Page 50 of Sleighing You
Chapter 22
Chris
My body went rigid. “Myplace?”
She was already turning to get into her car, ready to shut the door on me… on us. I put my hand on it, stopping her and grateful as hell that she didn’t slam my finger in the door by accident. “My place is here… with you.”
I meant that. Every word. I thought living in Boston made me happy, but I’d been happier here for four days with Avery than I’d ever been in Boston. Maybe that’s why I traveled so much… it was my way of escaping a life that I had created for myself, but didn’t really love.
She shook her head. “It’s not. And you know it. Because no matter what, you’re still my boss. My millionaire boss and heir to a company. And I’m the orphan girl who wears Gap catering clothes to a party.”
“What the hell doesthathave to do anything?” What the hell happened in there? What did I miss? “We talked about me being your boss already… we’ll shift things around so you don’t report to me—”
She gulped and stabbed her keys into the ignition, starting her car. “And what do we tell them? Sorry Jack, I can’t report to your son anymore because I rode him like Santa’s sleigh all night long.”
I gave her my best smile, trying to lighten the mood. “Well, maybe don’t say it likethat.”
“You know what I mean. Your entirefamilyruns this business. We can try to keep things from getting messy… but the truth is, I think we’re already standing in the middle of the mess trying to tell ourselves it’s not so bad.”
Shit. This was falling apart… and fast. “You should talk to HR if you felt… pressured.” I couldn’t help the edge in my voice. Even saying that left me feeling hollow, and I couldn’t stand the thought that she felt like we were a mistake.
“HR?” Her laugh was a bitter crack at the back of her throat. I didn’t understand. How did this go so sour, so quickly? “You mean, your aunt? Or maybe I should take it all the way to the top and talk to your sister… Your sister who thinks I don’t belong here either?”
My head hurt. My teeth were chattering in the cold. “What are you talking about? My sister loves you.”
“I heard you two talking about me. About my clothes and not fitting in.” She sniffed and looked down at the wheel, unable to look me in the eye. “I expected Helena to talk trash about me. I even kind of expected it out of the older board members… but not you and Mallery.”
The coatroom. Oh, my God. She thought we were talking about her? “Avery, no. We weren’t talking about you!”
“I heard you, Chris. Just stop. This night was embarrassing enough.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, taking my hand off the door of her car. Which was a huge mistake. She seized the opportunity, slamming it shut and put the car into drive.
I stepped back just in time as she peeled out of the driveway, spraying wet snow around the whirring tires.
I didn’t get to toast to her new promotion—hell, I didn’t even get totellher what she had missed at the rest of the meeting. We didn’t get to celebrate. All because of a stupid misunderstanding, she was willing to throw it all away. Well, if she wouldn’t listen to me, maybe she would listen to someone she considered one of her “own.” She earned this promotion. And I wasn’t letting her walk away from it… or us.
If there still even was anus. I just knew I wasn’t ready to give up on Avery yet.
