Holiday Flirts! 5 Romantic Short Stories

by Scott, Lisa

  He shrugged. “We’re a place to save money.”

  “Do you offer grants? Scholarships? Do you host community events? Something for the holidays?” That’s one thing she hadn’t liked about Sublime. Maybe it could be different, here.

  “We let the Salvation Army put their kettles outside the store.” He turned up his hands. “We’re just about saving money.”

  She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. “I want to help Save Land make a mark in this community. I can’t believe you don’t have a toy drive for the holidays. Let me be in charge of community relations as assistant manager. That would be my dream job here.” She smiled—probably for the first time all day.

  He linked his hands behind his head, seemingly mulling over her idea. Was she pushing it? Was she going to be the new head of dressing room security instead?

  Finally, he planted his elbows on his desk and smiled at her. “I think we can arrange that. Let’s see how it goes, unofficially. Then I’ll pitch the idea to corporate once we see how your plans work out for us.”

  She bit her lower lip; another old habit she couldn’t break. “Really? That’s great. Terrific.”

  “There’s just one thing I should mention. Employees are required to wear clothing from the store while working. But you’ve got a head start with your new outfit.”

  The news hit her like a breakup. Her clothes. Her beautiful, expensive designer clothes—abandoned in her closet?! She felt her lip wobble. “Even the managers?”

  He nodded.

  She was quiet for a few moment, mourning the death of her style. Resigned, she sniffed. “I’ll just get the leggings in every color.”

  “There’s the Save Land spirit.” He stood up and offered his hand. “Glad to you have you on board, Lindy.”

  She liked the feel of his hand in hers; and she liked that he didn’t let go.

  “And I should mention, company policy prohibits dating among employees.”

  She stepped back. “Of course. Right. Standard procedure at most places, right?” Gotcha loud and clear. She smoothed her shirt, trying to hide her embarrassment. Was it that clear she was attracted to him? “One more question. If employees wear store clothing, why are you decked out in Gucci?”

  One eyebrow lifted. “Nice catch. It’s a gift from an ex-girlfriend.”

  And why did that news buoy her heart just a bit? “So, it’s okay for the boss to wear designer suits to work?”

  “It seemed an appropriate choice when I learned I’d probably be on the news this morning talking about the missing woman’s car found in our lot.”

  Her cheeks went hot. “Right.”

  “Speaking of which, I’d like to hold a press conference announcing we’ve hired you.”

  She groaned.

  “We suffered some bad PR with you locked in overnight. We need to right that ship.”

  She straightened her shoulders. “That’ll be the perfect time to announce the toy drive we’re having.” The idea had just come to her.

  “Oh?”

  She nodded. “The new assistant manager is going to stay locked in a dressing room until we fill a tractor trailer with new toys for charity.” She raised her eyebrows. “Next Saturday.”

  He laughed. “Are you serious?”

  With her hands on her hips she took a step forward and met his gaze. “As an emergency liquidation sale.”

  He whistled. “Well, then. Save Land has our first holiday fundraiser. Let me set up our press conference.”

  He was a step too close to her. He must’ve noticed it too, because he moved back. Then he clapped his hands together. “Why don’t you hit the floor, introduce yourself and see how things work around here.”

  “I’ll check on the dressing room procedures first.”

  Mr. Big Boss let out a nervous laugh.

  ***

  He couldn’t close the door behind her fast enough. Not only was she beautiful, she was smart, too, with some great ideas for the store. Maybe good enough to move up to store manger, so he could move on to a city with an adequate French restaurant. Hell, she’d probably be running the place in a month. So what was nagging the back of his mind now?

  She reminded him of his old girlfriend, Zoe. They both had excellent taste in clothes—top of the line. He wondered if Lindy also had a shoe collection to rival the Sex and the City gals. Her face had gone practically white when he’d mentioned the dress code.

  In the ten months he’d been in Rochester he hadn’t dated anyone seriously. Zoe had laughed when he asked her if she wanted to move upstate with him. His instincts on her hadn’t been so good. He spotted Lindy talking to the cashiers, uncertain what his instincts were telling him about her.

  ***

  He looked up from the agenda Lindy had scrawled on a spiral notebook and blinked at her. “You want me to dress up like Santa next week?”

  She nodded and her smile was so big he hated to break the news to her. “Lindy, I don’t do holidays and I certainly don’t do Santa.”

  She scrunched her eyebrows together. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He shrugged. “Christmas has always been just another retail holiday for me. Even as a kid, my old man was at the store working so his employees could have the holiday off.” In fact, his father worked day and night building Save Land into what it was today. That didn’t make for much father-son bonding. Alex remembered exactly two basketball games during high school his father had been able to attend. And Alex had played horribly, being so nervous that his father was there. He sighed at the memory, but Lindy must have thought it was directed at her.

  She pointed at him. “If I’m going to be wearing Save Land clothing forty hours a week, you can manage a Santa suit for a day.”

  He frowned. “I’ll wear a red tie. That’s the best I can do.” He looked over her notes. “You think it’s only going to take a day to fill up that truck?” He shook his head. “I think you’re going to be holed up in that dressing room a lot longer than you were last night.”

  “I bet it gets filled before midnight Saturday.”

  He crossed his arms, intrigued—more than he should be. “What’s the wager?”

  She grinned. “A week of wearing whatever I want to the store.”

  “I’ve got several nice suits that haven’t sent he light of day since I moved here. I’ll take you up on that.” He held his hand out, and she shook on it. And while he really wanted to pull her into his arms and discover how silky her hair felt against his cheek, how plump her lips really were, he knew he’d just have to settle for the feel of her small hand in his.

  “It’s a bet. That I’m going to win.”

  “Do you want to grab dinner?”

  She raised her eyebrows.

  “To talk about scheduling procedures,” he said quickly. “Store policies”

  She held a stack of files against her chest. “I’ve got a lot of work to do tonight. I want to fine-tune a few ideas for community service programs before I pitch them to you.”

  He hadn’t expected to feel so disappointed. “Great, that’s great. Oh, and go pick out a new Save Land outfit to wear Monday morning during our press conference announcing our best hire in years. You haven’t won that bet yet.”

  ***

  She drove home without remembering a moment of the ride. All she could think about was Alex’s strong grip, the tiny scar by his right eye, those long dark lashes, and the way he smelled. He might be wearing Save Land’s best casual wear, but he smelled like Armani.

  She hung up her new Save Land outfit in the closet; kind of seemed like the new girl in school, hanging out with the snobby rich girls who won’t give her the time of day. Much like her high school memories. She ran her fingers over the expensive fabric of her Dolce & Gabbana blazer and sighed. When would she have a chance to wear these beautiful clothes again?

  She closed the closet door. It didn’t matter. Within the past twenty-four hours, she’d been locked in a store, fired, and then hired to work in
a totally new position. A crazy mix of emotions swirled inside her head. Add to that Alex’s dinner invitation, and she was spinning. She fell back on her bed and stared up at lovely crystal chandelier she’d had installed. The shiny beads sparkled and winked at her. That’s what she felt like inside, thinking about the future; thinking about Alex.

  When she returned to work Monday morning, she had a list of ideas to share with him. “I want to host workshops, showing women how to put together the affordable pieces here at Save Land, but still making them look fashionable. And I’ll show them how to mix and match their outfits to get more than one look.”

  He reached across the desk and touched her arm. “Slow down, kiddo. What are you going to do the other 364 days of the year?”

  She wondered if she was blushing. “I’m just excited about the opportunity. More excited than I could’ve imagined.” Helping women with limited budgets look good just seemed more fulfilling than helping a socialite pick out three pricey dresses—one of which she might wear to the charity ball of the week.

  “I can’t wait to see what you do. Let’s focus on the toy drive first. But before that, we’ve got a press conference to do.” He reached for her hand and pulled her up from her chair.

  “I’d rather be locked in the dressing room again. And by the way, you really need to upgrade the carpet in there.”

  ***

  Despite her nerves, the press conference was a hit, and the news crews promised to follow up that weekend and cover their toy drive.

  When they got back to Alex’s office, he high-fived her and set his hands on her shoulders. “That was great. You were great.”

  Her hands slid up his arms and she looked into his gray eyes. They both realized they were practically embracing. We shouldn’t be doing this. Reluctantly, she stepped back. “Thanks,” she said.

  “You look great in the turtleneck dress,” he said. “I bet we sell out of those this week, now that you’ve modeled them for the cameras.”

  “I always pictured myself in Dior when I made my TV debut.” She shrugged.

  He stared at her, saying nothing, until she became so self-conscious she looked at her shoes. He hadn’t mentioned having to wear Save Land shoes, so she had on her favorite Pradas. She looked up at him. “I’ve got to get everything ready for this weekend.” She walked to the door.

  “Lindy?”

  She turned to him. “Yes?”

  “I’m so glad you took the job. I really am.”

  ***

  The trailer was half-filled by noon on Saturday. Alex was impressed. Lindy had contacted radio stations and recruited local celebrities to stop by and encourage people to drop off toys. They’d set her up with a remote microphone in the dressing room, where they interviewed her from time to time, and gave her updates on the donation status.

  He hadn’t worn his Santa costume; a black Italian wool suit with a holiday-themed tie was festive enough for him, as he greeted the folks stopping by. It was a beautiful winter day, with a clear blue sky and snow glistening in the bright sun.

  Inside, business was booming. The holidays were always busy, but the store was packed with people buying toys to donate, or shopping after they’d dropped off their gifts. Even his workers were in cheerier moods, some wearing Santa hats and antlers to join in the holiday fun. They all were crazy about Lindy.

  He knew how they felt.

  He grabbed a bag of chips and a soda to bring to her. She’d brought an e-reader, her iPod, and a pillow. “Those dressing rooms aren’t made for sleeping,” she’d told him.

  A big wreath hung on the door, and he rapped softly. “You awake in there?”

  The door unlocked, and she smiled at him, with a half-eaten candy cane in one hand. “You here to pay up on your bet?”

  He smiled. “The trailer’s not full yet. But look, I did even better than a red tie. It’s got Christmas trees on it. How’s that for festive?”

  She smoothed her hand down his tie. “You would’ve looked cute in the Santa suit.”

  He decided to take that as a compliment. “Can I come in? I brought gifts.”

  She stepped back. “You can try. It’s not exactly built for two.”

  Good. That meant he’d be close to her. He squeezed through the door and closed it behind him. “I’ve got snacks in case you’re hungry.”

  “Thanks.” She took a long gulp of the soda. “Sounds like we’re getting a good turn out.” Her smile was adorable.

  “Yeah. And the gal from the Salvation Army wants to know if you’d help distribute the toys the week before Christmas.”

  Her eyes widened as she set her hand over her heart. “Really? That would be amazing.” You’d think he’d told her she was getting this season’s entire Blahnik collection for Christmas.

  “I’ll let her know.”

  She squeezed his arm. “I want you to come with me when we hand out the toys.”

  He opened and closed his mouth. He didn’t want to go but he didn’t want to say no.

  She sat on the blanket she had spread on the floor, and he wished she were still touching him. He sat beside her. “I don’t know about that…” Although, it would mean spending more time with her.

  Her nicely manicured hand rested on his. “Please? It’ll be fun. Just think about it. You’re going to make some lucky kids’ Christmas dreams come true. You have no idea how important it can be. It’s something you remember forever. I still do.” Her eyes widened and she looked away from him.

  “What do you mean?”

  She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. “My mom died when I was little. That Christmas, I got tons of toys from a local charity. Of course, I didn’t know it at the time. I thought it was Santa’s way of making it up to me. It made me believe I hadn’t been forgotten. It was the only good thing that happened to me that year. I secretly thought it was a miracle.” She pressed her eyes closed.

  He drew in a breath and curled his hand around hers. “I’m so sorry you lost your mother.”

  She looked down and sniffed, her voice softening. “Being excited about toys probably sounds stupid after losing her,” she said. “It wasn’t just toys, though. It was more than that. It was hope that good things could still happen even after the very worst thing in the world happened.”

  She still wouldn’t look at him. So Alex raised her chin with one finger and pressed his lips against hers, then pulled back. “It’s not stupid at all. I’m glad you have a special memory like that. I never had reason to be excited for the holidays.” He kissed her again. “But you’re changing my mind about that. You’re my holiday rush.”

  With that, she kissed him back, her arms on his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. Then she leaned back, as if she just realized what they were doing. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not.”

  “This has to be some sort of company violation.”

  “Locking you in a dressing room was too, but here we are doing that again.”

  She laughed and wiped away a tear. Then her phone rang. “That’s the radio station. I’ve gotta take it.”

  He stood up, taking on his business tone again. “I need to get back to the truck.” He paused before he slipped out the door. “I’ll come with you to hand out those toys, Lindy.”

  She beamed at him and he knew that look would stay with him for a long time.

  ***

  At eight-thirty, the tractor-trailer was only ninety-percent stocked with toys. But as far as Alex was concerned, the fundraiser was a huge success. The charity director was thrilled. But Lindy refused to come out until it was completely filled, even if that meant spending another night in the dressing room.

  She deserves another miracle, he thought to himself. He pulled one of the cashiers from her post, and the two of them wheeled carts back to the toy section. “Fill yours with stuff for girls. I’ll get toys for the boys.”

  He tossed in trucks and action figures, board games and building sets. Then he filled two more carts. He was flushed and
excited as he loaded the toys onto the belt in the checkout line, just imagining Lindy’s delight when she learned she’d reached her goal. “Don’t tell Lindy about this,” he told the cashier and the workers helping him. He was going to tell the charity director it’d been an anonymous donation. Because it had been.

  Best twelve hundred dollars he’d ever spent.

  ***

  Lindy checked the time on her cell phone. It was a quarter to nine and the store would be closing soon. She sighed. Looked like she’d be spending another night in the least likely of places. She leaned back against the wall. At least it was for a good cause. Some little kid would believe in miracles because of this.

  She sat up with a start when someone rapped on the changing room door. “Can I come in?” It was Alex.

  She jumped up and opened the door for him. He did look cute in his Christmas tie. She couldn’t help but grin, while her heart fluttered, remembering how they’d kissed when he’d visited before.

  He stepped inside. “Good news. An anonymous donor just dropped off enough toys to fill up the truck. You’re outta here, kid!”

  She stared at him for a moment, then threw her arms around him. He squeezed back tightly. Resting her check against his chest, she breathed in the smell of him. He laughed, and caught her lips with his. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” she said between kisses.

  “Shh.”

  Then she looked up at him and whispered, “Thanks.”

  “For kissing you?”

  She slugged him softly. “For letting me do the toy drive.”

  “You’re incredible. You’re thanking me for letting you collect toys for needy kids? You’re right. We should’ve been doing this all along.”

  She slid her hands down his chest and stepped back. “Just part of my job.”

  He looked away and cleared his throat. “Come on, get your stuff so we can go see the truck and go out and celebrate.”

  “And don’t forget, I get to wear whatever I want for a week.”

  He faked a frown. “I almost forgot about that.”

  ***

  After pictures with the newspaper and interviews with TV and radio stations, Lindy climbed into Alex’s car and they went out for a drink. It was exactly like she’d imagined her blind date with Spencer would’ve been: sitting close, lots of flirty comments, and a tightness in her tummy that hummed. But this was her boss, the guy who’d just given her a job. What if things went badly between the two of them? She couldn’t go crawling back to Sublime.