Cinderella's Christmas Affair

Whistling under his breath he left the conference room. A pretty brunette receptionist smiled up at him as he approached. He smiled back at her. “Can you direct me to Ms. Terrence’s office?”

She gestured toward the left. Bangles rattled on her wrist. “Down the hall, third door on the left.”

“Thank you.”

He paused outside her doorway. He could hear CJ talking to her secretary. It didn’t sound like CJ was having a great day. Frustration underlined each of her words. He was beginning to think that CJ worked too hard. It wasn’t even lunchtime—way too early to be stressed out.

He rapped on the door frame. Both women looked up. CJ’s secretary was a middle-aged woman with graying black hair and a few wrinkles. Both women wore identical expressions of frustration.

“Can I help you?” CJ asked.

“You left this in the conference room,” Tad said. Oh, yeah he was a smooth talker with the women. Why was it that Cathy Jane made him feel like he was on his first date?

“Oh, thanks. You could have left it up front.”

“Yes, I could have.” This was going to be harder than he thought. Why was CJ so damned determined to keep things all business between them? Probably because, at this point, there was only business between them. Yet when they’d shook hands earlier in the conference room he’d felt something pass between them that had nothing to do with ad campaigns.

“I have a few questions to ask about your presentation, can you spare me five minutes?”

“Sure. Rae-Anne, why don’t you go down the hall and ask Gina to show you around the office?”

Rae-Anne brushed past Tad muttering under her breath about bossy women and—while his Italian had never been good—he thought he heard her curse in that language.

“Your secretary is…different,” he said at last.

“She’s a temp. Today’s her first day and we’re still working out the kinks,” CJ said. She leaned against the desk, fiddling with the clasp on her wallet. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What questions did you have?”

He didn’t have any. He hadn’t had a chance to review her presentation but he hadn’t liked being dismissed. He’d learned a long time ago that the only way to achieve what he wanted was to take charge. He cleared his throat. “Just wanted to clarify a few details. We have an in-house production company for educational videos. We usually use them for our commercials as well.”

“Come into my office. I want to make some notes,” she said, leading him through the connecting door. Her office was a decent size with a large window overlooking Michigan Avenue. Her walls were decorated with awards and plaques of appreciation from companies.

The article Butch had referred to earlier was framed and hanging on the wall. CJ’s picture was cool and confident. She hardly resembled Cathy Jane—the girl he’d known. But even then he’d known she’d go on to do great things. She’d been smart and shy but very focused on getting out of Auburndale.

“That shouldn’t be a problem. When you make your decision, I’ll get a contact name from you and talk to the head of the department.”

“I’ll do that,” he said, leaning back in the leather guest chair. Her office was subtle and relaxing but also spoke of success. He felt a twinge of pride at how far she’d come from the girl she’d been. Despite the way things had ended between them, he’d always thought of her fondly.

“I can’t believe you own a sporting goods store,” she said.

“You’re not the only one. I started college prelaw.”

“You look sporty,” she said, then rolled her eyes.

He didn’t remember her being this funny. But then she’d always been so uncomfortable around him. His friends had teased him about spending so much time with a chubby brainiac. But deep down, he’d always liked Cathy Jane.

“Believe it or not, I am capable of intelligent conversation,” she said.

He smiled. She’d always been one of the smartest people he knew. “You’re the first person to call me sporty.”

“I know you were an athlete in high school. Is that how you got into the business?”

“During college I started to work out more and tried some things I’d always wanted to.”

“Like?”

“Mountain biking, rafting, some rock climbing.”

“Do you still do all that?” she asked.

He nodded. “I was in Moab, Utah last week.”

“You’ve changed so much,” she said.

“So have you, Cathy Jane.”

“I’m CJ, now, Tad. Some days it doesn’t seem I’ve changed all that much,” she said.

“Good. I always liked the girl you were.”

“Is that why you told your friends I paid you to spend time with me?”

Tad hardly remembered the boy he had been until she’d said those words. He’d been more concerned with how he looked to his friends in those days than hurting Cathy Jane’s feelings. Honestly, though he’d never known she’d overheard his remarks.

He was embarrassed by them now. No wonder she’d never talked to him after senior prom. “Hey, I was young and stupid.”

“Yeah, so was I,” she said.

“Does this mean you don’t have a crush on me anymore?” he asked, cursing himself for not keeping quiet. Because a crush was the only thing that had explained her behavior back then.

CJ sank back in her chair unsure what to say next. She knew she should have run when she first had a glimpse of Tad Randolph. But his warm gray-green eyes had convinced her to stay before he’d even recognized their past connection. And she’d never had good instincts when it came to men.

When they’d been in high school she’d idolized Tad. She’d spent hours writing his name in her notebooks and dreaming of them together. But now, as a mature woman she understood things that never would have entered her mind then—like relationships were complex and needed both people to be interested.

Though Tad’s comments had hurt, a part of her had needed to hear what he really thought of her. It had given her the courage to break free from the familiar and start over. College had taught her more lessons and Marcus had finished her education when he’d left.

Tad leaned forward in his chair. Bracing his elbows on his knees and watching her with an intensity that made her breathless. She shivered under the impact. What was he thinking?

“Tad…” She stood and paced to the window. How could she explain to him that maybe she’d needed to hear the truth about herself. That his comments, though hurtful at the time, had made her realize that she needed to be strong inside. She needed to get away from her comfort zone and try the things she’d always secretly dreamed of.

She heard him stand but didn’t turn. Maybe he was leaving. But then she felt his presence behind her. He patted her awkwardly on the shoulder.

“Sorry I said it that way,” he said. His hand slid down her back lingering at the curve of her waist.

His touch rattled her senses and for a minute she wasn’t sure what he’d said.

She wrinkled her nose, wishing again that Marcia still worked for her. Her old secretary would have interrupted by now and sent Tad on his way. “I hoped it wouldn’t come up.”

“I had no right to ask it,” he said.