Jingle Bell Romance: A Colorado Billionaires Christmas Story

by Regina Duke

  Jed nodded. “Yes, I do.” He let out an exaggerated sigh. “You’re right, Daniela. Okay. I’ll go home.”

  Daniela laughed. “Go shopping. Take her flowers and candy. And buy Austin an early present. Take them to the movies.”

  Jed surrendered. “All right. But if I’d known you were going to turn into Super Manager, I might have thought twice about this arrangement.”

  Daniela snorted. “You need to start a new branch,” she teased. “You love building the business. That would keep you occupied while I rake in the money for you here.”

  Jed knew she was right. He needed the challenge of building another branch. But one Angel Temps was enough for Pueblo. Lost in thought, he climbed into his truck, wondering how to keep himself busy for a couple of hours before returning to his family. As he reached to turn the key, his phone rang. He checked the caller and beamed.

  “Hello, Jazzy. How’s my favorite baby sister?”

  “Okay.” Her voice was as taut as a violin string.

  Jed sobered. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing serious.” A slight tremble gave away her emotions. “Just a fender bender.”

  “Are you okay? What happened? I’ll be there in an hour.”

  “Oh Jed, you know I would love that! But you have Laura and Austin to take care of. I’ll be fine. It’s just—well, no car. And just before that, I realized I could either come to Pueblo or pay my rent, but not both. So it looks like I won’t be able to spend Christmas with you guys. And since I knew I couldn’t go, I promised I’d cover for another waiter. He’s going to be gone for two weeks.”

  “Is this the Steve you mentioned a few times?”

  “Yes. Steve the Thoughtless. Steve the Jerk. Steve the One Who Values Ski Vacations More Than Work. And certainly more than he values me.”

  Jed’s voice softened. “Sweetheart, you’re having a lousy week. Are you at work right now?”

  “No, but I have to get back in an hour. Split shift. I just needed to hear your voice.”

  Jed smiled. “I love you, too. Now listen up, you don’t worry about a thing, all right? I’m going to pack up Laura and Austin and we’re coming to Eagle’s Toe for Christmas. How’s that sound?”

  Jasmine’s excitement was heartwarming. “Really? OMG, that would be awesome! Laura doesn’t mind?”

  Jed sure hoped not, but he said, “I’m sure she’ll love the idea. She’s feeling housebound. She says she has three weeks before the baby is due, so it should be okay. We don’t have to fly or anything, and it will be a vacation for her, too. She’s running herself ragged trying to make everything perfect for Austin. We’ll bring it all to Eagle’s Toe.”

  “Oh gosh, thank you, Jed! I can’t wait. Sorry, I have to go back to work. We’re getting ready for the dinner crowd. Bye!”

  Jed put his phone away. He stared out the front window for several long seconds, then retrieved his phone again. “Siri, how many employment agencies are there in Eagle’s Toe, Colorado?”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Eagle’s Toe, 5:05 p.m.

  Ryan glanced at his reflection in the shop windows as he walked along the sidewalk past Mina’s Boutique and marveled at how crisp his navy blue suit looked. If only he still felt that way inside. So far he’d received twelve messages from his boss, Herbert Razz of Sacks, Cole, and Razz. The man was a lunatic. He’d sent Ryan to Eagle’s Toe because of the growing population of wealthy businessmen and nouveau riche who were moving there, causing a building boom. He’d dangled the carrot of an early partnership in the firm if Ryan could come back with three new clients by Christmas. And oh yes, he expected Ryan to meet him at the law firm on Christmas Day and present those new clients as gifts to his boss.

  It all sounded crazy from the beginning, and now, walking through the light snowfall as the daylight began to fade, Ryan questioned Razz’s sanity, not to mention his competence. He would have lost his last case if it hadn’t been for Ryan. Corporate law had sounded so much more interesting when Ryan was in school, but now he wondered if he’d made the wrong choice. He was working eighty-hour weeks and hating every minute of it. Was this worth the promise of a partnership? Was his future really all about the money?

  His thoughts drifted to Jasmine Angel. Her name was certainly appropriate. At the thought of her, for some reason, he became suddenly aware of the fact that he’d been walking down streets decorated with bunting and Christmas lights. The brick store fronts glowed with reflected reds, greens, whites, and blues. Music played softly from hidden speakers. “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” floated on the air. He let his gaze play over the windows as he walked past and was surprised to see more community activity posters than sales announcements. He slowed his pace to read about a children’s concert backed up by Carnegie Hall pianist Victoria Winn Darby. Quite a coup, he thought, for a little town. In the next window, flying reindeer appeared to leap out at the street, pulling Santa’s sleigh behind them. He admired the quality of the window art. In the lower corner, the artists had signed, “Karla & Mindy.” The windows of the book store next door reminded everyone that Santa and his reindeer would be offering rides for a donation to charity, with days and hours listed.

  Ryan glanced at his reflection again, and was startled by what he saw. He was smiling! A moment later, his heart ached with the realization that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d smiled like that. He took a bracing breath of cold air and shifted his gaze across the street.

  There it was.The Itty Bitty. Could she possibly still be working?

  A moment later he was trotting across the street. He opened the restaurant door, and there she was, laying silverware on a table by the wall. It was a small, intimate place that managed to feel casual and upscale at the same time. He liked it at once. He stood quietly next to the sign that read, “Please wait to be seated.”

  Jasmine wiped her hands on her Christmas-themed apron and glanced up to check out the new customer. Her heart skipped a beat, and she took a sharp breath. There he was, that Adonis from the Mercedes. She hoped he hadn’t come to give her a hard time. But why else would he be there? She stiffened her spine and hardened her gaze.

  “Table for one?” She grabbed a menu.

  Ryan was taken aback. But of course, she didn’t know he was admiring her from afar. Maybe she thought he was going to sue her or something. “Yes, please.” He tried a neutral smile.

  Her expression softened a bit. “You’re not here to slap me with a bill for your Mercedes?”

  “No way! Hey, truce, okay? I’m having a lousy day. I mean, not because of you. Not that.”

  Jasmine tipped her head to one side. “Worse than a fender bender? Wow. This way.” She led him to a table by the front window. “How’s this? You can see the Christmas lights. And if you look toward the Cattleman’s Inn, you may catch a glimpse of Santa in his sleigh, exercising the reindeer.” She said it all without making eye contact as she straightened his silverware and laid a menu on the table.

  Ryan’s mouth shifted from serious to a smile and then struggled to hide his amusement. “I had no idea Santa lived near here.” He sat down.

  Jasmine straightened up and shot him a glance. “Mr. and Mrs. McAvoy love Christmas, and we all love the McAvoys, so if they want to give reindeer rides to the kids, we’re all for it,” she said softly. She lifted one corner of her apron. “She likes us to celebrate the season.”

  The sigh escaped Ryan’s lips before he could stop it. “It must be nice to have a boss who actually thinks about holidays. Does she give you Christmas off?”

  “Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But she told me if she closes between Christmas and New Year’s, I can go over and work at the Cattleman’s so I won’t lose a paycheck.”

  “Wow.” Ryan felt a twinge of self-pity. “My boss sent me down here to work, and I have to go into the office on Christmas Day to deliver my report.”

  Jasmine looked horrified. “That’s awful! Now I feel bad about dinging your car.”

  Ryan s
miled and shook his head. “Your car was destroyed, and you’re feeling bad for me? You’re a special person, Jasmine.”

  She shrugged, but she was pleased. She tapped her finger on the McAvoys’ little “letter to Santa” card. “Here. Be sure to fill one of these out, okay? You can ask Santa for a new boss. Excuse me, I have to take care of table four.” She gave him a quick smile, then left.

  Ryan glanced at the menu, read it quickly and grinned. Two choices for the entree. Same sides and desserts for both. But they sounded delicious. He picked up the card with Mr. and Mrs. Claus on it. There were two on the table, one for each place setting. He smiled to himself and pulled a pen out of his coat pocket. He filled out the first card, then sealed it in its envelope. Then he pulled the other card close and filled it out as well. He’d just sealed the second one when Jasmine reappeared at his elbow.

  “Ready to order?”

  “The salmon sounds perfect.”

  “Good choice.” She smiled at him.

  Ryan lifted the sealed envelopes. “What do I do with these?”

  “Two of them, eh? Gee, now I really feel bad for you. I’ll take them. We put them in a box up front, and Mrs. McAvoy delivers them to Santa.”

  Ryan’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Excellent.”

  “Say, did your boss send you here to work all week? And then work Christmas Day, too?”

  “Yep.”

  “What do you do, exactly?”

  Ryan pulled a business card out of his pocket. “I’m one of the cogs in the wheel for these guys.”

  Jasmine read the card aloud. “Sacks, Cole, and Razz: Office Of Juridical Expertise. Are you a lawyer?” Two worry lines appeared on her forehead.

  “Yes, but corporate. Don’t worry. I don’t know anything about traffic law,” he lied. “Cross my heart, I will never use that against you.”

  Jasmine relaxed. A moment later, she tapped the business card on the table. “You know why you’re miserable at work, don’t you?”

  Ryan pulled back, impressed by her ability to pinpoint his condition. “Why?”

  She pointed at the capital letters on the card, one by one. “S. C. R. O. O. J. E. Dude, you work for Scrooge!” She patted his shoulder. “I’ll get your dinner.”

  Dumbfounded, Ryan watched her walk away. He picked up the card and blinked at it. He’d never noticed that before, but now that she had pointed it out, he couldn’t stop seeing it. S. C. R. O. O. J. E. She was right. And these days, it was feeling more and more like his personal Scrooge had gone off the deep end. He doubted very much that any midnight visit from the Spirit of Christmas Past would redeem his boss.

  Dinner was delicious, and having Jasmine hover about, taking care of him and the other diners, made the whole experience a delight. True to her word, every fifteen minutes or so, he caught a glimpse down the street of a beautiful red and gold sleigh pulled by a team of eight reindeer. A chubby fellow in a red suit was at the reins, and he could almost hear the squeals of joy from the children riding in the sleigh. The snow was falling heavier now, and that was very good for the sleigh business. As he sampled his dessert, a baked Alaska, he was charmed by a group of carolers in nineteenth century costume strolling up and down the street, singing Christmas classics.

  Not wanting to leave, he ordered coffee.

  Jasmine brought him a carafe and smiled down at him. “You look a lot more relaxed than when you came in.”

  He smiled back. “How long do the sleigh rides last?”

  “Until ten,” said Jasmine, “because it’s Saturday.” She peered through the window. “I think Mr. McAvoy has a stand-in tonight, because Mrs. McAvoy went over to have dinner with him and their nephew.”

  Ryan looked around. There were a couple of empty tables. “I guess it’s okay if I sit here a while, right? I’m not slowing down the traffic?”

  “No, you’re fine. Are you staying at the Cattleman’s?”

  “It seems to be the best place.”

  “Definitely. Hey, if you’re here tomorrow, you can meet my brother and his family. They’re coming for Christmas because I no longer have a car and can’t go see them.”

  Ryan made a face. “Ouch.”

  “Sorry,” said Jasmine. “I didn’t mean it as a dig. I couldn’t afford to drive down and see them anyway. I was just thinking, if you have Scrooge for a boss, you may need someone to hang out with for the holiday. Because, frankly, no one in this town does much serious work during Christmas. Are you supposed to be drumming up clients or something?”

  Ryan nodded. “Or something.”

  “Well, the best way to get to know people here is to take part in the celebrations. Oops. I’ve got to get back to work.” She scooted toward a table where a couple waited for their check.

  Ryan watched her move from table to table. Between the carolers and the snowfall and the reindeer down the street, he knew in his heart that she was right. His boss had sent him down here on a fool’s errand. Eagle’s Toe was, for all intents and purposes, closed for the holidays. He took out his wallet and peeled off a twenty to leave for a tip. Then he doubled it. And then he had a thought.

  When Jasmine came with his check, he asked, “How are you getting home tonight?”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Jasmine was touched when Ryan offered her a ride home. And when he volunteered to bring her to work the next day, she jumped at the chance.

  Once she settled into the Mercedes on Sunday, she said, “Thank you for picking me up. If it was summer, I’d ride my bike, but it’s snowing again.”

  “Not too much yet,” said Ryan, “but the thought of you riding a bike home through the snow at night gives me chills.”

  Jasmine pointed out landmarks as they drove. “There’s city hall.”

  “I love these old historic buildings,” said Ryan.

  Jasmine laughed. “Actually everything north of highway fifty is considered the modern part of town. There’s Fineman Memorial. We have a state-of-the-art hospital with a very active fundraising board. The Garrison brothers moved here a few years ago and began investing in property and they’ve become active members of the community. One of them runs the fundraising. The other, along with their father, is building McMansions out on the west side of town. But don’t tell them I said that. They call them luxury homes for the discerning monied class or some la-de-da thing like that.”

  “Oh really? They sound like people I should meet.”

  Jasmine shook her head. “You’re out of luck. Thor Garrison’s wife is having a baby this weekend. They’ve got their hands full.” She frowned at him. “Are you still trying to please your Scrooge of a boss?”

  Ryan shrugged. “Well, I’m here and if I leave without securing any new clients, he’ll fire me, so I might as well do something that looks like I’m trying.” He pulled up in front of the Itty Bitty. “Any suggestions?”

  Jasmine eyed him appraisingly. “Except for being a lawyer, you seem like a nice guy. Come in for lunch. Maybe I’ll have an idea by then.” She got out and waved goodbye.

  Ryan drove back to the Cattleman’s parking lot. The sky was heavy with snow clouds and flakes fell lazily all around, but the residents didn’t seem to notice. In one corner of the lot, a fence had been erected and a large cattle truck parked nearby offered shelter to a herd of reindeer. Most of them were too busy munching hay to bother with the truck. A line of excited children were waiting to have their picture taken with Blitzen, compliments of Austin Photography. Ryan lifted a hand to his face. There it was again. He was smiling without even knowing it.

  He managed to wander up and down the snowy streets until lunch. His boss had texted three times, and three times Ryan had sent creative responses. He felt like a cad when he used the info he’d gotten from Jasmine to report that one major possible client wouldn’t be available until after the birth of his child.

  He was first in line at the Itty Bitty when it opened for lunch. He was rewarded with a big smile from Jasmine and was surprised when he got the sam
e happy welcome from the middle-aged woman he recognized from the cards he’d filled out the night before. He gave a swooping bow and said, “Mrs. Claus, this is such an honor. Who’s minding the elves?”

  Jasmine broke in, “This is Mrs. McAvoy, my boss.”

  “Alice Kate, dear. You’ve worked here ever since I opened the Itty Bitty. It’s okay to call me Alice Kate.”

  Jasmine blushed. “I know, but it feels more respectful to call you Mrs. McAvoy. This is Ryan Hutch, the man I was telling you about.”

  Alice Kate replied to Ryan, “Many people don’t realize that Mrs. Claus has a multitude of duties, but they do not include managing the elves. I leave that to Santa and his staff. Please sit anywhere you like.”

  “Thanks. And my apologies for presuming about the elves. You just look like someone who gets things done.”

  Alice Kate laughed and set a menu in front of him. “I’ll let Jasmine take your order.” She moved away to greet more customers.

  Jasmine stood shyly next to Ryan’s table. “Lunch today is beef stew or a hot turkey sandwich with sweet potato fries.”

  “No contest,” said Ryan. “I’ll have the hot turkey sandwich. I don’t suppose you could sit and eat with me?”

  Jasmine made a face. “No, I have to work. But when I told Mrs. McAvoy my family is coming this afternoon, she said I can leave after lunch. She hijacked a busboy from her husband’s restaurant, and he’s going to take over for dinner.”

  “I’m surprised she’s open on Sunday.”

  “That’s when people want to go out to eat, silly. She’s closed on Mondays, but her hours over Christmas vary a lot. She makes sure my paycheck doesn’t suffer, though.”

  “Hmmm. That’s very small town of her.”

  Jasmine blinked at him. “I don’t get it.”

  Ryan felt a rush of satisfaction that Jasmine had no idea what he was implying. Could this little town be for real? Was everyone here so kind and innocent that their first concern was taking care of their employees instead of playing CYA? Jasmine said something, but he missed it. “I’m sorry, what?”