Page 32 of Secret Santas and Holiday Dances

Grace gritted her teeth. “I said no.”

Jessie’s, and Emma’s eyes bulged.

Grace turned her back on them. “Secret Santa has nothing to do with Life on Canvas and everything to do with the people who received the gifts. And for the record, I never talked to Charlotte about my pay, but she was right about you paying me ‘pittance,’ as you called it, even if she was wrong about everything else. I am worth a lot more than that, and I’ve never once complained about it.”

“I’m not giving you a raise,” David barked.

“I wasn’t asking you to, but you will start giving me credit for my hard work or I’ll walk,” she said. “I’m tired of letting people walk all over me, David. And that includes you. I’m an excellent employee. I work long hours. I get you the best local artists, and I make youa lotof money. If you want to fire me, go ahead. Let’s see if Davina sticks around tomorrow when she finds out I don’t work there anymore.”

“Are you threatening me?” David asked, sounding completely taken aback.

“Just stating the facts,” Grace said. “Now, am I coming in tomorrow or not?”

He breathed heavily, angrily, through the speaker. “I want you here at eight.”

“No,” she said.

“No?!”

“The store doesn’t even open until nine. I’ve been coming in at eight for months, and there’s no need for it. I can have the store ready in ten minutes, and I’m so caught up, I have nothing to do—for months ahead. I’m not coming in at eight anymore.”

“Anything else?” he snarked.

“Actually . . . yes,” she grinned. “I want you to look at one of my paintings, and if you think it’s good, you’re going to hang it in the gallery.”

“Fine, bring it tomorrow.”

“It’s already there. It’s leaning against the wall behind my desk. Go look.”

The line went quiet, minus the sounds of shuffling, then paper tearing. “You painted this?” David sounded surprised.

“I did,” she said. “See you tomorrow, David.” She hung up and turned to Jessie and Emma.

Both women stared, mouths agape.

“What?”

They burst out laughing.

“Feel better?” Emma asked.

Grace breathed out. “Yes, actually. I do.” Why hadn’t she ever stood up for herself before? It wasn’t so scary as she’d thought it would be, and she felt better—at least about that. She wrapped her arms around her middle. But she still had Charlotte to deal with . . . And Liam.

Jessie popped up and came around the coffee table to her. She wrapped an arm around her back. “Do you know what you’re going to do now?”

She sucked in a warble-y chuckle. “Not a clue. But I know I’m done being a doormat.”

Chapter 16

The will reading ended up being the disaster Liam and Ryan had expected, and the family hadn’t left until well after six. Ryan showed their clients to the door, and Liam plopped down in his chair, leaning back and swiveling it from side to side. His head throbbed, but not from the mess they were going to have to clean up with their case, but from the mess he’d made with Grace.

Ryan rolled his chair out from behind his desk and sat in front of Liam. “You okay, buddy?”

Liam rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Not so much.”

“You never explained what happened.”

“There’s not much to it. Charlotte kissed me. I panicked and froze for a beat too long, and Grace saw it.” His phone rang, and he fumbled for it. It was Charlotte. Again. He hit reject and tossed his phone onto his desk. “Charlotte. Again.”

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