Cinderella Christmas

by Shelley Galloway

  His two meager sentences didn't exude any of the warmth she'd felt from him at the beginning of their date. Had she just imagined the connection between them?

  Maybe whatever connection they'd had didn't matter anymore, now that he was back with his ex-girlfriend. Maybe now that their date was over, he had no thoughts of Brooke Anne except bad ones. Perhaps she was but a bitter reminder of a date gone wrong, and all that remained was an incomplete business transaction between them.

  All she knew was that she sure as heck wasn't in any rush to see him, especially since he'd summoned her in a note. Who did he think he was, anyway?

  Of course, she had asked Tomi to help her keep her distance....

  As she walked along the sidewalk, Brooke Anne watched the people of Cincinnati go about their business, and reflected on her situation. She didn't need a man in her life-well, not a man who made her sad. She'd cried more than enough tears over Russell.

  There were a lot of good things to concentrate on. Jovial Janitors was her very own business, and she had really great friends she knew she could always rely on. Like Tomasina. And Tomasina's little family was practically her own.

  If Morgan wasn't romantically interested in her, she could handle it. One day she'd be able to forget just how handsome he'd looked in that tuxedo.

  Yep. She didn't need Morgan. She'd just fallen for him, in a silly, teenaged kind of way.

  And no matter what, she had to put him out of her mind- fast. After all, she had a mansion to clean.

  *****

  Chapter Fourteen

  "By my way of thinking, it's only going to take us a solid twelve hours to clean this place top to bottom," Tomasina muttered as they pulled up to the side of the soiree house in the prestigious community of Indian Hill, later that day.

  With a groan, Brooke Anne had to agree. The place was gargantuan. "Are you sure this is the right address?" she asked, hoping against hope that maybe they were at the wrong home.

  "I'm positive," Tomi said, scanning the note again. "I took care to double-check her address and directions. Well, on the bright side, we'll get to charge an arm and a leg, right?"

  "As well as a few other body parts," Brooke Anne replied. With a sigh, she stepped out of the van into the cool winter air. "Let's get this over with."

  "Roger that."

  Carrying a pailful of cleaning supplies, Brooke Anne made her way to the front of the home and rang the doorbell.

  Tomi followed a good two steps behind, lugging her own bucket. "Do you think we were supposed to go around back?"

  "What, like the help in old movies? Come on, Tomi, it's just a house. Besides, we did park off to the side."

  The beautiful etched-glass door was opened by a petite Woman in high heels, designer jeans and a sweater that Brooke

  Anne had seen in the window of a very exclusive boutique. "Are you the cleaning girls?"

  "That's us," Tomi said dryly. Tomi really hated being called a cleaning girl.

  "I'm Brooke Anne Kressler, owner of Jovial Janitors," Brooke Anne interjected.

  "Nice to meet you. I'm Caroline Hart," the auburn-haired woman said with a smile. "I'm desperate. People will be here in four hours!"

  Brooke Anne tried not to wince at Ms. Hart's high-pitched squeal. The woman was obviously feeling a little stressed about her upcoming event. "Well, if you'll just show us which rooms you'd like cleaned, we'll get right to work."

  Ms. Hart stepped back and motioned them inside a marble foyer decorated with gilt cherubs holding handfuls of Christmas garlands. They were kind of cute, if a little ostentatious, Brooke Anne decided.

  The woman then led the way through several rooms, each with a fancy name. Brooke Anne couldn't help raising her eyebrows at her friend after they'd peered into the library, the parlor and the conservatory, each one more elaborate than the last. They were all decorated to the hilt and then adorned with an extra layer of Christmas glitz. "Would you like us to dust everything, ma'am?" Brooke Anne asked. If Caroline Hart was hoping to have every expensive knickknack removed and wiped down with polish, each room could take four hours!

  "Just do what you can," she said with a chuckle. "I know it's an enormous task."

  Ms. Hart quickly clip-clopped down the hall, pointing out three bathrooms and yet another cozy sitting area.

  "You won't need to worry about the bedrooms, private baths or the kitchen. But if you have time, please vacuum the billiard room in the basement."

  "Will do." Tomi said. "You have a very pretty house, Ms. Hart."

  Their client looked genuinely pleased. "Thanks. At first I was worried that my husband and I wouldn't feel comfortable in such a big old place, but we've grown to love it."

  After they'd discussed payment, cleaning supplies and other details, Ms. Hart headed toward the back of the house. "Some guests might be arriving before you leave. If you see them before I do, can you let them know I'll be in the sunroom?"

  "Sure thing," Brooke Anne replied. As soon as they were alone, she shared an incredulous smile with Tomi. "Can you believe this place? It's bigger than some office buildings we clean!"

  "It's bigger and fancier than the Union Center Museum," Tomi added with a grin. "And all those names. Conservatory? Sunroom?" She rolled her eyes. "Why not just call them 'More Rooms to Clean' ? Who in the world needs five sitting rooms?"

  "Obviously Caroline Hart does." Brooke Anne glanced at her watch. It was time to get down to business. Four hours was going to fly by with so much to do. "How do you want to tackle this? Work together or separately?"

  "Separately, of course. I'll take the bathrooms, you start dusting the statues in the conservatory!"

  "That was the library."

  Tomi pursed her lips. "Let's just call it the ugly gnome room."

  "I think those 'gnomes' are probably pretty valuable."

  "You take them, girl!"

  After giving Tomi a high five, Brooke Anne left her partner and went off to dust and vacuum. As she made her way through each area, she decided that she really couldn't find fault with either Caroline or her house.

  After all, it wasn't any of her business how the woman spent her time or money. And she did seem rather nice. Lord knew Brooke Anne and Tomasina had met their share of difficult people, most with a lot less class and money.

  She couldn't help wondering what it would be like to live this way. She tried to imagine spending hundreds of dollars to get seven rooms cleaned professionally for a bunch of snooty friends.

  And the rooms looked as if an interior decorator had designed every one of them. They were right out of one of the pages of Town & Country magazine. She'd have a hard time sipping tea and doing her puzzles in this house. Why, she'd probably have a heart attack if she spilled anything on the antique Oriental rugs!

  Ms. Hart came down after three hours to see how they were doing. "My, everything looks wonderful," she said to Brooke Anne as she walked into the study off the front hall. "You two did a great job."

  "Thank you," she replied, trying not to stare at the woman's new outfit. She'd changed into a silky red-and-black pantsuit. It clung to every inch of her perfectly proportioned figure and set off her striking head of auburn hair. A chunky gold necklace completed her outfit. "You look very nice."

  Caroline's face lit up as though Brooke Anne had just announced she'd won the lottery. "Thanks. It's new! But the best part of the whole outfit is the shoes. Look!"

  There, on her feet were a pair of black high-heeled sandals. Yes, she knew exactly how nice those shoes were. They were her exact shoes, only in black instead of gold. "Those are beautiful."

  "I got them at WJB Shoes."

  What could Brooke Anne say? That she'd bought the same pair last week? That she went to that store all the time in her ugly tennis shoes? "They're very pretty."

  Caroline flashed her bright smile again. "Thanks! So, are you and your partner just about finished?"

  Brooke Anne consulted her watch. "I'd say we'll be out of here within thirty
minutes."

  "Great. Here's your payment," she said, handing her a thick envelope. "I put a little extra in there since you two have been so nice."

  Brooke couldn't help grinning as she slid the envelope into her jacket pocket. "Call us if you're ever in a bind again, ma'am."

  "I will," Ms. Hart said, just as the doorbell rang. "I'd better go get that."

  Brooke Anne had turned around to finish dusting a set of candlesticks when she heard an eerily familiar voice. Cautiously, she peeked out from behind the desk to see who'd entered.

  Standing right there in the foyer, in a smartly tailored navy-blue suit, was Morgan Carmichael, with a gorgeous brunette by his side. As if frozen to the spot, Brooke Anne watched him hug Caroline, present her with a bottle of champagne, then guide his companion toward one of the back rooms.

  In seconds, they were out of sight.

  Her heart sank. Although the brunette wasn't the Sheri woman who Cassie had told her about at the gala, she was just as attractive and elegant-looking as Caroline was. And Morgan and she looked to be pretty close.

  With a deep sigh, Brooke Anne sat down on the carpet behind the desk and tried to pull herself together. But it was hard.

  Even though she knew it was ridiculous, she'd been hoping that when she and Morgan finally saw each other again, all of their differences would've magically fallen away and there would still be that stellar, vibrant spark between them.

  But seeing him in these surroundings made everything all too clear. Morgan belonged here. He knew women like Caroline. He hung out at mansions like this one all the time.

  He knew what a soiree was.

  She just knew how to clean the rooms for one.

  "Brooke Anne?" Tomi called from the doorway. "You ready?"

  "Yeah. Hold on."

  Tomi stepped inside, then bent down to catch Brooke Anne's eye. "Why are you sitting on the carpet?"

  "No reason. I...dropped a rag. But I've got it now."'

  "There's already a crowd in the kitchen, and I do believe they're headed toward the front parlor as we speak," Tomi said.

  Lifting her nose in the air, she said loftily, "Let's depart, shall we?"

  With a half-hearted chuckle, Brooke Anne picked up her pail and followed Tomasina out the door to the van.

  As they were pulling out of the driveway, Tomi turned to her. "Did she pay you?"

  "Oh, yeah. We'll have to count it when we get back to the shop. She said she gave us a little something extra."

  "Good."

  "You know what?" Tomi said. "I was so prepared to hate that rich woman. I was so ready to put down her house and her decorations and her whole life. But.. .she was nice."

  It felt worse, hearing her private thoughts spoken out loud. "Yeah," Brooke Anne said. She still couldn't believe that she'd actually seen Morgan at Caroline Hart's house.

  Tomi kept talking. "I mean, that Ms. Hart didn't have to be so sociable. And her house, though too fancy for me, was kind of cool, huh?"

  It was. It was cool and sophisticated. "There were a lot of neat things," she admitted, knowing that her words sounded weak.

  But Tomi didn't seem to notice. "Did you see that mink fur throw? Or those beaded fruit? Or the leopard-spotted china set?"

  "I did."

  "They were nice. Real nice. And Ms. Hart and I chatted all about animal prints when she asked if I wanted a glass of iced tea." Tomi paused a moment, then continued. "You know, Brooke Anne, today showed me that I could handle being rich, no problem." She just kept chatting along. "If I ever get rich, I'm going to be cool, too. Cool and nice."

  "I hope so!"

  "You know what? I'll even invite you to my soiree. That is, if I ever figure out exactly what happens at one."

  Brooke Anne burst out laughing, unable to stay in her funk with Tomi babbling so excitedly. "If you ever have a soiree, I'll be there with bells on," she said.

  And then giggled with her best friend all the way home.

  *****

  Chapter Fifteen

  As soon as she got home that evening, Brooke Anne wrote Morgan back. She needed to get her shoes and the money and move on with her life. What happened at Caroline Hart's house had made that crystal clear.

  Morgan,

  Please give my check and my shoes to Tomasina. She'll make sure they get to me.

  Brooke Anne

  After reading it twice, she couldn't resist adding a little more.

  I hope you are doing well. I'll remember our dances fondly.

  There. Let that be a lesson to Morgan Carmichael. It was possible to write a businesslike note and still be friendly.

  "If I'm going to start being a letter carrier, I'm going to need a raise," Tomi declared across her breakfast bar.

  Brooke Anne had stopped off at Tomi's before running to the office. She liked hanging out at her house. Tomi favored a bold decorating style that was anything but staid. Currently, she was into the nautical look. The kitchen was painted in shades of turquoise and blue. Brightly colored fish made out of wood and stone graced the counters. Vanessa, Tomi's two-year-old, loved the fun atmosphere, and so did Brooke Anne.

  But Tomi's decor did nothing to quell Brooke Anne's disappointment at her friend's reaction. "A raise? Is that all you have to say? I'm in the middle of a major crisis here!"

  Tomi made a few googly-eyed faces at Vanessa before turning back to Brooke Anne. "You're right. I can say more. How about... This is the worst letter I've ever read in my life. No, make that the second worst. The worst was from your Romeo."

  "Romeo? He's not my anything," Brooke Anne hissed, looking up as Tomi's husband, Ronnie, entered the room.

  "Don't mind me," he said, stopping to brush a kiss on Tomasina's brow. "I'll be getting out of your hair in a minute."

  "You don't have to hurry. I'll be leaving soon," Brooke Anne told him.

  Ronnie tilted his head, studying her. "You okay?"

  "I've been better. How come all men can't be like you?"

  "Like me?"

  Tomi nodded. "You're special."

  That earned her another kiss.

  "You ought to take a seat and give us some perspective, Ron. Our girl's really in a bad way."

  Brooke Anne squirmed. "It's not that bad...I've just got some issues with a man I kind of dated."

  "Kind of?" Ronnie echoed.

  "It's complicated."

  "You've got man trouble?" he asked.

  "Does she ever. By the basketful," Tomi added.

  "Then I'm outta here. Bye, babe," he said to Tomi, after he kissed Vanessa's cheek about ten times. "See you."

  "See you," Tomi called out, then stared at Brooke Anne.

  "Your man, your Morgan... He could be your Romeo if you'd just stop being so stubborn and give the guy a chance."

  Something was up. "My man? Tomi, what's going on?"

  When Tomi just sat there, looking obstinate, she asked, "Have you switched sides?"

  "No. Not really. I'm just trying to stay out of the middle. And do my job, and take care of my family." Tomi narrowed her eyes. "Seems to me that I'm a lot busier than you. You ought to be delivering your own mail."

  "I thought we agreed I should avoid Morgan."

  "That was before I noticed how under your skin he was. I think it's time you talked to him."

  "Tomi!"

  "Well, at least go deliver your letter."

  "Oh, yeah, like I'm going to sneak into the Royal Hotel offices and put it on his desk myself," Brooke Anne said.

  "Yes, you are. I'm so glad you're going to take care of this so I can head straight home after work."

  Brooke Anne's stomach roiled in panic. Now she wished she had told Tomi that she'd spied Morgan at Caroline's house. Maybe if she knew her friend would be a little more forgiving.

  For now, though, she was willing to sound desperate. "Tomasina, you can't do this to me."

  "Christmas is coming. Did you know that play cabins are a lot harder to put together than you'd think? I've got a lot
to do, Brooke Anne."

  "But -"

  "Next Friday is our bonus day," Tomi interjected with a raised hand. "It's circled on my calendar. You won't want to forget that."

  No, she didn't. Even with the extra money from last night, both women knew that Brooke Anne was in no position to walk away from Morgan's cash. "I won't forget," she muttered.

  Tomi's lips curved upward as she handed Vanessa two saltines.

  Glancing at her friend, Brooke Anne spoke quietly. "Hey, Tomi...what did you think of him?"

  "I don't know."

  "Come on. Does he seem all bad?" she asked. "Do you think I've completely misunderstood him? I mean, maybe he had a perfectly legitimate reason for leaving the dinner."

  Tomi fussed with Vanessa. "Brooke, I only saw him for a few moments."

  "Am I going crazy, imagining the two of us together? I mean...he's rich."

  "Money isn't everything."

  "It's a lot," she protested. Just thinking about seeing Morgan again - even if only to pick up her check - made Brooke Anne's stomach hurt. Perhaps it would be best to simply dip into her savings and forget about retrieving that money. "Maybe I should just forget about him and the shoes," she said.

  Tomi's expression became soft as she turned toward her. "Brooke Anne, you have to give people a shot. Everyone has their good and bad sides. And good and bad days. Give things time."

  Even though she knew what Tomi meant, a part of Brooke Anne didn't want to keep waiting and investing time to find out if the man she liked was Mr. Right. Hesitantly, she tried to explain herself. "Remember how I told you about Russell?"

  "Uh-huh."

  "I really liked him, Tomi. I thought we were going to get married. Everyone thought we were going to get married. But then one day Russell showed up with a photo of Suzanne instead of a ring. It was at a barbecue and all my friends were there. It was all I could do to stand there and not burst into tears."

  "I remember you telling me about Suzanne, the bimbo replacement."

  Brooke Anne smiled at the description. "Yes. But now that I think about it... maybe Suzanne wasn't a bimbo at all. Maybe she was nice. Maybe she was the right girl for Russell, and I didn't want to believe that. They have a baby now."