Page 31 of Stranded for Christmas with my Boss

Mom is calling.

Anxiousness seizes my heart in a crushing grip, my mind immediately taking me back to a few days ago when she last called me at work. Now, I’m going to keep assuming the worst when my parents call, but that’s my own anxiety that I need to tackle.

No more breaking down at work. No more crying into my boss’ chest.

Though, Jensen has been pretty nice over the past few days.

I step away from Jensen’s office and wander a few steps farther down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. Please be good news. I don’t think I can handle any more bad news.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

“Why do you sound so worried, honey?” My mom’s laughter fills my phone speaker.

“The last time you called me, you were in a car accident,” I remind her as a relieved sigh drifts from me. She would’ve already dropped the bad news on me if she had any to deliver. “Have you heard anything about the car? Can they do a payment plan like we talked about?”

“That’s exactly what I’m calling you about. Your dad went to the shop this morning to talk to them, and they were already working on the car. The repair costs had already been covered.”

My eyes grow into wide circles. “Wait, what? How is that possible?”

“I have no idea. Maybe it was the driver of the other car or one of our insurance companies,” my mom replies, sounding more lighthearted than I’ve heard her sound in a while. “I’m just so relieved we don’t have to worry about it. So, please don’t stress yourself out anymore, okay?”

I’ve been doing my best to remain cool and calm while talking to my parents about the whole car predicament, but they’re still my parents. They know me well and can see through any wall that I put up.

The only person who is starting to get as good as them at seeing through me is Jensen, but that’s just because he makes me weak.

Weak in my resolve. Weak in the knees.

“Okay, okay. I’ll relax,” I promise her, finally allowing some of the weight on my shoulders to fall away. “I just can’t believe this. We really don’t have to pay anything?”

“Not a cent! That’s what the shop owner told us.”

That’s…amazing. I blink in shock as I still wrap my mind around the good news. No,greatnews.

“That’s awesome, Mom. I’m about to step into a meeting, but I’ll call you after work, okay?” I say as I check the time at the top of my screen.

“Oh, yeah! Of course, of course. Love you!”

“Love you,” I tell her before hanging up and releasing a slow exhale.

I’m over the moon about this because we’ll be able to save so much money, and they’ll be able to get their car back soon. But this almost feels too good to be true.

I head into Jensen’s office to find him on his computer. “Sorry, my mom called.”

Jensen’s eyes snap away from his computer screen. “Oh, yeah? Everything okay?”

I nod as I walk up to his desk, still reeling from it. “Yeah. Actually, things are really good. My parents’ car is being repaired at no cost to them.”

Jensen raises his eyebrows. “Insurance?”

“Maybe,” I reply as a smile brightens my face. “I’m just glad we don’t have to worry about it.”

“I need you to worry about something else for me.”

Oh, boy. “The influencer we’re meeting with in ten minutes?”

Jensen chuckles a little and nods. “Big fish. She doesn’t do many promos or brand deals, though. She’s very selective.”

“Her audience trusts her. She actually has to believe in whatever she’s promoting,” I say before crossing my arms over my chest. “You know, you don’t have to deal with these meetings if you don’t want to.”

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