A Christmas Worth Billions (Countdown to Christmas Book 4)

by Weist, Jaclyn

  There was a short knock on the door before Peter walked in. “Hey. The invites for the company Christmas party have been sent out. You sure you’re up for this?”

  No. Not at all. “Our employees have given us a very successful year, and it's time to thank them for it. I may leave early, but I want to do this.” David couldn’t help glancing at the picture of Sarah on his desk.

  “She’d be proud of you.”

  David cleared his throat. “Thanks. It’s just too bad it took this long to figure things out.”

  Peter nodded and put his hand on the doorknob. “Same lunch as yesterday?”

  “I think I’ll just have something small. I ate a big breakfast.” David turned to his laptop.

  “Sounds good. I’ll be back later.” Peter left the office and shut the door behind him.

  David leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face in frustration. His mind kept going between Sarah and Lily, and it was making him dizzy. Was it so bad that he found Lily attractive? That he wanted to anything in his power to make her laugh again? It was too soon to even think about anyone else.

  It was time to get both off his mind and get back to work. He spent the next few hours setting up meetings with the different clients who had called, and preparing PowerPoints for the appointments he had the next day.

  Later that afternoon, he was still buried in work, and jumped when Peter knocked and opened the door.

  “Here you go.” Peter set a sandwich and chips on David’s desk. “Figured you’d want to eat sometime today, so I grabbed this.”

  “Thanks.” David added the mayonnaise and mustard to his sandwich and took a bite. “Oh, man. I didn’t realize how hungry I am. Thank you.”

  Peter smirked. “This isn’t the first lunch you’ve skipped. Need anything else before I head out?”

  “No, I think I have everything pretty much taken care of. Have a good night.” David took another bite and wiped his hands on a napkin. “Oh, wait. Could you deliver these to Debra? They’re the new assignments.”

  “Sure.” Peter took the files and paused. “You may want to head out soon. Another storm is coming through, and traffic is supposed to be pretty nasty.”

  David closed his laptop. “Considering the drive I had to deal with this morning, I’m heading out right now.”

  “Good call.” Peter left to deliver the assignments, and David followed soon after, whistling. He made his way to the garage and adjusted the collar on his coat. If the wind blowing through the garage was any indication, he’d be lucky to get over the bridge before the town shut down from the storm. He waved at the parking attendant as he pulled out of the garage and onto the snowy road. The weather had been worse than usual, and he was ready for it to be done.

  The traffic was crazy as he made his way out of New York. The roads were still clear, but people were driving aggressively as they weaved through the other cars.

  David’s hands gripped the steering wheel as he headed over the bridge. There were several icy spots, so he went slower than the cars around him. Fear clutched his stomach every time his tires slid even a little bit. By the time he made it to his small town, he was shaking and rattled.

  He pulled into the church and climbed out of his truck. He could have gone home, but he needed to be around people so the nightmares wouldn’t come back. The door to the church creaked open, and he cringed when he heard the organ music inside. He hadn’t realized there was anything going on. He’d just wanted to talk to Reverend Smith about Lily.

  The pews were empty when he walked farther inside, and he sat on the back bench until the music stopped.

  “Ah, David. How long have you been here?” Reverend Smith stood from the organ and made his way toward David.

  “I just got here.” David leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I didn’t know you play the organ.”

  Reverend Smith laughed. “I only knew a few songs, and I make sure no one is around when I play. Is there something I can do for you?”

  Now that David was sitting there, he wasn’t sure he wanted to say anything. “It’s … nothing. I can just come later.”

  “Is something on your mind? I can only help if you ask for it.”

  David hesitated a moment longer. “Do you know anything about Lily? The woman who brought in her tithes when I was here?”

  “What would you like to know about her?” Reverend Smith asked.

  David could feel his face burn. “I just wondered. I keep running into her, and I’m curious.”

  “Ah. Well, she’s lived here her whole life. She has a good heart, and loves her children dearly. I worry about them, but she won’t let me help.” He shook his head. “Is there anything else?”

  “No. That’s all.” David stood up, embarrassed. He couldn’t believe he was even there. “See you in the morning.”

  “See you then. And David? It’s okay that you find her attractive. She’s beautiful, and she could use someone with a gentle heart.” The pastor smiled at him and walked back to the organ.

  David listened to the Christmas melody for a moment before leaving the church. The peace he’d hoped for had come, but his heart was more confused than before he'd talked to the reverend.

  The storm had settled into the valley, and it blanketed the streets as he made his way home. A movement to the side of his vision made him stop quickly. Someone was out in this storm. They were huddled over in a thin coat and continued forward in the snow. He slowed down and pulled over just as the person collapsed to the ground.

  David ran to the person’s side and rolled them over. His stomach dropped. It was Lily. Her lips were purple, and her skin was ice. He looked around frantically for someone to help. He had no idea where she lived.

  “Lily? Hey, Lily.” He picked her up, and the jostling seemed to rouse her. He set her inside the truck, cranked up the heater, and then tried again. “Hey, I want to get you home, but I need to know where you live.”

  Her eyes fluttered open, and she tried to speak. She gestured down the street, so he pulled forward.

  “Tell me when we get close, okay?” He adjusted the other vents in the truck so they faced her. “Where are your kids?”

  Her mouth formed the word “home” while she rubbed her arms. She pointed at a small, rundown house, and David pulled into the driveway. An old car sat covered in snow, and lights were on in one of the rooms. Lily tried to open the passenger door, but she was too weak. She lay back against the seat and coughed.

  “Hold on.” David ran around the side of the truck and opened the door, then pulled her out and carried her inside.

  “I can walk.” She coughed again, her whole body shaking.

  David took the keys from Lily and opened the door to the house. “You can walk, but I don’t want you falling again.”

  Lily closed her eyes and leaned her head against him. “Just take me to the living room, please.”

  He carried her into the living room, where her son and daughter were sleeping next to the fireplace. The fire had died down, and the room was cold. She climbed out of his arms and curled up next to her daughter. David’s heart broke from what he saw. He stoked the fire and got it burning before walking through the other rooms. They were clean and simple, but the blankets and clothes were worn out.

  More coughing came from the living room, but this time, it sounded like it was one of the kids. David searched for tea or something in the cupboards, but they were bare except a few staples like bread and some oranges. There was so much food at the diner, but she had nothing at all for them here.

  David left the house and climbed back into his truck. He couldn’t let them live like this, and while he hated to leave them, they needed some groceries and some medicine as soon as possible.

  The old corner store was the only place that was still open, so he pulled in and hurried inside. The Christmas music was upbeat and seemed to jar against what he’d just witnessed. He grabbed a cart and filled it with food, medicine, herbal tea, and milk. Ther
e was a small section with gloves and hats, so he picked some out for Lily and her kids. After grabbing a few space heaters, he took the full cart to the front of the store to pay for everything.

  The cashier’s eyebrows rose, but didn’t say anything as she rang him up. “Merry Christmas.”

  David nodded and left the store. He set everything in the truck and drove the couple of blocks back to Lily’s house. It took a few trips to unload everything, and then he quietly filled the cupboards while water heated up on the stove.

  Once the tea was brewed, David poured three cups and put them on an old tray. He set the tray on the couch and knelt down next to Lily. “Hey, I have something for you to drink. It will help warm you up.”

  Lily slowly sat up and took the mug from David. “Where did you get this?”

  “I bought it. I made some for your kids, too … I hope you don’t mind.” He watched her take a sip and close her eyes.

  “That is so nice. Thank you.” She took another sip and set it aside before taking one of the other cups. “I’ll help Mary. Will you get Patrick’s cup for him?”

  “Of course.” David helped Patrick sit up. “Hey, buddy. I have some tea for you. It will help your cough.”

  Patrick stared at him with big, sleepy eyes before glancing over at his mom. When she nodded, he took the cup from David and sipped. “What is this?”

  “It’s got some herbs in it that will help you feel better.” David turned to look at Lily. “I also bought space heaters if you want some for the bedrooms. Unless you like sleeping in here on the floor.”

  Lily smiled weakly. “We were camping out. That’s very sweet of you, but I can’t afford the electricity for the heat.”

  David raised his eyebrows. “Wow. I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that. I can help pay for it, if you’d like. It’s cold out there.”

  “You don’t have to do that. You’ve already done so much.” Lily watched her children drinking their tea.

  “Please. It’s too cold outside to keep the heaters off.” David stood and noticed that the snow was coming down harder. It was going to be fun getting home. He turned away from the window.

  Lily sighed and nodded. “Thank you.”

  David left the room and turned on the space heaters in each of the rooms. It would take a while to warm the house, but it would get there. He walked into the kitchen and cleaned up the tea packets, then went back to the living room.

  “Are you all okay?” He sat on the couch and leaned forward.

  “Much better. You need to get going, or you’ll never make it home.” Lily nodded toward the window. “Thanks again.”

  “Where were you heading? I thought the diner closed a while ago.”

  Lily glanced over at Patrick and Mary. “They needed medicine, so I snuck out while they were sleeping. It was just going to be a couple of minutes, but then the storm hit.”

  "Why didn't you just take your car?"

  "No money for gas." She looked away. "If you hadn't come when you did ..."

  “I'm glad I could help. I didn’t see any medicine in the cupboard, so I bought some. It’s all in the kitchen, if you’d like me to bring it to you.”

  Lily shook her head. “You’ve done enough. Go home and get some rest.”

  David walked to the door, but hesitated. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Stop worrying. We’ll be fine.” Lily’s laugh turned into a cough.

  “Okay, but if you need anything, please call me.” David set his business card on the table and left the house with a wave. He couldn’t help feeling guilty as he pulled out of the driveway and headed for his house. The storm made it hard to see, but he was able to get home without any problems. He pulled out the couple of bags of groceries he’d bought for himself and went inside.

  The large rooms seemed to echo as he walked through the house. Maybe he should’ve gotten something smaller. He was just always used to getting the biggest and the best of everything. Now it seemed foolish. He popped his food into the microwave and started his own tea while he waited. The heater hummed in the background, reminding him of how warm and comfortable the house was.

  David ate his dinner while watching the news. The storm was supposed to stick around for another day before finally heading out. If it really did keep up, he wouldn’t be able to make it to work the next day. He turned off the TV and got ready bed before turning off the lights. It was an hour later before his mind was able to clear enough for him to fall asleep.

  * * *

  David rolled out of bed and changed into shorts and a T-shirt to jog on his treadmill. He would have gone running outside, but it was still cold, and he would already have to be out in the snow to ring the bells for the church.

  He wanted to go see how Lily was doing, but he needed to get a few things done first. The picture of Sarah stared down at him, which made his thoughts even more uncomfortable. Before, it had been motivation to get him out of bed and make him exercise so he wouldn’t be allowed to fall back into the depression that had overwhelmed him. Now it was a constant reminder that he was helping and talking to another woman. Someone who had helped awaken him. Someone he found very attractive.

  The timer went off, and David left the treadmill and hopped into the shower. He dressed warmly, but put on his suit coat as well. He didn’t want to go into work because of the snow that had fallen, but there was a last-minute snag in one of the accounts. Debra had assured him through email that Erin had everything under control, but he had to make sure.

  The air was frigid when David left his house. The snow had stopped, but the wind blew what was on the ground into large drifts. He walked briskly over to the church and welcomed the warmth inside.

  “Good morning, David. I’m glad to see you here.” Reverend Smith shook his hand. “How was your evening?”

  David shook his head and sighed. “I found Lily on the ground nearly frozen. After dropping her off at home, I grabbed some supplies for them. I probably should have gotten help, but I was too frazzled.”

  “Oh, dear. I’ll arrange help for her and then head over after the meeting. Thank you for telling me. Lily is dear to our little community.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll probably check on her after work.” David opened the door. “Wish me luck.”

  The sound of the pastor’s laughter followed David up the stairs. The wind was biting up this high. David pulled on his thick gloves and grasped the rough rope, then rang the bell. He would have loved to watch as everyone came to the service, but his cheeks were already going numb from the cold.

  He waved to the pastor as he left the church and hurried back to his truck. The drive was smoother than he’d expected, but he knew he’d want to leave early that night to escape the freezing that was bound to happen.

  Employees nodded or waved at David as he walked past, and he did his best to acknowledge them. He slipped into the meeting just as it started, and pulled out his notes. Erin had put together a presentation on what needed to be fixed and how to go about it. Debra had been right. Erin had it under control.

  At the end, she looked at David. “Sir, is there anything else you’d like to add?”

  “I think you covered everything. Well done, Erin." David turned to the client. "If you go along with these proofs she set out, you’ll have a successful advertising campaign. People will be lining up to wear the new clothes line. Now, if no one else has anything, we can be adjourned.” He turned to Mr. Carpenter, who shook his head.

  “We love it. I’d like to start immediately.” He wrote something in the notebook in front of him.

  “Perfect. We’ll have you work out those details with Debra and Erin, then.” David shook everyone’s hand and walked to his office. He quickly checked his messages and returned a few phone calls.

  Peter knocked on his office door and came in. “Hey, I didn’t think you’d make it to work today. How was the meeting?”

  “It went well. They loved the ideas.” David stood and put his coat on. “I�
��m heading out now. I wanted to look over a few things for the party before heading home.”

  Peter cleared his throat. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Our PR people cornered me this morning and wanted me to have a talk with you. They seem to think that you need a date for this party. After the drop in stock back in August, people are worried, and they want to know you’re doing well.”

  David grumbled. “That was four months ago. We’ve more than made up for it since then. How is seeing me with a date going to help with anything?”

  “I don’t know, but they wouldn’t let me go until I agreed to say something. I know it’s too soon, so we can tell them to drop it, but at least I’m doing what they asked.”

  “Thank you.” David glanced at the photo on his desk. “I’ll think about it.”

  Peter looked at him in surprise. “What?”

  “It was no secret that I had a rough time after I lost Sarah. It’s just a date, and then I can move on.” That was easier said than done. The thought of Lily’s smile told him that it wouldn’t be just a fleeting thing. He just hoped she’d go out with him.

  “Are you sure? Three months ago, I couldn’t get you out of bed. Last month, the only thing you’d do is exercise or sit on your couch. What changed?” His eyes widened. “You met someone, didn’t you?”

  David sighed and leaned against his desk. “Yes, but she’s a tough one. Someone hurt her, and she’s got a wall between herself and the world. She’s struggling financially and won’t let anyone help.”

  Peter laughed. “A woman who doesn’t want your money? Snag her, man. Most of the women who have been sending you emails and letters want you for one thing.”

  “I know. She’s refreshing in so many ways. She has two kids. Beautiful little girl and boy who look just like her.” With sad eyes. David wanted to do anything he could to make them happy again.

  “Whoa. She has kids? You are serious if you haven’t run the other way.” Peter opened the door. “I have a meeting, but I’ll let PR know you have things under control.”