Page 108 of My Secret Snowflake
“I said he needed to give me a month to find another job, but I would resign.”
“You did? But you really like it here,” I say.
“I like Aaron a lot more.” Jazmine grins.
I stare at her.How can she be so sure?They also just started dating. Is it really that easy a decision for her?
“There’s Aaron.” Jazmine lights up. “I’ll go tell him again I’m his Secret Snowflake. He said he’s also going to look for another job, so I don’t have to quit. But you know, with all the rumors of the company closing down, everybody started searching for new jobs, so really, Xavier shouldn’t be setting ridiculous, outdated conditions. I’ve been dealing with so many people bringing competing offers. It’s a total mess.”
Aaron looks over, and his face brightens when he sees Jazmine.
Sebastian still isn’t looking in my direction.
Patrick used to find me in the crowd and sing directly to me, “I love you. You’re the only one for me.”
But I wasn’t.
But Aaron seems like a more dependable guy than Patrick. And I thought Sebastian might be…but now we’ve fumbled at the first hurdle.
Jazmine excuses herself to talk to Aaron, and I make myself a hot chocolate. The desserts don’t tempt me at all. I have no appetite.
Amelia walks in and does a double take when she sees the tree. She rushes over but then stops and seems to take a deep breath. She turns away. She must see that what Jazmine said is right—that now the tree gives off a true holiday feel.
Ernest bounds up. “I’m your Secret Snowflake.”
“You are?” I ask.
“Yes. Did you guess?”
“No,” I say. “Because I’m yours. What are the odds?”
“You’re mine?” he says. “I think that means we’re soulmates.” He winks.
Soulmates.My eyes can’t help searching for Sebastian. To cover my inattention, I say, “Or at least Secret Snowflake-mates.”
“I was afraid you guessed when I told you I knitted. You seemed so taken aback,” he says.
“That’s because my ex knitted,” I say. “I love the gloves. They’re perfect for wearing in the office, especially on weekends, when there isn’t much heat.”
“I picked the green to match your eyes,” he says. “And then I sent the calculator as a clue.”
I blush.
“Those gifts met the spending cap, but then I heard about your promotion, so I couldn’t resist buying theI’m the bosshat,” he says. “And thank you for your gifts. I should’ve guessed it was you when you included that gift for my mom.”
“Did she like it?” I ask. Sebastian is completely ignoring me. Has he accepted that we need to break up?
“She loved it,” he says. “The Florida guidebook was another great gift. And I can always use more coffee.”
He takes a big breath.
“Anyway, I just accepted another job, so if things don’t work out with that guy you’re seeing, I hope you’ll give me a second chance. Because I won’t be a work colleague anymore. And obviously, if you’re the CISO here, I can see that you wouldn’t want to date some junior in the accounting department in the same company. I mean, I’ll still be a junior in this new company, but I won’t be in this one.” Ernest loosens his tie slightly.
Ernest is a bit like a sweet puppy dog. And that’s the type I was determined to date.
But the one Iwantis Sebastian.
He’s talking to one of the women who works in production. She laughs and touches him on the arm. She must be his Secret Snowflake.
