Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge: New Holiday Romances to Benefit St. Jude Hospital

by Sabrina York

  “You’re here to work—” he flourished his hands— “amongst people. Why not enjoy your time with them?”

  I kind of stared at him for a while. So he continued. “Did you know Olivia sings opera? And Wren can rap…in sign language?”

  Impressive, but… “We don’t have time to sit around and chat here.”

  “Seriously?” Now he gaped at me. “Do you even remember when we were here? We would sit around and talk for hours when the guests were out.” He winked. “Or sleeping.”

  “I remember that.”

  “What else do you remember from when we were here? How super clean we washed the dishes? Or the picnic we all took on a river float—”

  “And Santino fell in,” I said on a snicker.

  “Right. And then we fell in saving him.” We both laughed at the memory. What a fun day it had been. “That’s what we remember. That’s what we take with us. The way we felt. About those people… Our friends. That’s what matters.”

  “Well, these people are not my friends. They’re employees.”

  “You and Molly were friends, back when we were here.” Damn. The man was relentless.

  “That’s different.”

  “I don’t see how. You were Olivia. Molly was you.”

  There’s nothing I hate more than a man who makes a valid point. So annoying. I gusted a sigh and attacked my food in lieu of a response.

  “I heard the girls talking about you,” he said after a minute, apropos of absolutely nothing.

  I looked up at him over my rib. “Really?” Awesome. “What did they say?”

  “They think you’re a little uptight.”

  With great resolve, I did not snort again. But I thought the snort. “Of course I’m uptight. I’m an executive.”

  “Hmm.”

  I glared at him. “What?”

  He shrugged. “It’s just that you didn’t used to be uptight. In fact, if memory serves, you were…very flexible.” The glint in his eye was irritating. “Do you ever think about leaving?”

  I gaped at him. “Leaving what?”

  “All this?”

  I had to laugh, though it kinda got caught in my throat. “My job?” Was he crazy? “This is all I have. All I am.”

  “Yeah. I get that. But is that the way you want it?”

  “I don’t understand what you’re asking.”

  “Are you happy?”

  “Happy?” What kind of question was that? “Are you happy jumping off mountains for a living?”

  “I jump onto them. From planes. Very different thing. And you’re avoiding the question.” I had no idea why he was so bloody persistent.

  “I’m the VP of Hospitality for the most popular mega luxury resort company in the world. It’s a great job.”

  “It is. But do you ever think of leaving?”

  Seriously?

  I was saved from answering when Olivia popped her head into the room. “Hey, Vic,” she said cheerily. “Chef’s on fire again.”

  Did I ever think of leaving?

  All right, I have to admit that I did, on occasion, think about chucking all this in and winning the lottery. But where would I go? What would I do? Who would I be without this job?

  And why on earth could that man not flambé with brandy without setting himself on fire?

  I thought about what Coop had said as I went back to work, spelling Olivia who was covering the great room, which, at the moment, was all the adults drinking cocktails and pretending to play Cards Against Humanity.

  He was right. I did used to have a lot more fun with people. I used to have a sense of humor. I used to enjoy other people.

  What had happened? Had I become old and crusty in my quest to command my career? And when had my job become my everything? Was that what I really wanted in life?

  I decided to make a very clear effort to be friendlier with the staff. Or, at least, try to understand them. They were a completely different generation and had a very different world view.

  Jed, for instance.

  His work ethic was really great. When there was something that needed doing, he might complain about it, but he’d do it. And he did a good job. And, aside from the fact that he really liked murder movies and smoked pot, he was a nice guy.

  Wren was kind of quiet, but there was a lot going on inside her head. When she did say something, it was either terribly witty, or extremely insightful. Or both.

  Olivia was a sweetheart. She simply wanted to please everyone. I think she just needed a little more confidence to help her own her place.

  Ben was just awesome. He was a powerhouse of energy and he just jumped in whenever anyone needed anything.

  Yeah. I guess I did have a great staff. I should spend more time getting to know them, and appreciating them.

  And I did miss it. That connection with other people. A real connection, I mean. Not just a nod on the way to the water cooler or an exchange over a boardroom table. Real stuff.

  I knew it would be hard for me to make this shift, because I’d become so ensconced in the corporate culture, I’d forgotten to think about people as people.

  Olivia and I had a nice chat that night, while the adults were drinking. We talked about her plans for the future, and her upbringing and her dreams. She really wanted to pursue this as a career. I told her about the management mentoring program and the classes Eden offered employees who wanted to advance.

  When she told me about her boyfriend, a mechanic named Lance, I pulled out my phone. “This is my boyfriend, Dirk,” I said, showing her a picture.

  Her eyes got all big. “Oooh. Dirk’s hot.”

  I nodded. “He’s a cover model. And a physicist.” Because it bore repeating.

  “Holy crap.”

  Right. He was perfect. On paper.

  Her brow wrinkled. “But I thought you and Cooper were a thing?”

  Oh. Yeah. “Coop and I were a thing about fifteen years ago.”

  Her smile was sly. “It seems like you’re a thing now too.”

  It kind of did.

  “So… Which one do you like better?”

  Her question caught me off guard. Which one did I like better? There was no competition. Life with Dirk was pleasant. Predictable. Placid. Low-pressure. If Dirk dumped me for Barbie Malone, I’d be like, “Okay, have fun, dude.”

  Dirk and I were just marking time together. I could see that now.

  Coop was an entirely different story. Coop was exciting and challenging and the sex was beyond the stars.

  My heart screamed, “Coop! It’s Coop!” But my head told it to shut up. My head was scared.

  “They’re both awesome,” I answered—somehow the truth and a lie at the same time.

  “Yeah. But you have to pick one, don’t you?”

  God, life was so simple when you were in your twenties!

  Just pick one! See how easy that was?

  But, if I was being honest, I already had picked one.

  I just needed to get my head to go along with my heart.

  Cooper came to my room for a “shower” again that night. This time, our lovemaking was a lot slower and more, shall we say, exploratory. But I have to say, my favorite part was after, when he held me in his arms and we just talked into the darkness.

  Honestly, I could get used to this.

  9

  Christmas Eve dawned with a new sprinkling of snow. As much as I wanted to stay in bed with Coop, we had to get up. Today was the big day. The guests were leaving for snow and shopping again and while they were gone, we had the Christmas Evening Dinner and Fairy Ball to set up.

  Jamison’s In-N-Out burgers arrived in time for lunch, still hot. Unfortunately, Jamison was not there to eat them. Apparently, he’d taken off sometime in the middle of the night after one of his fights with Farley, and no one knew where he was. Not even his mother, which concerned me.

  Too bad it didn’t concern her. She sat in the great room sipping Don Julio, and telling everyone he would be back in time for
the afternoon excursion.

  Neither Farley, her friends, nor any of the adults in the party wanted burgers, and all Jamison’s pals had left with him—so it was up to the staff to chow down on In-N-Out burgers, delivered straight from Los Angeles.

  Yes. At times, there were perks.

  At any rate, when Jamison and his friends returned to the lodge, they had already eaten in town.

  As the guests prepared themselves for their afternoon outings, Olivia, Wren, Jed, and I awaited their pleasure in the great room. I suspected, given the personalities involved, we might be in for a wait, so I decided to use this time to try my hand at—what was it called again?—relating to my staff.

  “So, Wren…” I began with her, because she was in my line of sight. “What are your plans for the future?”

  Her mouth came open, but only a little because she was pretty good at disguising her surprise. Not good enough, though. “I’m not sure. I really like this.” She made a face. “Some of this.”

  I chuckled. “I know what you mean. But you can learn to tolerate the horrible parts for the great parts.” A thought hit me. “But have your limits on the horrible, people. No matter how wealthy or powerful someone is, there are still lines that cannot be crossed.” They all stared at me, wide-eyed, like little chicks gaping at their mother.

  I was not going to mouth feed them, but I could provide them some perspective. From experience.

  “There will be people who will try to push limits in this business. You need to know where that line is and take charge if it’s crossed. Understood?”

  The girls nodded. Jed just looked at me.

  “Did you really start here? In our jobs?” Olivia asked.

  “I did. And now I am the Vice President of Hospitality.”

  “I heard you were here incognito,” Olivia whispered.

  “Not really. I’m here because Darcy flaked.” They all snorted. “But it’s been a really good reminder of what the company is all about. In fact, I’m going to recommend a required internship on a company property for all management candidates so they understand what actually happens in the field.” In fact, I’d kind of been toying with an idea for revamping our training package for boots on the ground. Leaving it to people like Darcy to convey the company élan wasn’t quite working.

  Wren nodded and wagged a finger at me. “I thought you looked familiar.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  She grinned. “Your picture is on the company website.”

  Shut your mouth. I stared at her. “You’ve been on the company website?”

  “I, ah, thought it was a good idea to find out more about the company.”

  “Yes,” I said through a small laugh. “It’s a very good idea. Well done.” It was not lost on me that she glowed with the praise. “I don’t know if it’s on there, but the company has an executive training program, if you’re interested.”

  “Yes. Yes, please.”

  “Me too,” Olivia said.

  “Great. I’ll get you both connected.” I turned to the lone male. “So how about it, Jed? What do you want for your future?”

  His expression remained blank.

  “Do you have a plan?”

  He shrugged. “I haven’t thought about it much.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. I didn’t think about it much either. But now, looking back, I kind of wish I had. You know, planned better.” When they asked what I wish I’d done differently, I told them. Well, some of it. I told them I wished I’d paid myself first—the way my mom always said—making sure a certain amount of my income went into an untouchable investment for my decrepit and looming future. I told them I wished I’d stopped, once in a while, to have a little more fun. I wished I’d spent more time with friends and heartily wished I’d taken more chances.

  What I didn’t tell them was my biggest regret of all.

  How ironic that he came through the door, at just that moment, looking tall and dark and oh-so-sexy. I didn’t care for beards on men, but I liked that sexy scruff on his cheeks. When our gazes collided, a hot blade sliced through me.

  I ached for him.

  Damn it. Why did he have to leave for the day?

  Why hadn’t we done it just one more time in the shower?

  “Are they all ready?” he asked, clapping his hands and stamping his feet. His words came out in a cloud.

  I shook my head. “Not yet.”

  “I’ll run up and let them know you’re ready,” Wren said, bounding up the stairs.

  “Me too,” said Olivia, bounding up after her.

  Jed looked at me. “Should I go too?”

  “No.” I patted his shoulder. “You’re good.”

  “So…” Coop headed across the foyer, slowly stripping off his gloves. Tease. I couldn’t help grinning at him. “Here we are again.”

  “Here we are.”

  “Any idea when they’ll be ready?”

  “They’re coming.” Probably not a lie?

  He grinned and leaned in. “So’s Christmas.”

  We both smiled at the old so’s Christmas chestnut, but Jed said, “Technically, it is Christmas. I mean, it’s the 24th.” Ah, Millennial logic.

  “Right!” I said, because I’m a leader who supports her people. And Jed was my people.

  The point, however, became moot as Whit and his people tromped down the stairs.

  “Good afternoon, everyone. Are we ready to go?” Coop asked.

  “Not yet,” Whit said. “We can’t find Farley.” He stepped closer and said under his breath, “She really upset about that fight with Jamison.”

  “I see. All right. Why don’t you all relax in the great room, and I’ll send the staff out to look for Farley?”

  Since his response was a relieved smile before heading for the bar, I assumed this was a yes.

  I was the one who found Farley. She was in the library, which was a small room set in the back of the east wing. It hadn’t been used much this Visit. Probably because it was filled with books. Not that I’m judgey, but this group didn’t exactly scream bookworms! She was in the chair by the cold fireplace, curled into a ball.

  “Are you all right?” I asked.

  She snuffled and said, “No.”

  “The others are ready to leave.”

  “Oh, let them wait.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?” I had in mind lighting the fire or having a nice cup of tea and digestive biscuits sent over.

  “Oh yes, please.” She grabbed my hand. Hers was damp. “I’d love to have someone to talk to, you know, someone who doesn’t know me. Kind of like…a therapist?”

  “Sure.” I allowed myself to be drawn to the other chair. And I sat. Yes, everyone was waiting for her. Yes, it was in my best interest to get them all out of the house so we could prepare the evening’s festivities. But I knew, on a cellular level, that if she didn’t get whatever this was out, nobody was going anywhere. Still, as I settled beside her, alarm bells went off in my head. Lord love a duck. What had I done? Keep your distance from the clients! It was the cardinal rule. I folded my hands in my lap as a representation of that maxim. I hoped it helped. “So…what do you want to talk about?”

  She began seizing, gasping and jerking in great spasms. I nearly called 911, but then I realized she was just crying. It was not a pretty cry. “It’s…J-J-Jamison.”

  Ah. Young love.

  “Something happened, I take it?” Didn’t something always?

  “Something happened?” She threw up her arms and unleashed a keening howl. “Something happened? Yes. Something happened.” You would have thought I was her worst enemy, the way she talked to me.

  “I’m sorry.”

  That took her aback. Maybe she’d never heard those words before. She stared at me. Then she shook her head, looked away, and forgot I existed as anything other than as a please-stay-mute sounding board. “I love Jamison so much. I do. I mean, we started out together on Kidz Will Be Kidz—remember that show?”

 
; “I do.” Yeah. I had no idea what she was talking about, but, whatever.

  “We’ve always been together. Since then. He’s always been there for me. But now…” She began to dissolve again.

  “Now?”

  “He-he-he kissed another girl.” She gazed at the non-fire in the fireplace. “Another girl. Can you believe that? I’ve never kissed another boy. How could he do this to me?” She turned to me. “Why would he kiss another girl? When you’re seeing someone, do you kiss other boys, um, men?” Considering I’d done a damn sight more with Cooper last night, I didn’t answer her question. “Some people do. But if you’ve agreed to be monogamous, you shouldn’t, don’t you think?”

  “Monogamous?”

  “Yeah. Like, faithful.”

  “That’s like marriage.”

  Or not. “It means you’ve made a commitment to each other. You don’t need the paper.”

  “Why would he kiss Keiko? Do you think he doesn’t love me anymore?”

  “Honey, I’m sure he loves you.” Yeah. Hospitality 101. Everything is AWESOME.

  “Does he?” She put out a lip.

  “Do you see the way he looks at you?”

  “He looks at me?”

  “Like a puppy and you’re the treat.”

  Her eyes shone. “Really?”

  I shrugged. “Just what I see.”

  “What else do you see?”

  “Well, usually when boys kiss other girls, it’s because they’re exploring—”

  “Exploring? With Keiko?”

  “Or they’re unsure about what they have.”

  “Or maybe he was just trying to make me jealous.”

  Well, that worked too.

  “So, it was with one of your friends?” I asked.

  She nodded.

  “Yeah. I’d look at that too. And listen, honey. Men are awesome, but sometimes you have to treat them like boys. Just tell him how you feel. Let him know you love him. It will give him confidence.” Egads. I was starting to channel my great-aunt Gladys.

  “Confidence? You think?”

  “You’re a big star, right?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, maybe he’s worried you outshine him. Maybe you need to give him a chance to shine too. Maybe pull him aside tonight and go somewhere quiet and talk to him. Just talk. Ask him what he really wants. And if it’s Keiko, there’s nothing you can really say or do to stop it. And, if he really loves her more, and would be happy with her…would you stop it? If you really love him, you want him to be happy.”