by Krista Lakes
“Hey kiddo,” her dad called from his float as she passed.
“Hi, Dad!” She waved and came over to give him a hug. He was wearing his Santa costume and had his fluffy white beard in place.
“You look happy this morning,” he said, returning her hug. He looked over her face and smiled. “I don’t know the last time I’ve seen you look this happy.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “It suits you. I like it.”
That made her smile, and she realized that she was already grinning. So, she just smiled a little wider.
“Thanks, Dad.” She looked around. “How’s the float?”
He shrugged. “It’ll probably be the last year for this old gal,” he said sadly. “The tree needs replacing and some squirrels got into the presents last night. I managed to fix them, but they won’t make it another year. Seems to be the story of my world.”
Holly’s smile faltered slightly.
“Don’t stop smiling because of me,” her dad said, seeing her face. “I’m okay. These things happen. It’s okay. You keep that smile.”
Holly’s heart ached. She could see the tiredness in her father’s eyes. The lifetime of work that he was seeing slowly fall apart and that he couldn’t put back together again.
She glanced around. Most of the parade participants were on their floats, so it was quiet. The two bookstore employees were getting coffee, so they were alone. Holly hoisted herself up onto the float.
“Dad, I have some good news for you,” she whispered. “You can’t tell anyone because it isn’t official yet, but it might make your day better.”
Her dad frowned, the white Santa beard shifting on his face. “What do you mean?”
She looked around one more time. “Nathan is planning on keeping Elements here. He wants to stop the move to California,” she whispered.
Light entered her father’s eyes. “Really?” His voice cracked with hope.
“Really. But you can’t tell anyone. Promise me you won’t tell.”
“Not a soul,” he promised, but his smile was already speaking volumes. Tears of joy welled up in his eyes. “I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”
“I know. It means you can keep the store open,” Holly said, her own voice growing thick with emotion.
He hugged her close. “Thank you for telling me, Holly. It’s made my Christmas.”
Her heart filled with joy. That was what Christmas was really about. Making people joyful.
“Oh, look, here comes our hero now,” Mark said, pointing down the road.
Nathan walked among the floats, his black coat open in the cool air. She grinned and hopped off the float to greet him.
“I thought you weren’t coming until the parade started,” she said, greeting him with a hug and a smile.
“Well, I had no one to have meetings with. It seems everyone who works at Elements is here. It’s hard to have a meeting without employees,” Nathan replied with a smile.
Her walkie-talkie chirped and several engines started around them. The parade was starting.
She grinned at him. “You want to ride on the float with me?”
His eyes went wide. “I can do that?”
“Yes, Mr. Big-shot. You can do that.” She jumped up onto the float bed with her father. The float was made to look like Santa’s study with a Christmas tree, presents, and a rocking chair for Santa to sit. There were spaces for two more adults to sit and throw candy from the sides.
“What do I do? I’ve never been in a parade before,” Nathan said, carefully taking his spot.
“It’s easy,” Mark told him. “You just throw candy at the kids. Just not too hard.”
Nathan grinned like a little kid. The trucks around them rumbled forward and the parade began. The sounds of the marching band drums reverberated off the buildings and the brass of their horns echoed down the streets.
The float moved forward, turning off the alley and onto the official parade route.
Holly threw candy and waved to the kids. She recognized many of them from school and made sure to wave and call to them. But her real attention was on Nathan. He was having the time of his life.
He threw out massive handfuls of candy, not realizing that he was burning through the bag at an alarming rate. He was having so much fun she didn’t want to tell him to stop. The smile on his face was like that of a kid on Christmas morning.
He looked over at Holly and gave her such a smile that her heart nearly stopped in her chest. It was the happiest she’d ever seen a person look. He winked at her and then went back to throwing candy out for the children.
The town waved and cheered for him, as if they knew he was going to save them. How could he not after being here for a week? People called out to him and waved with smiles.
She looked over at her father. He sat in his Santa chair waving and ho-ho-hoing with glee. The sparkle was back in his eyes. His shoulders were taller. He had his hope back again.
All around them, Christmas music echoed down the streets, intermingling with the sounds of children’s delight.
This was Christmas to Holly. This was joy and wonder. The spirit of hope and community.
And then it started to snow, just like magic.
Chapter 35
Nathan
Nathan couldn’t remember the last time he was this happy.
He couldn’t remember the last time that his mind had felt this unfettered and his soul didn’t feel like it needed to escape his body.
And it was all because of Holly.
She was magic. She was everything he wanted. And right now, he had a glimpse of a beautiful future.
He would continue to work on Elements. She would come and visit him in California, and he would show her everything the state had to offer. For once, he was excited to share his wealth with someone and not be worried that they would try and take advantage of him. He knew Holly would never do that.
Then he would purchase a house here in Devonsville. They would move in together after an acceptable amount of time, but sooner rather than later because her apartment was tiny. They would build a life together. They would live happily ever after.
He could see it all coming together like something out of a fairy tale. He was Prince Charming and she was his snow bunny princess.
And so, he threw candy to children and hummed along to Christmas carols. He thought about attending the candlelight service for Christmas Eve at the local church. It seemed like he should thank some higher power for this happiness in his life.
He could see community everywhere he looked. People were being helpful and kind to one another. The Christmas spirit of kindness and generosity was everywhere he looked. As he gazed out from the parade float, he could see it.
And he actually could feel it. He was a part of it for the first time in a very long time.
The parade ended and the float returned to its spot behind the bookstore. Nathan helped Mark down from the platform. Mark thanked him and started bringing in the decorations from the float. Holly sat on the edge, her feet hanging off and swinging.
“That was great,” he told her. “Thank you for letting me be on the float.”
She grinned at him. “You looked like you were having a blast. I was afraid we were going to run out of candy there for a while.”
He chuckled. “I did too,” he admitted. “I was a little overzealous at first.”
“You figured it out,” she told him, pride in her smile.
He went over and put his hands on her waist, intending on helping her down, but instead she leaned forward and kissed him. Her hair spilled around him and she tasted like candy. Snow sparkled in the air around them.
She grinned at him and he helped her down, his knees shaky with emotion. How did she do this to him? She made him feel things. She made him happy.
“I just need to check on a few things with the parade, and then we can go grab some lunch,” she told him.
“Okay. Ill be in the bookstore.”
>
He went in through the back door and wandered the shelves. It smelled of ink and paper, mixed with a hint of coffee and fresh baked goods. The quiet chatter of the coffee shop filled the air as he made his way to the front and ordered a cup of coffee. He sat by the window and watched the last of the parade goers meander around the streets.
Holly wore a bright red knit hat that made her easy to spot. She was talking to a police officer and smiling as she helped him take down the road blocks for the parade. He loved watching her.
His phone pinged and he looked down. It was an update on the stock market.
Normally, he would open it and read it, checking his accounts and seeing how his money was doing. His money was the first thing on his mind and these alerts were important to keeping track of just how much he had made for the day.
His hand twitched, his fingers moving to open the app that would tell him what he was worth. But he paused. He looked out the window at Holly and she waved to him.
He didn’t open the app. He put his phone back in his pocket and relaxed back into his chair. He let himself sip his coffee and not worry what he was worth right at this very moment. He could check it later. There was a meeting with Lucy and some accountant for the company later today, and he’d find out his worth then.
Holly ran across the street and came into the coffee shop. Her cheeks and nose were red with the cold, matching her knit hat.
“I’m going to be late for lunch,” she told him. “One of the floats is stuck and they need me to help. I’m really sorry, but...”
“Don’t worry about it,” he smiled. He stood up and kissed her cheek. Her skin was cool against his lips. “We’re still on for dinner, right?”
She nodded, her smile coming back. “Definitely.”
“Then I will see you then.”
“Thank you. See you in a bit!” She flashed him one last smile before running back out into the cold winter weather. He watched her for a moment before gathering his things.
If he hurried, he could still get into the R&D department before anyone noticed. He had a little time before his next meeting, and if he skipped lunch, he could easy get some good work time in. His fingers itched to play with the laptop and see if the design in his head would work the way he thought it would.
He sent a message to Hal to get the car ready. Nathan buttoned up his jacket and stepped out of the shop. The cold stung at his face and hands, but he smiled at everyone he passed.
Today was going to be a great day. He was genuinely happy. He felt like singing Christmas carols as he headed to the car, except Hal was driving and he didn’t want to annoy the poor man.
The car was warm and ready for him. Hal was in the driver seat as Nathan took his usual spot in the back. Gregory had shotgun today. He’d been the one chasing Nathan all over the city.
“Next time, warn me if you’re going to join a parade,” Gregory told him, grabbing a tissue and dabbing at his nose. “You’re going to give me a heart attack trying to keep you safe in a public place like that.”
Guilt tugged on Nathan. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
Gregory waved his hand. “To be honest, it looked like fun. And you looked like a kid.”
“I have wanted to be in a parade like that for as long as I can remember,” Nathan admitted. “I can’t believe I’ve never done it before.”
Gregory grunted as Hal started driving.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nathan asked him.
“It’s her,” Gregory told him. “She’s the one making your dreams come true.”
Nathan paused to consider it, and found that to be true. Holly was making his dreams come true.
“Please don’t start singing. Or whistling. Or humming,” Hal begged, glancing back at him in the rear view mirror. “You can't pick a key and stay in it.”
Nathan was tempted to burst out in some sort of love song just to annoy him, but as the man was in control of the car, he decided against it.
Nathan passed the short drive thinking about the upgrades he wanted to make. He was torn between working on a new processor or if adding RAM would simply be enough for what he wanted. Either way, he couldn’t wait to get into the department and get his hands on some tech and play.
The car pulled up to the front of the building and Gregory and Nathan got out. Gregory became Nathan’s silent shadow once more as they entered the glass building. The lobby was empty as everyone was at the parade.
Empty, except for Lucy.
She stood, hand on hips, dressed in dark red and with murder in her eyes.
“There you are,” she scolded. “Where have you been?”
Nathan frowned, not understanding. There was no meetings until later in the day. He’d double checked.
“What do you mean?” he asked her.
“I messaged you. We need to talk,” she said. “Didn’t you get my text?”
Nathan fumbled for his phone and found two missed messages from Lucy. He had been so caught up in designing the laptop in his head, he’d neglected his phone entirely.
“Wow. She’s even more in your head than I thought,” Lucy said, crossing her arms. He knew she was referencing Holly. The way she said it twisted Nathan the wrong way. No one should talk about Holly like that.
“What do you want, Lucy?” Nathan asked her. He could feel his time in the R&D department slipping away from him.
“We need to talk. In private.” She turned on her heel and began walking. “Follow me.”
Nathan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Gregory.
Gregory grunted.
Nathan had to agree Gregory was right. Don’t mess with an angry woman. Just do as she says.
So he followed her.
Her heels clicked on the tile floor as they crossed the main lobby and went past a row of empty desks. A little Christmas tree stood flickering off to the side, but Lucy passed it without a second glance. She headed straight for George Element’s office.
Once inside, she settled in George’s big leather chair.
“Have a seat,” she told him. Except she was sitting in the power seat. That left Nathan having to sit in the lesser chairs on the opposite side of the desk.
Instead he remained standing. He crossed the large room and looked at George’s bookcase. There were many photographs of the man, but none of his family. It was always just him in exotic locals, with over-sized fish, meeting celebrities, or posing in famous locations.
For some reason, it made Nathan sad. He knew the man had children. He had a family. Yet, in this office there was no indication of it. There was no love in this office for anything other than the job.
“What did you want to talk about?” Nathan asked her, taking a relaxed lean against a wall.
Lucy crossed her legs and glared at him.
“This company is moving to California.” She said it with authority.
“Is that so?” Nathan raised his eyebrows. “Since when did you become CEO?”
“Don’t play with me, Nathan,” Lucy warned. “I’ve spent months making this happen. I did everything for this acquisition.”
Nathan didn’t say anything. It was true. He’d given most of the responsibility to Lucy. He’d been busy trying to salvage RentTech and failing. He had only just started looking at Elements, even though it was technically his job.
“I understand that you’ve put a lot of effort into this,” he replied. “And I’ll make sure that you’re compensated. But the company should stay here.”
Lucy laughed, but it had no joy. “And why is that? To make your little princess happy? So that you can come in and be her white knight? So you can save the town?”
Nathan didn’t say anything.
“Nathan, I have put too much work into this. I’ve made deals and promises. I’m not letting you take this from me,” Lucy said. Her dark eyes glittered with anger as she looked at him. “The company is moving.”
Righteous indignation filled Nathan’s chest. He didn’t like being told
what to do.
“No.” Nathan shook his head. “It’s not. I choose what happens with this company, not you. You don’t dictate what I do with my company.”
Lucy sighed. “I didn’t want to have to do this, Nathan. I don’t want to have this fight with you, but you aren’t seeing reason.”
She stood up and crossed the room. Despite the fact that she was a good head shorter than him, she managed to look down at him.
He was ready to destroy her. She was as good as fired for this. This was unacceptable to him. How dare Lucy usurp him like this? Fury began to vibrate in his chest, steam heating in his ears.
“I will go to the board with this.” Lucy spoke softly, but without hesitation. “I will tell them how this mess happened. You are already on shaky ground with them for RentTech. They will destroy you for this. You will lose everything.”
It was like being hit with a bucket of cold water. The fire in his belly vanished immediately. She wasn’t bluffing and she was going for the jugular.
He knew the board would fire him if she went to them. They would take his job. The board had been looking for excuses to get rid of him after the RentTech debacle, and this would be a perfect excuse to fire him.
“You wouldn’t,” he whispered.
Lucy stared up defiantly. “I would. For this, I would.”
The betrayal hurt. Nathan had thought they were a team.
“I’m sorry, Nathan. I like you, but I like money more,” Lucy told him, reading his thoughts. “You taught me that. Money is everything.”
Her words hung in the air, haunting him.
Money was everything.
Or was it?
“This is a wake-up call, Nathan. You need to get back to what you are good at,” Lucy told him. “You need to head back to California and do your damn job. Things will go as planned. We’ll make money. That’s what matters.”
Nathan nodded. His head spun. Usually, he was the one in control. He was the CEO, the boss. How had he let this happen? How had he lost his way in this?
“Nathan, we’ll make money.” Lucy touched his shoulder, her voice soft and kinder now. “That’s what’s important, right?”