Page 57 of Her Secret Santa

“We’re proud to announce that we’ll be opening a longstanding college scholarship fund for Jackson Children’s Home in the Bronx, with up to two million dollars available for children who lived there to use toward furthering their education,” I announce to the room, smiling out over the attendees of the first Hawthorne New Year’s Banquet.

Brooke sits at one of the lavishly decorated tables near the front, tears glistening in her eyes. Alejandra sits beside her, the first person the scholarship funds will actually be used for when she turns eighteen and graduates high school in two months. Their hands are clasped atop the table, both of them weepy and overwhelmed.

I raise my champagne glass toward them in a congratulatory toast, the diamond bracelet on my wrist glittering under the lights of the banquet hall.

“We’re also excited to unveil the Sanders Grant, a charity named after my beautiful partner, Clara,” Zade says, wrapping his arm around my waist behind the podium we stand at. “It will be a ten million dollar grant put towards refurbishing and updating nursing homes and care centers throughout the city. We look forward to your support as we finalize details of our first several projects.”

The room erupts in polite clapping and cheers again, but I can’t tear my eyes off Zade. It’s been a little over a year since the fiasco of our first Christmas, and my life has changed in so many ways.

My grandmother sits beside Allie at our table, along with Pax, all of them dressed beautifully. She wants for nothing, and neither does anyone else at Brooklyn Gardens.

I have the job of my dreams, working in the graphic design department at Hawthorne Enterprises with Allie. I’m standing on a stage, confident and draped in a black silk dress tailored specifically for me. The most stunning man I’ve ever seen in my life stands beside me, all inky hair and perfectly fitted black suit, the diamonds in his cufflinks matching the ones that shine around my wrist.

The bracelet I wear these days has his name engraved inside of it instead of a four digit door code.

I’ve never been more proud to wear something in my life.

We step off the stage after thanking our investors and employees, heading back to our table. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the feeling of absurdity that comes with all of this—havingemployeesand wearing beautiful clothes and giving away millions of dollars like it’s nothing. Zade has proven to have such a kind and generous heart, coming up with the most thoughtfulideas for company benefits and charity galas we’ve hosted in the past year. He gives me credit for most of his ideas, just to keep face. He still loves his grumpy bad boy facade, but I think he’s finally admitted that it is just a facade, these days, at least to me.

I see the real him every day, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

“Clara, sweetheart,” my grandma says weepily, pulling me close in a weak hug once we reach the table. “Oh, I’m so proud of you.”

Her arms are losing their strength, and her knees have all but disintegrated, but she hasn’t lost an ounce of her kindness. I hug her back, careful not to squeeze too hard, before stepping back to let her bundle Zade into her arms.

“Thank you, Grandma,” I say, smiling widely.

“You too, Zaiden,” she says as she lets him go, pinching his cheek with a playful grin. “You’re a good man.”

He blushes as he pulls out my seat for me, getting me settled before answering her.

“Thank you, Nora,” he says warmly. “I’m doing my best.”

“You did good, babes,” she tells me, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand before turning her attention to Zade. “Andyoufinally learned how to throw a proper holiday party.”

She takes great pleasure in giving him shit these days, but it’s all friendly. The two of them like to play at sniping at each other, but they’re so alike they could be siblings. I still remember how I got to watch them both gang up on Landon when Zade’s PI found proof that Landon was the one to leak all the rumors to the press last Christmas. It was kind of beautiful, to be honest.

Pax wasn’t happy, but he wound up telling Landon that family was something you choose as much as you’re born into it, and he finally took Zade’s side and made the decision to fire him. As far as I know, Landon cut loose and left town. None of us have heard much from him since everything came to light.

“Cheers,” Zade says softly, lifting his champagne glass to mine.

The warmth in his eyes is another thing I don’t think I’ll ever get used to, either. A shameless mix of adoration and lust every time he looks at me. I clink our glasses together and take a sip of my champagne, grinning at him over the rim of my glass after I swallow the golden liquor.

Dinner is an extravagant affair, alcohol flowing freely and amazing food in excess—and all of the leftovers will be picked up by a food donation service to ensure it doesn’t go to waste. It took a lot of practice to get comfortable in situations like this, but my confidence has increased tenfold over the past year. Especially with Zade always reminding me that not only am I worth it, but so is my happiness. Zade has had my back through everything, and we’re both learning from each other.

Allie and I have also gotten the chance to grow together, both professionally and personally, and I feel like I’m finally making the changes in the city that I’ve always dreamed of. Still, I don’t miss the sad look in her eyes, nor the way she keeps glancing at the chair next to her, the one Arlo should be in. I don’t know much about the heartbreak she’s been going through lately, never being one to talk about the hard times in her own life. But I do hope she talks to me soon. Most of all, I hope that she finds her own happy ever after, whether that’s with the empty seat beside her or someone else.

We all drink and dance and chat. The night is magical, happy in a way I didn’t think really existed in anything other than the movies.

By the time everyone has finished dinner and people have gathered on the dance floor, I’m quite ready to get out of my heels and spend the rest of the night in Zade’s arms. We sway together to the music, the whole world narrowing down to justthe two of us. Zade pulls me close and presses a kiss to my forehead, lingering and adoring.

“What do you say we cut out a little early?” he murmurs into my ear, sending shivers down my spine. “We could celebrate, just the two of us.”

I look up at him with an impish grin, liking the sound of that.

“I could get behind a private celebration,” I say.“Go wait in the car, little one,” he says with a smile, rubbing his hand down my arm affectionately. “I’ll be right out, just want to say goodbye to Pax before we leave.”

I laugh, but pat his chest and lean up to kiss his cheek. He’ll probably never grow out of his need to micromanage and be in control of everything, but at least he’s not an ass about it anymore.

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