My Christmas Billionaire

by Katie Evergreen

  Then she was gone. Merry took a deep, shuddering breath, then ran back to her position. A telling off from Mrs. Cradley was nothing new, she thought as she packed up a pair of gold and ruby earrings for a woman in a real-fur coat. But what was odd was for the dragon lady to let her off so easily after the incident with Adrian. Sure, it hadn’t been Merry’s fault, but Adrian would definitely have mentioned it, he would have made her look bad. And he definitely would have accused Christian of assaulting him. So why had the case been dropped so quickly? And why had the big boss himself, Lewis Carroll, got involved?

  It didn’t matter. The important thing was that she was off the hook—for that at least. But what about Christian? Mrs. Cradley had said that nobody was at fault, but was she just talking about the shop floor staff? Would he lose his job? She wished she could find him and ask him if he was okay, but things were too hectic.

  And she didn’t just want to find him to check on him. She wanted to find him to see if what had happened—what had almost happened—in the restroom was just a fluke, or if there genuinely was something between them. She still couldn’t quite believe it. She couldn’t remember a single time in her entire life where she had been so magnetically attracted to somebody. It had been like she was on wheels, racing downhill. His pull had been as strong as gravity. What was it about him that had that effect on her? He was remarkably handsome, of course, but it was more than that. It was a charisma that seemed to shine from every part of him, a genuine, wonderful authenticity. Most people were closed books, but he seemed so open. It was as if he was giving himself to her, for her to discover.

  You sound like a crazy person, Merry! she yelled to herself as she smiled to the next customer. Enough with the fairy tales!

  She tried to put him out of her mind, but it was a useless battle because every time she blinked she saw him smiling at her, every time she breathed she thought she smelled his musky scent. She managed to keep her mind on the job for the rest of her shift, the department so busy that she didn’t even have time to take her break. By the time five o’clock rolled around she was exhausted, starving, and her mouth felt like it was lined with sandpaper.

  “I’m sorry,” he said hoarsely to the next customer. “Somebody will be with you very shortly.”

  He started to argue, but she broke away and practically ran out of the department, escaping into the staff corridor. Her head was pounding, and she pulled off the Santa hat and massaged her temples. As she was waiting for the elevator, she heard a rumble of wheels, and her heart seemed to leap into her throat as she recognized the sound of a janitor’s trolley. It was Christian! He’d been waiting for her! She ran a hand through her chaotic hair, grinning her sweetest smile as a man in blue overalls emerged from the stockroom door.

  It wasn’t Christian. It was Harvey, an older, portly janitor who Merry always said hi to in passing. He caught sight of her beaming smile, and one appeared on his own wrinkled face.

  “Now if that ain’t the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen,” he said, limping toward her. “Honestly, if people greeted each other every day with a smile like that there wouldn’t be no trouble in the world.”

  If anything, his words made Merry’s smile even wider. It hadn’t been meant for the old janitor, but no smile was ever a waste of time, and if it had brightened his day then it had brightened hers too. The elevator doors opened, and she held them for him.

  “Going up?” she asked.

  “Yes miss,” he replied. “Thank you.”

  She entered after him and the service elevator grumbled upward.

  “You done for the day?” Harvey asked.

  “Yes, thankfully,” she said. “That was a tough shift.”

  “Uh-huh, it always is this close to Christmas, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone working anymore.”

  “Yeah, right?” Merry said. “I thought that too. Where is everyone?”

  Harvey shrugged, wiping his red, tired eyes.

  “People come and people go,” he said. “That’s the way life works.”

  “Speaking of which,” she said as the elevator continued to rise. “Do you know anything about the new guy? The one on your team?”

  “Chris?” Harvey said, and she nodded. “Oh, sure, seems like a nice young man. Very polite, very thorough. Thought it was weird how he was taken on so soon after another three janitors were let go, but the management must have their reasons. He’s certainly a credit to the store, and a good man.”

  His words reassured Merry. Christian was a good man, she was utterly convinced of it. Some people just revealed the quality of their nature in everything they did, in every word, in every smile, in every movement.

  “It’s just a shame he ain’t hanging around,” said Harvey.

  The elevator suddenly felt twenty degrees cooler.

  “What?” Merry asked. Harvey pulled out a cloth from his pocket and wiped his nose, sniffing.

  “Chris,” he said. “He ain’t staying. This is a temporary job, it always was. He came on board to cover the janitors who left, he says, but it’s only until Christmas. After that everything will quiet down.”

  “How do you know that?” asked Merry. Christian hadn’t mentioned it at all the previous evening, but then they hadn’t really talked about the future and there was no reason he’d have wanted to discuss it.

  “He told me,” said Harvey, glancing suspiciously at Merry, as if she was a police sergeant and he was a perp. “He told all of us, he was only here till the end of the year. Why so curious?”

  “Oh, no reason,” she said.

  The elevator slowed to a halt, the doors sliding open on the tenth floor. Harvey wheeled his trolley out, stopping when she called out to him.

  “Where is he going after that?” Merry asked him.

  “Back home,” said the man. “Back to the Philippines.”

  He trundled away, leaving Merry feeling as if she had plummeted back down through the cold, dark elevator shaft. She wrapped her arms around herself protectively, feeling echoes of the same dreadful hurt she’d felt when she had caught Adrian with his assistant, the same sense of betrayal and loss she had felt when her other boyfriends had left her. It was unfair to Christian, because he didn’t owe her anything. They weren’t dating—they had only met yesterday, for heaven’s sake—so why would she care that he would be exiting her life as quickly as he had entered it?

  The elevator doors started to close, and she rushed through them. The staff area was relatively busy as people finished their day shifts and the evening clerks came in, and Merry weaved her way down the corridor into the locker rooms. She was too tired to change, so she grabbed her clothes and her coat. She was hoping that she’d bump into Christian on the way out. Part of her wanted to ask him out for hot chocolate again—especially so she could find out whether Harvey was right about Christian leaving soon—but part of her knew it would be better for everyone if she stayed out of his way. If she didn’t see him again, then it wouldn’t be so heartbreaking when he left the country.

  Heartbreaking? Merry tutted at herself. How could she have her heart broken by a man she’d known for less than two days? It was ridiculous. It had to be the fact that it was Christmas, she thought. Even though Adrian had done his best to ruin it for her forever, there was just something about this time of year that brought out the romantic inside her. All those Christmas romcoms where the couples fall in love, all those Hallmark cards, all those commercials showing people snuggling up in front of log fires, eating mince pies and opening presents together.

  But none of that was real. Christmas was a lie used to sell people stuff they didn’t want or need. She could see that every single day, working here. She could see what it really meant.

  Merry pushed through the door onto the shop floor, angry at herself for her cynicism, and sad too that she had lost a part of herself. Once upon a time she had loved Christmas so much, she had reveled in the glorious sentimentality of it. Once upon a time she had thought that anything was possibl
e at Christmas, that it was a time for love and joy and happiness and hope. Now, though…

  Now it was just a time for disappointment.

  As if to prove her point, Santa’s grotto was closed, the lights dimmed and a chain drawn over the entrance. Harvey was busy mopping the floor and he nodded to her as she walked past. Merry did her best to smile back, but then a familiar, snappy voice plunged her even deeper into despair.

  “Miss Sinclair?”

  Oh no just keep walking, pretend you can’t hear her! she ordered herself. Then Mrs. Cradley called her name again and she turned to face her.

  “Are you sure your shift has ended?” the dragon lady asked, checking her watch.

  “Yes,” she said. “Like, forty minutes ago. I couldn’t get off the floor.”

  “Well if you would be so kind, I need you to do one last thing for me.”

  Merry blew out a breath. All she really wanted to do was go home and draw a bath. But then she thought of her cold apartment, the empty rooms, the stack of unpaid bills.

  “Fine,” she said. “What do you need?”

  “There are some items for lost property in the grotto,” said Mrs. Cradley, smiling as if she was enjoying her role as chief tormentor. “Please collect them and take them to the information desk in the lobby.”

  “Sure,” said Merry, wondering why the dragon lady didn’t ask any one of the other three members of staff she could still see on duty. Mrs. Cradley nodded curtly, then spun on her heels and marched away. Merry shuffled wearily back across the children’s department, ducking under the chain and opening the door of the little hut where Santa’s gifts were stocked. She had walked inside, spluttering another sigh, before she noticed that she wasn’t alone.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said to the man dressed as Santa. He was sitting on a little stool in the corner of the hut, sipping tea from a mug. “I thought you’d already left.”

  Santa lifted a hand to wave away her apology. He smiled at her, his eyes seeming to twinkle in the half light. She’d caught glimpses of the man over the last few weeks, sitting on his chair and handing gifts to the children, but only now did she notice what a good Father Christmas he was. The Santas she remembered from her own childhood shopping trips were all skinny and tall, with obvious padding in their fading costumes and wisps of brown hair visible beneath their wiry white wigs. But this guy was almost the real deal. His beard was thick and full, a snow-colored cloud of curls. His cheeks were rosy, and his eyes were bright blue and perfectly clear behind the little round spectacles. He laughed kindly, and the “ho ho ho!” of it was right out of a movie.

  “Don’t worry about me,” he said in a deep, friendly voice. “I’m just enjoying a cup of tea before I head back to the North Pole.”

  Merry’s laugh was surprisingly genuine. The man was making her feel completely at ease, like she’d just crashed into her sofa and sipped on a thick, creamy hot chocolate.

  “That sounds like a long journey after a long day,” she said.

  “Oh, it’s not too long at all,” he replied. “When you have reindeer to carry you and a little magic to help you on your way.”

  He winked, and she laughed again.

  “I’m here for the lost property,” she said, and Santa pretended to be sad.

  “Is that all?” he said. “It seems to me that you might be looking for something else, a bit of Christmas spirit, perhaps?”

  Merry shook her head.

  “Come on,” she said. “This is 5th Avenue, not 34th Street. My days of believing in you have long gone.”

  Santa put a hand to his chest.

  “It always breaks my heart to hear people say that,” he said. “For although you might have stopped believing in me, I never stop believing in you. Come here.”

  He placed his mug on the floor, beckoning her over.

  “I really can’t,” she said, feeling the ache in her legs and back. “I’ve got to get this stuff down to lost property, then head home. I’ve been here forever.”

  “Grant me this one little wish,” Santa said, insistent. Merry hung her head, then walked across the small room, the floorboards creaking beneath her feet. Santa smiled up at her. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to sit on my lap. Just give me your hand, if that’s okay with you?”

  “Look…” Merry started, but Santa reached out and took her hand in his own. His palms were soft and leathery, and he held her hand gently in both of his.

  “Merry,” he said, smiling at her. “Of all the people here, surely you must still have faith in Christmas?”

  “How did you know my name?” she asked. Santa’s eyes twinkled.

  “You’re still wearing your name tag,” he said, and Merry laughed again. Santa held her gently. “I want you to close your eyes and try to remember what it was like to be a child. Remember that feeling of excitement, and of deep, loving comfort you always had on Christmas eve, then the joy of Christmas morning.”

  “Come on,” Merry said. She couldn’t quite believe this was happening, but the man was so kind, his voice so soothing, that she decided to play along. “Okay, sure.”

  She closed her eyes and thought back to being a kid, lying in bed in Nebraska, the thick snow outside plunging the world into silence, the glow of the Christmas lights from outside turning her room red, then green, then gold. Every year she’d vowed to stay up and meet Santa when he arrived to deliver her presents, and every year she’d fallen asleep sitting up in bed. And that feeling of waking up on Christmas day, did anything ever really beat that? That moment where the fog of sleep faded away and you suddenly remembered what day it was. Despite herself, Merry giggled.

  “That’s it!” said Santa. “I knew you still had a little magic inside you. Now quickly, while it’s there, tell me what you would like for Christmas.”

  “What?” Merry asked, smiling at the man. Santa smiled back.

  “Your present, what would you like?”

  “Uh…” Merry shrugged. “I haven’t really thought about it. I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do,” he said quietly.

  There were lots of things she needed. Her coffee machine had broken a few weeks back, and the shower was leaking, and her shoes were practically worn out from all the walking she did in this place.

  “Think about what you really want,” the man asked.

  As soon as he’d said it, Christian’s face appeared in Merry’s mind. And even though she barely knew him, even though he was probably going to be leaving the country in a few weeks, even though there couldn’t possibly be a future for them, she made a wish—a wish that she could spend Christmas with him.

  “I just want to be happy,” she said, opening her eyes.

  “And you will be,” said Santa, giving her hands one last squeeze before letting go. “You will be, Merry.”

  Gradually, the real world faded back in—the sound of Harvey’s mop cleaning the floor, somebody making an announcement over the public address system. Merry laughed, but this time it felt a little self-conscious. She was aware of the cardboard walls and roof of the hut, the fake snow that lay on the ground, and she knew that Santa was just as much of an imitation.

  But still, something in her had changed. Whatever the man had done, he’d ignited the smallest flame, a tiny flicker of hope that glowed like an open fire on a dark night. Maybe, just maybe, her wish might come true.

  “Believe,” Santa said, as if he was reading her mind. “Go on now, and have a very Merry Christmas.”

  “You too,” Merry said, collecting the bag of lost property and opening the door. Santa laughed, his kind voice following her out.

  “I always do.”

  10

  Christian checked his watch as he paced. It was coming up for six and he still hadn’t seen her. Fifth Avenue was dark and drenched and absolutely heaving with people. It was raining so hard it was impossible to see to the other side of the street, and Carroll’s Department Store had three main entrances, not to mention the staff access doors and
loading areas around the back. He didn’t even know what time Merry got off work, so the chances of bumping into her here were next to none.

  What are you doing? he asked himself, wiping the rain from his face. At least he’d had the good sense to bring a jacket today. He’d had to buy one before work that morning because he’d left the Philippines in such a hurry he hadn’t thought to pack one. He’d been on the verge of getting himself a Hermes raincoat when he remembered he was working undercover, opting for an off-the-rack parka that was already starting to leak under the pressure of the rain.

  He’d got off work an hour ago, and he hadn’t managed to stop thinking about the conversation with his father.

  I want you to take a long, hard look at yourself, Christian, he’d said. I want you to ask yourself what you’re really running away from. And I want you to think—really think—about whether there is something here, in this family, in this city, in this store, that is worth staying for.

  Merry. Merry was worth staying for.

  It was a ridiculous thought. He didn’t even know her. She could turn out to be a serial killer, for all he knew. But there was something about her, something he couldn’t get out of his head. He felt bewitched, and at the very least he wanted to find out whether this enigmatic, charming woman was a good enough reason to leave his life overseas and move back to New York.

  And even if she wasn’t, he felt he needed to apologize again for what had happened earlier.

  But he couldn’t do that if he couldn’t find her.

  A gust of bitterly cold wind tore up the street and he pulled his jacket tight around his neck, shivering. A group of people came out of Carroll’s, holding bags and moaning about the weather. He squinted into the store, trying hopelessly to find Merry in the crowds. What on earth was he doing? He wasn’t in New York to fall in love, he was here to try to find out what was going wrong with his father’s store, he was here to do a job, then when that was done he was gone. Simple.