Gift for the Boss: Billionaire Romance Christmas Novella (6 page)

After wrapping all the gifts for Jamie's family and almost driving Alex crazy, they loaded the Lexus and headed over to her family's house. Mark got in the front next to Alex, but only after making sure it was okay with Jamie about ten times.

She laughed at him and got in the backseat, enjoying the feeling of instant family when she was around him. The silly little evergreen tree hat he wore was decorated with lights and little bulb ornaments. Alex thought it was ridiculous, but Jamie loved it.

"Stop being so jealous." Mark popped Alex in the chest as he pulled out of the driveway. "You can have the damn tree hat, okay?"

Alex chuckled sardonically. "I don’t want the damn hat! It makes you look more like the oaf that you are more than you can even imagine." He eyed the hat out of the corner of his eye. “Plus it doesn’t match my tie.”

“Or suit,” Mark added laughing. "You’re just jealous. Right, Jamie?" He turned around and wagged his eyebrows.

Jamie raised her hands. “You’re not dragging me into this. Alex dressed up as Santa yesterday and handed gifts out to the sick kids at Scott Thompson Hospital. He’s got one up on you.”

“You donated the gifts as well?”

Alex nodded.

“Jamie’s idea?” Mark tilted his head slightly, reminding Jamie that the two of them were definitely brothers.

"Totally.”

She swatted Alex playfully on the back of his neck. “Not at all; it was all him.” She nudged Mark. “You'll have to get Alex to tell you what happened to our Christmas tree." She pressed her fingers to her lips as Alex pulled the rearview mirror down and gave her a look.

"Really? You’re going to go down that road?" Alex smiled, but had a warning look on his handsome face.

"Yes, really. What happened?" Mark turned his attention on Alex. "Come on. Spill."

"Jamie wanted a really big tree, so I got it, but I told her a million damn times that the damn thing wasn't going to fit into the house. You know how women are, though... just think they know everything," Alex chuckled, unable to get any more of the tall tale out.

"Lies!" Jamie yelled from the backseat and moved up, reaching around Alex and tickling his sides. "It's all lies."

Mark chuckled. "So Alex wanted a huge tree and it didn't fit, right?"

"Exactly." Jamie glanced over at Mark.

"He did that as a kid once, too. Depth perception and measuring issues." Mark shrugged as Alex pinned him with the warning stare. "What? Shit, it’s true."

"Whatever." Alex shrugged. "Tell him what we did with the tree, my beautiful gal. Redeem me a little here."

"We took it to the hospital for the kids, and that’s where Alex played Santa." Jamie beamed, unable to help herself.

Mark pulled the hat from his head and extended it to Alex. "For being such a good guy, I guess I'll give up my hat so that you'll have some kind of tree in your house. Jeez. First Christmas and you don't even give your girl a tree."

Alex popped his brother in the chest and rolled down the window, throwing the hat out as Jamie and Mark yelled at him playfully.

"That was ten dollars at the airport! Jeez." Mark sank back into his seat as if upset.

"I'll get you another one." Jamie turned to let her eyes move across the sad display of Christmas lights her father had on their house as they pulled up. He wasn't much for decorating, but he'd tried from what she could tell.

"I need to redo these lights for your dad, Jamie." Alex turned and lifted his eyebrow at her. “Someone’s going to trip over the wires. Or they’ll fall if the wind blows.”

"I'll help. Sounds fun." Mark got out of the car and walked to the front.

Jamie moved ahead of them and rang the doorbell. "Come say hi to everyone first, and then you guys can disappear out here and do it for him. I'm sure he’d love that. It's always just been us girls. We're little to no help." She wondered if Stephen and Christine would be here. She assumed yes, but she still preferred to avoid Stephen whenever possible. She didn’t like him, and still couldn’t believe she’d actually dated the guy, and now had to act all happy that he was married to her sister.

"Why’re you ringing the doorbell?" Mark moved up beside her and lifted on his toes, plucking the key from on top of the door frame.

She took it from him and put it back. "Because the last time I pulled that trick, I got to witness my parents having nasty make-up sex on the couch."

Mark and Alex cringed.

"Oh shit," Alex mumbled. "Just ring the bell. We're in no hurry."

Jamie laughed and turned her attention to the door as her father opened it.

"Pumpkin!" He pulled her into a warm hug before meeting Mark and talking with Alex for a few minutes. Jamie disappeared into the house, looking for her mother and sister. It was the first year that she felt some tingle of excitement over seeing everyone. She’s even put up with her brother-in-law.

The sound of Stephen and her sister arguing in the back room caused her to pause. She didn't want to get into the middle of that mess, but promised herself that once the holidays were over she would pull Christine aside and talk to her about her marriage. Something was off, and she could see the physical effects of it on her sister. It was heartbreaking to say the least, and yet they all knew Stephen was an ass.

"Mom?" Jamie called out and moved into the kitchen.

"In the pantry." Her mom stuck her head out of the open door to the large walk-in pantry. "Just looking for cinnamon for the sweet potatoes. I can't find it anywhere, but my glasses would help, no doubt."

Jamie laughed and joined her mom in the pantry.

“Jamie! I believe you’ve lost more weight.” She tilted her head. “You look… happy.” Her mother absently picked a piece of lint of Jamie’s shoulder. “Sticking to that diet? Or has your boss got you running around like a headless chicken?”

Jamie ignored the comment and turned her attention to the spice rack. "What’re we having today?"

"Always about food, isn’t it?”

“Mom! A very Merry Christmas to you too!”

Her mother blinked and then her eyes went big. “Sorry, honey. I just worry you’re going to put that weight back on. You’ve worked so hard to lose it. I like you as you are now. Healthy and happy."

“It’s not going to change.” Jamie gritted her teeth and forced a long breath out through her nose. “What are we having?” She stared at the spice rack, preferring to look at thyme, salt, and whatever else other than her mother.

“We're having everything, but instead of me doing the turkey, of course you know Alex had one ordered." She didn’t sound that impressed.

"What?" Jamie looked over her shoulder as she handed her mother the spice they'd been looking for.

"Yeah. Alex spoke to your dad a few weeks ago and said he wanted to give his personal chef the chance to make some money today. The only way the guy would take a check was if he cooked, so Alex gave him a turkey to make for us. Should be here any minute." Her mom shrugged and walked out of the pantry.

Jamie left in search of her handsome boyfriend, wanting to tell him how sweet he was. Her mother might not like giving up her kitchen for someone else, but tough. It was sweet of Alex on so many levels. His giving seemed endless all of a sudden, and the thought of where she could have ended up versus where she did was almost too much to handle.

A door slammed to her right, and Jamie paused as Christine walked toward her. Her sister was trying hard not to cry, and failing miserably.

"Hey." Jamie moved down the hall, not sure what to expect.

Christine didn't stop until she wrapped Jamie in a hug and let out a short cry. "I'm so sorry for what I did this last year. I hate this bastard so much. You should hate me like I hate him. Can you ever forgive me? Please?" Her sister’s whole body shook as she cried against Jamie's shoulder.

"Yeah, already done, remember?" Jamie returned the hug, trying to let the good memories of when they were really little be the future foundation of her memories where Christine were concerned. They could build their relationship from the place it was at currently. Jamie found herself wanting to.

"I'm sorry for being a hot mess." Christine pulled back and wiped at her eyes. "I just hate him."

"Then leave his ass in there all day, and let’s have fun." She touched the side of her sister's face. "Go help Mom before she ruins the sweet potatoes. She's lost her glasses again."

“I could use a glass of something and get lost in it.” Christine nodded and let out a short laugh before turning and walking toward the kitchen.

Jamie walked to the front to find Mark and Alex finishing up on restringing the lights.

"You guys want a drink?" she asked as she pressed her hand to her forehead and moved in beside her father.

He wrapped his strong arm around her shoulder and squeezed her against his side. "Good guy you've got here."

"I think so." She turned and smiled up at her dad.

"Whisky?" Alex turned and looked down from the highest point on the roof.

"Beer for me, please." Mark waved.

"Please be careful. I like you both a lot." Jamie shook her head and leaned against her dad. "I'm worried about Christine."

"No need to worry. Your sister’s strong-willed. Nobody walks over her unless she lets them. She'll figure it out. She's got too much of your momma in her not to." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

"Are you and Mom doing okay? Still going good?"

"Better than ever, Pumpkin. She's a good woman, and I'm grateful for another chance at spending my life with the woman I married. She’s still rough around the edges, but, then again, so am I." He grinned as he stepped back. "I'll take a whisky, too, if you're pouring drinks."

"That I am." She turned and walked back to the house, beginning to feel grateful for the way things were turning out. Her mother was working on being nice, and at least she was getting along with her father. Her sister's situation would get resolved, but it wouldn't be that easy. Stephen was an ass and a half, and yet without him, Jamie never would have met Alex.

She finished pouring the drinks as the boys joined them in the dining room. Alex made a beeline for Jamie and pulled her into a hug, leaning down to kiss her a few times.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"Just grateful I didn't die up there. Remind me next time I try to play the hero that I hate heights." He winked and took a long drink from his glass.

Jamie's mom appeared in the open doorway of the dining room and lifted a bottle of red wine. "I think we're almost ready. Anyone want red or white with dinner?"

A resounding ‘both!’ went around the room as the doorbell rang.

"That's probably Murray. I'll get it." Alex walked toward the door as Jamie sank down into the chair nearest the Christmas tree. She reached out and touched several of the ornaments from her childhood, reliving part of it with each one of them.

Alex returned, carrying a huge turkey that looked to still be smoking. "Make way for the main attraction." His voice was strained, and muscles flexed.

Hot. So damn hot.
Jamie nearly laughed out loud when her sister mumbled the same thing. She glanced out the window to see Stephen marching to his car, his face angry. He pulled onto the road and sped away. She wondered if she should tell Christine, and decided maybe leaving it for now was better.

"Let's help get everything on the table." Jamie stood up and motioned for Mark and Christine to join them. Alex's brother seemed to have taken an instant liking to Jamie's sister, but Mark was a friendly guy regardless of who was involved. However, now was not the time to put the moves on her sister. She doubted Mark would, but Christine, on the other hand… you never knew what she was after till she sank her teeth into something, or someone.

After getting everything on the table, Jamie took the chair between Alex and his brother, feeling good, warm, and safe between them. Her father prayed and then everyone started to pass around the various dishes.

"Alright. While we eat, we have a family tradition," Jamie's mother started. "Everyone has to tell one thing that they were blessed by this last year."

"Oh, that's easy." Jamie's father reached over and took his wife's hand. "I'm blessed that we worked things out. I love you more now than I did the day we were married."

Her mother fanned her face as tears filled her eyes. "Dammit. You're making me get all emotional, but I guess that has to be mine too. Between fixing things with you, my baby’s wedding, and Jamie getting a boyfriend, my life feels better. Right."

That was as sweet as her mother was going to be. She was far from perfect, but that was as close to saying I love you that Jamie was going to get. Jamie reached and pressed her napkin to her eyes. "Darn you both! You stole my thunder."

Alex laughed and slid his hand down Jamie's leg. "I'm grateful for meeting Jamie, falling in love with her, and for the reconciliation she brought to me and Mark. I have her to thank for every bit of it."

Jamie popped him in the chest as a soft sob left her.

"My turn!" Mark piped up. "I'm grateful for all of that, but even more so that my older brother, who I've looked up to my whole life, just offered me the apartment on his property and a job at his firm. I'll be moving here in a month or so. Grateful for him saving my ass."