Beep.
“Are you sure you won’t reconsider coming to the Christmas party Monday night?” he asked in a rush.
“No, sorry.” She would be coming to the party, but as Merry, the woman he’d met online, not Mary, the temp.
“I’ll see you at the office on Monday, then.”
Beep.
“Good-bye, Jayson.”
“Till Monday.”
He disconnected, and Merry answered the call, which was from a friend of her mother’s. Merry delivered the phone to her mother and then returned to the kitchen for dinner preparations.
As she worked, her mind sped ahead to the Christmas party. All she could do was hope for the best.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jayson
For a good part of Monday, Jayson was on edge, anticipating meeting Merry, especially considering his growing attraction to Mary. This was technically her last day in the office. When he walked past the data-entry area earlier that morning, he noticed that her coworkers had brought in a small cake to celebrate the end of her contract.
Over dinner on Friday they’d talked about her future and her goals, and he’d mentioned a few of his own, surprised with the ease he felt discussing his life with her. She hadn’t made a big deal out of it, but it was understood that money was tight with her family. When she spoke of her family it was with genuine love and affection. They were everything to her. Jayson had never felt that love or acceptance. She would create that same environment for her own husband and children one day. The man who married her would be fortunate.
From Mary, his thoughts automatically drifted to Merry. He was anxious to meet her in person. If she didn’t show, he would delete his name from Mix & Mingle and scratch off the entire experiment as a learning experience.
He liked Merry. Genuinely liked her.
The thing was, he liked Mary, too. Ever since Friday, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her.
He felt conflicted between the two women. His memories of all the nights he’d chatted online with Merry proved that she was more than a passing fancy. He’d spent more time getting to know her than any other woman he’d ever dated.
Dated.
That was the crazy part. They’d never dated. Never met. And yet he felt like he knew her.
Then there was Mary, whose eyes always snapped at him with irritation. Well, almost always. Things had changed between them. He barely knew her, and yet his feelings were strong. He was comfortable with her, at ease with no need to be anyone other than himself.
Either way, this was the day Jayson was convinced he would get clarity. In situations like this, the one person he felt comfortable talking to was his cousin.
He reached for his phone and punched the button that would connect him with Cooper.
“Merry Christmas,” his cousin greeted.
“Back atcha,” Jayson said, leaning back in his chair, relaxing.
“I bet I know why you’re calling. You’ve finally met your dream girl.”
“No.”
“No you haven’t met, or no that’s not the reason you’re phoning.”
“Both, actually.”
Cooper seemed to find his answer amusing. “What’s going on?”
“I’m scheduled to meet Merry tonight,” Jayson started off explaining. He wasn’t sure what he expected Cooper to say. He’d never been one to openly share confidences, not the way his cousin did. Most everything that went on in his life was held close to his chest. Now there were two women, and he was confused and uncertain about what to do and how to handle these rare emotions. His focus had always been on his career and not on the nuances of women.
“It’s about time,” Cooper said. “You think she’ll show?”
Who knew? Jayson pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don’t know, and the truth is I’m of two minds.”
His cousin took a moment to ponder his words. “What do you mean by that?”
Jayson wasn’t sure he welcomed his cousin’s counsel, but he trusted Cooper. He’d always had his back, and vice versa. It was how they’d managed to survive boarding school.
“I had a dinner date Friday night,” Jayson admitted.
“The one you mentioned earlier? The other Mary?”
“Yeah.” The image of Mary smiling up at him, reveling in the falling snow, trying to catch snowflakes on her eyelashes, brought a smile to his face. Every time he thought of their evening together, a warm, mushy, foreign sensation came over him. He’d enjoyed every minute with her, and selfishly, he wanted more. Lots more.
“What is it about her that attracts you—well, other than her name?”
“Funny,” Jayson muttered. “First off, she’s bright and funny, and she’s about as real as they come. Her work is impeccable, she’s dedicated and hardworking and…”
“Hey, I’m not looking to hire her. What does she look like?”
“Cooper, there’s more to a woman than looks.” He might have sounded righteous, but he wasn’t backing down. This was the lesson he’d learned with his online match. He didn’t have a clue what Merry looked like physically. And to him it no longer mattered. It might have at one time, but he’d come to know her as a person. That was what had attracted him, kept his attention, kept him coming back to talk to her night after night. He’d enjoyed the opportunity to lower his guard and be himself behind the anonymity of the keyboard. Merry had absolutely no idea he would one day inherit a company, what he looked like, or how much money he had, which was an impressive amount, actually.
“I know, brother, I get that, but if she’s beautiful, it can’t hurt.”
“What attracted you to Maddy?” Jayson asked. He remembered her as having frizzy, unmanageable auburn hair, braces, and thick glasses. Not exactly the classic beauty.
“Well, she’s changed since we were in school together. A lot. The braces are long gone and so are the eyeglasses. She’s beautiful,” he said and laughed. “She’s still got that crazy hair, sticking out in every which direction. It would be easier to tame a rattlesnake. But that crazy red hair is part of Maddy, and she’s the one I love. She’s the one I choose to spend the rest of my life with and I mean that with every fiber of my being. I’m not making the same mistake my parents made. This woman is it for me, man. One woman for the rest of my life.”
Jayson pictured two or three children in his cousin’s future with big, bright smiles and frizzy red hair. The image made him smile so big, his mouth ached.
“I get it,” Jayson said, and he did. He realized he felt the same. Over the years, he hadn’t given a lot of thought to marriage and a family. He’d seen the effects of divorce and wasn’t willing to risk his heart. It surprised him that Cooper was willing to take the leap and trust the future. He loved Maddy enough to give it his all. That impressed Jayson more than he was willing to admit. It set him to thinking that a wife and family might be possible for him, too.
“Okay, tell me more about this other Mary.”
“She’s about five-five, maybe five-six, slender. Brown hair and eyes, and she has the cutest dimple on one side of her mouth. Only one. It shows itself when she smiles and sometimes when she’s irritated. I swear I can’t take my eyes off her…I mean…the dimple.”
“The dimple,” Cooper repeated. “Listen, Jay, it sounds like you’re hooked on this girl from the office.”
“I am.” He wasn’t going to lie. Ever since they’d kissed, he had trouble remembering Merry, and then he’d go online and get involved in a conversation with Merry and be sucked into all those feelings. It reminded him of the dinghy he and his cousin would ride on the Puget Sound, when it became choppy. The swells would carry them up and down and up and down.
His heart wanted Mary.
And then it wanted Merry.
“So, tonight’s the big night. Where are you meeting the online Merry?”
“Company Christmas party.”
“You think that’s a good idea? How’s she going to know who you are with all those peo
ple floating around? And won’t the other Mary be there as well?”
“You’ve forgotten that she’s seen me before, Cooper, remember? And, no, the other Mary won’t be there, which is a good thing. She said she had other plans.”
“I’ll be curious to see what happens and what you decide.”
“Decide?”
“Yes, between Merry and Mary. You’ll keep me updated, right?”
“Sure.” He was grateful for Cooper helping him sort things out.
They ended the conversation. When Jayson looked at the clock, he was surprised to find it was time to head over to the Christmas party. The company had rented hotel space and the event planners had handled all the details, including decorations, music, food, and everything else. It was meant to be an elaborate affair. His uncle went all out with this party. This was the last full day of work before two paid holidays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so everyone would be coming to the party directly from work in their business attire.
When Jayson walked into the Four Seasons, the room was filled with employees and their significant others.
He was greeted by a server with a tray of filled champagne glasses. He took one, sipped it, and smiled. Although it was a medium-priced label, the champagne wasn’t bad. He’d looked over the food and wine budget and knew exactly the brand of sparkly that had been ordered.
Servers circulated the crowd with trays of appetizers. He was offered a variety of tasty hors d’oeuvres, all of which he refused. He wasn’t in the mood for food. Wanting to get his official duties out of the way first, he greeted staff and made polite conversation with the executives and other colleagues. Once he was done making the rounds, he parked himself in the corner of the room and sipped his champagne.
He recognized most every employee but was unfamiliar with all their names. His gaze wandered over the room, seeking an unfamiliar face.
“Merry Christmas.”
Mary joined him in his corner space, her eyes warm and her smile wide.
He frowned, distinctly remembering that she’d said she would be unable to attend the company Christmas party.
Her dimple was on full display, and he had a hard time looking away. “Merry Christmas,” he returned. “I thought you couldn’t make the party.”
“I had a change in plans.”
“That’s great. I hope you enjoy yourself. Did you get a glass of champagne?” It took him a moment to realize he needed to pay more attention to the crowd in order not to miss identifying Merry.
“Not yet. By the way, I brought you a small gift.”
Jayson took his gaze away from the crowd and turned to look at Mary. “Oh?”
“I baked you cookies. I stopped by the office and left them with Mrs. Bly. You’d already left for the party. I wanted you to know so you could bring them home.”
“That wasn’t necessary, but thanks.”
“I told you I would, you know.”
Jayson didn’t remember that, but apparently, she had. He must not have been paying attention. He wouldn’t make that same mistake now. He had an eagle eye out, scanning those attending the party, most of whom he recognized. Everyone was familiar, and he was beginning to grow discouraged.
“Merry’s here, somewhere,” he commented. “Or so I hope.”
“She might be right before your eyes,” Mary told him.
He doubted it. “Possible, but I don’t think so. I’d recognize her if she was. I recognize everyone here so far.”
“You think you’d recognize her?” she asked with a soft laugh that got his attention.
“I’ve never seen her, but I should be able to pick out an unfamiliar face.”
“Perhaps she is familiar,” Mary said.
“She implied as much; she said she knew me, which indicates that I’d know her.” He’d spent countless hours wondering about that very thing and couldn’t imagine how he knew her.
“Did you know HR misspelled my first name on the nameplate that was on my desk?” she asked him.
He blinked, finding it odd that she would mention this on her last day in the office.
“Did you tell HR?”
“Three times, but they didn’t feel it was worth going to the trouble when I was a temp.”
“I’m sorry. If you’d mentioned it earlier I would have made sure it was corrected.” It was too late now, though.
“There’s a reason I’m telling you this, Jayson. There’s something you need to know…”
“I see her.” Jayson exhaled quickly when he spotted the woman who came into the ballroom area. It had to be Merry, and she was gorgeous. His breath caught in his lungs. It had to be her. He knew every employee, and she was alone and walking purposefully toward him.
She was stunning. Stop-traffic gorgeous. She wore a red silk dress and heels, and the dress clung to her body in all the right places. And her body…wow, she was perfection. Her gaze zeroed in on him, and a small smile widened her mouth.
Automatically he stepped forward and held out his arm to her, welcoming her.
“Jayson,” Mary said, touching his arm. “That can’t be her.”
Unable to take his eyes away from the beautiful woman walking directly toward him, Jayson didn’t hear a word Mary said.
Merry was only a few feet away from him now. The closer she got, the more enraptured he became. She was a vision; her beauty took his breath away. Merry was far and away more than he’d ever anticipated or expected. What shocked him was that he didn’t recognize her. He quickly scanned his thoughts, wondering where and when he might have seen her before, because she definitely wasn’t someone he would forget.
“She’s wearing my dress,” Mary gulped.
That caught Jayson’s attention. “What?”
Merry’s brows rose to a perfect arch. “My dear, I can assure you that this is my dress.”
Mary’s face filled with a color that would rival Santa’s suit. “I know, I apologize, it’s just that I saw it in the store window and wanted it so badly.” She snapped her mouth closed and then shot Jayson a mournful look. “She’s beautiful….I’ll leave you two to become acquainted.”
“Thank you,” Merry said, smiling cordially at Mary.
“Here,” Mary said, and handed Jayson a card. “Merry Christmas…I meant to leave this with the cookies, but I think it’s best I didn’t.”
He took the card and Mary walked away.
As soon as Mary was out of sight, he turned to Merry and took her hand in both of his. “Merry. We meet at last.”
“Merry?” she returned, smiling at him with perfectly white, even teeth. “My name isn’t Merry. It’s Sylvia. Sylvia De La Rosa. I’m the event planner you hired. I believe you’re Jayson Bright, am I correct?”
“Your name isn’t Merry?” He was too flustered to think clearly.
“No,” she reiterated. “It’s Sylvia. I thought I should introduce myself and ask if everything was to your satisfaction.”
It took him an awkward moment before he could answer. “Yes, yes, it’s perfectly fine.”
“Good. We appreciate your business and hope that you’ll consider using our company for other events.”
“Of course,” he said, doing his best to disguise his disappointment and embarrassment.
They shook hands and Sylvia left him to oversee the servers.
Once again, his eyes scanned the room. He couldn’t find Merry anywhere.
Then it hit him, what Mary had said, and his head felt like it would explode.
It seemed out of context at the time, and he hadn’t understood the significance of what she was trying to tell him. Human Resources had misspelled her first name. Why in the name of heaven would she mention that to him now, at this party? Really, how many ways could you spell…his chest tightened.
Mary.
Merry.
Closing his eyes, his shoulders slumped forward as he groaned at his own stupidity.
Merry…his Merry had been right in front of him and he was too blind to see
her. He fought back the urge to slap his forehead. He couldn’t have been any denser.
She’d tried repeatedly to tell him and he hadn’t heard her. A sick feeling attacked the pit of his stomach. Then Sylvia had appeared and he’d mistakenly assumed she was the woman he’d spent all those nights with chatting online. He couldn’t imagine what Merry/Mary was thinking about him now. His groan grew louder. This was a worse disaster than even he could imagine. He’d been swayed by a pretty face and ignored the beauty standing right next to him.
It all made sense now. Merry/Mary arrived at Starbucks and recognized him immediately. She didn’t want anything to do with him. Prior to that, every time they had contact in the office it had been confrontational.
Still, there had been ample opportunity to explain who she was—that Mary and Merry were one and the same. And she hadn’t done that. Instead, she’d strung him along. He was sorry for the way he’d acted, but she wasn’t completely innocent in all of this. Furthermore, she owed him an explanation.
Jayson felt his breath freeze in his lungs, wanting to wipe out the entire night and start over. Good luck with that.
Without realizing what was happening, he’d set himself up as the poster child for fool of the year.
But Mary/Merry also had to carry part of the blame. She should have told him who she was long ago; many opportunities had presented themselves.
Looking around, he didn’t see her anywhere.
He started working his way through the crowd, weaving around couples until he saw a familiar face from the data-entry department.
“Kelly,” he said, gripping the young woman by her shoulders.
“It’s Kylie,” she said.
“Kylie,” he repeated. “Have you seen Merry?”
“Merry Knight?”
“Yes,” he returned impatiently. “Merry Smith. Mary Knight. Whatever her name might be.”
“She left.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Merry
The entire evening couldn’t have gone worse. Merry had all but told Jayson who she was and his focus had been on the woman in red who was gorgeous, tall, and graceful. She could have been a supermodel with the perfect body and perfect hair and makeup.
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