile to her boss, Andi Winters, who just stopped at her desk. “Did you make enough lasagne? I don’t want the boys eating my share like last time.” Nicole listen then laughed. “Yes, Papa. I love you too. See you soon.”
Nicole disconnected the call and set her phone on the desk with the reindeer cover facing up. She flipped her long, dark curls over her shoulder and glanced at the clock. Only three more hours until Andi closed the office.
“You’re family must really be looking forward to seeing you. That’s the third family member to call in the last fifteen minutes.”
Nicole had been working for Andi long enough not to take offense at the comment.
Nicole glance at her boss. Andi’s strawberry-blonde hair fell straight to her shoulders. It was a little disheveled on one side. Andi had a habit of twirling her hair around her finger when she talked on the phone. A habit Nicole found adorable.
“Aren’t you excited to have an entire week off to spend with family?” Nicole offered Andi one of her homemade Peanut Butter Blossom cookies.
Andi waved her hand in front of her and gave her signature polite, pursed smile. A smile that didn’t reach her beautiful blue eyes. “Not all of us have a family we’re excited to spend time with. But a week’s holiday by myself would be nice.”
Nicole couldn’t think of not spending the holiday at her family’s home in the mountains. “Where are you going?”
Andi let out a sigh and sat on the edge of the guest chair next to Nicole’s desk, her hands held primly in her lap. This surprised Nicole. She’d only seen Andi show emotion once in the office. And that had been shortly after Nicole started working there a year ago. “What’s wrong?”
Andi reached out and picked up the snow globe on Nicole’s desk. She turned it over in her hands a few times. Snow fell on skiers and the replica of the lodge at North Lodge Ski Resort.
“I’d heard you talk about this ski resort near your parents’ home so many times that I’d decided to go there.”
“Oh, that’s great.” Nicole rolled back her chair and got comfortable. “The first thing you have to do when you get there is—“
“I’m not going.” Andi interrupted her.
“What? Why not? You’ll love it there. I guarantee it.”
Nicole was about to launch into all the virtues of the lodge when Andi spoke again.
“My flight was cancelled.” Andi let out another sigh that seemed to come from the depth of her soul. Her chest rose and fell with it. Nicole’s gaze caught on the peep of black lace against pale creamy skin when the lapels of Andi’s blouse shifted.
Nicole momentarily lost her train of thought. ‘She’s your boss.’ Nicole reminded herself.
“Cancelled? Can’t you get another one?” Nicole stared at the chocolate kisses on the sugar-coated peanut butter cookies in front of her. It was better than being caught staring at her boss’ cleavage.
“There are no other flights. They’re all booked. Oversold.”
The soft reply pulled Nicole’s gaze back to Andi’s delicately-shaped face with the scattering of freckles across her nose. Freckles her makeup didn’t quite cover.
Andi seemed genuinely sad that she couldn’t get to North Lodge. “You could always drive. You go through a lot of beautiful country.”
Andi shook her head. “My car’s in the shop. And there aren’t any rental cars to be had.”
Nicole felt sad Andi’s plans had fallen through. But she also felt disappointed. In the few minutes she thought Andi was going to be staying near her parents, Nicole was already planning ways to run into her.
“You could ride with me.”
Andi’s face lit up with a real smile. One that reached her eyes. Nicole’s heart stuttered. Andi wasn’t just beautiful. She was drop-dead gorgeous when she smiled.
‘Really? You wouldn’t mind? I’d pay for all the gas.” Andi put her hand on top of Nicole’s.
Nicole couldn’t believe she was holding hands with Andi. Well, she admitted, Andi was holding her hand in a friendly gesture. But still. For the first time in a long time, she was at a loss for words.
“Mmhmm. Not a problem.”
Andi gave her hand a squeeze and stood up. “Great. We need to stop by my place and pick up my bags. I’ll let everyone know they can go home now.”
As Andi walked away, Nicole came back to her senses. This was such a big mistake. Six hours in a car with the woman she’d had a crush on for the last year. The woman who also happened to be her boss.
TWO
Nicole followed Andi’s directions as Andi led them into the Robin Hood section of town. The area was called that because all the streets were named in a Robin Hood theme. As Nicole turned her Subaru Outback off Sherwood Blvd onto Friar Court, the houses and lots got larger. The Christmas decorations grew more refined with wreaths and red ribbons. Andi waved Nicole toward a brick Georgian mansion with white columns, window mullions and no decorations at all. Nicole pulled up to the data pad in front of the wrought iron gate.
Nicole thought Andi would walk around the car and put in the entry code. Instead, Andi said, “The code’s 5186. Probably not the most secure idea to use my birthday of May first. Esp
ecially, since I use the same code for the front door.”
Startled, Nicole glanced at Andi. Andi had on her polite smile which made it hard for Nicole to guess what Andi was thinking. Nicole opened her window and put in the code as she chastised herself for reading more into the gesture than she should. Andi was just showing that she trusted Nicole as a valued employee.
They rolled up the circular drive past the front door with its curved steps and columns, and parked next to the garage.
Andi gathered up her purse, brief case and computer bag.
“Can I help you with something?”
“Would you open the garage while I gather my things? The entry pad is to the left of the door.”
“Same code?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Nicole felt odd going up and opening the door to a mansion the size of the elementary school she’d gone to.
They walked into a huge kitchen with white cabinets and black granite counter tops.
“Please excuse the mess. I gave Ellie the week off.”
The mess, Nicole saw, was a few dirty dishes by the sink and some take out containers.
Andi’s heels clicked briskly as she strode across the gleaming white marble tiles. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll only be a few minutes. There’s fruit juice and water in the fridge.”
Nicole looked around the kitchen. It looked like a photo shoot for Year’s Best Kitchens magazine.
She wandered to the sink trailing her fingertip on the cool countertop of the island. Nicole admired the six burner stainless steel stove top and the small prep sink in the island. Cooking family dinners here would be easy and enjoyable. She imagined her mother and sister-in-law sitting at the bar on the other end of the island talking with her while she cooked.
Tilting her head, she listened. Andi wasn’t coming down the stairs yet.
Nicole opened the dishwasher and put the dirty dishes inside. She found the trash bin in a cabinet by the sink and tossed out the take out containers. Nicole was wiping down the countertop and dreaming about this being her kitchen when Andi stepped into the room dragging two large suitcases.
“Nicole, you didn’t need to clean up.”
“Oh, you startled me.” Nicole felt her face heat up. She wiped her hands on a paper towel and threw it out. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t being nosy. It’s just I hate seeing a mess in a kitchen.”
Nicole moved to help Andi. “I didn’t hear you drag these down the stairs.”
Andi passed a suitcase pull handle to Nicole’s outstretched hands. “I took the elevator.”
“An elevator? Seriously, in your house?”
Andi walked to the door. “The house was built by an elderly couple. Sometimes the elevator comes in handy.”
Nicole grabbed her purse off the island and trailed after Andi.
***
Andi looked at the sky again. A sinking feeling crept over her stomach. Nicole had been driving for over an hour and the clouds were getting more ominous.
“Andi, have they changed the weather forecast? Those clouds don’t look good.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Andi looked up from her phone. “Cell service is spotty out here. It’s taking a while to load.”
Andi looked back at her phone. “That’s not good. They upgraded the storm. Now, they’re saying 8 to 10 inches instead of 1 to 3 inches.” Dread filled Andi. She hated driving in the snow. That’s partly why she’d booked a flight instead of planning to drive to the resort. These hilly country roads had steep drop offs and no guard rails.
Nicole smiled at her. “Not to worry. I’ve got all-wheel-drive and we’ll be there before the worst hits.”
Two hours later, four inches of snow covered the road. The windshield wipers were barely keeping the front window clear in the hard driven snow coming down.
Nerves gnawed at Andi’s stomach. She and Nicole hadn’t spoken in over 20 minutes. Andi was afraid to distract Nicole. Nicole was barely keeping the car moving and her hands were clutching the wheel so hard her knuckles were white.
The car was halfway up a steep road curving around a hill when Andi felt them slide. Her hands were already holding the arm rests but now she gripped them so hard her own knuckles turned white. Cold raced through system as she looked out the window. Andi saw the edge of the road and the drop-off coming towards them.
“Nicole,” she said in as even a voice as she could.
Nicole didn’t answer. Andi saw Nicole was trying to get the car under control.
They finally reached the bottom of the road without going over the edge. Although, Andi’s stomach felt like it went over the edge several times.
Then a heavy weight slammed into her chest.
Nicole was starting back up the hill.
The same hill they just slid down sideways.
Her hand shot out to grab the wheel. “No!”
“Let go. I have to get home.” A tear slipped down Nicole’s check. “I can’t miss Christmas” The last word broke on a sob.
Andi’s heart flipped over. She could almost feel Nicole’s pain.
Nicole was always so upbeat, so optimistic. It was one of the things that attracted Andi to her. To see her so devastated, Andi couldn’t take it. She unbuckled her seatbelt, reached over and pulled Nicole into her arms. Nicole sobbed against her shoulder.
Andi gently rubbed Nicole’s back. “We’ll get you home. We just have to be smart and do it safely. Okay?”
Nicole nodded then pulled back. Andi reluctantly let her go. She’d dreamed for months of holding Nicole in her arms. She didn’t want to let go no matter how it came about.
Andi took a last inhale of Nicole’s strawberry and vanilla scented hair and she let Nicole go.
Nicole had turned to Andi in a moment of despair, nothing else. Right now, she needed to be a friend.
“I saw a bed and breakfast a little ways back. Let’s wait out the storm there. Then once the roads are clear, we can head out again.”
Nicole sat with her shoulders hunched over and her long tresses hiding her face.
Andi couldn’t help herself. She reached over and brushed Nicole’s hair over her shoulder.
“Okay?” She wiped the tears off Nicole’s cheek with her thumb.
Andi’s own heart beat hard and fast in her chest.
Nicole lifted her head and stared at Andi. Andi knew then she’d been too forward in offering comfort. She couldn’t bear to see Nicole’s reaction.
“Switch places. I’ll drive,” Andi said as she popped open her door.
Cold air and snow hit Andi in the face. It felt good on her overheated skin. It also snapped her back to reality. Andi took a deep breath of cold air that stung her lungs.
She had definitely gone too far. Nicole wouldn’t even look at her when they passed in front of the car.
***
Nicole hadn’t said anything on the drive to the B&B. Andi wasn’t sure if Nicole was upset about not making it to her parents’ house.
Or, if Nicole was thinking of slapping Andi with a sexual harassment suit.
Andi drove through a small village with shops decorated for the holidays. She pulled the Subaru off the road into the snow drift that looked like it might have been a parking lot. “Let’s get inside. We can come back out for the luggage.”
Nicole nodded and followed her inside.
Andi pulled open the door and stepped into a warm, cheery entry. The walls were a buttercream yellow with white trim. The walls made a perfect background for all the wooden antique furniture in the room, the polished wide-board floors, and the large fir tree covered in old-fashioned ornaments. Andi felt better already as she dusted the snow off her coat and stamped her feet on the welcome mat by the door.
“Hello. I’m Jessica, your host. Come on in out of that nasty weather. Are you stranded?” A young woman, with an apron over her jeans and sweater, came into the room followed by the smell of gingerbread.
“Yes, we couldn’t get up the hill a little past h
ere.” Andi pulled off her gloves and looked back at Nicole. Nicole was gazing around the room and looking a little more like herself.
“That stretch of road is bad with the winds. Plows can never seem to keep it open.”
“We were hoping you had a couple of rooms available.” Andi stuffed her knit hat and gloves into her coat pockets.
The woman walked over to the dresser by the stairs and opened a leather bound notebook. “I only have one room left but it has twin beds.”
Andi turned to Nicole. “Is that all right with you?”
Nicole lifted a shoulder and dropped it. “I still think I could have made it over that hill.”
Jessica turned from her book. “Oh, Sugar. Even if you’d made it over that first hill, the next one is worse. And you’d have been stuck out in the middle of nowhere.”
Andi was glad the woman said that. At least, now, Nicole wouldn’t hold a grudge for making them turn around and wait it out.
“We’ll take the room. Thank you.” Andi reached into her purse for her platinum credit card.
Nicole also reached into her purse. The sound of Christmas carols filled the room.
“Hi, Papa.” Nicole listened for a minute. “Same here. We tried to get up a hill and slide down— No, no. We’re okay. Andi insisted we turn around and find someplace to wait it out.” Nicole smile and turned her back to Andi. “Yes, that Andi.”
Nicole walked through an archway and into another room. Andi took care of registering. They both finished at the same time.
“My father said the roads are impassible there too. He also said you’re a smart lady to know when to turn around.” Nicole made a comical attempt at a grimace. “Guess I was acting a bit childish, I’m sorry.”
A weight lift off Andi’s heart. She’d felt horrible for being the one to stop Nicole from getting to her family. Before Andi could say anything, Nicole jammed her knitted hat back on her head, and said, “Race you to the car for the suitcases.”
THREE
Nicole and Andi followed Jessica as she led the way to their room. Andi only had one of her large suitcases. But it looked like more than she could handle by the second flight of stairs. Nicole’s bag was much smaller. Anything she forgot, she could borrow from her mother.
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