Season of Joy

by Virginia Carmichael

  Lana shrugged. “He’s tough. He’s been through a lot worse than a press conference with some silly reporters.”

  She nodded. It sounded like Grant was made of steel to survive that kind of abandonment and not be bitter. “He seems so...” Her voice trailed off as she struggled to grasp the word. Hopeful? At peace? “I’m sorry, I guess I’m in awe of his ability to forgive his dad.”

  Lana’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know if he has forgiven him, but I do know he doesn’t consider him his dad.”

  Jose came through the office door, his usually mild expression gone. His brows were drawn down, lips pressed together. A coffee mug gently steamed in his hand. He held the door open behind him and Grant followed. His powerful frame seemed to swallow up the space as he came toward the desk. The dark blue suit coat was gone and his dress shirt was rolled up at the elbows. His red tie was still on, but the knot seemed looser. His face was calm, but Calista saw sadness in his eyes.

  “That wasn’t enough to scare you away?” Grant stopped a few feet from her and his tone was teasing, but his face said that he thought she should run while she could.

  “Nothing scary about it except that it was done all wrong,” she replied, sneaking a glance at Grant’s face. She was taking a chance, but from what she’d seen, Grant was the type to put his ego on the back burner and take help if it was offered.

  “Oh, so you know how to do it right?” Jose leaned against the desk and set his coffee cup on the smooth wooden surface.

  Grant said nothing, but his eyes were bright with laughter. Calista sucked in a breath at the sight. She could see his star pedigree in the strong jaw and the high cheekbones. But she was right that his ego wasn’t bruised by her honesty.

  “Grant probably had a few media classes with that UC Davis business degree. He can tell you what he did wrong.” She could feel Lana’s gaze on her and Jose made a sound in the back of his throat.

  “She’s right. It was a total disaster and it didn’t have to be,” Grant said, nodding. “I shouldn’t have taken any questions. As soon as I saw the crowd, I knew this wasn’t a normal news conference. Most of them were from the tabloids.”

  Calista said nothing, hoping her face showed the sympathy she felt. Jose looked from his boss to the new girl and back.

  “And then I lost my cool.” He shook his head, as if he still couldn’t believe he’d let a reporter get the best of him.

  “It happens. Have you always handled the press for the mission? Maybe it’s time to assign that to another staff member.” She looked at Lana, who had taken the paparazzo’s gibe and turned it around.

  “Are you saying you’d be willing to take that role?” His words were light, but Calista could tell Grant was more than half-serious.

  “Not me, I have a quick temper,” she said, laughing. “I’d just make it worse. But Lana seems like she’d do a great job.”

  To her surprise the secretary shook her head. “Now, that should be some rule of working with the press. Don’t choose the middle-aged woman with purple hair in a wheelchair.”

  Calista couldn’t keep surprised laughter from bubbling out of her throat. “Whatever you all do, just choose somebody who can keep calm and—”

  “Avoid insulting Kurt Daniels?” Grant’s voice was cool. The smile had slipped from his face.

  “How about not giving them anything to make into a headline,” she shot back. She was on his side, whether he believed it or not.

  Jose took a sip from his mug. The smell of fresh coffee made Calista’s mouth water. She’d had enough espresso, but it was definitely time for a real breakfast. As if in response to her thoughts, her stomach let out a rumble that seemed to echo in the high-ceilinged lobby. Her cheeks went hot.

  Grant grinned. “Sounds like it’s breakfast time. I didn’t eat before the press got here because I was too nervous, but I’m starving now. Want to join me in the cafeteria?”

  The idea of spending some one-on-one time with Grant was tempting. “Sure, I’ll join you.”

  “Well, I’ll see you two later,” Jose called as they headed for the double doors on the far end of the lobby. They both lifted a hand in response.

  “He has a mild form of obsessive-compulsive disorder and can’t handle the crowd in here,” Grant said in a quiet tone.

  Calista looked up, surprised. “Would he mind you telling me that?”

  “It’s better if you know. He’s learning coping mechanisms, but he still would feel very uncomfortable if you touched his mug or his food.” He reached for the door and looked her in the eye. “You seemed the type of person that’s sensitive to others’ feelings and would appreciate the heads-up.”

  She didn’t know what to say. She wanted to agree, to say she cared enough to avoid hurting people or offending them. But all that came to mind was Liz Albrecht, the new secretary in Human Resources at VitaWow. She had been sent up to take Jackie’s place for a few hours last week. The girl was not the brightest bulb in the firmament and Calista had made it clear that she would not be making another trip to the top floor. Her cheeks flushed a little as she remembered how Liz’s eyes had filled with tears as she corrected her again and again. She could have been gentler. Calista dropped her gaze and waited for Grant to open the door.

  “And thanks again.” His voice was still quiet.

  “For what?”

  “For being honest. When you’re the boss, people have a hard time telling you the truth.”

  She nodded, knowing exactly how that was. It made her paranoid some days, just thinking of the things she could do without a single employee speaking up. She wanted them to think for themselves, not just their paycheck.

  “I have a feeling that’s going to be a much bigger issue, now that you’ve let the cat out of the bag.”

  Grant laughed out loud, his blue eyes crinkling up. “Great, I feel tons better.”

  * * *

  “Lana, I was wondering if I could ask you a personal question.” Grant stuffed his hands in his pockets and tried to stop fidgeting. It had been a tough weekend, dodging reporters outside his apartment. But there was a more pressing issue than paparazzi. He’d spent an hour browsing online flower shops, not the greatest way to spend a Monday morning. He’d visited two flower boutiques over the weekend. None of it had felt right. Especially not the little glass doodads he’d seen on the festively decorated shop shelves.

  Behind the lobby desk, Lana lifted her head and grinned hugely. “Well, that took long enough.”

  “What did?”

  “I thought you were never going to ask my opinion about whether Calista’s a good catch.”

  Grant choked back his surprise. “I’m not.”

  Lana’s wide blue eyes blinked in confusion. “Oh, sorry. Go ahead.”

  He shuffled his feet and leaned against the desk. The lobby was bustling with residents on their way to dinner. But if he waited for perfect privacy, that moment would never come. Plus, he needed an answer before Calista showed up for the fundraising meeting in an hour.

  “I was wondering, if you wanted a man to show interest in you, what would you want him to do? Give you flowers? Or maybe a little gift?”

  Lana’s brows drew down. “I thought you said this wasn’t about Calista.”

  He could feel the warmth spreading up his neck. “I just wanted your opinion. As a woman.”

  Now Lana’s eyes were wide, and a look of alarm crossed her face. “Okay, let’s just be clear here. You’re not asking me what I would want a man to give me because you’re the man, right?”

  “No! I mean, not because you’re not attractive or a nice person—”

  “Oh, Grant.” Lana started to laugh. “You almost gave me a heart attack. But can we just be honest with each other? We’re friends, and friends can tell each other things in confidence. So, talk to me bef
ore you do something crazy, like follow Eric’s advice.” She blinked innocently up at him, a sly grin crossing her face.

  “Did he talk to you?” Surprise made his voice rise.

  “Nope, Eric is as good as gold that way. Not a peep to me. But I figured you would ask him for advice before me, or Jose or Marisol—”

  “I get the picture.” Grant rubbed a hand over his face and wondered how many people in this mission had noticed his feelings for Calista.

  “Look, I saw this coming a long time ago and it’s a good thing. She’s got a strong faith and a soft heart, but she’s as tough as nails when she needs to be. You can’t beat that combination.”

  Grant interrupted her with a groan. “See, I agree with all that. I’m not asking for your opinion on her exactly.” He paused, trying to speak past the sudden tightness in his chest. “Honestly, I have a lot more reservations about myself than her, if we’re talking about relationships.”

  “I’m not following you.” Lana frowned up at him, then let out a low whistle. “Oh. You think because your father’s a jerk, you’ve got some inherited flaw? You think you’re going to walk out as soon as the going gets rough?”

  He didn’t answer, just tried to compose his expression into something other than fear. “I know that loyalty and faithfulness are choices we make. But I don’t want to mess up. I don’t want to hurt anybody.”

  “Oh, Grant. You won’t. You’re not that type of man.” Her eyes were soft with sympathy.

  “Thanks, Lana.” But he couldn’t take all the credit for the kind of man he was. God had more to do with it than anyone. “Anyway, what I was going to ask you, before we got sidetracked, is about flowers. Do you think...?”

  Lana opened her mouth to answer, but then her eyes flicked behind Grant and widened. “Um, well, let me see. I think most women like flowers. But let’s ask Calista what she thinks.”

  Grant felt as if someone had dumped a cold bucket of water over his head. He steeled himself to turn slowly. Had she heard his doubts and Lana’s advice? He was caught between hoping she still thought he was perfect, like Marisol had said, and understanding he came from a man who couldn’t stay faithful if his life depended on it.

  “The fundraising meeting isn’t for another hour.” He frowned toward her, trying to cover his discomfort.

  “Two of our board members are stuck out of town, no flights in or out of Denver, so my schedule got cleared for the morning. I decided to come in early.” She was brushing snow out of her blond hair, loose to her shoulders, and her nose was pink with the cold. Bright yellow mittens were a new addition to her red peacoat.

  Lana grinned at her. “And how I love you early types.” She peered over the desk. “Those are pretty mittens.”

  “Thanks. I made them myself.” Calista held up both hands and beamed. “I’ve been trying to learn how to knit. This one is a little bigger than the other because I got distracted and added too many rows.”

  “They’re supercute. Anyway, we were debating and maybe you could settle the argument.”

  Calista’s eyes were bright with curiosity, her tone light. “I can try. What are you all arguing about?”

  Grant’s noted the “you all” and filed it away. “Do women really like flowers?”

  Calista nodded. “Lots of women do.”

  “What about you?” Grant hoped his voice was extra casual.

  She hesitated.

  “And those little cut crystal figurines, like teddy bears or roses?”

  Her grimace was all the answer he needed. “You mean, for a Christmas gift?”

  “No, more of a romantic thing.” Lana’s words seemed to startle Calista, who glanced between them before answering.

  “I would say I’d rather have a man offer me something that he can’t buy. Like time. It’s easy to buy something and have it wrapped up nicely. But to let someone into your life, to introduce them to your family and friends, take them to church with you... That’s a commitment of yourself. I would find that very romantic.”

  Lana was nodding as she spoke, but Grant couldn’t tear his gaze from Calista’s face. That you might have life and live it more abundantly. He’d never needed anything more than this place and his friends. His life was full, complete. But now he felt God nudging him toward something more.

  “Calista, would you like to come to church with me this Sunday?” The words came out a little quicker than he would have liked, but they felt so right he couldn’t help the huge smile that spread over his face.

  There was a beat of silence, then another, as Calista looked from Grant to Lana, and back again. She took a breath and said, “I would really like that.” Twin spots of pink appeared on her cheeks by the time she finished the sentence.

  He wanted to pump his fist in the air but settled for a more sedate response. “Good.” He couldn’t seem to stop grinning.

  Lana sighed and swiped a finger under each eye. “I love the Christmas season. I just love it.”

  Chapter Ten

  Calista slipped on another dress and gave her reflection a critical eye. The pale pink wool shift dress showed off her trim figure. Too girlie? The last one had been too dark. The one before it had been a sweater dress and was too clingy. The one before that was from last year’s Christmas party and was really too fancy.

  She dropped onto the edge of the bed and stared morosely at the pile of clothing on the floor. It had never been a problem to grab an outfit for church before, especially since she didn’t know that many people. She had more trouble finding the hymns than anything else.

  A glance at the clock reminded her that she had just a few minutes before Grant showed up. She felt her stomach knot unpleasantly. What would he think when he saw where she lived, how she lived?

  Lord, You know my heart. I’m learning to be more like You every day but I know how far I have to go. Calista sighed and went to pick out a pair of shoes. As she swung open the separate closet for her shoes, Mimi darted in, tail held high.

  “No, you don’t!” She swatted at the Siamese shoe terror and managed to reverse her trajectory.

  Just as she picked out a pair of pale pink pumps, the doorbell rang. Calista jumped as if she’d been electrocuted. She slammed the shoe closet closed and ran to open the front door barefoot.

  Her heart almost stuttered to a stop as Grant flashed her that perfect smile. Nice suit, check. Fresh shave, check. Delicious smell of soap and aftershave, check and check. She could have stood there and cataloged his attributes all day.

  “Hi, come on in.” She stepped back and waved him inside.

  “Nice place.” He took a few steps into the room and gazed around.

  Calista couldn’t help seeing everything new through his eyes. The wall of glass emphasized the cool steel accent points at the ceiling and the avant-garde table with minimalist modern art above it. It all looked so cold and...expensive.

  “I think we share a fondness for a certain artist.” Grant’s lips twitched as he nodded toward her latest acquisitions. A wall full of Savannah’s crayon drawings might be a bit much but she couldn’t bear to throw them away. And for every picture she accepted, there was another one a few hours later. They were all kitties with pink sunglasses, most of them by a Christmas tree.

  “She told me they were limited edition, but apparently I’ve been conned.”

  He reached out to the delicate side table and picked up a silver-framed photo of Elaine’s new family. “She looks like you.”

  “My sister. That’s her husband and their new baby.” Calista loved that photo of the three of them, lost in love with their new baby, wrapped up in themselves.

  “They live near here?”

  “No. I wish they did. But they might be coming to visit in the spring, when the baby’s a little bigger.”

  “You’ll certainl
y have enough room for them.” Again his gaze swept the apartment. High ceiling, track lighting, minimal furniture, wide-open space bordered only by the sheer glass wall. The living room alone could hold a family.

  “I probably won’t be here when they visit, though.”

  For a moment, she thought he hadn’t heard her. Grant was motionless, his head turned toward the awesome view of the mountains. Clouds were moving in over the peaks. He frowned into the distance. “You’re leaving Denver?”

  “No, no, I mean the condo.” She watched him visibly relax, his expression turning to curiosity.

  A little sound near the couch made them both turn their heads. Mimi stood, her fluffy head cocked to one side.

  “Is that the evil cat?”

  “Yup. I better get my shoes on before she takes her chance.”

  Grant let out a laugh that made even a shoe-destroying cat seem like a wonderful thing.

  Calista beamed in his direction as he helped her into her red peacoat and they made their way out the door, but her stomach dropped. How could orchestrating a corporate merger be easier than Sunday services with Grant? She felt like an impostor.

  She was barely beyond thinking she was the center of the universe. She swallowed the lump in her throat and lifted her chin. Well, everybody had to start somewhere.

  She sneaked a glance at him as they walked. A lock of dark hair fell over his forehead and Calista realized with a jolt how very much he looked like his famous father, right down to the same perfect mouth. A mouth that was tugged up a bit at one corner.

  He reached out and took her hand, the pressure of it short-circuiting her thoughts. Calista felt the tension ease in the pit of her stomach, loving the warmth of his touch.

  At that moment, as if they were in an old-time Hollywood movie, fat snowflakes began to drift down around them. Calista’s eyes widened and she held out her free hand to catch a falling clump. “Perfect,” she whispered.

  Grant lifted a hand to her cheek, running his warm thumb across her cheekbone. “Yes, it is.” And the look in his eyes made her want to believe it was possible. That a man like him could love a woman like her. Was God that good, that forgiving, to give her such a gift when she hadn’t done anything to deserve it? Sudden doubt coursed through her. Grant didn’t even really know her yet.