The Holiday Gamble

by Sam E. Kraemer

  He reached up and wiped his eyes before his sister hugged him. “You’ll always wonder what could have been, Cris. You need to be sure you’ve exhausted every chance to get him back. If it doesn’t work, don’t let it be because you didn’t try hard enough,” Hannah whispered.

  At that point, Cris was amazed at her maturity. Hell, she was more mature than him most days. “Okay, Hannah Banana. I’ll do my best,” he answered, meaning it with all his heart. He owed it to all of them not to half-ass things.

  Cris and Hannah walked out of the apartment building at six o’clock that evening to see a long limousine idling at the curb. The back door opened, and Bauer Mays stepped out wearing a hideous sweater, which made Cris feel a little bit better because he was wearing his half of the reindeer at Hannah’s insistence.

  He thought maybe it was just because she and Eve Holiday wanted to humiliate him, so they formulated a lie that it was a more casual party. When she finally showed him the sweater she was planning to wear which had an elf that looked like it was on crack, he gave in and pulled on his ugly reindeer sweater. At least if the Mays family was dressed in ugly sweaters, he wasn’t being set up.

  Bauer stood there in a black sweater that had a bunch of broken gingerbread cookies and the words, “Oh, Snap!” embroidered across the middle.

  Hannah giggled as she took in the view. “Very attractive.”

  “Mom took us to the store today. All of them were on sale, so she won’t kill me for only wearing it once. Yours is cute,” Bauer offered.

  Cris chuckled with them. “I feel better that I’m not going to be the only one looking like an idiot. We should go,” he suggested, anxious to get to Ridge, so he could begin the groveling he’d planned during his shower that afternoon.

  The drive to the large estate near King of Prussia seemed to take forever, but Cris knew it was because he was anxious to get there, so he could check on Ridge for himself, since he hadn’t seen or talked to the man since the ER visit.

  When they pulled into the gated driveway, the limo driver rolled down the front window and punched in a code.

  “Do you know the driver?” Cris asked Hannah.

  “Yes, that’s Tuttle, the Holiday family’s driver.” She then turned in the seat and addressed the man behind the wheel. “Tuttle, this is my brother, Cris. He was Santa’s helper at the West Philly store.”

  The man looked in the rearview mirror and smiled. “Mr. Gamble, it’s nice to make your acquaintance, sir. Miss Hannah is a vivacious young woman,” the man stated as the massive gates opened and he drove through.

  Cris saw lots of fancy cars around the grounds with a valet stand near the front steps. There were three guys dressed as Christmas elves parking cars, and Cris suddenly felt out of his element. One of the elves opened the door and helped Janae out of the car as Kevin and Kenneth followed behind. Bauer hopped out and offered his hand to Hannah, leaving Cris as the last one out of the vehicle.

  He stared at the brick fortress in front of him, unable to comprehend how much money the house and grounds must have cost. There was a skating rink to the left of the large house which appeared to be set up on what Cris thought was a tennis court, and behind the tennis court was a swimming pool with a clear, plexiglass covering that Cris guessed was to keep people from falling in the pool, though there were colored lights underneath.

  There were portable heaters spread around the pool deck, with lots of tables and chairs for people to sit. There was a DJ and a sound system set up, but the music wasn’t playing at the moment.

  When they entered the house with Janae leading the pack, Cris and Hannah both gasped at the sight of the entry foyer. It was like a movie set with a black and white marble floor, dark wooden wainscoting that matched the handrails of the grand staircase, and a beautiful chandelier hanging over a gorgeous table filled with candles and crystals shaped like stars, sparkling like silver and gold. They cast a radiant glow on the white walls of the entryway.

  “Isn’t it beautiful?” Hannah gasped, then wrapped her hand around his arm while they waited for a young lady, who was dressed like an elf, to check their coats.

  The group of six followed the sounds of laughter and soft music into a massive room filled with buffet stations loaded with lots of food. There was a bar to the left and another to the right. In the middle of the room were small tables with silver tablecloths, each adorned with a bright centerpiece that mimicked the huge one in the entry foyer.

  It was a lot to take in for Cris. If Ridge grew up in such opulence, it was actually a wonder the man was so down-to-earth, or so Cris decided.

  Cris scanned the room and was relieved to see almost everyone in ugly sweaters, and it made him laugh. Eve Holiday had a lot of pull with her family to insist that what had likely been a formal affair in years past should become something so casual as an ugly sweater party. Based on the house and formal decorations, Cris was sure the decision was made at the last minute.

  Janae looked at Cris with worry. “I’ve never been to anything like this. Should we, uh, what should we do?”

  “Heck if I know. I guess we get the boys something to eat first?” Cris responded as he knelt down in front of Kevin, the younger Mays brother.

  “You hungry, little man? I’m sure we can find something you’d like out of all of this food. That table has a sign, ‘For our younger guests.’ I bet we can find stuff there you’ll like,” Cris suggested.

  “We’ll take them,” Bauer piped up, then took Hannah’s hand and led her and his little brothers away.

  Just then, Eve Holiday and an older gentleman walked up to them, both smiling. “I see you came to your senses,” she announced, before she hugged Janae. “Thanks for meeting me this morning. You’re a miracle worker,” Eve stated, tilting her head in Cris’ direction.

  Janae laughed. “It took only a little prodding. He caved a lot faster than I imagined.”

  Eve giggled before she turned to the older man. “Grandpa, this is Cristian Gamble… Santa. Cris, this is my grandfather, Leo,” Eve introduced.

  What Cris didn’t expect was for the man to take his hand and give it a hearty shake. “I’ve heard a lot about you, young man. It’s nice to put a face to a name. Let’s get you a drink, shall we? Tell me about yourself,” the older Holiday man compelled. He was about Cris’ height, but he had a commanding presence, so Cris followed him to a bar.

  Mr. Holiday didn’t ask what he wanted to drink. He simply held up two fingers in the direction of the bartender, and the man automatically poured two drinks over large, snowflake-shaped ice cubes, placing the fancy glasses on two, pristine white napkins, nodding his head at Mr. Holiday.

  “Let’s go into the library, shall we?” the older man stated. Cris knew better than to object, so he followed the man down a hallway and into a room that looked like every library he’d seen in the movies with dark wooden shelves, a fireplace, and leather-bound books on every surface. The room smelled like old books, and he knew if Hannah ever saw it, she’d never want to leave.

  “This is very nice,” Cris complimented.

  The older man chuckled. “It’s all a bit stuffy for me. Ginny and I prefer a more casual home to all of this falderal. Oh, Ginny’s my wife, Ridge’s grandmother, Virginia. She wasn’t too excited about the whole ugly-sweater idea, but Eve is the family Svengali and was able to talk her into it. I’ll introduce you to her later.”

  “You and your sister have caused quite a stir in the family, Cristian. Can I call you Cristian, or do you prefer Cris?” the man inquired.

  “Uh, Cris is fine, Sir. You’re eight and a half minutes, right?” Cris blurted out as his hands started to sweat, because he was sure the older man hated him for what had happened between Ridge and himself. Cris hadn’t thought about how Ridge’s family might feel about him, hadn’t even wondered whether Ridge had told them what a real dick Cris had been. He should have given it a lot more consideration before he showed up at their home.

  The older man started chuckling.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I fell in love with my wife in eight and a half minutes. How about you? How long did it take my grandson to fall in love with you?”

  “Three minutes and twenty-four seconds,” they both heard from the doorway of the library.

  Cris turned to see Ridge standing at the doorway, wearing the back half of Cris’ reindeer sweater that Hannah had made them. Cris took a sip of the drink, nearly choking on the bold taste of the liquor. He put the glass on a coaster on the table in front of him and stood.

  “Hi.”

  Ridge slowly walked over to where Cris stood. He took a sip from his own drink and placed it on a coaster next to Cris’.

  “I’m glad you came. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you, but I had some things to work out before I came to beg you to take me back.”

  Cris felt his heart in his throat. “No, Ridge, it’s me who needs to beg. It shouldn’t have mattered whether you gave up your bonus or not. I felt blessed to have met you and wanted to spread the love, or in this case, the money around. You don’t have to… I shouldn’t have expected you to give away your bonus. Hell, I didn’t know you didn’t get paid, but that doesn’t matter. I love you, Ridge. I want the two of us to see if we can make a life together. I have Hannah, but I know she likes you a lot and wants you to spend time with us, so will you forgive me for being such an uptight asshole and give us another shot?” Cris asked, fingers crossed behind his back.

  Ridge pulled him closer and gently touched his soft lips to Cris’. The kiss was precisely what Cris was craving, so he lightly rested his hands over Ridge’s waist and deepened the connection.

  The pain Cris had been feeling in his chest since he’d been such a judgmental jerk about the donation pool at Holiday Toys, seemed to subside a bit as Ridge’s hands gently touched his face, turning his head so their mouths could seam together. Tongues sought the slide of the other, and Cris felt his heart soar at having Ridge in his arms again. It was perfect.

  The two men continued to reacquaint their lips, showing each other how stupid they’d been when they heard a two-beat knock before the door opened. A man who looked a lot like Ridge walked in with a big grin on his face. “I assume you’re Cristian Gamble... JD Holiday,” he offered, then extended his hand to Cris. It was then Cris realized Leo Holiday had fled the scene without either of them noticing.

  “Sir, it’s very nice to meet you. Thank you for inviting us to your party,” Cris mumbled out, feeling his face flush at being caught making out with Ridge in his father’s home.

  “We’re happy you came, Cristian. I had the happy occasion to meet your boss at the garage yesterday. Bobby Jobe? He and his family should be here soon. Since he won’t know anyone, I thought maybe you could act as our emissary. I’m trying to work a deal with him to maintain our new fleet. He can give you the details, but maybe you could talk to him on my behalf?”

  “It’s a good deal for all of us. Mr. Jobe will just have to staff the garage we’re planning to build at the new… well, come on out and listen to the announcement. Sorry to bother you, Ridge, but it’s time,” Mr. Holiday stated.

  Cris turned to Ridge, and saw the sly smile and wink.

  “We’ll be right there, Dad.”

  After Ridge’s father left the room, Cris turned to the man he loved. “What’s going on?”

  Ridge held out his left hand. “Come with me?”

  Cris swallowed the lump in his throat because if felt like Ridge was asking him for something else. “Anywhere.”

  The smile on Ridge’s face made Cris’ heart swell.

  Chapter 19

  Ridge’s stomach had been turning all day. He’d arrived at the manse early in the afternoon while all the workers were busy setting up for the party. He had the ugly sweater Hannah Gamble had made for him that matched the one he hoped Cris would wear to the party that night… if Cris came to the party. As far as he knew, it was still up in the air.

  He hung his coat in the closet near the front door and wandered into the solarium where his grandmother was supervising his mother, who was overseeing the people setting up for the party that night.

  “Ladies,” he greeted, before he walked over to this grandmother and kissed her cheek.

  “You look like you’ve lost weight,” Ginny Holiday whispered to him, then pressed something into his hand. Ridge looked down to see it was a hundred-dollar bill.

  “Grandma, I don’t need this. Thank you, though. I appreciate it, but I’m going to be just fine,” he responded, hoping if he wished for it hard enough, it would come true. To date, he wasn’t fine without Cristian Gamble, but if Fate smiled upon him, maybe?

  He then walked over to Elaine Holiday, seeing a look of disapproval on her face. “What, Mother?”

  “You were in the hospital and didn’t even think to call me, your mother? What did I do wrong?” his mother whined, which made Ridge want to laugh. If he had called her when he was at the hospital, Ridge knew she would have asked him what he thought she could do for him. She would have asked if there was a doctor, and when he told her it was Palmer, his cousin, she’d have said he was in good hands before she hung up. Elaine Holiday wasn’t precisely a helicopter mom.

  “I was sure you were busy doing charity work, and I wasn’t that injured. Palmer took care of me. I’ll be fine,” Ridge explained, then kissed her cheeks.

  He watched his mother touch the corners of her eyes with a lace handkerchief, before she turned to one of the florist assistants. “Excuse me! Not there… over there. Did you not listen to me?” she snapped, as she pointed to a different corner of the solarium.

  Ridge laughed as he returned to where his grandmother was sitting in her chair, looking quite displeased. “Why is this a casual affair? It’s never been a casual affair before, or so I was told. We don’t stay in town for the party, because your mother insists on making it a gaudy show of wealth, of which I don’t approve, but this? Eve gave me an absurd sweater she says I must wear. Why?”

  “Grandma, we’re having people from the local stores here for the party this year, and I doubt they have Carolina Herrera designer gowns at their disposal. Come on… it’ll be fun. Embrace the change,” Ridge explained, before he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to hug her.

  Ginny Holiday laughed. “Am I going to get to meet your young man? Evie says he’s charming and handsome, but he’s a bit of a starched shirt?”

  One thing Ridge knew about his grandmother was that she was a fierce protector of her family. He wasn’t sure what Eve had told her, but he decided to tread lightly.

  “He’s raising his sister. Their parents were killed in a home invasion, and Cris is very protective of Hannah. He pays for her to go to a private school, because she’s brilliant, and I have no doubt you’ll love both of them. They’re extraordinary,” Ridge offered to the matriarch of the Holiday family.

  Ginny took his arm and gave him an approving smile. “That’s a good man, Grandson. Don’t let him walk away. You’re going to be twenty-five tomorrow, and it’s time you settled down.”

  Ridge hugged her again before leaving the room to find his father and grandfather. He needed his father’s final decision regarding the business proposal he’d outlined the previous week.

  After pouring himself a cup of coffee, Ridge made his way to JD’s study, which doubled as the family library, to find his father on the phone. “Thank you, Liza. Have a great vacation,” Ridge heard his father say to the regional manager for the northeastern territory, Liza Doyle.

  “So, have you considered my proposal?” Ridge asked, studying JD Holiday’s face to look for disapproval. Surprisingly, there was none.

  “Yes, I have. You provided very detailed notes, Ridge, and I actually went to West Philly to speak with Bob Jobe yesterday. He seemed very interested in the opportunity to maintain the fleet, but he doesn’t want to move. The garage is near his home, but the first name he recommended to head up the on-site garage was Cris Gamble. I didn’t bring it up, I promise. I let him lead t
he way just as you suggested.”

  “I’m very proud of you, Ridge. I’ll make sure your trust fund is released on the second,” JD offered.

  Ridge held up his hand to his father. “Yeah, about that. I don’t want all of it for myself. I want to donate the majority of it. I want to earn a fair salary for running the distribution warehouse, but I have other plans for the majority of my trust, Dad.

  “I’d like to donate the money to establish a Holiday Family Foundation, and I want to sit on the board of it, but I don’t want to run it. I want the Foundation to offer assistance to the employees of the stores and their families if they need it. I want it to sponsor scholarships for everyone who wants to further their education, and I want it to do community outreach projects in areas where we have stores.

  “I’ve learned a huge lesson in a short time, Dad. I’ll never eat ramen again, but I get what you were trying to do, okay? I want to take my place at Holiday Toys, but I want to do it my way. I know you were waiting for me to wise-up for a long time, and I finally have, I think.

  “I can’t say I appreciated what you did to me, but I was an idiot and likely deserved much worse than what I got. Thank you,” Ridge offered, surprised he could get it out without breaking down.

  No, it wasn’t anything Ridge Holiday ever wanted to endure again, but the lesson was a good one. It was a shame he wasn’t smart enough to figure his shit out without his father having to force it on him.

  “What about your photography? You take great pictures, son. Don’t give up on it,” his father offered as he walked from behind his desk and leaned against the front of it, facing Ridge where he was sitting in one of the fancy, leather chairs that had been there since Ridge was a little boy.

  Ridge had always loved the large room with all the books. It was his father’s study, but it was also the family’s library. Ridge remembered sneaking into the room while his father was working at home on evenings and weekends.