Her Secret Santa: Billionaire Bad Boy Contemporary Romance by Stone Noelle

Author:Stone, Noelle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-11-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

ZADE

Iwatch Clara approach, trying not to be obvious about my staring. It’s probably a useless attempt because I can’t keep my eyes off of her. She looks fucking edible, even decked out in neon green and sparkles and fake elf shoes.

“We could grab lunch on your break if you want,” her friend says as they reach the edge of the display. “I’ll be here all day.”

It’s the same brunette I always see her with, the one I’m pretty sure Arlo took back the last time we went to Eternity together. He’s been wrapped up in something or other recently and I’ve hardly seen him, but he seemed more than a little enamored with her.

Clara winces as she steps over the ropes to join the rest of us, rubbing the back of her neck bashfully.

“I, uh, I don’t know if I have enough money to eat out right now,” she says with a hesitant little laugh. “I just had to pay the nursing home bill and I took a cab the other day, plus the holidays are coming up and all. If my catering gig paid me, then I’m down, I’ll just have to check when I go on break.”

I frown in consternation at hearing that. It’s nothing she hasn’t said before, half of the conversations I’ve overheard between her and her friend have gone along these lines, but she works for me now.

The thought of her not being able to afford the food court is preposterous. She should be able to have anything she wants. I’d give her the whole world on a platter if she only asked for it.

I slip my phone from my pocket as surreptitiously as I can manage and fire off a text to Heidi. I don’t have the time or patience to deal with HR, or the questions I’ll get about personally demanding a Christmas bonus for a new hire, but she should be able to get it done before lunch. I guess it’s a good thing Gabriela Rockwell insisted on reinstating Christmas bonuses. This will seem a little less out of left field, at least.

The two of them part ways as the mall doors open, families and couples trickling in slowly instead of the steady flood it’s been recently. I spent yesterday in the office, oscillating between signing off on a million different things and fantasizing about Clara. It was a long day, packed with meetings and conversations that could have been emails, so I’m actually a little appreciative of the Wednesday mall crowd.

The line is pretty sparing all throughout the morning, and Clara keeps it moving steadily. I put a little bit of effort into playing my role properly when Clara shoots me a sharp glare after I do little more than grunt and hum at the first few kids.

I don’t have the energy for the full blown performance I gave it on Friday, and I’m glad for the slow line. I couldn’t give it my full attention today even if I wasn’t exhausted.

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