My Christmas Billionaire

by Katie Evergreen

  “You will do as you are asked, then you may leave,” she said, trotting away.

  Adrian stared at Merry, that grin still plastered to his face. He was doing everything he could to make her feel small, and she hated him for it. But Mrs. Cradley was right, she had to do as she was asked, even if Adrian was the one doing the asking.

  “This is fun,” he said. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself as much as I am.”

  Merry tuned him out and thought of Christian, managing a smile.

  “I mean it,” Adrian said. “I’d like a ring, and I want a discount too after all the trouble you’ve put me through. Bianca was very upset.”

  “I’m sure,” Merry said through gritted teeth. “Let’s get looking then, shall we?”

  “I meant it,” Adrian said. “She’s amazing. I’ve never had a girlfriend who’s so beautiful.”

  “Okay,” said Merry, starting to walk in the direction of the engagement rings. Adrian followed her, chatting loudly enough for everyone around them to hear.

  “It’s strange, isn’t it? How you don’t really see somebody’s flaws until you’ve met somebody better.”

  Why was he being so horrid to her? She had been the one to leave him, but only after she’d caught him kissing his assistant. This was all his doing, not hers.

  “But I’ll tell you what,” he said, his droning voice like a dark cloud overhead. “Just because I’m a nice guy, I’ll give you another chance.”

  Merry stopped walking, frowning as she turned to face him.

  “What?” she said. They had reached the rings, and Adrian was studying them. He spoke without looking at her.

  “You heard,” he said. “I’m a nice guy, and I forgive you. I’m giving you a second chance.”

  “At what?” Merry said.

  “At being with me,” he replied. “I’d take it, if I were you.”

  Merry had to struggle to find words.

  “Adrian,” she said. “You are literally shopping for an engagement ring. You have asked another woman to marry you. You’ve told me a thousand times how much better than me she is. What’s going on?”

  “What’s going on is what I say is going on,” he said, finally looking at her. “I’m a good guy, Merry, I spent a lot of time being a pretty amazing boyfriend and trying to make you feel good about yourself, time I’m not going to get back. That’s called investment, and I don’t fancy losing that investment, so I’m giving you the chance to win me back.”

  Merry spat out a laugh.

  “And your assistant?” she said. “The fact I caught you with her?”

  He shrugged.

  “It happens,” he said. “Boys will be boys, it didn’t mean anything. Every single guy on the planet does it.”

  “No,” Merry said. “They don’t.”

  “You’re so naïve,” he said with a laugh. “Poor Merry. You’ll see. Let me guess, that awful man who attacked me with the mop yesterday, he’s your new man?”

  “So what if he is?” she asked. “He’s a million times the man you are.”

  “He’s really not,” Adrian said. “He’s a janitor, for one. And he’s just like me. You’ll see. Give him half a chance and he’ll be off with the first beautiful woman he finds. I can promise you that. In fact, I can absolutely guarantee it.”

  “You need to leave,” Merry said, her fury like a storm inside her skull. “I don’t care what happens to me. I’ll march you out of here myself if I have to.”

  “Sure,” said Adrian. “I’m happy to go. I just wanted to tell you how it is. I’ll give you, I don’t know, three days to come back to me. After that, the deal’s off.”

  It was like he was talking about one of his used car sales, not a relationship.

  “I will never come back to you,” Merry said.

  “We’ll see,” he said, that smug grin returning to his face. “See you in the next 72 hours, Merry Sinclair.”

  He winked, then turned and walked away, weaving confidently through the crowds. Merry swallowed the anger into the pit of her stomach, glancing her watch again. It was nearly half six, and she still had to run upstairs to collect her things. Christian would be long gone.

  How was it fair that, all these months after breaking up, her ex was still ruining her life?

  Christian paced back and forth, ignoring the looks from the young women handing out leaflets at the front of the store. He’d changed out of his overalls into a pair of jeans and a navy sweater, his parka draped over the crook of his arm. It had gone half six and there was no sign of Merry, but did that mean she’d got cold feet? Or had she just been held up? Or had they just got mixed up about where to meet? Merry had said inside, but she hadn’t told him exactly where. He’d done a quick tour of the other entrances shortly after six, but there had been no sign of her, and he’d started to panic that he’d missed her when he was on the other side of the building.

  Calm down, Christian, he ordered himself. There was something about Merry that made him feel like a teenager again, about to go on his first date. Why did she make him so nervous? Because you want this to work, you want her to like you.

  He waited another couple of minutes, tapping his feet to the sound of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, then decided to check outside. He put on his jacket and pushed through the doors, greeted by a light rain that was turning to sleet. The wind had died down, the evening calm—not pleasant weather, but certainly bearable. He stepped out onto the sidewalk, scanning the people there and seeing no sign of Merry. Maybe the trip to the roof had been too much. Maybe he’d put too much pressure on her. And the kiss… It had been wonderful, utterly surprising, but what if she was having second thoughts?

  Christian turned back to the store, ready to head inside again, but something rushed at him—as fast as a striking cobra. He jumped back, only to see the umbrella snap open and lock into position. It lifted, revealing Merry’s smiling face. Christian clamped a hand to his heart.

  “A little warning,” he said with a laugh. “What did I tell you about attacking customers?”

  Merry laughed too, struggling to hold the umbrella in one hand and the bouquet of roses in the other.

  “Sorry, it’s a little more powerful than I thought it would be,” she said. “Besides, you’re not a customer any more. I forgot to say thank you, earlier. It was an incredibly kind gift, the flowers too.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” he said. “It really is. I wanted to do something nice. Can I take that?”

  She handed him the umbrella and he held it over her head.

  “There’s room for you too,” she said, scooching close to him. He put an arm around her shoulders, holding the umbrella over them both with his other hand. She rested her head against his chest for a moment and he wondered whether she could hear how fast his heart was drumming. He wondered if the whole of New York could hear it. He held her close, and he felt her shoulders lift in a long, hard sigh.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. She nodded, then she shook her head.

  “No, not really. It’s just… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t unload on you. It’s my ex.”

  “The man who was here before?” he asked. “Mop guy?”

  He felt her laugh.

  “Yeah, but it’s nothing. Forget it. Shall we get hot chocolate?”

  “Definitely,” he said. She smiled up at him, stray raindrops catching in her eyelashes. Her eyes truly were magical, such a vivid shade of green that it shone even in the twilight of 5th Avenue.

  “The same place as before?” she asked.

  “I know somewhere better,” he said. “In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s the best hot chocolate in New York.”

  “That’s a bold claim,” she said. “No pressure.”

  “Trust me,” he said, and she smiled.

  “I do.”

  15

  They walked down 5th Avenue like a couple who had been in love for two decades, not people who had only known each other for two days. Christian’s arm felt remarkably comfortable around he
r shoulders, and her head nestled against his chest. They fit together perfectly, as if they had been made for each other, and the smile that beamed from Merry’s face seemed to light up the whole street.

  New York had surrendered itself fully to Christmas now. There was barely a soul out who wasn’t wearing a Christmas sweater or a red hat. Despite the weather, everyone was smiling. Couples held each other close as they browsed the elaborate window displays, children chased each other between the street lights, or marveled at the flashing lights, cops laughed and joked as they helped people find their way. Ever since she had moved here, Merry had loved a New York Christmas more than anything—until last year, of course—but only now, with Christian holding her tight, did she truly feel that the city was magical.

  And it only got better as Christian pulled her off 5th Avenue into the Rockefeller Plaza. Ahead of her was the famous Christmas tree, even bigger than the one at Carroll’s, its lights shimmering against the enormous Rockefeller Building. The air was full of joyful shouts and laughter from the ice rink. It was busy here, the way it always was, but it was calm, and as Christian led her past the tree she felt a wave of happiness and euphoria that was almost overpowering. She clung to him even harder, as if worried that a strong gust of wind might carry this fantasy away from her.

  “Here we go,” Christian said, stopping outside of a cafe that sat next door to a huge Devlin Storm store. “Jacques Torres. You’ve never tasted anything like it.”

  “It looks… expensive,” she replied, suddenly self-conscious about her scruffy clothes.

  “My treat,” he said. He started to walk inside but she pulled him back.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, looking at the flowers. “I can’t, I don’t have a lot of money, and I can’t let you buy me a hot chocolate from here, not after all the money you spent on the taxi yesterday, and on these.”

  “Please,” he said. “It’s not about the money. Christmas isn’t about the money. It’s about the magic.”

  “Are you paying for the hot chocolate with magic?” she asked. Christian nodded.

  “Okay,” she said, trying to ignore the guilt. “But only if we share one.”

  “I can do that,” he said. “Wait here.”

  He dashed inside, returning a few minutes later with a steaming cup of hot chocolate. A huge dollop of cream sat on the top, and the smell of it was divine. Merry’s mouth was watering as Christian handed her the cup.

  “Try it,” he said. “It’s not too hot.”

  She took a sip, and it was as if the chill of the day had been blasted away. The rich, thick drink flowed inside her, a depth charge of fudge-flavored warmth exploding in her tummy.

  “Oh wow,” she said. “You were right. It’s the best chocolate in the city. Hands down.”

  She looked up at him and he laughed. He ran a finger gently over her top lip, scooping a dollop of cream and popping it into his mouth.

  “Hey!” she said. “I was saving that for later!”

  She slid her arm through his and they walked leisurely back the way they’d come, stopping at the railing that looked down over the ice rink. Skaters wove in and out of each other, back and forth, like a choreographed ballet.

  “Have you ever done it?” Christian asked her. She took another sip and handed the cup to him.

  “Skate? Oh sure, but not here. We had a rink back home, but I only went a couple of times. I had a little trouble staying vertical. You?”

  “Yeah,” he said, staring at the rink. He looked suddenly distant. “I came here all the time as a kid. My mom was an amazing skater, she competed nationally at one point. When she skated, everyone stopped to watch. I was getting good too, she taught me a load of tricks. But then when she… when she passed, we didn’t come again.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Merry said. “How old were you?”

  “Seven,” he replied. “Too young to lose her.”

  He took another sip then handed the hot chocolate back to her. She took his hand and pulled him close, pressing her head to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and they stood like that for what felt like forever, not speaking, just breathing each other in. It was only when a young boy ran past, nudging the hot chocolate, that they reluctantly parted.

  “Thank you,” he said, wiping the drink from her coat. “I can’t tell you how long it’s been since somebody just held me.”

  “You looked like you needed it,” she said. “Are you okay?”

  “I am now,” he replied. “So, do you fancy it?”

  He smiled mischievously, looking down at the rink.

  “Oh, no,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “I couldn’t. I don’t even remember how.”

  “Me neither,” he said. “But we can hold each other up. I won’t let you fall.”

  “Promise?” she asked, and he took her hand in his.

  “I’ll never let you fall,” he said, his big, beautiful eyes meeting hers. “I promise.”

  He led her down the stairs. There wasn’t a huge line, and Merry didn’t mind the wait because she had Christian beside her. She pressed herself against him, heat pouring from his body into hers like he was a furnace. He held her close, every now and again planting a delicious little kiss on the top of her head. They chatted as they waited, pointing out their favorite Christmas sweaters and marveling at the skaters who swept in graceful circles. By the time they reached the skate house Merry’s insides were tumbling with nerves, but there was excitement too as she strapped on her boots and staggered clumsily to the ice.

  “Okay, this is harder than I remember it,” Christian said, slipping and sliding. He held onto her hand, and Merry wondered if she would be the one holding him up. “Stay with me,” he said, pushing with one foot and then the other, finding his rhythm. Merry kept up with him, surprised at how familiar it felt, and how quickly she found herself at ease on the ice. Before long they were matching each other step for step, whizzing past other skaters. The wind roared in her ears and she laughed at the sheer exhilaration of it.

  A woman tripped and fell, laughing as she went down, and Merry lifted her hand, keeping hold of Christian as they passed either side of her.

  “Are you okay?” Merry called out.

  “I am,” the woman said. “I might have left a dent, though!”

  “You’re a great skater,” Christian said to Merry as they swept around the corner. “A natural.”

  “I don’t know about that,” she replied. “I left a few craters in the rink back home. But this really is amazing.”

  Christian nodded, his cheeks blazing.

  “I can’t believe I left it so long to come back,” he said. “I always thought it would make me sad, thinking of mom. But I can see her smile, I can feel her beside me, it’s wonderful!”

  She held him even tighter, feeling his hand around hers, keeping her safe. She knew that if she slipped, he would hold her up, he would save her from falling, and it was the most incredible feeling in the world. If anything, Adrian had made her feel like she was walking on ice whatever she was doing, he’d made her feel like one wrong step and she’d slip and hurt herself. But Christian was the exact opposite of that. With him by her side, she could skate. With him by her side, she felt like she could fly.

  Merry didn’t know how long they stayed on the ice for. It might have been half an hour, it might have been half a day. Time seemed to stretch, broken by the sheer force of her happiness. When they were called in, they skated side by side until they reached the changing area. It was only there, as Christian finally pulled his hand from hers, that she realized they hadn’t let go of each other once.

  “Thank you,” she said, collapsing onto a wooden bench. “Oh that was just perfect. Thank you.”

  “Thank you,” he replied, breathless. “I never would have done it if I hadn’t been with you. You made me feel… You made me feel like I could do this again, that it was something worth doing.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” she said. He took her hands in his, as if he
couldn’t face the thought of letting go for long.

  “You did,” he said. “I can’t explain it, but you did. You make me feel so alive, Merry. I never saw the joy in Christmas, not since mom died. For me it was always just another day of disappointment, just another day where my dad let me down. And I was stuck there, in the past. I was so busy looking back I forgot that I even had the ability to look forward. That’s what you did, you helped me look forward. So thank you.”

  They sat there, their eyes locked, and all Merry could hear was the pounding of her pulse, all she could feel was the electricity between them, surely enough of it to power all of New York, all she could think about was leaning into him, kissing him. She knew how his lips would taste, the chill of the night on his skin, the clean, chocolatey taste of his breath.

  “Hey, miss, you done?”

  The voice came from a huge man who was looking for a place to change out of his skates. He was puffing and panting so much Merry worried he might collapse on her, and she climbed off the bench, offering it to him. Christian helped her wrestle off the boots and put on her sneakers, and they picked up their belongings and walked arm in arm out of the skate house.

  “Are you tired?” Christian asked her as a yawn escaped her mouth. Merry nodded.

  “I am, but I’m also having the most fun I’ve had in years. Maybe ever. I don’t want it to end.”

  “It doesn’t have to,” Christian said as they reached the top of the stairs. “It doesn’t ever have to, if you don’t want it to.”

  He pulled her close and she nestled into him, listening to the beat of his heart. Maybe he was right. Maybe it never had to end. The thought of it was incredible, that she could be so lucky, and so in love.

  But how could she be in love? And even if she was, it didn’t protect her from heartbreak. She had loved Adrian once upon a time, and she was still smarting from the hurt he had inflicted on her. She barely knew Christian. She’d met him less than 72 hours ago. For all she knew, this might all be an act, something he did with all the girls. And he was still leaving after Christmas.