Page 15 of One Foggy Christmas
“Of karaoke?” I scoff. “I’m the queen of karaoke.”
“What else is there to be scared of?”
Having too much fun with you and liking it way too much.
“Nothing.” I lift my chin. “I’ll destroy whatever song it is.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
Victor finishes his rendition of “Fire Ball.” I had no clue he had moves like that.
“Next up is Nash and Sadie.” Everyone from work cheers. “They’ll be singing “Rewrite the Stars” fromThe Greatest Showman.”
“Really?” I shoot him a sharp glare.
“What?” He shrugs innocently. “It’s a great song.”
It may be a great song, but the lyrics hit a little too close to home. There’s no doubt in my mind he did that on purpose, like a subliminal message that’s not so hidden.
I grab the microphone and face the crowd, channeling my inner Zendaya as the music starts.
Nash’s part is up first. He turns to me,singingto me. He’s pitchy, and his timing is off, but I can’t help smiling at his exuberant effort and the way he hams up his performance.
He’s just so fun.
I’m grinning from ear to ear when my part starts, making it hard to sing. But there’s no way I’m letting him outperform me. I give it my all, and by the time we’re to the chorus, we both have our heads thrown back and eyes shut, holding out each note as if our life depends on it.
Nash even points the mic to the crowd, letting them sing along. At the end of the song, everyone is on their feet.
He takes my hand in his, swinging it above our heads before we drop into a bow. He slings his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in for a friendly, appropriate side-hug.
“You were terrible,” he says into my ear above the crowd's cheers.
I laugh. “So were you!”
His arm drops, and we exit the stage, giving high-fives to everyone in our group.
I sit, eyeing Nash as he talks with Eli.
Everything he does is over the top and animated, and I love it.
I can’t remember the last time I felt this free and had this much fun.
And suddenly, out of left field, a new life plan pops into my head—one that’s so different from the one already put in place that it terrifies me.
NASH
When I walkinto the office Monday afternoon, most of my employees are huddled together, talking. I glance around, looking for Sadie, but she’s not in the mix with everyone else. I could see her being the one person who’s still working as a way to try and impress me.
But I’m already impressed. Too impressed for my own good.
Two weeks ago, it was karaoke. Sadie sang the heck out of that song, not caring how stupid she looked.
Last week, it was her presentation on recruiting better doctors. She’s as smart as a whip. I might be attracted to her mind more than her looks—I saidmight be.If anything, it’s a fifty-fifty tie between personality and appearance. Both are equally important and equally a turn-on.
“Who died?” I ask as I join the group.
Everyone turns to me, but it’s Grace’s depressed expression that catches my eye first. “Sadie’s brother.”
