My Christmas Billionaire

by Katie Evergreen

  “It was a present,” she said. “A very generous one.”

  “It can’t have been a gift from your janitor boyfriend,” Trudy said. “So who?”

  Alice smiled kindly.

  “It doesn’t matter who,” her friend said. “You’re very lucky. It’s beautiful. Go on, put it on!”

  Merry grinned, stripping out of her uniform and slipping into the dress. She turned around and Alice zipped it up.

  “Oh, wow,” Trudy said with a hint of envy. “That’s… that’s just something else.”

  “Oh Merry, you look incredible!” shouted Alice, hugging her. She grabbed Merry’s shoes from the locker, and the handbag. “Sit there, let me do your hair.”

  Merry did as she was told, feeling like royalty as Alice started brushing her hair. Even though Trudy rolled her eyes, she joined in, expertly twisting Merry’s stubborn red locks into elegant braids. Merry sat there like a blushing bride as the two girls did her makeup, trying not to laugh as they tickled her cheeks with brushes and her lips with gloss. She had no idea how long they worked on her, but after a while they stood back in awe.

  “Whoa mamma,” said Trudy. Alice grinned.

  “You look like a movie star,” she said.

  Merry looked into the mirror, studying her reflection the way that somebody might watch a movie. And the person she saw there belonged in a movie, a movie where a girl made a Christmas wish to become a princess, where she fell in love with her prince and waltzed with him into the sunset. Merry grinned at herself, wondering if this was too good to be real life, if maybe this movie was about to end. But what if it didn’t?

  “Thank you,” she said, almost too emotional to get the words out. “I don’t know what to say. Everyone has been so kind to me.”

  “Sometimes the world is kind,” said Alice, tucking a wisp of hair behind Merry’s ear. “A lot of the time it’s cruel, but these moments are the ones we live for. You do look beautiful, Merry. Go and enjoy this moment of kindness. Go live your fairy tale.”

  Merry stood up, the dress flowing perfectly, the shoes fitting like a dream.

  Please let this be an amazing evening, she thought. Please let Alice be right, let this be my fairy tale happy ever after.

  But in the back of her mind she thought of last Christmas day, Adrian kissing his assistant, and she hoped that this story, like all the fairy tales she could remember, didn’t have a nasty twist in the tail.

  23

  Christian walked out onto the ballroom floor, fastening his cufflinks as he went, and keeping the delicately wrapped present clamped under his arm.

  It wasn’t really a ballroom, of course. It was the eighth floor of Carroll’s, more commonly known as the restaurant. It was a vast, open space, and it looked even larger now that the tables and chairs had been cleared out of it. After his shift had finished that afternoon, he and Harvey had given the space a deep clean, and then a team of event managers had moved in to arrange the décor. Now it looked like something from a homecoming prom, with every wall covered in glittery tinsel, and literally hundreds of lights and baubles hanging from the ceiling.

  The most impressive thing, though, was the view through the huge windows. The skies were dark now, but snow was falling fast and hard, and it was settling, too, making 5th Avenue glow in the lights that adorned every building. A twenty-four-piece swing band had set up in front of the windows, led by an amazing female singer, and they were currently belting out a range of Christmas songs. They were so good that Christian expected to see Bing Crosby stroll out at any moment, a microphone in his hand and that famous smile on his face.

  He straightened the lapels of his suit, the same one he’d worn just a few short days ago. It still felt a little tight against the muscles he’d developed overseas, but it felt comfortable enough. His head was still ringing from his visit home last night. He’d spent all night thinking about his father’s words, and feeling bad about them too. All these years he’d blamed him for ruining Christmas, for making life miserable, but not once had he thought about how his dad must have felt. It must have been so hard carrying on as normal after mom had died. He’d done his best, Christian knew. It hadn’t always been enough, but it had been something.

  He still couldn’t believe his father was responsible for sabotaging his own store, but he understood why he’d done it. It had been the only way to bring Christian home. And now it would stop. Now, at least, Carroll’s would start to recover. Christian would make sure of it.

  “Drink, sir?” asked a waitress, offering him a glass of champagne from a silver tray.

  “No, thank you,” he said. She looked him up and down, fanning her face with her free hand as she walked away. The band had switched to a lively jazz version of Jingle Bells, the singer belting out the words with such gusto that even Christian found himself tapping his feet. The crowd were going wild, people whooping as they danced.

  There had always been a ball at Carroll’s. They’d been a New York tradition for nearly a hundred years, Christian’s granddad, Cornelius, had started them way back in the roaring Twenties, and Lewis had taken them on. He vividly remembered them from his childhood, dancing with the staff, having his hair ruffled by the perfume girls, and always joining in with the band, singing seasonal numbers on the microphone in his squeaky voice. Even the year that his mom had passed, his dad made sure the ball went ahead, although that year most of the staff had worn black to honor her.

  This year there was a festival of color in the room, two-hundred people or more in sensational dresses and well-fitting suits. Christian recognized a few from his time in the store, but he knew that there would be plenty of people here who’d won a ticket on the famous Carroll’s lottery. Some were dancing, others were already attacking the buffet that stretched the entire length of the room.

  There was only one person he was interested in seeing, though. He searched the crowds, looking for Merry, turning the giftwrapped present nervously in his hands. He was giddy with excitement at the thought of seeing her—and that wasn’t just a turn of phrase, he actually felt light-headed. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this much anticipation before a date, not even back in high school. It had just gone seven, and he knew she’d be here soon, but the anticipation of seeing her was like a kettle boiling inside his head.

  Then he turned, and there she was.

  His breath actually caught in his throat, his heart pausing for a moment as he took in what he saw. She swept into the room in a swirl of black and silver. The dress looked stunning on her, but it was her that he saw, her amazing smile, her eyes bright with excitement. There were hundreds of people here, but she found him instantly, and as their eyes met Christian’s heart pounded back to life with a jolt of electricity. She ran to him, and he to her, lifting her up and spinning her around with such energy he nearly dropped her gift. She laughed with the sheer joy of it, wrapping her arms tight around his shoulders.

  “Thank you thank you thank you,” she said. He lowered her gently down to earth, keeping one hand on her waist, the other on the present. He tilted himself back to see her, because he wanted to make sure that this was real, that it was actually happening. She smiled up at him, beautiful, perfect.

  “You look…” he started, but there were simply no words. He didn’t need them. She leaned up and kissed him gently, her lips touching his for just a moment. Then she put her head to his chest and they moved together to the music, losing themselves to one another, and to the melody of Christmas.

  Merry didn’t want this moment to end. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world, being here with Christian, her arms around his waist and his on her shoulders, pulling her close. Her head rested against the wall of his chest, his strong, fast heartbeat a perfect accompaniment to the music that filled the room. They moved as one, as if they had been dancing together their whole life. Not a single step felt out of place or clumsy. That was the amazing thing about him, he never made her feel out of place. He made her feel like she belonged.


  He pulled away, and she resisted, trying to hold him closer.

  “Just a moment,” he said. “I need to give you something.”

  “You’ve already given me too much,” she said, reluctantly letting go of him. “I can’t accept anything else.”

  “This is different,” he replied. He was holding a box, beautifully wrapped in shiny, red paper, and with a bashful smile he passed it to her. “Please,” he said. “Open it.”

  With shaking fingers, Merry picked at the paper, carefully opening the present. Inside was a black box, and when she opened that she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

  “Do you…” Christian started. “I mean, if you don’t…”

  “I love it,” she said, gently taking the elegant silver chain out of the box and holding it up in front of her. Hanging from the end of it was a beautiful silver spiral, one that spun magically in the air in front of her. “Oh Christian, I love it so much. But you shouldn’t have.”

  “I didn’t buy it,” he said. “It belonged to my mom.”

  Merry looked past the spiral, seeing his face through a sudden blur of tears. He cleared his throat, obviously finding this emotional.

  “She loved spirals,” he said. “They always reminded her of life, of love. Things don’t always seem to be going in the direction you want them to, but—”

  “You’re always moving forward,” Merry said alongside him. He smiled at her, frowning.

  “How did you know?” he asked.

  “Because she’s right,” Merry said. She couldn’t quite believe this little moment of serendipity, but it was just one in so many that she and Christian had shared. Once again, she had the feeling that they had known each other for far longer than a few days. She felt they might have known each other forever.

  “May I?” he said, and she turned, allowing him to fasten the necklace. The glittering spiral complemented the dress completely, a perfect finishing touch. He took Merry in his arms again, leaning down and kissing the top of her head, and it was all she could do not to start purring. She squeezed him tight, and he squeezed her back, and in that simple action she felt a sudden and powerful release of emotion, a sensation the likes of which she’d never felt before. It was love, she knew. She loved him. It was impossible, but it was true.

  “I love you,” she whispered into his chest.

  “Hmm?” he asked. She peeled herself away and gave him a smile, one that he returned instantly.

  “Nothing,” she said. “This is just so wonderful.”

  “Can I get you a drink?” Christian asked. She shook her head. This was all she wanted, for all of time. He pulled her close again. The band had switched songs, and one of the clerks from the store had taken the mic, belting out a Nat King Cole tune with a pretty good voice. Christian and Merry danced together, not a care in the world. They danced as if they knew the night would go on forever.

  It was only when the crowd started to clap that Merry looked up. The song had finished, and the girl with the microphone left the stage with a curtsy.

  “Any other takers?” said the singer from the band, offering the microphone to the audience.

  “How about it?” asked Christian. “A duet?”

  Merry laughed, then realized he was being serious.

  “In front of all these people?” she said. “No way!”

  “It doesn’t have to be for them,” he said. “It’s just for us.”

  Merry opened her mouth to refuse again, then hesitated. Normally she would have run a mile at the thought of doing karaoke, even if it was Christmas karaoke, but there was something about Christian that made her feel like everything she did would be okay. He made her feel safe.

  “Okay,” she said, laughing. “Okay let’s do it.”

  He took her hand, leading her through the crowd. People started cheering as they saw them, and the singer handed the microphone to Christian.

  “Any requests?” the singer asked. Merry smiled.

  “Baby It’s Cold Outside?” she replied, looking at Christian. He nodded enthusiastically.

  “You read my mind, Merry.”

  The band kicked off, the music almost overpowering this close up. Merry spotted Alice and Trudy in the crowd, both of them cheering her on. Everybody was watching, and she felt like a pop star. It was incredible, it was intoxicating, especially when Christian lifted the microphone to her. For a moment, her mind a drew a blank. Then the words began to flow from her mouth.

  “I really can’t stay,” she sang, her voice trembling a little at first before finding its strength. Christian leant in, and she could smell the mint on his breath as he sang the next line.

  “But baby it’s cold outside.”

  His voice was deep and melodic, almost hypnotic. Merry almost laughed at the sheer thrill of hearing it. All around them, people cheered.

  “I’ve got to go away,” she went on.

  “But baby it’s cold outside.”

  “This evening has been.”

  “Been hoping that you’d drop in.”

  “So very nice!”

  “I’ll hold your hands, they’re just like ice,” Christian sang, taking her hand and spinning her around. She laughed so much she completely missed the next line, but he filled in. “Beautiful, what’s the hurry?”

  “My father will be pacing the floor,” she said, catching up with herself. She looked Christian in the eye, listening to him sing.

  “Listen to the fireplace roar.”

  The rest of the room seemed to melt away until it was just the two of them. Merry held Christian’s hand, singing her heart out just for him. It really was as if they had been put under a spell, a wonderful, unbreakable spell that would hold them in this moment like a snow globe.

  “Oh baby it’s cold outside!” they sang together, reaching a crescendo.

  The band ended the song with a flourish, and the crowd broke into rapturous applause—the sound of it pulling Merry back to the real world. She looked around, feeling suddenly sheepish at being here in front of everyone. But there was so much good will in the room, so much warmth, that she quickly found herself smiling again. Christian handed the microphone back to the singer and hugged her, both of them laughing into each other.

  “That was amazing,” he said, and she nodded, about to reply. Then she saw something that made her blood run colder than the wind outside.

  Standing at the edge of the room, staring at her with a look of pure hatred, was Adrian.

  24

  It was going like magic—the singing, the cheering, the smiles and laughter—until Merry suddenly pulled away.

  “Merry?” Christian asked.

  “Just give me a minute,” she replied, breaking into a run. People stepped out of her way, and Christian couldn’t help but think of Cinderella, sprinting from the palace at the stroke of midnight. He didn’t know what to do. Had he upset her? He shouldn’t have suggested singing, it was a stupid idea. He’d made her feel uncomfortable. Cursing himself, he ran after her, pushing through the heaving crowd as the band broke into another Christmas number.

  It took him a while to get to the edge of the room, and by the time he’d arrived Merry had gone. He walked to the short corridor that connected the restaurant to the rest of the store, searching for her. Where on earth was she? Setting off again, he entered the electronics department. It was much quieter here, the sounds of the party muted. A few people milled around, chatting and laughing, but there was still no sign of Merry.

  He started walking again, only making it a few feet before he heard somebody call out his name. Turning, he saw a figure standing in the darkness of an aisle. It was a woman, and for a moment he thought it was Merry. He’d almost managed a smile before the figure stepped into the light and he saw it wasn’t her at all. It was a girl he half recognized from somewhere, glamorous and well-dressed.

  “Christian,” she said again. “I need your help.”

  “Excuse me?” he asked, searching once again for Merry. “I can�
�t right now, I’m looking for somebody.”

  “It’s an emergency,” she said. “I think something terrible is about to happen.”

  Christian turned back to her, and as he did so he suddenly remembered where he’d seen her before. She was the woman he’d chased away with a mop the other day, the one engaged to Merry’s ex. He narrowed his eyes at her.

  “Where’s Merry?” he asked.

  “That’s just it,” said the woman. “Come with me and I’ll show you.”

  An alarm bell was going off in Christian’s head. Something very strange was going on.

  “Please,” said the woman. “This way.”

  He glanced around again, searching for Merry, praying that he’d find her. But she was nowhere to be seen. What if she was in danger? If this woman was here, then maybe Merry’s ex was too, and Merry had already told him how violent and controlling Adrian was. The woman was walking away from him, he had to decide now. But if there was any chance Merry was in danger, then this woman would know.

  “Okay,” he said, following her. “Wait for me.”

  Merry reached the top of the escalator, searching the dimmed children’s department until she saw him. Adrian was waiting for her, leaning insolently against the wall of Santa’s grotto. He was dressed in a suit—the first time she could ever remember him wearing one—but it was too big for him, the sleeves hanging almost past his knuckles and making him look like the spoilt, sullen boy he was at heart.

  “What are you doing here?” she said, marching toward him. He smiled smugly.

  “You should thank your boyfriend,” he said. “After he attacked me with his mop, the store gave me and Bianca tickets to the ball as part of our compensation.”

  A surge of hatred rushed through Merry. She’d just had the most wonderful experience with Christian, and now her ex had ruined it. Why wouldn’t he just leave her alone?