Page 1 of Mistletoe Magic

Hunter

The constant buzzingof my intercom pulls me from my thoughts of the slopes this Christmas season.

“What?” I yell into the intercom.

“They need you in your father’s office,” my secretary’s nasally voice comes through, echoing around me. When my uncle passed away, I inherited her as I stepped into his role at King’s Enterprise.

“Thank you, Mary.” I click off the intercom.

It’s the week of Thanksgiving, and my family has done it separately. My two older brothers got married, so they are with their in-laws since we’re planning a big Christmas trip. We’re deciding now where we are going.

Pushing back my chair, I head into my father’s office. He’s the President of the company. I’m the V.I.P. or Vice President. Many people think I got here because of my dad and uncle, but I went to college to get my MBA. Then, like everyone else on this floor, I started in the mailroom. Every time they promoted me, it was because I earned it. I worked hard trying to prove to myself I deserved this position. I think I work myself into exhaustion every night doing just that.

“Mary, after I meet with my family, you can go home. I’ll be working from home until Monday, and I’ll compensate you for the week.” I tap her desk with my knuckle before walking down the hall. I nod to the few workers here before knocking twice on my dad’s door to enter. He hollers to come in. Opening the door, I’m greeted by my two brothers, Tony and Brad, and my parents. I walk straight to my mom and kiss her on the cheek.

“You need to shave,” she chuckles as my scruff scratches her cheeks. I try to kiss her again, but she swats me away, laughing.

“Where are your better halves?” I ask, sitting next to my brother.

“Work.” Tony’s wife, Chrissy, is a schoolteacher. When they met, she told him she didn’t want to stop working just because he’s worth millions. Her salary goes back into the school she works at, and during the summer, she runs a nonprofit to help fill classrooms in the local area with supplies.

“Shopping, I think.” Brad’s wife, Tina, is a different story. She was an accountant for a major firm and brought in six figures a year. Once she got her hooks into Brad, she quit and now shops full time.

“Be careful, buddy, or she’ll have you broke by the new year.” I slap him on his back.

“Tell me about it. I might have to take up stripping.” Tony and I groan.

“Enough chatter. Your mother and I have plans to get to. Our Christmas plans.” I clap my hands together. My brothers and I agreed on Aspen. We put in our requests on Sunday at family dinner in the jar we’ve been using since we were teenagers to decide on vacations. “We forwent your suggestions.”

“What?” the three of us say together.

“Your Uncle Dennis, God rest his soul, had this place he loved and always wanted to take us as a family. He could never fulfill that wish when he got sick two years ago and went downhill fast. As you know, he wanted to be cremated. I never knew what to do with his ashes until I was going through some old letters from him, and it hit me.”

“Where are we going?” I grumble.

“Celebration. Florida.” My mom smiles.

“Florida for Christmas?” Tony is just as confused as I am.

“There is no snow. So, no skiing, no snowboarding. We always pick from the jar.” I’m acting like a spoiled brat, but I bought about ten grand worth of outdoor wear for this vacation.

“I’m changing it this year.” My dad’s tone leaves no room for discussion. My brothers and I nod before leaving the office together.

“Bar tonight?” Brad says, and I nod. Tony owns a bar with some buddies from high school. It’s become a King brothers’ hangout when we need to discuss issues.

Work was quiet after Mary left. It was almost six when I shut everything down to head to Boozing Bros. Grabbing my laptop bag, I check to see if I need anything for the week. King Enterprises acquires struggling companies and helps to either restructure or dismantle them to sell-off. Many people hate us because they think all we do is throw away companies or people— but thanks tomyjob, we either find the employees another job or help them go to school. We don’t like to leave anyone stranded.

No one is in the office except for the cleaning crew, their bleach and disinfectant permeating the air. As I ride the elevator down to the garage floor, I take off my red tie and undo the first two buttons of my white dress shirt. I wonder if this is the same feeling a woman gets when she takes off her bra at the end of her workday? I remember my best friend Carrie always sighing when we got back to the apartment we shared in college.

I hate living in Sacramento, but the traffic isn’t as horrible as when I lived in New York for school. It’s why I don’t understand going to Florida. We have sun, sand, and heat here. The elevator dings, and the doors open. As I walk out, I notice my green sports car is the only one left in the garage.

I shrug off my dark blue dress suit jacket and hang it on the hanger in the backseat. I roll up my sleeves, exposing some of my tattoos. Driving through the city sucks. If I could do my job at home, I would. It’ll be nice this week— nice and leisurely. I won’t have to get dressed in a suit for a week. The only time I have to get dressed is to go to the hotel for the Thanksgiving buffet with Carrie and her husband, Larry.

The sign for Boozing Bros comes into view, so I take a couple of side streets to park in the back— a perk of being the owner’s brother. The bar is quiet for a Monday. I wave at the bartender, motioning for a drink as I make my way to the table already occupied by my brothers.

“How did the wives take the news?” I ask.

“They were happy. Apparently, they already knew about it,” Tony says.

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