Page 321 of The Valentines Day Proposal

I was at the bar, talking to a brunette after I bought her a few drinks and looked around the room to see a familiar blonde. Veronica was smiling brightly beside a guy, looking as beautiful as ever. He looked over at her, and she kissed him, making me wonder if she had a real relationship in her life. If so, it looked good on her.

I glanced back down at Kelly and laughed at something she said. The past was the past.

The hours went up to ten at the office every day, and we stayed right along with everyone else. It was insane when I was used to going out every night on the town and drinking with friends for Christmas. I was barely present for Christmas Eve dinner in the years past, something that I regretted now. I missed precious moments with Dad, and I had a lot to make up for now around my work schedule.

Life was so different.

I was glad when we got to rest for four days on Thanksgiving, enjoying a meal mostly cooked by mom with a little help from Monica, and I loved hearing them laugh in the kitchen. Brent and I were watching a game while Ashley chatted on her phone. There was a significant presence missing in the house, but we were all here, focused on each other. That’s what mattered. We had a great dinner and watched a movie together, but Mom went to bed so she could get up and go shopping with friends in the morning. She was crazy for doing so, but it made her happy. I knew that t

he next day she would want to set up the tree and decorate the house, which was what she usually did but seemed to be in a rush this year.

Both Brent and I could see her trying to keep busy to keep from thinking about Dad. We went along with it and pulled the holiday things from the attic after she went to bed, trying to keep quiet about it. We slept in the following morning, waking up in time for some lunch and sports scores before Mom came home with bags of stuff.

She looked happy, though.

I helped Brent take her to get the tree at a corner lot, settling on an eleven foot Douglas Fir that we had delivered at an extra cost. That was always a process for us, but I learned from Dad how to go about it when we were younger. Mom unpacked the ornaments and started to get the house going as we waited, with Monica and Ashley stepping in to help.

Brent and I chuckled as we watched, listening to the stories about past holidays. It was Mom’s way of purging as she worked and we allowed it, listening closely. I knew that we’d be spending a lot of time at work over the next month, so I enjoyed this quiet time.

I spent the following night under Carlie’s Christmas tree on a rug, watching her come in just the colored lights. She was pushing for more with me, but I didn’t know if I was ready for that. I didn’t know if I’d ever be ready for that, so I kept her happy with sex and the occasional dinner out. I had a few others for sex, but I knew that I’d be working a lot. I might not have them after this month. I finished the night in her bed, falling asleep with Carlie as I looked around the room.

The next week started with a ton of projects. Brent was stressed as he entered one order after another, along with myself and the rest of the staff. There was another room where everything as being packaged and shipped several times a day. This was the competitive time for shipping companies, the time when publicity could be good or bad. I grew up with that saying in my head and worked harder. I knew that it would slow down after the first of the year, at least back down to the normal flow of business that was consistently steady at best.

Brent grumbled about missing Veronica one day as he looked over another order. “Do you want another assistant?” I asked him as he glanced at me. “We could place another ad.”

“I don’t think that now is the time to hire anybody. We’ll just pay out the overtime to everyone else’s assistants and deal with it after that,” he mumbled as I shook my head. I remembered Dad being a little salty this time of year and Brent mirrored that as I got back to the computer.

“I saw her at a club. She looked happy,” I said as he looked at me. “Veronica. She was in rehab, you know.”

“Did you talk to her?” He asked as I shook my head. “Rehab, huh? For what?”

“I just found out that’s where she went. I don’t know what for,” I told him as he nodded.

“I guess that explains a lot. She was a little crazy.” Brent chuckled as I laughed with him. “I hope that she’s okay.”

“I think so. She looked good,” I assured him as I looked at another order. “How the fuck did Dad do this every day?”

“A great staff. They’re busting their asses off just like we are. I think we need to do something for them. Didn’t he throw a party?” Brent looked at me.

“Mom is already planning that,” I said as he laughed weakly. “It’s going to be at one of the restaurants nearby. We’re closing it down and letting loose. It’s on the fifteenth, a Saturday. Everyone is taking that day off.”

“I forgot that she did that each year. It’s been so busy, but she always did that. Dad was a lucky man…hell, we’re fortunate to have her.” His stomach growled, and he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Take out?”

“Yeah, sure. I’m starving.”

CHAPTER 15

Brent

The days started to run into the nights as we ate at the office, going home to sleep. Mom always kept some dinner in the fridge in case we were hungry when we got home, just like she did for Dad. I still took her out to dinner on Sundays, making a point of leaving early to do so. Brandon joined me, and we made a good night of it, seeing that she needed us to be around. It also gave us a break.

I had Brandon take Mom home, getting away to see Nina. We’d met a few months ago, at a bar with friends and hit it off, spending the night together. I was at home every night for I don’t know how long and I needed some release.

I thought about Cecile and Veronica as I parked on the curb. I missed having a woman around the office, and I got out of the car, and I mulled over Brandon’s suggestion. Another assistant. We could use the help, and I could use the sex since I was twenty-two and not fifty. It was slammed right now, and we could use another warm body, but there was no time for an interview.

I knocked on the door and grinned as the pretty raven-haired woman opened it. “Brent, I’m so glad that you came.”

“Hello, beautiful,” I greeted her, stepping inside, and closing the door behind me. The brownstone was lit up by strings of Christmas lights and I glanced around as she pressed her body against mine. “Miss me?”

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