Page 81 of Mail Order Christmas (Hawthorne Billionaire 5)

Both men crossed their arms and stared at me. I could hear Christmas music beginning and more beautiful people joining Victoria.

“You really are Bond, aren’t you?” I looked down to the cell in my hand. “Does he know?”

“Who’s ‘he’?” Charlie asked with a smirk.

“I don’t know whose phone this is, nor do I know who the person I’m texting with is, but I really like this person.” I chewed on my lip. “I didn’t steal it. I tried to give it back, but this person doesn’t seem to want it back because he keeps texting me.”

“We know, Red. We’ve seen the conversation,” Bond said. “Seems to me you might be in love with this person, maybe a little?”

“I don’t know what love is, Bond. I’ve never had real love, but it feels like I imagined it would.”

My cell buzzed again. It was my mystery man. “Can you tell me who it is?”

“Red, you need to decide something here. Do you want a relationship with the cell phone man, or do you want to do this bride thing?” Bond asked. “Victoria is only wanting to help you but, if you don’t want to do this, you can say no and meet your mystery man.”

“I want both.”

Chapter 51

Asher

Iwas getting desperate, for some unknown reason, to meet this girl. She was there, amongst a few hundred people. I should have been able to pick her out. I finally was realizing what Sawyer and my brothers were feeling when they got their “one”. I had a feeling this girl was my “one”.

“Apple, I’ll be up on the stage later. Will you come meet me?”

“Can I think about it?”

“Yes, but don’t take too long. I wouldn’t want your battery to run low.”

“I’m standing next to two very large scary men right now. Come find me.”

Two very large scary men could only mean Gunner and Charlie. They are the only two that came out to the party. Where are they? The office. Go to the office and look on the monitors.

I gave up trying to find them as the crowd moved closer to the stage. I could hear my mother up there talking, but none of what she was saying was getting through. I ran for the security office, burst through the door, and started scanning every monitor for Gunner and Charlie.

There they are. But no one is standing with them. Wait, that elf just handed them each a candy cane. No!!! It couldn’t be. She had to have walked off.

“Mr. Hawthorne, sir, your family is calling for you.” Toby tapped my arm. “I think they need you onstage.”

I looked to the last monitor to see my whole family up on stage searching for me.

“Oh shoot, the family Christmas song.” I bolted from the office.

I could now hear my mother saying something about her youngest son. I turned, nearly knocking myself out running into Gunner.

“Sorry, man, I’m late!” I glanced back as I hurried by and met eyes with the elf.

I hit the steps at a fast pace but forgot to look at the steps because my eyes were still on the elf holding a sparkly phone in her hands. It was my last thought as I tripped on the microphone cord and landed with a thud at my mother’s feet.

It’s her? How could I have not figured this out? No, it can’t be. It can’t be.

“Well, you all know my son, Asher, and how much he likes to make an entrance,” she chuckled into the mic. “I think we’re ready now if his brothers can get him upright.

I felt, more than saw, my brothers yanking me up, all while they were laughing their heads off.

“Nice job, Ash,” August sputtered on my left. “You never cease to give us something to laugh at.”

“You’re welcome. Someone has to be the fun one in this group.” I brushed my pants off and walked to the mic. “Well, folks, you now have a funny story to tell on Christmas morning.”

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