He filled in those cracks and crevices in her heart, making it whole. And not even her father’s indifference tonight, her stepmother’s coldness or her stepsisters’ rudeness could touch her now. In this moment the only person that mattered was the man holding her close.
So while the snow fell outside, Holly melted into Finn’s arms. She couldn’t think of any other place she’d rather be and no one else she’d rather be with on this cold, blustery night.
CHAPTER TWENTY
THIS WAS IT.
Holly stared at her reflection in the mirror. The blue sparkly gown clung to her figure—showing the beginning of her baby bump. She frowned. What had she been thinking? Perhaps she should have selected something loose that hid her figure. But Finn had insisted this dress was his favorite. She turned this way and that way in front of the mirror. And truth be told, she did like it—a lot.
She took a calming breath. She was nervous about her first public outing on the arm of New York’s most eligible bachelor. A smile pulled at her lips as she thought of Finn. He’d been so kind and generous supplying her family with tickets to the ball, and now she had a surprise for him.
It’d taken a bit of secrecy and a lot of help, but she’d pulled together an evening that Finn would not soon forget. To put the plan into action, she’d needed to get rid of him for just a bit. Unable to come up with a better excuse, she’d pleaded that her prenatal vitamin prescription needed refilling. To her surprise he’d jumped at the opportunity to go to the store. She might have worried about his eagerness to leave if her mind wasn’t already on the details of her surprise. She liked to think of it as Project Finn.
She smoothed a hand over her up-do hairstyle. It was secured by an army of hairpins. Nothing could move it now. She then swiped a wand of pink gloss over her lips. She felt like she was forgetting something, but she couldn’t figure out what it might be.
The doorbell rang. It was time for the evening’s festivities to begin. She rushed to the door and flung it open to find Clara standing there on the arm of her new husband. They were each holding a large shopping bag.
“Hi.” Holly’s gaze moved to Clara’s husband. “I’m Holly. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“I’m Steve.” He shook her hand. “Clara had a lot to say about you and Finn—all good. I swear.”
Holly couldn’t blame Clara. From the outside, she and Finn appeared to be an overnight romance. No one knew that it started a few months ago.
Then remembering her manners, she moved aside. “Please come inside. I sent Finn out on an errand. Hopefully he won’t be back for a little bit. Is everything going according to plan?”
Clara nodded. “It is. Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.” Her response sounded more certain than she felt at the moment. “This is my Christmas present to Finn.”
“I didn’t know he did Christmas presents.”
“He doesn’t, but that’s all going to change now.”
“Isn’t this place amazing?” Clara glanced all around. “I’m always in awe of it every time I stop by with some papers for him. And as expected, there’s not a single Christmas decoration in sight.” Clara sent Holly a hesitant look. “Do you really think this is going to work?”
“As long as you have the ornaments in those bags, we’re only missing the tree.”
“Don’t worry. I called on my way over and the tree is on its way.”
“Oh, good. Thank you so much. I couldn’t have done this without you. But no worries. If it doesn’t go the way I planned, you’re safe. I’ll take full responsibility.”
Holly thought of mentioning the baby news. She was getting anxious to tell people, but she didn’t know how Finn would feel about her telling his PA without him. So she remained quiet—for now.
After pointing out where she thought a Christmas tree would look best, Holly asked, “Where’s everyone else? I was hoping they’d be here before he gets back.”
As if on cue, the doorbell rang again.
“That must be them. I’ll get it.” Clara rushed over and swung open the door. “I was starting to wonder what happened to you guys.”
A string of people came through the door carrying a Christmas tree and packages. Some people Holly recognized from the office and others were new to her. They were all invited to Finn’s penthouse before attending the Mistletoe Ball. In all, there was close to a dozen people in the penthouse. Clara made sure to introduce Holly to all of them. Everyone was smiling and talking as they set to work decking Finn’s halls with strands of twinkle light, garland and mistletoe.
Holly couldn’t help but wonder what Finn would make of this impromptu Christmas party.
As though Clara could read her mind, she leaned in close. “Don’t worry. He’ll like this. Thanks to you, he’s a changed man.”
Holly wasn’t so sure, but she hoped Clara was right. Instead of worrying, she joined the others as they trimmed the tree.
* * *
How long does it take to fill a prescription?
Finn rocked back on his heels, tired of standing in one spot. He checked his watch for the tenth time in ten minutes. There was plenty of time before they had to leave for the ball. Not that he wanted to go, but once he’d invited Holly’s family there was no backing out.
He made a point of never going to the ball. Publicly, he distanced himself as much as he could from the event. He liked to think of himself as the man behind the magic curtain. He never felt worthy to take any of the credit for the prestigious event. He carried so much guilt around with him—always feeling like a poor replacement for his family. But Holly was changing his outlook on life. Maybe she had a point—maybe punishing himself wasn’t helping anyone.
He strolled through the aisles of the pharmacy. When he got to the baby aisle, he stopped. He gazed at the shelves crowded with formula, toys and diapers. All of this was needed for a baby? Oh, boy! He had no idea what most of the gizmos even did.
Then the image of the twins filled his mind. His fingers traced over a pacifier. He finally acknowledged to himself that he had to let go of the ghosts that haunted him if he had any hopes of embracing the future. Because deep down he wanted Holly and those babies more than anything in the world.
In no time, he was headed back to the penthouse with two pacifiers tucked in his inner jacket pocket and roses in his hand. He knew what he needed to do now. He needed to tell Holly how much he loved her and their babies—how he couldn’t live without them.
But when he swung open the penthouse door, he came to a complete standstill. There were people everywhere. In front of the window now stood a Christmas tree. It was like he’d stepped into Santa’s hideaway at the North Pole.
Where had all of these people come from? He studied their faces. Most were his coworkers. The unfamiliar faces he assumed were significant others. But where was Holly?
He closed the door and stepped farther into the room. People turned and smiled. Men shook his hand and women told him what a lovely home he had. He welcomed them and gave the appropriate responses all the while wondering what in the world they were doing there.
And then a hand touched his shoulder. He turned, finding Clara standing there, smiling at him. If this was her idea, they were going to have a long talk—a very long talk.
“Oh, I know who those are for. Nice touch.” Clara sent him a smile of approval.
“What?”
She pointed to his hand.
Glancing down at the bouquet of red roses he’d picked up on his way home, he decided to give them to Holly later—when it was just the two of them. He moved off to the side and laid them on a shelf.
Finding Clara still close at hand, he turned back to her. “Looks like I arrived in time for the party.”
“What do you think? Holly went all out planning this get-together.�
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Holly? She did this? “But why? I don’t understand.”
Clara shrugged. “Holly didn’t tell me what prompted this little party. Maybe she just thought it would be a nice gesture before the ball. All I know is that she asked me to pull together all of your close friends.”
Close friends? He turned to his PA and arched a brow. “And now you take directions from Holly?”
“Seemed like the right thing to do. After all, I’m all for helping the course of true love.”
He turned away, afraid Clara would read too much in his eyes. True love? Were his feelings that obvious?
“Just be good to her. She’s a special person.” And with that, Clara went to mingle with the others.
His close friends? He glanced around the room. Yes, he knew many of these people. They’d been the ones to help him when he’d been old enough to step into his father’s role as CEO. He’d had lunch or dinner with all of them at one point or another. He’d even discussed sports and family with them. He’d never thought it was any more than them being polite and doing what was expected, but maybe he hadn’t been willing to admit that those connections had meant so much more.
Finn recalled the other night when he’d been snuggled with Holly on the couch. They’d been discussing friends and he’d said he didn’t have any. Was this Holly’s way of showing him that he wasn’t alone in this world? That if he let down his guard, this could be his?
“Finn, there you are.” Holly rushed up to him. “I have some explaining to do.”
“I think I understand.”
Her beautiful eyes widened. “You do?”
He nodded before he leaned down. With his mouth near hers, he whispered, “Thank you.”
And then with all of his—their—friends around, he kissed her. And it wasn’t just a peck. No, this was a passionate kiss and he didn’t care who witnessed it. He was in love.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
HOLLY COULDN’T STOP SMILING.
A 1950s big-band tune echoed through the enormous lobby of the Metropolitan Museum. It was Holly’s first visit and she was awed by the amazing architecture, not to mention the famous faces in attendance, from professional athletes to movie stars. It was a Who’s Who of New York.
It also didn’t hurt that she was in the arms of the most handsome man. Holly lifted her chin in order to look up at Finn. This evening was the beginning of big things to come—she was certain of it.
Finn’s gaze caught hers. “Are you having fun?”
“The time of my life. But you shouldn’t be spending all of your time with me. There are a lot of people who want to speak with you, including the paparazzi out in front of the museum.”
“The reporters always have questions.”
“Did you even listen to any of them?”
“No. I don’t want anyone or anything to ruin this evening.”
“You don’t understand. It’s good news. In fact, it’s great news. Project Santa was such a success that it garnered national attention. The website is getting hit after hit and tons of heartfelt thank-yous from project coordinators, outreach workers and parents. There have even been phone calls from other companies wanting to participate next year. Just think of all the children and families that could be helped.”
Finn smiled. “And it’s all thanks to you.”
“Me?” She shook her head. “It was your idea.”
“But it was your ingenuity that saved the project. You took a project that started as a corporate endeavor and put it in the hands of the employees and the community. To me, that’s the true meaning of Christmas—people helping people.”
His words touched her deeply. “Thank you. I really connected with the project and the people behind the scenes.”
“And that’s why I think you should take it over permanently. Just let me know what you need.”
Holly stopped dancing. “Seriously?”
“I’ve never been more serious.”
This was the most fulfilling job she’d ever had. She didn’t have to think it over. She knew this was her calling. Not caring that they were in the middle of the dance floor, she lifted on her toes and kissed him.
When they made it to the edge of the dance floor, Finn was drawn away from her by a group of men needing his opinion on something. Holly smiled, enjoying watching Finn animated and outgoing.
Out of excuses, Holly made her way to her family. It was time she said hello. She made small talk with her stepmother and sisters, but her father was nowhere to be seen. As usual, they quickly ran out of things to say to each other and Holly made her departure.
On the other side of the dance floor, Holly spotted her father dancing too close with a young lady. He was chatting her up while the young woman smiled broadly. Then her father leaned closer, whispering in the woman’s ear. The woman blushed.
The whole scene sickened Holly—reminding her of all the reasons she’d sworn off men. They just couldn’t be trusted and it apparently didn’t get better with age.
Her stepmother was in for a painful reality check when she found out that she’d been traded in for a younger model just like her father had done to Holly’s mother. The thought didn’t make Holly happy. It made her very sad because she knew all too well the pain her half-sisters were about to experience.
Deciding she wasn’t in any frame of mind to make friendly chitchat, she veered toward a quiet corner. She needed to gather herself. And then a beautiful woman stepped in her path. Holly didn’t recognize her, but apparently the woman knew her.
“Hi, Holly. I’ve been meaning to get a moment to speak with you.” The polished woman in a red sparkly dress held out a manicured hand.
“Hi.” Holly shook her hand, all the while experiencing a strange sensation that she should know this woman.
Her confusion must have registered on her face because the woman said, “I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself. I’m Meryl.”
Surely she couldn’t be Finn’s ex, could she? But there was no way Holly was going to ask that question. If she was wrong, it would be humiliating. And if she was right, well, awkwardness would ensue.
“If you’re wondering, yes, I am that Meryl. But don’t worry, Finn and I were over ages ago. I saw you earlier, dancing with him. I’ve never seen him look so happy. I’m guessing you’re the one to do that for him. He’s a very lucky man.”
At last, the shock subsided and Holly found her voice. “It’s really nice to meet you. Finn has nothing but good things to say about you.”
Meryl’s eyes lit up. “That’s good to know. I think he’s pretty great, too.”
Really? Finn had given her the impression that hard feelings lingered. Her gaze scanned the crowd for the man they had in common, but she didn’t see him anywhere.
“Ah, I see I caught you by surprise.” The woman’s voice was gentle and friendly. “You thought there would be lots of hard feelings, but there aren’t. I assure you. Finn is a very generous and kind man. He just doesn’t give himself enough credit.”
“I agree with you.”
Holly wanted desperately to dislike this woman, but she couldn’t. Meryl seemed so genuine—so down to earth. There was a kindness that reflected in her eyes. Why exactly had Finn let her get away?
“And the fact that you were able to get him to attend his very own ball is a big credit to you.”
“His ball?”
The woman’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’m sorry. I said too much.”
“No, you didn’t.” Holly needed to know what was going on. “Why did you call this Finn’s ball? As far as I know, he’s never even attended before this year.”
“I thought he would have told you, especially since he just told me that he intends to marry you.”
“He told you that?”
&n
bsp; The woman nodded as her brows scrunched together. “Anyway, I do the leg work for the ball, but he’s the drive behind it. It’s not made public but the ball is done in memory of Finn’s mother and brother. He says that he remains in the background underwriting all of the associated expenses because he’s made a number of unpopular business deals as far as the press is concerned, but I think it’s something else.”
The thought that this woman had insights into Finn that Holly lacked bothered her. “What do you think his reasons are?”
“I think the ball reminds him of his family and for whatever reason, he carries a truckload of guilt that he survived and they didn’t.”
And that was where Holly was able to fill in the missing pieces, but she kept what Finn had told her about his past to herself. She knew all about his survivor’s guilt. And now she realized how much it’d cost him to come here tonight.
But what other secrets was he keeping from me? Tears stung the backs of her eyes. Stupid hormones. “There appears to be a lot I have to learn about Finn.”
“I’m not surprised he didn’t mention it. Finn doesn’t open up easily.”
Just to those that are closest to him. Holly finished Meryl’s statement. After all of their talk about being open and honest with each other, he let her come here not knowing the facts. He’d lied to her by omission. Now she wondered what else he was keeping from her.
“I...I should be going.” Holly was anxious to be alone with her thoughts.
“Well, there I go putting my foot in my mouth. Sorry about that. Sometimes when I’m nervous I talk too much.”
“It’s okay. I’ve really enjoyed talking with you.”
Meryl’s eyes lit up as a smile returned to her face. “I’m really glad we met. I think we might just end up friends, of course if you’re willing.”
“I’d like that.”
But as they parted company, Holly didn’t think their friendship would ever have a chance to flourish. She doubted they’d ever run into each other again.
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