Page 57 of Stranded for Christmas with my Boss

“Merry Christmas,” Jensen tells me.

There are no words to describe how happy I am right now, so why try telling him? With tears of adoration in my eyes, I hurry over to him, cupping his face as I press my lips against his.

Jensen smiles into the kiss as he wraps his arms around me, holding me close as we share a moment together.

My heart threatens to explode in my chest, beating so rapidly that my breathing can’t catch up. I break the kiss to press my forehead against his, feeling everyone’s eyes on us. Well, that’s one way to announce our relationship to the ones we love, and I can distinctly hear Oliver clapping in the background, accompanied by the others’ light laughter.

“Ready to celebrate?” Jensen asks as he gestures to his decorated penthouse that I’m pretty sure my parents, Holly, and Oliver had something to do with.

Yesterday, Christmas with the ones I love seemed like a faraway dream. It took a group effort to make it a reality, and I’m going to enjoy every single second of it.

“I’ve been ready.”

Chapter twenty-six

Jensen

It actually worked. My plan worked!

Christmas is just as it should be.

For the first time in years, I feel like I’m truly part of a family again. Not just an uncle, not just a brother—but something more. Something whole. I watch as Oliver dances around the living room, his laugh filling the air like music. Holly looks happier than I’ve seen her in a long time, and Alyssa…God, she’s glowing.

There’s a warmth in my chest that I can’t quite describe, a sense of belonging that I thought I’d lost forever. This is what I’ve been missing—what I didn’t even know I needed. A Christmas that doesn’t feel hollow or forced. A Christmas that feels…right.

“Play Santa, Alyssa!” Oliver calls out to her as he takes her hand and drags her to the living room where there is a pile of presents under the Christmas tree. Most of them are for him, but seeing the way his face lights up when he gets something unexpected is the best.

He’s still a kid. Christmas is different for him than it is for us adults, but that doesn’t make either of our experiences any less special. For him, it’s about magic and mystery and fun. For the rest of us, it’s about family, memories, and happiness.

But this Christmas is a little more special than all the others.

I get to spend this Christmas with the woman I’ve fallen in love with.

“Thank you for doing this. Alyssa loves Christmas,” her mom tells me as she walks up to me with her husband. “We’re just so happy we could be here.”

“I’m glad I was able to get you guys here. A big part of why she loves today is because of you guys,” I point out as I give them a polite smile, feeling a slight stir of nervousness.

This is the first time that I’ve gotten to meet her parents. Sure, I did a huge thing and got them a helicopter ride here to spend Christmas with their daughter, but I still don’t want to do anything to make them not like me or approve of me.

“Well, we appreciate all you’ve done for us,” her dad tells me before holding his hand out to me. “Including our car.”

My eyebrows lift a little as I shake his hand. “She told you.”

“Of course, she did,” her mom says with a warm smile. “She told us how kind you are and how much she loves her job.”

My face pales a little. “And she told you that I’m…her boss?”

“There is only so much you can control when you fall for someone,” her mom replies before looking over her shoulder at Alyssa as she helps Oliver open a present while Holly snaps pictures. Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. It’s as if she’s giving me permission to love her daughter, to be the man I want to be for her. For a moment, I’m lost for words, just staring at the woman who raised Alyssa to be so full of light and love. I swallow hard, trying to find the right response.

“I’m…I’m lucky to have her,” I finally manage to say, my voice thick with emotion. “I know how special she is.”

Her mom’s smile widens, and she squeezes my arm, a gesture so simple but full of understanding. “Just make sure she stays that way.”

I nod, feeling a swell of determination. “I promise I will.”

“But it’s pretty obvious to us that you’re with her for the right reasons. Look at how happy she looks. No one has ever made her smile like that.”

Her dad nods as he puts his arm around his wife’s waist. “It’s nice to see. That’s all we want for her. To just be happy.”

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