Page 46 of If You Give a CEO a Chance

I have one foot in the elevator when Walter calls my name.

“Yeah?” I hold my hand out to keep the door from closing.

“A delivery came for you earlier. It’s in the penthouse,” he says with a grin. “I think it’ll do the trick in getting you in the holiday spirit.”

“What is it?”

“Why don’t you go up and find out?”

I laugh. “Alright, I will. Happy holidays, Walter.”

“You too, Miss Fallon.”

On the way to the apartment, I can’t help but wonder what awaits me and if Harrison had anything to do with it.

When I walk into the penthouse, the first thing I notice is the smell of pine and cinnamon. As I move past the hallway, I see that the living room has been transformed into a winter wonderland. It’s bathed in a soft glow from the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree in the corner. Strands of popcorn drape across the branches, nestled among red and white ornaments, with garland hanging above the fireplace. The room looks like it’s straight out of a holiday catalog.

Upon closer inspection, I chuckle when I notice several custom ornaments—a bottle of Diet Coke, a cup of coffee, a spider, and a chef’s hat with my name engraved at the bottom.

I’m struck speechless, my breath caught in my throat. I prepared myself to accept the quiet of the holidays without celebrating, convinced it’s what I wanted. But now, seeing the tree, I realize that I needed this more than I could have imagined.

In stark contrast to my grandmother, my parents loved the holidays. The season was always filled with music, lights, and the comforting smell of cinnamon and pine filling the house. As a kid, my mom made it a tradition to let me decorate the tree. She never corrected my ornament placement or tried to rearrange things. She let it be my masterpiece, no matter how uneven or chaotic it turned out.

Those happy memories made the transition to living with my grandmother all that much harder. As an adult, I’ve alwayspreferred to stay busy during this time of year, avoiding the reminder of how things used to be.

A printed note with my name in elegant script peeks out from one of the branches of the tree, catching my eye. My curiosity piqued, I pick it up to read it.

Fallon,

You can’t have Christmas without a tree. I apologize for leaving without decorating the apartment first. I hope this makes up for it. The glitter and ornaments might not be my thing, but if it makes you feel more at home, that’s all that matters.

Merry Christmas.

Harrison

P.S. I hope you like the gift.

P.S.S. Check the fridge for a peace offering.

Curiosity gets the best of me, and I head to the kitchen to check what’s in the fridge. Inside, I find bluefin tuna in an insulated box, its deep crimson color visible through a layer of clear plastic wrap. A smile tugs at my lips as I run through the recipe for tuna poke bowls in my mind. I didn’t expect Harrison would actually replace the tuna, and I admit I’m touched.

That’s when I remember the mention of a present in Harrison’s note. When I go back into the living room, I find a present under the tree, wrapped in shiny gold paper and tied with a big satin ribbon. It’s a miracle Cat hasn’t gotten to it yet.

I kneel down to open it, observing how heavy it is. As I unwrap it and remove the lid from the box, my fingers tremble as I pull out the tomato-red Dansk Enamelware pot. It’sidentical to the one that my mom would use for all our family dinners. When my parents passed, I was only able to take a small box of photos and mementos with me when I moved to London. I always regretted not grabbing that pot when I had the chance. Now that I have one exactly like it, it’s like a piece of my mom is here with me.

Harrison may not understand the significance of the gesture, but the fact that he paid attention speaks volumes.

Fallon: Thank you for the tree and the gift. You’re more generous than I give you credit for.

Harrison: My sister’s Christmas spirit must be rubbing off on me.

Fallon: How so?

Harrison: She has a holiday checklist, and this year, she enlisted the whole family to participate.

Fallon: What kind of activities are we talking about?

Harrison: Yesterday, she roped us into a Christmas scavenger hunt, and we had to trek around town in the snow.

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