The Billionaire's Christmas Cinderella

by Carol Marinelli

  Abe didn’t even offer hope.

  Had he said they could try, maybe see if they worked, then Naomi doubted even wild horses could drag her from his bed.

  So rather than keep looking back at the house, she walked on. Better that than run back to the house and tell him she’d changed her mind and, yes, please, take her to San...wherever it was and make love to her over and over.

  She walked for a good hour, till she stood in the very place where they had first kissed, and she wished, how she wished, that she’d had the courage to say yes to him. Wished she could have had the courage to throw caution to the wind and just said yes to one wild, crazy night.

  But she hadn’t.

  So rather than wishing for the impossible, and one night in his arms, she went and bought a hot dog instead.

  For once, it didn’t help.

  ‘There you are.’ Barb smiled when Naomi returned. ‘I was just saying to Merida I thought you might be doing the harbour cruise.’

  ‘No, I just went for a walk,’ Naomi said, and looked at Barb’s face for signs she’d been crying, or any sign really that the conversation had taken place, but she looked, well, just like Barb. ‘Is everything okay?’

  ‘Everything’s fine,’ Barb said. ‘We had such a lovely night.’

  Naomi headed up the stairs and met Merida coming down them.

  ‘Where’s Ava?’ Naomi asked.

  ‘Asleep.’ She was carrying a bag from the hotel, which she handed to Naomi once they were in her little living room.

  ‘What’s this?’

  ‘A robe from the hotel’s gift shop.’

  It was gorgeous, the fabric was very thick and soft, and it was so heavy that for a second Naomi’s mind flitted to her luggage, but then she reminded herself that she didn’t have to think like that now.

  She might need excess luggage this time, but she would soon have a home. Things might not have worked out between herself and Abe, but she hoped that she would get to tell him just how much he had helped her last night.

  ‘How was Night Forest?’ Merida asked, oh, so casually.

  ‘Wonderful!’

  ‘And Sabine?’

  ‘Terrible,’ Naomi said dutifully, and they both laughed. ‘No, she was amazing, but I just know that you would have been too. How was Ava?’

  ‘She was cranky,’ Merida admitted. ‘But we got there. Khalid came up to the suite for a drink before dinner and met her, and she was perfectly behaved then.’

  ‘Was it tense?’

  ‘Not at all! Can you believe that Abe backed down?’

  ‘Really?’

  Merida nodded. ‘He didn’t even come to dinner. He told Ethan that right now he’s got more to worry about than placating a sheikh...’ She let out a hoot of laughter. ‘I gather that Candice finally saw sense and dumped him. Good for her.’

  Naomi wondered what Merida’s reaction would be if walls could speak!

  ‘So it’s all sorted?’ Naomi checked. ‘The Middle East stuff?’

  Merida nodded. ‘It seems to be. Khalid’s even staying on for the Devereux ball. Mind you, as nice as it was to have a night away, it made me realise I don’t want to go. I am not black-tie-ball ready. Either physical or mentally. It’s really catty, apparently, and anyway it’s your birthday. I’m not leaving you on your own. We can have cocktails and watch the red carpet on live-stream—’

  ‘Merida,’ Naomi interrupted, ‘you know I don’t like a fuss on my birthday. Don’t make excuses, it’s fine not to want to leave Ava. She’ll only be three weeks old.’

  ‘That’s just it. And it’s not just the night, it’s getting ready and all that it entails. I just want to stay home with my baby. I hope that Jobe understands.’

  So too did Abe.

  He left the office at lunchtime and a short while later walked into his father’s hospital suite and saw him resting back on his pillows and looking out of the window to the reservoir. Abe wondered what his father was thinking and he just stood there for a moment, taking it in—the precious time left where he still had a father he could turn to.

  If only he would allow himself.

  ‘Jobe...’ Abe watched as his father snapped out of his trance and then turned and gave him a tired smile. ‘Do you think you might be able to stick around for a while longer?’

  Jobe gave a tired laugh. ‘Why’s that, then?’

  ‘Because I need your advice.’

  ‘Well, they say if you live long enough you see everything once...’ Jobe responded. ‘What is it you want?’

  Abe could tell that Jobe didn’t really believe that he needed his father’s take on whatever was on his mind, but Abe wasn’t placating his father. ‘I really could use some guidance. I think you’re right and that I should take Naomi to the ball—she deserves an amazing night.’

  ‘Then what’s stopping you?’

  ‘I’m not at all sure that she’ll agree to go.’ He didn’t say why. ‘But even if she did I’m rather certain that Ethan and Merida would talk her out of it. They’ll need her to babysit.’ There was an edge to his voice at the final part, and inside Jobe smiled.

  ‘Well, Ethan was just in and said that Merida’s not up to a black-tie ball.’ He gave his son a wink. ‘I’ll tell them it’s my idea, they’re not going to argue with me.’ He patted his son’s hand. ‘I’m sure we can come up with a plan.’

  They did, and it took a few days to thrash it all out, deciding it best not to tell Ethan and Merida until the eve of the ball.

  And certainly not to let on to Naomi.

  Naomi, with time to think about it, would work out a million reasons why she couldn’t go.

  It had to be a surprise.

  ‘Just avoid her,’ Jobe said, ‘until the day of the ball.’

  Abe tried.

  There were places to be and people to see, and what’s more there was suddenly more life in Jobe. From having little to do with the details of the ball this year so far, suddenly he wanted everything run past him.

  It was a very busy few days.

  And not all of them pleasant.

  Candice had not taken the break-up well and there were a lot of meetings between Abe and his attorney.

  He stood in his office looking out at a cold grey winters day and refused to be screwed over. ‘We weren’t married,’ Abe pointed out. ‘It was a contracted agreement.’

  ‘And one that you’re breaking.’

  ‘That’s covered,’ Abe pointed out. ‘There are get-out clauses...’ And then he stopped, because that’s what he did of late.

  Since Naomi had come into his life, more and more he was trying to do the right thing—with Khalid, with his father, but, goodness, Candice took every bit of goodwill and milked it for gold.

  ‘She can have the apartment for a further six months.’

  Candice wanted twelve.

  Abe stormed out of his office, slamming the door behind him, and was pulling on his coat, ready to head down in the elevator and cool off, when he saw her.

  Or rather them.

  There was Merida, Ava in her pram, and their very awkward-looking nanny.

  ‘Hi, Abe.’ Merida gave him a tight smile. ‘We just came in to show off Ava...’

  He just stalked past them, and Naomi closed her eyes and asked herself how, how, she could be so crazy about the kind of man who didn’t even stop and say hi to his niece.

  But then he halted and looked into the pram and said, of all things, ‘Good morning,’ to a three-week-old, and then he gave a curt nod to Merida.

  And he offered nothing to her.

  It had almost killed her that since that night she hadn’t seen him and now that she had, Naomi hurt even more.

  And that hurt was compounded on the eve of her birthday.

  There was a rather mad rush on as Jobe had asked that
Ethan bring Merida and Ava to see him that night. ‘He wants us all to watch the montage we’ve put together for the ball. Abe too,’ Ethan explained to Merida as Naomi dressed Ava.

  ‘Abe will see it tomorrow.’

  ‘I guess...’ Ethan agreed, changing his tie. ‘I guess he just wants us to see it together.’

  ‘Has Jobe seen it?’ Merida asked.

  ‘Not yet.’

  They chatted away, as couples did, and then, halfway up the poppers on Ava’s little cherry-red suit, came the conversation Naomi had been dreading.

  ‘Who’s Abe taking?’

  ‘His latest.’

  Naomi messed up the poppers and had to undo the top half and start again.

  ‘Who?’

  ‘I can’t keep up with the names.’

  It was just a throw-away comment. Such a little thing so that neither noticed Naomi’s pale face as she handed Ava over.

  ‘I don’t know how long we’ll be,’ Merida said as she gave Naomi a quick kiss. ‘It depends on Jobe.’

  ‘Don’t rush back for me,’ Naomi said. ‘I think I might just head off to bed.’

  Which she did.

  Naomi peeled off her jeans and top and sat on the bed in her knickers and bra and did her damnedest not to cry.

  Abe had moved on.

  She’d expected no less.

  Of course he would take someone else to the ball.

  * * *

  ‘No way,’ Jobe said.

  He was holding Ava as he watched the montage that had been painstakingly put together. Merida was sitting in the chair beside them as his sons stood, awaiting his verdict. ‘It looks like I’m already dead. Use that one next year and put up some clips of me dancing.’

  ‘The ball’s tomorrow,’ Ethan pointed out.

  ‘Then you’d better crack on,’ Jobe retorted. ‘But first...’

  He told them what would be happening.

  ‘No way.’ It was Ethan’s turn to say it. He gave a curt shake of his head as Merida cast him an urgent glance.

  Abe had expected nothing less from his brother, who, now married, had made himself the moral majority.

  ‘Absolutely not.’ Ethan looked straight at Abe. ‘You can’t have him take Naomi to the ball.’

  Oh, there wasn’t an argument bedside, but the Devereuxes were not the type to let a little thing like death get in the way of a heated discussion.

  ‘But why not?’ Jobe frowned. ‘You two aren’t going and Abe has to take someone and Naomi’s a lovely young lady. As well as that, tomorrow’s her birthday. Why shouldn’t she be treated to a glitzy night out?’

  ‘It’s the company she’ll be keeping that concerns me,’ Ethan said, and again shook his head. ‘No.’

  ‘So you’re the type of boss,’ Abe checked, ‘who dictates what his staff does on their night off. Assuming she gets a night off on her birthday.’

  That derisive note was back to Abe’s voice. He did not like the fact that Naomi was employed by his brother. And it wasn’t just snobbery, more he could not stand that he had to go to his younger brother to even take Naomi out. However, he acknowledged that for tomorrow to work, he did indeed need their help.

  ‘Of course I don’t dictate what she does in her free time,’ Ethan snapped. ‘I just wouldn’t encourage her to be spending it with you.’

  ‘Well, I think a night out on the town is just what she needs.’ Jobe smiled. ‘There are a few of the nurses from here going. I’ll tell them to look out for her if Abe gets waylaid. I want this, boys...’ he told them.

  ‘Boys?’ Ethan checked.

  ‘How about,’ Abe suggested, ‘we leave it for Naomi to decide?’

  ‘Jobe.’ Merida found her voice then. She’d been so taken aback at the thought of her shy friend on Abe’s arm at the rather daunting ball that she’d been stunned into silence. ‘While it’s a lovely idea, women spend months preparing for this night. Dress fittings, spa trips, you can’t just spring something like this in on her the day before the event.’

  ‘I agree,’ Jobe said. ‘I think it better that you tell her tomorrow.’

  CHAPTER NINE

  ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...’

  Barb, as she did for all staff on their birthdays, carried a huge tray into the bedroom as she sang a tuneless rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’.

  ‘Breakfast in bed!’ Naomi sat up. She had completely forgotten about the promise of breakfast. ‘How lovely.’

  ‘Not just any breakfast,’ Barb said. ‘All my best dishes are there.’

  There were scrambled eggs with lox, but when Naomi took a taste of the briny smoked salmon she reached for water. And there was bialys, round bread with the dent filled in with caramelised onions, and a serving, too, of breakfast potatoes, and it was all topped with bacon crisped to near extinction.

  ‘Take your time,’ Barb said.

  For someone who loved their food, it was the best, and as she ate, Naomi stuffed down the hurt and planned her day off, determined to make the most of it.

  She would go on the river cruise, Naomi decided, and then she’d do some last-minute shopping.

  And that took care of today, but she could not bear to think of tonight.

  Merida’s suggestion that they have cocktails together and watch the live-stream of guests arriving sounded like a form of slow torture to Naomi.

  She’d have to wriggle out of it, Naomi decided as she dressed, though she had no idea how.

  As Naomi came down the stairs with her tray, Bernard was kneeling beneath the Christmas tree, adding presents to the pile, and he smiled when he saw her.

  ‘Happy birthday, Naomi.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Once you’ve dropped that in the kitchen, can you go and give Merida a hand with Ava? They’re putting up stockings in the drawing room.’

  ‘Sure,’ Naomi said. ‘I didn’t hear them up...’

  She pushed open the drawing-room door and there were Ethan, Merida, Ava and Barb all standing by a table, and on it there was gorgeous birthday cake and for the second time that morning she was greeted with song.

  ‘You know I don’t like a fuss,’ Naomi pleaded.

  ‘This year you’re getting one,’ Merida said.

  Barb had bought her a huge scarf and from Ava there were long silver earrings.

  ‘She has very good taste.’ Naomi smiled, privately wondering where on earth she’d ever wear them—a baby’s little fingers tangled up in one would have her earlobe off.

  ‘This is from Ethan and me,’ Merida said, and handed her a pale gold envelope. The paper was thick and heavy and as she took out the card inside Naomi frowned as she read it.

  ‘A spa day?’ She couldn’t keep the question from her voice, and for a moment she wondered if Merida had gone completely mad. Naomi was the last person to go to a spa day, especially one in New York.

  God, the women would all be hovering around the hundred-pound mark!

  ‘Thank you,’ Naomi duly said. ‘I’ll look forward to that.’

  ‘You don’t have to wait.’ Merida smiled. ‘It’s for today.’

  ‘Today?’

  ‘Yes. You are not to do anything other than be thoroughly pampered...’

  ‘Merida, no...’ Oh, she hated saying it, but thanks to Abe she was becoming quite proficient in its use. ‘It’s a lovely idea and everything, but it’s Christmas tomorrow, I’ve got far too many things that I need to do today.’

  ‘You have to go to the spa today because tonight,’ Merida said, and then went a little pink, ‘you’re going to the Devereux ball.’

  ‘No.’ Naomi immediately shook her head. ‘I can’t.’

  ‘You can. It’s Jobe’s gift to you.’

  Naomi felt sick.

  Oh, it might not sound a big deal to some, but Naomi so rarely wen
t out.

  And certainly not to black-tie balls.

  And while it was the most wonderful thought and a gorgeous invitation, she simply could not face it. ‘Merida, I shan’t know anyone.’

  ‘Jobe’s thought of that.’ Ethan spoke then, and she caught a tiny look that flashed between him and Merida. ‘Abe’s going to take you.’

  She would wake up soon, Naomi decided, because it was like being stuck in a nightmare.

  Yes, any minute now Barb would come singing through her door.

  Except everyone stood smiling at her.

  She thought of Abe’s gritted jaw when Jobe had suggested it, and his utter dismissal of her when they had stopped by the office.

  Then she thought of his embarrassment at having her on his arm on this most prominent night.

  Oh, he fancied her, she knew that.

  But it was a between-the-sheets thing, Naomi was sure.

  And while he might be prepared to have sex with her on a private beach, he would not, Naomi was positive, want her by his side at such a high-profile event.

  ‘Merida, please put your magic wand away. I don’t want to be foisted on Abe and I do not want to go to the ball.’

  ‘Naomi...’ Merida saw her friend was struggling but she just made it worse. ‘Abe will be working the room all night. Khalid will be there and, I promise, Ethan has asked him to look out for you. He’s an utter gentleman. And Jobe has two of his favourite nurses going with their husbands...’

  ‘What about Abe, what does he have to say about this?’

  ‘He wants what his father wants,’ Merida said.

  And she must remember those words, Naomi thought to herself.

  He’d been dragged into it by Jobe, possibly not screaming as she doubted Abe had the emotional capacity towards her for that, but still he was doing this to please Jobe. But that meant tonight Abe would be punching above his weight, and not in the usual sense.

  Naomi was not being self-effacing but she was not his usual type and she knew it.

  It was Merida who calmed her down.

  She waved Ethan and everybody off and then sat on the couch with Naomi, who was still clutching the card from the spa. ‘Abe will be working the room. You’ll hardly have to see him. Just one duty dance and then you can drink Manhattans all night long.’