Page 30 of The Santa Swap

Fifteen minutes into the competition, there was a cheer from the red table. Luke looked over to see the team crowding around one person. He tapped Olivia’s arm, jerking his head in their direction.

“I think they may be getting close,” he said. “I don’t know how they are going to feel when they realize they are going up against the talent on this team.”

The gingerbread house in front of him fared slightly better than his ornament had. Somehow, he had managed to put so much frosting, the candies were sliding to the bottom of the roof. The upper third of his house had red and green streaks running down the side.

One look at the house had Olivia cracking up. “How did I not know about this raw talent? We’re so lucky you’re on this team.”

Luke held his gingerbread house next to Olivia’s, the differences glaringly obvious. Her house looked like it had been put together by someone with much more time on their hands. Hers would win a contest. His belonged in the trash.

Further down the table, people began to whisper. “I think we’ve got one,” a voice said. Luke headed to the middle of the table, where people were crowding around Brett. His house was a masterpiece, with icicles, shingles, and an intricate front door.

“Does anyone have anything better?” Luke asked.

He was met with silence and shaking heads. “Are you ready to bring it to the front?” Jasmine asked.

“Everyone has to be finished with some sort of a house first. Does anyone need help?”

Luke looked over at Olivia, her eyes bright with excitement. She was in her element, the contest being perfect for her.

“I can’t make mine stand up,” Brittany said. The group rushed over to help her put her finishing touches on her house. As they did so, a loud cheer went up from the blue table.

Lydia was running to the front of the room, carrying her gingerbread house delicately in front of her. She slid it on the table and Olivia was by her side.

“We’ll stop your time at 23 minutes. That means you’ve added seven extra minutes to the clock for the next challenge.”

A minute later, the red table began cheering as Tara walked to the front of the room. Her high heels clicked across the floor while she carried her plate. As she slid it to the center of the table, Luke had to admit he was impressed. He didn’t think anyone from management would do well.

“That’s 24 minutes for the red team, adding six minutes to your time.”

All eyes turned to the green table, where Brittany’s house was being held together by a couple of teammates.

“I’ve got an idea,” Luke said. He reached for a fruit roll up, wrapping it around the house to keep the sides from sliding apart. The second he stepped back, Brett was on the move.

“26 minutes,” Olivia called when Brett slid his house onto the table in front of her. “You’ve added four minutes to the green team’s clock.”

Luke walked to the front of the room. “Do we vote yet?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Olivia said. “First I need to make sure that everyone completed their houses.”

Luke had to pull his eyes away from her mesmerizing figure as her hips swayed from side to side. Even fake dating, he wasn’t the type of guy to cheat on his woman.

She circled the tables, coming to a stop at Brittany’s house. “That’s creative construction,” she said.

Luke laughed while his teammates slapped him on the back. “Way to think outside the box,” Brett said.

“It was a team effort,” Luke said.

Olivia’s smile shot straight to Luke’s heart. “Alright. Everyone finished a house, which means your times stand as follows. Blue team added seven minutes to the clock. Red, you’ve got six minutes extra. And Green team? I hope those four minutes come in handy.”

Luke glanced around the room. Almost everyone had a smile on their face, which meant the efforts to bring the company together were working. He hoped the camaraderie would last through the next two challenges.

“What’s next?” he asked.

“Great question,” Olivia said. She walked to the front of the tables, standing so close to Luke, his pulse kicked up a notch.

CHAPTER14

Dozens of expectant eyes watched Olivia, waiting for their next assignment. So far, the contest had gone far better than she could have imagined. People were participating, and it even felt like they were having fun. For a party thrown together in just over a week, it was a huge success in her book.

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