Page 11 of Holiday Situationship

Annie

My heart is heavy, as if a weight’s been placed on my chest. It aches, pounding sluggishly as if every beat takes extra effort. A deep, sinking feeling drags me down as disappointment pools in my gut.

The room with its spacious windows and open sky, suddenly feels small and empty. I stare at the bedroom door. Sam couldn’t wait to get as far away from me as possible. His sudden retreat only confirms what I’ve feared all along—my feelings for him are one-sided. I’m just ordinary Annie, the girl-next-door who’s good enough to be his best friend, but never the one he’d want on his arm or in his bed.

I swallow hard, pushing back the tears threatening to spill over. I thought this trip could be the chance to finally bridge the gap between us, but all I’ve done is complicate matters. I’ve been a fool to think there could ever be something more.

There’s no use moping about things. Sam staked out the boundaries, and I won’t push them any further. I force myself to get dressed, pulling on jeans and a sweater. I open the door, ready to face everyone, including Sam. I breathe in the smell of cinnamon and sugar drifting up from downstairs, and my stomach growls. There’s nothing like comfort food to make a girl feel better.

Julia and Hannah’s voices lilt through the great room from the kitchen, their idle chatter cheery and animated.

“Morning, Annie,” Hannah says as I pad into the room.

“Oh, hey,” Julia says, turning her head toward the door. “Grab a cup and join us. Plates are in the cupboard to the right of the sink.”

I move to the counter, grabbing a mug and a cinnamon roll covered in thick icing, then join them at the table. The heavenly aromas do little to lift my spirits, but they do offer a much needed distraction. Gary tips his coffee cup back and scoots his chair away from the table.

“Morning, Annie.” He gives me a cheerful nod. “I guess I should get outside so you ladies can talk about us men behind our backs.” Gary chuckles, amused with himself. He places a kiss on Hannah’s forehead. I manage a small smile and nod as Gary excuses himself. “The boys are out gathering firewood. Figured I’d give them a head start so I can save my strength for our jaunt to Winslow Farm later.”

The table falls quiet, but as soon as the front door clicks shut, Julia leans in, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Sam couldn’t take his eyes off you last night. Every time you spoke, he just lit up,” she says with a grin.

“He did?” I stuff a bite of cinnamon roll in my mouth, but the taste feels muted and bland like I’ve lost my sense of taste.

Julia hasn’t a clue what a horrible friend and employee I am to have lied my way into this weekend with her and her friends.

“Oh, honey. That boy’s got it bad,” Hannah nods her head. “You’ve got him wrapped around your finger, whether you realize it or not.”

“You think so?” I choke on my bite and quickly wash it down with a sip of coffee.

“It’s obvious he’s smitten with you,” Hannah grins. “I bet he proposes by New Year.”

I choke on my coffee, sputtering as it catches and tickles in my throat. I grab a napkin and cover my mouth as tears sting at the corners of my eyes. Both women stare at me concerned, but I wave the coughing off as something trivial.

It’s true that Sam loves me, but not in the way she presumes. There will be no proposal in my future from Sam or anyone else for that matter.

“I can’t believe you’ve kept him a secret at the office.” Julia holds her mug with both hands and takes a thoughtful sip. Her brow furrows briefly as if trying to figure something out, like our ruse or that her marketing assistant is a bold faced liar of the worst kind. She sets her mug down, her expression serious. “Speaking of work. There’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.”

My stomach drops, and I force a smile, hiding the sudden wave of anxiety flooding my nervous system’s motherboard. “Sure, what’s up??

Julia takes a deep breath, glancing briefly at Hanna before focusing back on me. “Ryan and I have been thinking a lot about our future, and after some serious consideration, we’ve decided it’s time for a change. We’re selling the business.”

The words hit me like a ton of bricks, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. I blink, processing what she’s said and what that means for me and my livelihood. “You’re—selling the business?” I echo, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Isn’t this exciting?” Hannah reaches across the table and squeezes Julia’s hand in a reassuring gesture.

Julia nods, her expression softening from serious to one of empathy. “Yes, we’ve decided to retire early and take some time to travel, see the world while we’re still young enough to enjoy it.”

“Doesn’t that sound lovely?” Hannah’s shoulders drop as she sighs. “You deserve this.”

“Traveling is something we’ve dreamed about for years.” Julia glances at Hannah, a relieved smile tipping the corners of her mouth. “We’ve worked out the numbers, spoken to an attorney, and have drawn up legal papers to make it happen.”

I manage a weak smile, though my mind is spinning like a kite in an unfriendly wind. “That sounds—wonderful,” I manage the words, but they’re hollow as I speak them.

The reality of the situation hits me like a slow moving locomotive, barreling over me, and leaving me numb. Julia dragged me up here knowing I’d be trapped when she delivered the bad news. Nothing good can come from any of this—at least not for me. What happens to my job? My career? Not to mention the damage this trip has done to my friendship with Sam.

Julia reaches across the table and places a comforting hand on mine, much like Hannah did with her a few moments ago. As if some weird circle of comforting solidarity can unite us after the bombshell she’s just dropped.

“I know this is a lot to take in, but I want you to know that Ryan and I are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for everyone,” Julia says, but despite her reassurance, a gnawing fear grips my gut. “You’ve been such an integral part of the team, Annie. That’s part of why I wanted to tell you here, away from the office.”

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