by Logan Chance
“You naughty girl.”
She laughs and I love that I can do that. A smile on her is so much better than the annoyance and hate that fills her features every time she looks my way. Even though I damn well deserve it for the torture I’ve put her through.
“Don’t tell Santa,” she whispers.
“Don’t you know? Santa wishes he was cool enough to talk to a guy like me. I’ve got better toys than he does.”
“This is true.” But her eyes lose that playful light she had just a moment ago.
“Sorry.” I glance away. “Bad joke.”
“It’s true, though.”
“And also a shitty thing to say.” I hesitate, looking away from her for a moment. “I don’t really feel that way.”
“This is an amazing place. You should be proud of it. Your family has put in so much work. So many years. It makes people really happy.”
“Does it make you happy?” I blurt out the words before I even think about what I’m asking.
“I...uh...”
I smile reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I understand that feeling too.”
Holly’s brows pull together. She inches a little closer to me in her seat. “It doesn’t make you happy?”
I shrug my shoulders a bit. “It was my father’s dream. This was his thing.”
“Oh.”
I stare out the window, through the white snow that begins to dust its breath across the glass again as it falls harder. People on the street turn into little ant-like dots worming their way through traffic to find shelter and warmth inside of busy specialty shops along the chaotic streets.
“Truth is,” I begin, “when I was a kid, I used to hide in this place for hours. It was a lot different back then. The stuff my dad offered to people was for a different reason. It felt a little more hopeful. I feel like all we do is make a profit, but we don’t really sell something. Does that make sense?”
“What did your dad stock the shelves with?” Holly asks.
“I don’t know.” I blow out a hard breath. “Things that made people believe in something bigger than themselves. Like he could bottle up an adventure and bring it to life. I’ve got you stacking gold-dipped pacifiers in the stupid window. What is that supposed to inspire?”
“Rage.” She laughs. “It inspires rage.”
“I’m sorry.” I smile back. “It was such a dumb purchase.”
“So why did you do it?” Holly asks. “Why don’t you sell what inspires you?”
Because you’re not for sale, I’d like to say. But that’s cheesy. I won’t go there. Plus, she’s looking for an honest answer. Her eyes rest fully on me as I turn my chair slightly in her direction.
“I guess I don’t really know what inspires me, yet.” I swallow. “What would you sell?”
“Oh, me?” She blinks. “I’m the wrong person to ask.”
“Why?”
“I’d just give everything away. Seriously. I’m the biggest sucker for a happily ever after.”
“Really? I see you as a bit ruthless.”
“Yes, of course.”
“You have more sales than any other person that works here. You don’t get to the top by being the nice girl.”
“Maybe I’m just good at fetching wieners.” She winks and it warms my chest by about a million degrees.
I yank at my tie. “I think there’s a lot more to you than that, Miss Winterbourne.”
“Holly. Since we’re now on a first name basis.”
“Holly.” I let it roll around in my head. Imagine her under me and the name sighing from my lips as I fuck her senselessly. As she rides me, taking every inch of my cock. Holly. Her hair twisting in my fist as she begs for me to come inside her.
Holly. Holly, Holly, Holly…
She breaks me from my fantasy as she turns things back to a less than spectacular subject. My solitude.
“Are you alone for Christmas, North?”
“I’m surrounded by chaos, in case you haven’t noticed.”
She grins with a roll of her eyes. “Not a smart way to get on Santa’s good boy list.”
“Holly,” I say her name purposefully, “ ...allow me to assure you, I have never been on the good boy’s list.”
“Somehow, I believe that.”
“Somehow, you’ve stuck around for five years.”
“Six,” she corrects.
“Six.” I nod and things go from playful to strained in a flash. “Damn. Has it really been that long?”
“Do you miss him?”
“My father? I don’t know. He was a hard man to know. He wasn’t around much, and when he was, his head was always somewhere else, thinking up new places to go exploring or what woman he’d conquer next.”
Holly smiles and goes back to playful, with her playful little fingers tickling the back of my hand as she reaches out and says, “See? You’re a little bit like him, after all.”
“I don’t conquer women.”
Her brows don’t believe me.
“I explore them.”
That’s when I’m treated to the best laughter of all.
Knock Knock . . .
Ugh.
“Yes?”
Meg pushes her little mousey face through the door. The girl is cute, but in a little sister kind of way. I have zero interest in going there. She quickly scans back and forth from me to Holly and then the hot dog that they were trying to fight to the death over earlier. “I’m going home.”
“Have a Merry Christmas,” I say and apparently it must not be something I have ever said before because I’m gawked at by two women as if I’ve grown multiple heads in their presence.
Holly blinks back to life, turning to Meg. “Merry Christmas, Meg.”
She glances between the two of us. “Same to you all.” Her eyes flash to Holly for a moment as if she’s unsure about leaving her here with me all alone. Truthfully, we’re not alone. There’s an entire sales floor that needs our swift asses out there. Yes, even mine. Because like a damn idiot I just allowed my second top performer to go home on the busiest night for shopping in the entire world.
All because of a stinkin’ hot dog and a shitty childhood.
Oh, and don’t forget the hot girl.
“Well,” Holly says, “I guess I better get back out there before everything turns to crap. Um...enjoy your food.”
I nod at her and force myself to say the words, “Thank you.”
And it’s worth every minute of it because she smiles like it was a gift of grandeur. “You’re welcome, North.”
I turn back to my food and just as I’m about to dive in, what just happened hits me. I whip my chair around and call out to her.
Holly stops abruptly in the doorway with her big, crystal-blue doe eyes directly on mine.
“You brought me the hot dog,” I accuse.
“Yes.” Her face is a bit bewildered.
“I said whoever got the hot dog first could go home. So why is Meg leaving?”
Holly sighs softly. “She needed to leave more than I do. She has five kids at home. I’m just a single girl who needs to make rent.” She smiles weakly at me. “I’m gonna hit the floor, unless there’s something else, sir?”
I watch her for a moment. “I’ll be sure to let Santa know about your little good deed.”
“Thought you were too cool for school when it came to Santa?”
“Yeah, well,” I shrug it off, “some people are worth looking less cool for, I suppose.”
“You could send me home, too. You could send us all home, you know.”
I nod. “Nice try. Get back out there and sell every last one of those golden pacifiers to every lame celebrity kid named Dream, Apple, Jimmy Choo-Choo Train, fucking Saber Tooth Timmy that comes into our store. Miss Holly Winterbourne—queen of ruthless sales.”
She smiles with a laugh. “You’ve got it, North Caspian—king of New York wieners.”
Chapter 3
Holly
I feel like my eyelids a
re glued together. I’m so tired. It’s just after midnight when we finally turn the lock on the door and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief for the day officially coming to an end.
It’s ironic, really. Because now it’s also officially Christmas and if I were still a kid this is exactly how I’d feel on Christmas morning. I remember trying to pry my weak little eyes open as I dashed out to the tree to see what Santa left for me under there. Amazing what you’ll make yourself do in the name of great gifts.
Now I just want to go home and crash in my bed for the next twenty-four hours.
I tidy up the front end of Wondrous, a long yawn escaping my mouth as I wonder silently who really would spend four grand on a puzzle? Miley Tenner. A-list influencer and beauty brand builder. That’s who.
Imagine the issues that kid of hers is going to have. I mean look at North, my boss, a guy that was raised to work in the business his dad created and nurtured into success—he’s a hot (super hot) mess with no ideas about what inspires him. He had to work for his empire and he’s still a raging bull. Imagine a kid who’s handed thousand-dollar puzzles as gifts.
Ugh.
On the upside, I’m glad I was able to give Meg the night off to be with her children. I know, I know...I said I wanted to leave purgatory at any cost, but what kind of crap person (and major hypocrite) would I be if I was at home getting smashed drunk while she was here being tortured by North while her kids missed their mom?
I’m ruthless, but to a point.
And that point is not keeping a mom away from her kids. Sorry.
Also, I made a pretty sweet commission tonight thanks to all the kids with really bad names. And a bigger thanks to their insanely rich and famous parents. I call it a win-win. Add North being playful with me in his office to that list and it’s a triple crown victory.
Call me crazy, but I actually liked him for the first time in six years.
He was likable.
My boss.
North Caspian.
That’s a bit of Christmas magic if I’ve ever witnessed any.
Typically, closing up shop is just cleaning up and locking the door. North never allows anyone to touch the money or deposits. He does all of that work himself. But, I do need to be patted down (no I’m not kidding) and have my purse checked for any stolen golden pacifiers or treasure maps, before I’m allowed to leave.
So, I head back to his office and knock on his door, one last time tonight. Or maybe I should say, for the first time today since it has passed the midnight hour. His door is left ajar to my surprise. Inside of his immaculate, exquisite, office it’s grown dark, the stark white walls illuminated by a single lamp on his desk that casts his shadow on the wall to reflect him three times bigger than he actually is—a bit of a monster type of image.
“Need something?” He asks, his eyes not meeting mine.
“I’m ready to leave, sir. Um, North.”
He’s silent for a moment and then he calls me over with the tips of his fingers, still not looking at me.
I slowly walk toward him, my heart picking up the pace a bit as I inch closer for some reason. Maybe it’s the dim lighting. Maybe it’s because I’m so freaking tired, but I feel nervous.
I’m a little unhinged it being just the two of us alone, now.
North reaches across his desk and cups his hand over something, then shoves it slowly in my direction. When he pulls his hand away, there’s a medium-sized white box underneath, wrapped beautifully with a bright red bow.
I assume someone forgot to bag it for a client and I’m going to be forced to go hand deliver it last minute. Instantly the tears and anger build inside my chest and threaten to burst out from me in a long string of expletives.
“Merry Christmas,” he says low.
I blink away the tears he hasn’t seen and try to steady my voice—both the surprise and anger before I answer him. “Oh. This is for me?”
“Only if you’d like to have it, Holly.” His shoulders shrug a bit.
Why’s he so wrapped up in what’s on his computer? I feel torn between tearing open the box and yelling at him to at least look at me.
Is this a joke? Is he for real?
Against my better judgment, I reach for the box. It’s pretty heavy. After I pull away the ribbon, the lid lifts easily and I gasp a little bit as I peek inside.
It’s not some cruel joke, thankfully.
A beautiful snow globe from his collection.
They’re the only items in the store that are not for sale. A long snaking line of them string across North Caspian’s office walls, proudly displayed on dark wooden shelves. There’s now one spot empty that is home to a shadow.
“Oh, North, this is beautiful, but way too much. I can’t accept this.”
“Can I tell you something?”
I blink. “Of course you can.”
He kicks the same chair out to me that I sat in earlier.
I try my best to be steady as I sink down beside him. He smells like luxury. Like the leather of a new car. Like an adventure. Like this whole damn wondrous place all at once.
He’s pushed up the sleeves on his button-down and his tie is gone. North’s hair is a wild nest on top of his head, like his fingers have been running a marathon through his locks all night. He gazes at me and it’s the first time I’ve ever really noticed how long and gorgeous his lashes are that frame his smoldering eyes.
“I’ve never actually celebrated Christmas before,” he admits, almost shyly. “I’ve always just watched it happen all around me.”
“What do you mean? How can you not celebrate Christmas? It’s the most incredible day of the whole year.”
North shrugs a little, his face strained as he scrubs his hand back and forth across his jawline. “I’ve always stayed here after the store closed at midnight. I used to like the quietness. I liked staring out this window as the sun rose and remained this little grey neon light in the sky. I liked how empty the streets were.”
“That sounds pretty depressing. No offense.”
He grins a little. “It made me feel good actually. I liked that all of the hard work throughout the year meant something in the end.”
I toy with the snow globe in my hands. “And this?”
North shoves away from his desk. “Consider that six years worth of thank-you’s I’ve never said.” He stares at me with a sincere expression in his eyes. “Thank you, Holly Winterbourne. And please accept my gift. It’s my absolute favorite globe of the Caspian collection.”
I’m stunned into silence.
“Don’t look at me like that.” He laughs. “I assure you I’m still the rotten bastard I’ve always been.”
“Somehow . . .” I swallow hard. “I think I may have misjudged you.”
North waves me off and gathers his coat, leaving his papers across the desk and then locks up the cash boxes in a large safe stuck inside a wall on the furthest end of his office.
“Ever been to The Baths?” he asks, shoving his long arms into his heavy wool coat.
“Of course I’ve taken baths. I do prefer showers, though.”
He laughs a little and I squirm as he stares at me with those electric eyes and dazzling grin. “No, silly girl. The Baths is one of the most beautiful wonders of the world, surrounded by the sea, sand, and adventure.”
I blush a little, feeling stupid for not knowing that. “Sounds like a great summer getaway. And no, I’ve never been there.”
“It’s a December getaway. A getaway from all this snow. That’s where I’m spending Christmas. You should getaway, too.”
I laugh. “Oh, but North...what would my boss think about something like that?”
He moves closer to me. “He thinks you’d look fucking spectacular in a bikini.”
I smile. “And then he’d fire me when he’s done ‘exploring’ me in that bikini, right?”
North stops shy of my feet. He glances down at me. “I’m actually firing you tonight.”
“What? On freakin
g Christmas? Are you kidding?” Ugh. I knew better than to trust him. I’m about to hand him back his damn snow globe when he puts his hands on my shoulders.
“I’m closing the store. Next year we’ll all be somewhere else, Holly. I hope to find the right place for myself. A place that inspires me to be a better person. A person that’s more like you.”
“Wow.”
He smiles. “It was a very thought provoking weiner.”
I groan and shove at his chest a little. Touching him makes my insides squirm. I fold my hand back over the snow globe. “I definitely won’t miss your bad jokes.”
North grins. “Walk you out?”
“For the last time.” I sigh. “Wow. This actually feels a little bit sad.”
“Not at all how you’d thought of quitting a million times, hm?”
I laugh and feel a bit embarrassed. Because I have thought of quitting a million times. All of which included North taking things like this very snow globe and shoving it right up his perfectly sculpted ass.
“I’m going to plead the fifth, Mr. Caspian.”
We smile at each other and North flips off the light as we exit. The shop is also dark as we walk through the aisles for the last time. The air is bone-splitting cold as we step out into the midnight air.
I hug my arms around myself and try to breathe through my scarf to keep the cold air out of my lungs.
North locks the front door to the shop, and then takes a step back. Everything in the window boxes is still lit up and animated. I can only imagine him as a little boy standing here with all of his father’s treasures whizzing around and yet North Caspian never got to celebrate a Christmas morning—how sad.
North tilts his head a little as he stares at the store. I can’t imagine what he feels. My family life was pretty average, I guess. Both parents worked middle class jobs. Mom was a school teacher at my high school and my father was a basketball coach for the rival high school. But that was back home.
New York is not the place I ever thought I’d live in, growing up. My mother fainted, literally fainted, when I told her I was going to move here to attend college. After she came to, we had a battle over which is worse—tornado sirens or the possibility of being robbed on the subway. Rats vs not paying insane rent costs, and instead living free back home. Thankfully I was a good student and managed a scholarship to pay my way, because no matter how many killer points I made about epic rats throughout history (Master Splinter, Chuck E. Cheese, Rizzo from the Muppets, Speedy Gonzales, Ratatouille) she was not getting on board with my plan.
