“More like when you’d fall off yours... for her.” Rowan smirked, hiding it with another scalding sip of dark roast. “Now, I’m supposed to reprimand you on your shenanigans—that’s what my special lady wants of me, eh? But I know you, I know whatever you did was not meant to escalate to this degree. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear it. Believe me, I do.”
“So you’re not going to fire me?” A wave of relief pulsed through Jesse.
“Well... I might. It depends on what you did.”
Jesse pressed his lips together and focused on his toes throbbing in pain. Those heels were sharp. He stood up cupping his ear to the door.
“Later,” Rowan warned, pointing back to the chair.
Jesse pouted, returning to his seat. The curiosity ate at him, what did Collette really think of him? There could be the slight chance she was pretending to be mad, and she would be willing to give this Damien guy another chance. Surely, he would have to plant mistletoes all over the office like one unavoidable kissing mine field. Yes. It was tradition. His face lit up from the idea.
“You cut your hair. That’s new,” Rowan said, finally placing his coffee down to boot his computer on. “Any particular reason?” It took Jesse another minute of avoiding Rowan’s eyes before he caved. He was wet and covered in dirt and paper shrapnel. This was not how he wanted to gloat about this little prank of his.
“I’m Damien.”
“I know.”
“No. I mean, I was Damien Wright.”
“Yes, I know. It was pretty obvious.”
“And you said nothing?”
“Sophia almost did, but it took me buying her some flowers to keep her quiet. Thanks a lot,” Rowan grumbled. “She saw those roses and, of course, she’s the jealous type; complained why she never gets red roses.” He leaned forward, “I was wondering when you’d confess your feelings, although I was hoping it would be less expensive on my part. You’re cleaning this mess. Oh, and next time you buy Collette flowers, give me a heads up.”
“Yes sir.” Jesse saluted, “But I don’t have feelings for Collette, not like that. Yeah, she’s recently single and like really hot, but I wouldn’t date a co-worker.”
But he wanted to.
“Mm-hmm. You two were just holding hands together all throughout the Winter Carnival last night. Sophia kept rambling on about how wonderful it is that she was moving on from her cheating ex, but we didn’t have a clue who she was with until this morning. You look good by the way. Sharp.”
“Thank you, but hair grows back.”
“Not at my age.” Rowan clasped his hands together. “Here’s the issue. My wife is expecting me to lay down the law. She hates these silly games between you two, but I was young once. I understand, but you need to be honest with yourself, just not at the expense of our business. Do I need to repeat myself?”
“I’m not in love with Lottie, we just kissed.” And he wanted to again. Jesse wasn’t certain where it would take them, but he liked this other side of her he was never given the chance to see.
“Just now?”
“No, yesterday and...” Jesse grinned with excitement, standing straighter wiggling in his seat, “She liked it.” He reached over for a mint from the bowl on Rowan’s desk, popping it into his mouth. “Once this all cools over, everything will be back to normal. Don’t worry. I’ll clean the mess.”
“Listen, this isn’t anything new. Everyone here... well, except you and Collette, know you love her.”
“Enough. This isn’t a work-related issue. Admitting feelings I don’t have for her is not a part of my job description.”
“It is when you soil my carpets. It is not a coincidence these pranks line up with any time she mentions Bryson.”
“Bryson has nothing to do with this. She’s just highly reactive which makes it that much funnier. I didn’t write Ezekiel love letters.”
“He’s too sceptical and he has a girlfriend. Sorry, Mr. Thorne, I’m not convinced that there’s no correlation to why your pranks line up on a Monday morning.”
“What does Monday have to do with it? I just do them when I think of them. Innocent jokes. I never meant for it to go this far.”
“Zip it and listen. I don’t want your excuses and you won’t either. Don’t make me repeat myself.” Rowan huffed. Jesse slouched, zipping his lips allowing his boss to continue, “Collette mentions her date on Friday, then Monday. Whammo! You’re full of trouble.”
“No.”
“What day is it today?”
“Monday.” Jesse rolled his eyes, “If I wanted to ask her out, I would have a long time ago.”
“While she was dating Bryson?” Rowan asked, causing Jesse to face the facts. Again, he stared at his runners. “Listen, I’ve been in your shoes. In my day, Sophia turned all the boys’ heads, twisted mine until I became a little loopy. We were all competing for her attention. And I, being a young rascal, I’d hide her beach towel or take her sunglasses so she’d have to wrestle me for them.” He smirked, “But if I could go back in time and talk to my young self, I’d avoid a lot of heartache by telling him to stop beating around the bush.”
“But how can I love someone who won’t take me seriously?”
“That’s a good question.”
Jesse leaned forward waiting for an answer. None came. He took out the small manila envelope that was shoved in the plant from earlier from his pocket. Tearing it open, he read the note. Collette, I miss you. Love, B.
He flicked the note written on the backside of Bryson’s business card. Wow, he couldn’t believe the jerk had the audacity to drop off this generic heartless note, attached to an ugly plant, a poinsettia? Obviously, he could afford more. He tossed it in the trash.
“Whatever,” he mumbled. “She’s still hung up on her ex.”
“I hope there’s a good reason you threw a plant at Jesse.” Sophia found the tissue box and handed it to her.
“There’s always a good reason,” Collette grovelled, accepting one for her watery eyes. “There’s no Mr. Wright. He played me. He thought he could take advantage of my broken heart, because Bryson cheating on me wasn’t horrible enough. I actually fell for it. I really wanted to love this ‘Damien’ guy and he doesn’t exist.” She bawled, dabbing the mascara off with another tissue before it could run down her cheeks. “I’m so stupid.”
“Hey,” Sophia rested her hand on Collette’s trembling shoulder, “You’re not stupid. Boys are stupid.”
“You’re married.”
“Yeah, well Rowan tricked me, but we need to chat about what’s going on between you and Jesse. Sometimes guys have a hard time sharing their true feelings so they do stupid things.”
“Jesse doesn’t have feelings. He’s just plain old stupid.” She slumped in her desk chair with her arms crossed. “If he had feelings he wouldn’t pretend. He would’ve asked me out or at least flirted with me if he was remotely nervous, not that he’s ever nervous.”
Sophia tugged at her scarf. She had yet to remove her coat.
“What if he had been flirting with you in his own special way?”
“He lied.”
“He made you smile.”
“Why are you choosing his side? He’s the villain, not me. I do my job. He’s the one horsing around. He’s the big meanie. Ugh! I can’t believe I kissed him.”
Sophia’s ears perked, “Oh, do tell.”
“No. Because there’s nothing to tell. He was using me to prove just how gullible and naïve I am.” She stewed on her thoughts. “Not only is he a liar, but a thief too. If he was a good man, he wouldn’t steal my food.”
“He also buys you treats when you’re having a bad day.”
“Those weren’t from him; they were from customers sending their appreciation.”
“Oh yeah, sure. Customers buying you chocolate bars or chips you’d find at a gas station, always around the same time he fuels up.”
“You don’t know that.”
“No. I just happen to proce
ss the fuel card invoices. Maybe he’s not as cruel and heartless as you think he is.”
“He has tattoos.” Collette bit her lip the moment she realized how foolish those words were as they left her mouth. Wow, did she really go there? “I’m not apologizing. This is his fault.”
“You threw the plant.”
The door unlatched. She expected him to eavesdrop, but Jesse kept his head down on his short walk back to the warehouse.
“Hey!” she shouted. He paused, holding onto the door handle. Sophia patted her shoulder, joining her husband in the other room. The door shut behind her, and Jesse glanced over at Collette. “You’re cleaning this up, Mr... Thorne.”
“Right.”
“No! It’s Thorne!” she seethed.
He curtsied, “Yes, your highness.” He left, returning promptly with the vacuum. She tried to focus on the emails. Already organizers from the Winter Carnival were demanding paperwork. Could they calm down? The boys hadn’t finished their final count yet.
The phone rang and as she dealt with the client, she peered over her desk. Jesse turned the vacuum off for her, but danced with it like a fool. He mouthed the words to the same song he had sung the night before, topping it off with an exaggerated wink. She rolled her eyes, but he gave her the kissy lips, so she spun her chair.
“Collette?” her cousin repeated. “Are you there?” Right, she had promised to help her with the wedding along with supplying extra seating for their family reunion on Christmas. Couldn’t she sit alone on the couch and binge Hallmark movies with Junior?
Couldn’t she sulk for a little while?
“It’s Kaylee,” she whispered to Jesse, using excessive motions for him to return to work, but he pretended to not understand any of them. She walked over and turned the vacuum on. “Oh no... Jesse’s cleaning in here. I’ll have to call you back.”
Jesse flicked it off and yelled, “It’s okay. I’m all done now.”
“Nope.” They played a round of tug-of-war with the hose. Unfortunately, he was significantly larger than her and she had the phone in her dominant hand. “He missed a spot.”
On. Off. The vacuum hummed.
Sophia and Rowan opened their door, scowling at the two. Did Mr. Price just wink at Jesse?
“Call you back?” Collette didn’t wait, hanging up on her cousin, “It’s not what it looks like.”
“What does it look like?” Jesse asked, furrowing his brows. “Do you want me to clean this up or not?”
“I want you to clean you up.”
Jesse stroked his stubbly chin, “I did. Just for you.”
He flashed his million-dollar smile and her fickle heart did back flips in her chest. That’s his cheeky smile? All this time he had his face covered up; she suddenly felt foolish, no feverish staring at his face. Not that his smile didn’t make her heart flutter on their date last night, but this was Jesse—not blind-date Damien—a man she had worked with side by side, who would often greet her with nacho cheese powder or cookie crumbs caught in that disgusting unkempt facial hair.
Sophia shifted the purse on her shoulder, “Okay hubs, I got my things, let’s boogie.” Passing Collette, she pointed back and forth between their sets of eyes. “Behave.”
Collette stuck her tongue out at Jesse.
“I’m talking to you, sweetie. He would treat you better if you gave him your eyes and ears every once in a while.”
They left and Jesse held out his palm.
“Hand them over. Eyes and ears. Chop. Chop.”
Collette squinted. “Don’t you have a job to do?”
“Lottie, ‘sweetie’, I started at five in the morning. This is my lunch break.” He sidestepped around her, opening the pen drawer for his cookies, but she slammed it onto his fingers.
He winced.
“Don’t talk to me. Don’t touch me. Don’t take my stuff. Don’t give me anything I don’t want. Don’t interact with me, period.” Pushing harder on the drawer, “Unless it’s work related. Capiche?”
His lips twitched in a grimacing pucker, and she fell back into her seat. This was hopeless. He was relentless.
Collette was relentless. Jesse’s stomach growled. This Christmas, he was going to lose weight instead of gain, if this kept up. Her food was under lockdown. All week he was on his best behaviour, acting like a professional, filling out the forms like he was supposed to, handing them in neatly in their spot, and he wasn’t lingering to chat.
Oh he tried, but each time he was given the cold shoulder. She made sure her lunch breaks wouldn’t line up with his, so there he was two days before Christmas sitting in the loft, munching on Ezekiel’s chips when Collette called him out.
“I need a favour.”
“Nope. I have a date. Stop asking me. Holidays are holidays, and I’m not volunteering my free time. No. Nope. No way. Don’t drag me into this.” Ezekiel spun around, wanting nothing to do with whatever she had to suggest. “Just go to Jesse.”
“It’s just a couple of tables. I’ll have the list on my desk ready to go.”
“How much will you pay me?”
“Doesn’t our friendship mean anything to you?” She forced out a heavy chuckle.
“I’d rather be with my girlfriend. Sorry, not sorry.”
“I’ll tell you where Jesse’s secret stash is, the one with all your missing snacks.”
“What time?” Ezekiel blurted before she could finish her negotiation.
Traitor!
“Anytime in the afternoon, it’s going to be at my parents’ house. The rest of the family will be showing up for the dinner closer to four or five. But with everyone there, setup should be quick. All we need is the stuff, then I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Until clean-up,” Ezekiel said unenthusiastically. “She’s needy y’know.”
Jesse covered his laughter in his sleeve. Or he’s lazy, he thought. Collette fiddled with the pen in her hands, clicking it excessively.
“Which we’ll merge with the wedding rental. I have it all covered.” Boy, she was stressed. This family gathering was going to be rough without the man everyone thought she was going to marry by her side.
Then there was Kaylee, the blushing bride, phoning each day for a simple hello or asking questions related to planning her perfect wedding. Thank goodness Collette wasn’t one of her bridesmaids. Any phone call he witnessed between them, she’d excuse herself to bawl in the bathroom afterwards. It hurt standing by watching her cry when a good jest here or there could turn that frown upside down.
At the end of their shift, Collette handed them each a print-out.
“These are your on-call shifts. Merry Christmas.” Her salutation was nowhere near convincing.
Ezekiel left without a second thought, but Jesse blocked the hall for Collette’s path out the door.
“Can we talk?”
“No.” She focused on buttoning her wool coat.
“I miss your cookies.” Collette shook her head, laughing at the absurdity of his comment. “If you’re wondering what to get me for Christmas, a tin of your baking would be swell.”
“Make your own cookies.”
“I tried. They were salty bricks of goo.” Again, she lifts her brow. “Don’t ask. But if you need me, just text me, yeah? Anything.”
“I won’t.”
“I’m not sorry I kissed you. You’re good at it and our date was fun, even if you ruined it by talking about your ex the whole time.” But he was used to her rambling on about that dirt bag.
“You’re the one who faked a drinking problem. Why would you make up a sob story like that? At least be more convincing.”
“I wasn’t. That happened.” He took off his hat and wrung it through his sweaty hands. “Why do you think I work here? Rowan’s the only guy who would hire me. You think I don’t want to be a hot-shot doc or a banker or something? That I don’t want to have the kind of income that could support a family one day? You think I’m this big brainless thug, maybe.” He leaned up against the
wall, puffing out a heavy sigh. “This place is like my family. Rowan and Sophia are the parents I never asked for, Ezekiel’s the know-it-all brother, and you...”
“The pretentious sister?”
“No.” He squinted. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. I was going to say the hot girl next door.” The one that was rich, overachieving, and unattainable. So close yet so far. Blonde, blue eyes, perky, smiled at everyone else but him. Why would she date a delivery boy when she could have a lawyer?
“Are you hitting on me? Because we’re at work and I could label this as harassment.”
“I don’t want to fight you, Lottie. I want you to be happy again.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I figured you’d recognize my messy handwriting right away with that love letter, but I guess not. I didn’t know Bryson broke your heart. I’m sorry I made this the perfect storm.”
“At least with Bryson, he loved me. You just pretended to.”
“I wasn’t...” she slammed the door in his face, leaving him to lock up. “Pretending.”
Chapter 8
“Collette, are you going to hog the scissors or can I use them?” Brooklyn asked as she placed the board game on the white side of the wrapping paper. With all the relatives coming by the next day, Mom and Dad set them up on gift wrapping duty, a real treat when it was only a few boxes.
Only fifty plus boxes to go.
Collette handed the scissors over to her sister, ditching the task to hop on the bed next to her kitten. Her hands stroked Junior’s soft fur. She dozed off, staring at the elf hat from her date with Jesse ‘Damien’ on her sister’s head.
“You know what you need?”
“A diamond ring on my finger?”
“Nah. You need to chill and get into the Christmas spirit.”
She sighed, further from the festive mood then she had been before. The gift wrapping had been a pleasant distraction, until Brooklyn gave her the presents for Bryson.
“He called again.”
“Who?”
“Bryson.”
“Oh.” Collette rolled onto her stomach, ramming her face into her tall stack of pillows. Junior stood, stretched his little paws, then climbed onto her neck to continue his nap. A few seconds later, he had his claws hooked into her hair.
'Tis the Season for Love: A Charity Box Set Page 99