Page 19 of Jack Frost, CEO

Calista squawks in protest, batting his hand away while Alexandra loops an arm through mine. “That just leaves us. Let’s check out the shops and sign up for a few spa packages. I know your future hubby can afford it.” She winks at me like we’ve been friends for ages. “Besides, I can’t wait to hear all about your wedding!”

I look at Jack, pleading for his help, and he pulls me out of Alexandra’s hold so he can whisper in my ear as he holds me in what appears to be a loving embrace. “Don’t worry about cost. Just charge everything and anything. We will talk about this later.” He kisses the crown of my head before walking out the door with Marcus and his twins. And all I can do is watch them go.

“Ready?”

I turn back around to see Alexandra waiting for me at the door leading to the other side of the resort, and I swallow down my anxiety. Why do I always do this to myself?

“Let’s go!” I plaster a smile on my face and follow her through the door.

We walk silently down the hall while I take in my surroundings. Large windows grace either side of the walkway, showcasing the picturesque Colorado landscape. Despite my loathing for all things cold, I have to admit it is breathtaking.

“I’ve never been fond of snow, but this place is gorgeous,” I say, breaking the silence.

Alexandra takes a second to look out the windows with me. “Yeah, I love this place. We vacation here every year around this time. I didn’t grow up with the best home life, so I told myself that when I marry and have kids, I’ll do whatever it takes to make the best memories. I was a waitress when I met Marcus. He was in town on business and happened to have a meeting in the restaurant where I was working.”

She takes a deep breath and continues.

“I wouldn’t give him the time of day at first. I figured he was just like all the other businessmen who come in and out of town. You know the type, just looking for a slap and a tickle and nothing serious. While I was no wilting flower, I was determined that my next relationship would be my last.”

Her eyes go dreamy as she reminisces about the past.

“He came into that restaurant every night for a month. He refused to sit in any section that wasn’t mine, and if I wasn’t working, he would leave. The other girls were gossiping about it. They figured I was sleeping with a wealthy man for money. The rumors kept spreading until I finally confronted him.”

Alexandra chuckles at the memory.

“I just went off on him. Threw his plate in his lap. Accused him of starting the rumors himself. It turns out he wanted to get to know me, and I’d been refusing to give him my number, so he came in every night because I was stubborn. When he heard about all the insults being slung my way, I’d never seen anyone look so terrifying in my life. He laid his napkin on the table, tipped me a ridiculous amount even compared to his previous tips, and left.”

I gasp. “He left! Just like that? After everything you told him?”

Alexandra nods. “I was suspended from work for blowing up at a customer. We were a high-end restaurant, and things like that just aren’t done here because we are not a diner or a reality TV show. Three days later, my manager called, claiming that my suspension had been revoked by the new owner, and asked if I could please come in as they were short-handed. I was confused. We were fully staffed. But then when I got to work, I discovered that the new owner had fired every girl involved with spreading those rumors about me. That’s when I realized that Marcus went out and bought the restaurant just to fire the girls who were mean to me.”

“That is insane!”

Alexandra and I walk into the gift shop—if it could even be called that, as it closely resembles a mini-mall.

“Oh, yes. It’s totally insane, but at that moment, I realized how much he was willing to do just to see me happy. I had never had that in my life. I looked over every interaction and came to the conclusion that he made it known he was interested but was always respectful.”

She pauses for a moment before continuing.

“It was everything when I put it all together. All the small things he’d been doing for me. It was everything I told myself I wouldn’t settle for less than. He’d given me his number weeks prior, but I’d never used it.” Her lips quirk. “I never threw it away either. So, I texted him just one word. Yes. And he immediately replied with turn around. When I did, I saw that he was standing behind me. I threw myself at him, and we haven’t looked back since.”

“That’s amazing. It’s like a fairy tale!” I’m in awe. You don’t hear stories like theirs every day, and the fact that they are still going just as strong seventeen years later baffles me.

Alexandra walks up to a rack of sweaters, flipping through them before moving onto a wall of boots. “What about your Jack? How did y’all meet?”

I waffle back and forth between responses in my head, deciding to settle on a watered-down version of the truth. “My Uncle Gio. I needed a place to complete my internship hours, and Jack desperately needed someone to handle his desk. He’d run off the last three assistants in a matter of days. I took the job, which allowed me to get my internship hours and whip the office into shape. There was some drama with a girl at first, but things have been smooth sailing ever since. There was so much work at the beginning as he was double and triple booking himself, and projects were terribly behind. Everything is all straightened out now. We are actually ahead of schedule by a month.”

“Sometimes all it takes is a woman to come in and clean things up!” Alexandra declares, pulling a pair of knee-high boots off the wall. “These are adorable. I think I’m going to try them on.” She scans the shop, looking for an associate.

“When I started, I was worried about proving myself, even though I was insanely overqualified. I still wanted to prove it to myself and my family.” I choke over the last word. “I’d heard the rumors and was terrified, but with every meeting, every late night where he ordered me food and made me eat, I saw something different.” It shocks me just how much of what I’m saying I actually mean.

“He was different.”

I nod, agreeing with Alexandra’s conclusion. He was different. “Yeah. Are you going to try on the boots? You should. They’re super cute!” I say, attempting to steer the conversation in another direction.

“I think I am. You should grab that blue sweater behind you. It would make your eyes pop.”

I grab the sweater in question and look at the price tag, almost swallowing my tongue. Five-hundred dollars for a shirt that feels like it was made of clouds and angel wings. “How do you even wash it?” I mutter to myself, looking for the care instructions.

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