Page 107 of Square Deal

“Hey, you,” I said as I strutted through the lobby of the inn, admiring the monster of a Christmas tree that sat in the middle. It was covered in red and gold ornaments and twinkling lights. Of course, I oversaw the holiday decor.

I caught up to Kristin and headed down the admin wing, swiping my key card to get through the secure door.Secure to anyone except a billionaire with a champagne habit.

“You on a break?” I asked.

She nodded, tucking a strand of glossy brown hair that had fallen out of her bun behind her ear. “I hate Christmas.”

“I hear ya. Holidays suck when you can’t lounge around baking cookies all day,” I said, unlocking my office door and ushering her in.

She plopped down in a chair and closed her eyes. “I’m so fucking tired.”

I shimmied my coat off and hung it on the coat rack. I turned to take stock of the to-do list on my desk, but was surprised by a white box sitting on the seat of my desk chair. There was a shimmery gold bow that was tied with perfection.

“What’s that?” Kristin asked as she unwrapped a granola bar.

“I don’t know.” There was no tag or card, but it was in my chair. I set the gift on top of my desk and pulled the tail of the gold ribbon. I wiggled the lid off the box and peeled back the tissue paper.

Maybe I should have opened it out of Kristin’s sight. Knowing Isaac, it could have been embarrassing. Instead, it made me laugh. I pulled out the pair of fuzzy slippers and smiled.

Kristin gave me a curious look, but giggled when I slipped out of my high heels and slid my perpetually sore feet into those fur-lined clouds.

Isaac sent me office slippers.

Kristin took a picture of me with my slippered feet propped up on my desk, and I sent it to Isaac.

Hannah Jane

I see the gift fairy broke into my office again.

Isaac

How do they feel?

Hannah Jane

Heaven.

Isaac

Good. That’s how you make me feel.

Sometimes a grand gesture was a pair of slippers.

“So, this is like… serious?” Kristin asked.

I shrugged, but I wanted it to be. I was crazy about him.

All my reservations were gone. Sure, I worried about all the little steps on the way to the altar—meeting the families, him moving to Beaufort, relinquishing closet space, and shower shelf space. But Isaac made me feel more than all the bland, beige oatmeal boys I had ever been with.

The rush was worth the risk.

“Yeah. I mean, I was upfront with him about what I want. He knows I want the whole nine yards. And he said he’s in for it.”

“I cannot believe y’all thought you’d get away with sneaking around.”

“Hey, I can’t help it that you work here or that he’s Luca’s best friend. We knew we couldn’t keep it a secret forever. Besides, I planned on telling y’all, but Maddie inviting him to poker night kind of beat me to the punch.”

She tossed her granola bar wrapper in the trash and glanced atthe time. “Aren’t you kind of surprised that Bridget hasn’t ever tried to get Kyle to come?”

---