His First Christmas: The Lonely Billionaire - A Heart-Warming Romance Novel (5 page)

CHAPTER TEN

After the high that was the fundraiser, it was a little hard for Anna to settle back down to work. Of course, it being so close to Christmas, it was unusual that she was getting back to work in the first place instead of heading home for the holidays.

“Off to Cuba,” Penelope had grinned, on her way out.

“Mexico!” was Kirk’s destination.

“A staycation; a quiet week with the family,” Victor had told her.

“Have fun! See you in the New Year,” Anna had said to all of them. Sitting at her desk in a near-deserted office, Anna sighed. She would’ve really liked to get started on that quiet week with her family, but after all that work she did on the fundraiser, she now had to play catch-up on her actual work projects.

After spending a whole week basically alone in the office, Anna had dotted all of the i’s and crossed all of the t’s on that final document, and now her mouse was hovering over the “send” button. It was nearly nine o’clock, and despite being bleary-eyed and feeling like she had run a marathon in the past few days, Anna was excited at the prospect of it soon being over and finally being able to enjoy the holidays with her family.

Anna checked over the document one more time, to make sure there were no typos and such. Everything seemed fine until she reached the bottom of the page, when her heart sank. Above “Signature of CEO” was a big, fat, blank. She slapped her hand to her forehead.
How could they send me this document without having Jason sign it first?!
Her hours of staying late, her copious amounts of coffee would all be for nothing until that blank got filled. In her frustration and panic, Anna’s first thought was,
Okay, so I’ll just forge it.
She wanted more than anything just to get the thing over with and go home, but her cautious side stepped in.
No… If I forge that signature, and I get caught…that’s my entire career down the drain. Not to mention endangering the company’s reputation. Do I really want to risk that?

Anna sighed again. She could never quite bring herself to ignore her cautious side. She racked her brains for what to do. How would she be able to get Jason to sign the document when he was most likely off partying on a private island somewhere? She dialed his office number, knowing that it would probably be useless, but she was desperate. She tapped her foot impatiently as the phone rang.

“Good evening, you’ve been redirected to Jason Hawthorne’s secretary, Karen Taschuk. What is your request?”

“Hi Karen, it’s Anna from Sales. The final document I need to process is missing Jason’s signature. I need him to sign it before I can leave the office,” she said, trying to keep her cool.

“Well, as you know, Jason is out of town,” Karen replied, curtly. “It will have to wait until he gets back.”

How could she be expected to wait so long for such an important contract? The Carsons were counting on her to finalize everything. Anna resisted the urge to vent her frustration to Karen, who could really do nothing about it. Not wanting to end up in Karen’s bad books forever, Anna said goodbye and wished Karen happy holidays.

Anna paced the office for a few minutes, willing the universe to send her a solution, before collapsing in her desk chair.
I should go to sleep,
she thought, woefully.
I’m not going to be able to do anything about this pacing the office like a madwoman.

She drove home feeling utterly miserable. She was supposed to be at her parent’s house by now. They had been planning on spending tomorrow morning catching up and cooking extravagant meals together, but now she would be spending that time hauling herself back to the office to figure out the signature situation.

Just as she pulled into her driveway, Anna’s phone began to ring.
Oh God, it’s probably Cathy. She’s going to ask why I’m not there yet, and then when I tell her, she will start questioning why I choose to work for a company that cares so little about me…
After the week she’d had, Anna would be tempted to agree with her sister, but at the same time she was in no mood for being lectured to. She picked up the phone, bracing herself for an earful.

“Hey,” she said, the exhaustion creeping out of her voice.

“Hi there…” said a voice that clearly wasn’t Cathy’s. “This is Jason.”

Anna was astounded. After all the red tape, after witnessing his aloof attitude firsthand, she had not been expecting the esteemed CEO to contact her directly.

“I received a message from Karen about the unsigned contract. I’m really sorry to have left you with unfinished work, especially so close to the holidays” he said. “I had no idea the document was still unsigned, but I assure you I can sign it right away. I’m not in Panama or anywhere like that… For some reason, everyone assumes that…” He cleared his throat. “I’m staying in a cabin that’s about an hour’s drive away. I only request that you bring it to me, if you are able. I’m sorry for the inconvenience…but I’m simply unable to leave the cabin and come back to the city.”

Anna blinked.
So he’s not in a yacht in Panama? And he’s actually…apologizing to me?

“Oh, I see. I guess I can drive over tomorrow morning,” she said, still stunned to be having a conversation with the famously unfriendly CEO.

“That would be most kind of you. I will email over the address. Thank you, Anna.”

They hung up. As her shock subsided, Anna started to feel pissed off, and her conflicted feelings about Jason’s character turned distinctly negative. He was making
her
drive an hour out of the way when she was supposed to be spending time with her family.
And he can’t even offer a good reason as to why he can’t just come into the office!
I suppose that must be because his time is so much more valuable than mine,
she harrumphed. She shut her car door and headed into her house in a sour mood.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Yes, Cathy, I’ll be home a little later. I just have to drive up to my boss’s cabin to get a signature and then I’m out of here.”

The lecture Anna had been expecting made its appearance the next morning.

“Anna, it’s
the holidays
. Are you seriously putting your work over your family?” Cathy asked critically.

Anna groaned. “Cathy, you know I would be there already if something hadn’t come up. I’m gonna go now. Give Mom and Dad my love and tell them I’ll be there soon,” she said, before she hung up.

Anna got ready quickly and hopped into her car. As she pulled out of her driveway, she recalled her mood in the office last night; the joyous feeling of relief at finally being finished, which she had enjoyed for about thirty seconds until it was snatched away from her by a single, stray signature. But now her ordeal was about an hour’s drive away from being over, and she couldn’t get there fast enough.
How could Jason have been so careless, neglecting to sign one of the most important year-end contracts?
she thought, aggravated, as she merged onto the highway.

Snow was falling gently, but not bad enough to hinder driving. What did slow her down was the fact that
everyone
seemed to be going somewhere for the holidays.
Gosh, traffic is brutal,
she thought sullenly.

She spent the journey to the cabin ranting internally about Jason. It was partly an outlet for her road rage, partly because she hadn’t yet forgiven his grump act, and the fact that he was making her miss quality family time.
Why is he spending Christmas in a cabin and not some fancy, exotic locale?
she grumbled internally.
Is the cool new thing among billionaires? Hanging out in rustic cabins?

After making her way up a particularly treacherous mountain road, Anna reached the beginning of the long driveway to the cabin. She’d driven through the mountain stretch with her breath held.
I can’t imagine how people drive here in blizzard conditions,
she thought with a shiver.

After a few more minutes of slow progress up the grand, winding driveway, Anna finally arrived at her destination. Sure enough, the cabin was extravagant; it basically screamed, “rich people live here.” It had picturesque views over the mountainside, was at least four stories tall, and had an entire balcony that consisted of a hot tub. Had Anna not known any better, she would have thought she was at a luxury resort.

Okay, time to get this over with,
she thought, parking her car and power-walking over to the front door. There was a heavy, ornate door-knocker which she opted against using; instead giving the wooden door three crisp taps.

After a moment, the door swung open. “Hi Anna, thanks for coming,” Jason said.

Anna felt a pang of surprise that Jason had answered the door himself and hadn’t had some member of staff save him the trouble. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting, but she was certainly taken aback at seeing the esteemed CEO in a non-office environment. She was surprised, too, by how different Jason seemed out of the office. For one thing, he was addressing her as an actual person, and for another—while she wouldn’t say Jason was glowing with happiness—he didn’t look anywhere near as grumpy as he had done during their last meeting.

Anna blinked as she absorbed what she was seeing, saying “Hello,” just a beat after the acceptable time frame of doing so.

“Come in,” he said, smiling and making room for her. Anna obliged, stepping inside as he closed the door on the cold behind her. Her head had been set reeling by this contrasting impression of Jason, but she cast aside her confusion as she focused on her mission.
Alright. Get in, get signed, go home,
she thought.

“Do you have the contract with you?” he asked.

She nodded, extracting the contract from a folder in her purse and reaching out to offer it to him. “Just a second,” he said, “I’ll just go find a pen. I’ll be back shortly—make yourself comfortable,” he said.

“Sure,” Anna said. She took a few more steps into the cabin and surveyed her surroundings.
For a cabin, it’s not that cozy,
she noted.
Probably because it’s just so…big. Too much empty space.
The ceiling was at least twenty feet above her head.

At least there’s a fire place,
she noted. True to cabin fashion, the walls were made of stacked timber and displayed plaques of animal heads. From her spot in the reception area she could see the kitchen, and noted its impressive liquor collection which took up an entire wall.

She was about to take a closer look at the kitchen when Jason came back, pen in hand. As he leaned over the table to finally sign the contract, Anna found herself drawn in by the care and attention he gave his signature; a mix between chicken scratch and curlicue cursive.

Finishing off his signature with a careful flick, Jason looked up at Anna and said, “I’m sorry again for making you drive all the way out here, and for not really providing a reason as to why I couldn’t just drive down to you. It’s kind of a difficult situation…” he said softly, trailing off.

A difficult situation?
Anna was intrigued at what he could be referring to, but decided to leave it at that.
I just really need to go home.

Jason handed the contract back to her, tenderly. She was about to do the whole
“Okay great, bye”
dance, but then she remembered something.

“Um… Before I leave, I’d like to say thanks for donating to the fundraiser,” she said, giving him a brief smile.

Jason blinked, seemingly unsure of what she was talking about. “Oh. That was probably Karen. I put her in charge of charity,” he explained.

Oh.
Anna wasn’t sure if he was being honest with her, or just incredibly modest.

“Ah,” she said, smiling awkwardly. She stood there for a moment, looking at Jason, noting for the first time how light his eyes were.
Icy blue eyes for a person who, turns out, is not that icy.
Seeing Jason out from behind his fancy desk, it was undeniable that he had a sturdy physique—tall, broad shoulders. She could sense the outline of his muscles through his clothes.

“Right,” Anna said, tearing her eyes away, suddenly conscious that she was staring. “Well, I wish you Happy Holidays...Mr Hawthorne,” she said, turning towards the door. “See you in the New—”

“Wait,” Jason said, stopping her. “First of all, Anna, call me Jason. Second, before you head back, I wanted to make it up to you for making you drive here…by extending an invitation for you to join me for lunch. I’m a pretty good cook, if I do say so myself,” he smiled.

Anna was taken aback.
He’s inviting me for dinner?
Her instinct was to immediately decline his offer, but her curiosity stopped her. She was no hound for luxury, but the world of the superrich was so alien to her that she couldn’t help but be fascinated.
What would it be like to eat the kind of food that billionaires eat?
she mused. Secondly, she wanted to see what was up with Jason Hawthorne’s completely different demeanor outside of the office.
Why the Jekyll and Hyde act, CEO?

Slowly, Anna pushed the thought of her waiting family from her mind. “Well,” she said, coming to a decision. “You know what, I am kind of hungry,” she nodded.

“Wonderful. Help yourself to a drink while I get things going,” Jason said, heading into the kitchen.

Following him into the kitchen, Anna thought,
Sorry for the delay, Mom and Dad…
As Jason busied himself by the stove, Anna pulled out an intricately-carved chair and took a seat at a grand mahogany dining table that was so huge she was afraid it would swallow her whole.
I might as well get some food for all my trouble.

With Jason occupied, Anna took the opportunity to properly check out the kitchen. The liquor wall was even more impressive up close, and the professional-looking set up with endless fancy gadgets, many of which Anna didn’t recognize, would be enough to make even the most popular TV chefs jealous.
I mean, there’s a wood brick oven here. A wood brick oven!

Still, just as she had found in the reception area, Anna thought that the space felt empty, and lacking any real warmth. She knew that if Jason ever put the place up for sale, and for some reason she ended up being in charge of selling it, she would definitely be faking any enthusiasm she expressed to the clients.

“Wow,” she said, noting motifs of dragons and grape vines on the chair she was sitting in. “What an interesting piece, it’s so unusual. Where did you get this set?” Anna asked.

Jason looked up and turned from the stove, coming over to check out the chair. “Huh…I guess I never noticed.” he said, raising his eyebrows. “I don’t know where it’s from,” he said as he dashed back to whatever was sizzling in the pan. “My parents probably hired someone to take care of the decor, way back when,” he said quietly.

“I see,” Anna said, tracing her fingers along the carvings.

Jason cleared his throat. “I’m making grilled salmon. Dressing it up with bell peppers, nuts, and nutmeg,” he said cheerily. “Do you cook?” he asked.

“Ah, yes. I wouldn’t say I’m a great chef, but I love to cook,” she said.

Everything about Jason’s behavior was contradicting her initial impression of him. He was addressing her in a pleasant manner, taking a seemingly genuine interest in her, and hadn’t shown even a hint of the strained, aloof character she had first seen in his office. Despite her confusion at Jason’s sudden shift in personality, Anna could feel herself warming up to him.

“My family and I have a tradition of cooking together during the holidays,” she continued. “We always get together in the kitchen to try out one new experimental dish alongside the tried-and-tested favorites.”

“Oh really? That sounds like a wonderful tradition,” Jason replied. “What would you say has been your favorite new dish so far?”

Anna thought about it for a second. “Well, a few years ago, we made a mango and coconut curry. It was unlike anything else I’ve tasted. It was amazing,” she said, feeling a pang of sadness as she remembered that she would currently be cooking with her family if everything had gone to plan.

“Yes, it sounds like it. I love Asian cuisine. Just the fact that it has all these contrasting flavors, that somehow end up working together,” he said, as he sautéed vegetables in a pan.

The sizzling became louder, and the smell of everything coming together wafted through the air.
Wow, that smells delicious,
Anna thought. She took a second to really look at Jason, taking in all the details of his appearance, his dirty-blonde hair, and the light stubble which dotted his jaw. She couldn’t deny that she found him attractive, although it was only a recent revelation.
I suppose the impression of him being an asshole blinded me to his good looks,
she thought. She would prefer to have any feelings between them remain strictly professional, but watching Jason skillfully prepare a meal for her had set her mind going in an altogether different direction.

As Jason set up the table, Anna noted the delicate silver and gold patterning on the plates and cutlery.
Must have cost a fortune.

Finally, he brought over the meals themselves, and settled into a seat opposite her.

“Wow. This looks delicious,” Anna said, genuinely impressed.

She had just picked up her knife and fork when she heard a crash from outside, making her heart jump—it was the sound of the wind rattling the windows.

“My God, that is loud,” she said, raising her voice over the sound. Glancing out the window, she could see the snow swirling around menacingly. It seemed like it was only going to get worse.

Shit,
she thought.
That does not look good…
She looked between the food and the scene outdoors, thinking about her family waiting for her. She decided to make the pragmatic choice, and leave the beautiful food behind, while she still had the chance to leave.