Page 1 of Misfortune: Christmas With Scrooge (Miss 1)

CHAPTER 1

“Dexter O’Reilly is a man only a mother could love.”

Laura unconsciously lifted her chin. She had been listening half-heartedly to the conversation around the table. The group was not the sort she herself would have associated with but, nevertheless, she made best of the situation. Not for the first time that evening she wondered why on earth she agreed to come tonight.

Because she didn’t want to be alone at Christmas.

The thought of spending the holiday by herself, was absolutely dreadful. She was certain she would have spent most of it crying into her solitary eggnog, which was why when David asked her to accompany him to his employer’s Christmas Eve party, she eagerly accepted.

They had not dated long. As a matter-of-fact, she was thinking it was high time to call it quits. She had no idea what she saw in David to begin with. But then he went and invited her to this staff Christmas party, and she decided, a little selfishly perhaps, to put off ending their brief courtship until after Christmas. Besides, it kind of felt the moral thing to do. Who wants to be dumped over Christmas?

However, at the moment, she almost wished she declined David's invitation. His so-called group of friends had begun a barrage of complaints, bashing the party and their generous hosts. Laura had been successfully ignoring them up to that point, however at the moment their words had curiously piqued her interest. “Dexter O’Reilly?”

“O’Reilly?” David had returned from the bar for the umpteenth time that evening and caught her question. “The Almighty One who thinks himself too superior to show himself at company bashes.”

“Who is he?” Laura’s brow dipped a little.

“Adell’s son.”

“I thought Harris O’Reilly was her son?” Laura inquired, referring to the store manager and owner.

“Dex is the older brother.” David explained as he dropped into the seat next to her. “His father Wallace O’Reilly, Adell Cameron’s first husband, was the original owner of the Sunny Meadows food chain. After his death, O’Reilly inherited the business but went into partnership with Harris. Mainly, I think, because he didn’t want anything to do with the business.”

“So he’s a co-owner?” Laura found her attention caught.

“You'd never know it, though. He hardly ever lowers himself to mingle with the common employee. The guy is a real snob.”

The woman sitting across from Laura added, “He’s got zero manners. Zilch. Nobody likes him.”

“I heard he tried to fire his own brother but his mother stepped in. Supposedly, they have a real hatred for each other,” someone added.

“Rumor is, he wants to sell the grocery chain. Wants nothin’ to do with it. Which means we could all be out of a job.”

“Unless Harris O’Reilly buys him out.”

“That’s unlikely to happen. Harris can’t afford to buy him out.” One of the men at the table supplied. “So he works extra hard to prove to his brother that he is capable of running the business on his own. That way Dexter doesn’t have to help operate the business and won’t threaten to sell his share.”

She was on the verge of asking more about this Dexter O’Reilly character, when it dawned on her she was meddling into a family affair, which was of no concern to her. As a matter-of-fact, she felt all at once ashamed for participating in the usual workplace gossip. She had no connection to these people and scolded herself on her own lack of character. From what she had witnessed of Adell Cameron and her family, they certainly weren’t deserving of such condescending behavior from their employees. Whatever family skeletons they had, were entirely their own business.

She turned her head toward the group near the entrance of the hall. Adell Cameron stood with her small family talking and smiling happily amongst their employees. When she had been introduced earlier, Laura was immediately struck by how friendly the woman appeared. She was probably the sweetest person Laura had ever met. Her sparkling eyes and cheerful manner instantly warmed her to the motherly woman. She was an elegant lady whose appearance spoke immeasurably of her class. Her formal crêpe pantsuit and the stylish salt and pepper blunt cut of her hair were almost deceitful, until one looked into her penetrating hazel eyes and saw the gentle warmth of a kind-hearted woman.

Harris O’Reilly stood beside her grinning cheerfully down at his wife, Lydia O’Reilly. In height and nature along with a set of deep hazel eyes he resembled his mother. Though, his dark head complimented his wife’s raven locks as she smiled in return and laughed at something her father-in-law, Norton Cameron was saying. For a brief second, Laura felt a pang of jealousy. The wish to be part of a family was so great, it startled her.

Which was completely foolish. A sudden tide of loneliness explained this unfounded emotion. Without realizing it, Laura sighed out loud as she looked upon Adell's quaint little family.

Wistfully, she wondered what it would have been like growing up with Adell Cameron as her mother. It had always been just her father and herself, her own mother passing away when Laura was a toddler.

Not that she would have traded her father for anyone. She loved him dearly and their relationship had been close. Closer than any daughter and father could possibly get. They only had themselves in the world. Now, however, there was only Laura.

Unconsciously, her mind traveled back over the months to the hospital where she sat at his bedside. She held his hand, tears flowing down her cheeks as she looked on in fear, praying desperately for a miracle.

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“Please Dad, don't go. Hold on.”

“It's time, Laura,” he said through short breaths.

His eyelids slowly opened to take in the beautiful young woman at his side. “You're the image of your mother.”

“Fight it, Daddy, please. Don't leave me—don't leave me all alone.”

“I'll always be with you, Laura. Don't ever doubt it.” His breath caught in his throat as he fought for one last look at his daughter. “I promise, you won't be alone.”

Those had been his last words. Now, ten months later, sitting in the hall of the Sprucewood Lodge with numerous people buzzing around her, Laura felt completely and utterly alone. Her father had let her down.

With a dispirited sigh, she knew her father wouldn't be pleased to see her so unhappy at Christmas, their favorite time of year. Still, she couldn't shake the lonely feeling, even with all the people surrounding her. In an odd sense, she felt betrayed by her father. How could he leave her? He knew he was all she had. And yet he left, he had abandoned her.

“Can you believe this place? You’d think with all their money they could have afforded better.” The conversation around the table drew her out of her gloomy reflections.

“I think the place looks very festive.” Laura defended Adell Cameron's decorating.

“Yeah, but I bet they have another party for executives. Held by Dexter O'Reilly himself in some plush banquet hall.”

They all agreeably sneered at this last remark, except Laura who sat back quietly in her seat, digesting this new information she was learning about David’s employers. She hadn't realized there were two O’Reilly brothers at the helm of the huge and successful food chain. It was disconcerting to realize Adell Cameron had a son who wasn’t as kindly as the rest of her clan.

Without ever having met him, Laura took a sudden dislike to this Dexter O'Reilly character. The image of the perfect little family, now had an unmistakable flaw. A black sheep son.

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