Page 13 of All I Want for Christmas is You

His huge frame covering the small room in a couple of steps.

“Moving?” I gasp, confused.

“Sure,” he says firmly. “As soon as I saw that top floor, I knew that’s what I want. And I want you in it, with me,” he adds, smiling.

“I’m a bit old fashioned, I guess. I like older things, solid things. Things that work. The top floor is a great change from that stupid glass box I have to sit in, all those plastic chairs. I don’t like it.”

I couldn’t agree more, but looking up at the clock on the wall, I notice it’s getting late in the day, and Jack’s talking about stuff that would normally take weeks. Not an afternoon, even with overtime for the staff.

“What’s the matter?” he asks, then following my eyes he notices the clock.

“Oh, I see,” he notes and I nod apologetically.

“That’s alright, I have an entire corporation at hand and plenty of overtime for anyone who wants it,” he says excitedly, reaching for the handset on the desk and after a few punches of some keys, gets my district manager again.

“Jason? Come on in here, we have a lot to go over,” he says briskly before hanging up.

Jack sits opposite me, clutching my hand in his, and tells me everything’s gonna be fine.

“I need to talk things through with Jason, can you run your things upstairs?” he asks me, making me blink.

“I thought I could stay here?” I ask him.

“I want you all to myself, I guess,” he admits. “After all the interruptions so far, do you mind?” he asks again, a genuine look in his eyes.

“But… how long will you be?” I ask, suddenly feeling I don’t want to be separated from Jack a minute longer.

“I’ll be along soon,” he says, nodding his head as his eyes run over me again.

“You know more than I do about that top floor, go make it cozy enough for two,” he says firmly, and I feel myself shiver again.

“Take a laptop up there, I’ll have Jason authorize an expense account for you to start straightening things out up there.”

I feel a tidal wave of apprehension. “But it’s Christmas,” I nearly gasp. “How will I-” I try to ask, but Jack’s waving it away with his hand.

“Just plug in and play, Avery. Do what you think is right,” he says with absolute conviction.

Leaning over the desk, he pecks me on the lips. “Trust me, okay? Like I trust you,” he says and I feel like I’ve suddenly slipped into another world.

One I only ever dreamed of.

“You can do, have, and be anything you want, Avery. As long as I get you all to myself, that’s the only catch,” Jack says, looking to me for approval, to which I nod fiercely.

“Anything?” I ask.

“Anything,” he says firmly. “Now go wait for me upstairs before I make a fool of myself down here.”

“You’ll really be mine, won’t you?” he asks before I reach the door.

“I already am, Jack. Almost,” I blush and watch him do the same as we hold each other’s gaze for a moment.

I pass my district manager, my old ‘big boss’ at the door, who seems just as excited as I am at the changes suddenly happening around here.

Maybe my life is gonna turn out just fine after all.

For all of us.

Maybe it’s some sort of Christmas miracle.Chapter TenJackI watch her go with a heavy heart, but I know if things are going to be just right, I can’t have her in on every step and every secret surprise.

She does know that top floor better than most, and I know she’ll do what’s needed to get it ship shape in no time.

“I only had Avery pack her desk because she’ll be working under me now,” I tell Jason once he settles into a seat opposite me.

“I also want to get going with my Secret Santa idea, a party for all the staff in the building, as well as have you put in a few requests to my head office. We’ll be moving things over here. The whole show,” I tell him, hearing him gulp.

“And I want you to head that up. Starting today you’re in charge of those logistics. Our new chief of operations. Avery is my second in charge, got it?” I ask him.

He nods, but I can see he’s not so sure about just one thing.

“She’s my personal assistant, you get to run this place, I promise,” I tell him, giving him a look that reminds him he answers to me still.

“We have a few hard-asses on the parent board, but they’re my problem. You do what you’re told, Jason and we’ll get along fine.”

“And Avery?” he asks, a wistful look clouding his eye, already stepping over the mark I’ve just set.

“I mean, I’ll take direction from her, as well as yourself, Sir?”

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