16. GRANT

I knew there was going to be a lot of thoughts on the idea. The first thing I did this morning was approach Rachel, who clicked her tongue several times before sighing. A lot could go wrong, but I knew a lot could go right as well. But then she quickly told me I had to go to HR for their official wording on it all. Compliance was a huge issue in a firm like ours, so naturally, I expected push back.

Except HR was pretty open to it, especially when the relationship had excited before he started, and I hadn’t been part of the hiring, nor was I even in the country when he was hired. I didn’t hear much after they said we would need to sign forms to say we were engaging in a relations. It might’ve seemed soon from an onlooker who’d only seen us meeting in person for the first time on his first day last week, but the reality was deeper, so much deeper.

I noticed him standing in the break room, waiting for the coffee machine. He was staring at the posters on the bulletin board. I had to keep my excitement contained and inside. I didn’t want to, but I had to. As I approached him, relief came across his eyes.

I gave him a thumbs up. “Just need to do the necessary paperwork,” I said. “And talk to HR together.” I tried not to give too much away with what I was saying. I didn’t want anyone looking or listening in on us to piece together anything. And trust me, this firm was full of very intelligent folk, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone had already pieced it together.

“Seriously?” He let out with a heavy breath. “That’s great news.”

“They’ll email us when they have time. Also, I haven’t done the thing yet.”

“I got the tickets,” he said.

“Oh. That wasn’t the—” Again, trying not to give too much away about the situation. “I’ll swing by later. Catch up on the case. Any developments.” I offered a little louder to distract the queue that had formed behind him.

Rachel was waiting for me in my office, standing at the window, looking out at the gray morning skies. “Wednesday is the cookie off,” she said, turning to me. “I would say you can’t judge if your new relationship enters, but it’s always been a blind taste test and rank.” She smiled at me. “I’m actually glad you’ve found someone. I wish it was a different someone, but that can’t be changed.”

“Thank you. It started out innocently enough,” I said, as I had already explained earlier to her. “I’m actually surprised we met like this.” The world might’ve been trying to push us together for a while. From all of our mutual interests and common places we’d been, we’d probably crossed paths on several occasions.

“Well, you’re not getting a plus one for him at the partners luncheon,” she said.

“I don’t think he’d accept,” I told her. He had a bit of an anxious head on his shoulders, possibly why he was so good at dissecting the law. “The same reason Cam can’t bring his partner, I’m guessing, because she’s also an attorney.”

Rachel snapped her fingers. “But if she worked here on the same level as him, sure. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I hope so as well.”

She smiled at me. “Also, make sure you’ve got your ugly Christmas sweater for Wednesday as well. I hope it’s the most hideous one you’ve got in your cupboard. And yes, I did plan this for you, I knew how hard you’d been working in France.”

“Thanks. And you know it brings the morale up.”

“Big bonuses actually bring the morale up,” she said, giving me a wink. “But sure, it’s a close, second or third.”

Rachel left the office and I sat at my desk. I was glad I hadn’t left the gift out on the table for Henry. She would’ve wanted to know what was inside it. It was a collectible teddy bear from the collection he’d mentioned in Mexico. I’d always wanted to get him one if we ever met, and this seemed like the perfect gift to surprise him with.

After a busy morning of meetings, I went to give Henry his gift. I knew people were watching, but I also had it concealed inside of a bag. I couldn’t even wait around to see his face either. I just needed to hand it off and say something loudly about an email before leaving. And sure enough, as I left, I was put in the path of Elliot. He wanted to know if I’d given it much more thought about him joining any future ventures with the Europe contracts. At that point, I had to tell him to wait until the new year, and even then, I had no clue what I would tell him.

The day was rounded off with a meeting. The HR department talked us through regulations on relationships in the office and a couple of do’s and don’t’s, more specifically, don’t favor Henry for a position if he’s not already doing something for it. There was a lot that was common sense, and I didn’t plan on bringing our relationship into work, beside the gift, but that had been bought before the weekend of fun.

In the crowded elevator together, we could finally interlock multiple fingers. It was nice to feel and not do it in secret. HR knew, the managing partner knew, it was actually all going to be ok. Outside the office building, and off company property, we embraced and kissed. Henry wrapped his arms around my neck and shoulders, his briefcase and the small bag holding the collectible teddy bear swung around.

“I’ve wanted to do that all day,” he said. Displays of affection were in the don’t list, so it was fair to get as much of it in now while we were outside.

“Not worried people will see then?” I asked.

“No. I’m not worried. Everyone will find out anyway. And I don’t really have much interest in your area of entertainment law. I heard Elliot nearly tackle you outside my office earlier,” he said.

I rubbed my thumb on his cold nose. “You need to start wrapping up warmer,” I told him. “How can you get so cold after being outside for seconds?”

He shrugged. “But didn’t you hear what I said?”

“I did, and I’m actually kinda glad. For your sake more than anything. I don’t want everyone turning against you for whatever reason,” I said. “Also, did you think of a name for the new teddy?”

“Nope, not yet. I’ll think of something tonight. Maybe. I’m not sure, Fallon will have good ideas,” he said. “He works at a store that sells teddies, not these ones, a different collectible.”

“Oh, there’s more collectibles?”

He nodded excitedly. “I can give you the address if you want, maybe you can see what they sell.” He giggled.

Christmas was going to be easy with him, I knew exactly what he wanted and needed. I would fill an entire house with plush teddies if it meant being around him when he was an excitable little, my favourite part to play was always going to be facilitator. I was a giver, and he knew just how much I had to give... and how deep I went.

“I wish I was coming home with you,” he said.

“You can.”

“But I can’t. I’ve still got to perfect this cookie recipe, and make sure I have an ugly sweater.”

“You have an entire day to do that. It’s not happening until Wednesday.”

“Yes, but I have to win. It a Christmas themed event. If I don’t win, then it’s the world telling me that Christmas isn’t the holiday for me. And if that’s the case, I might have to chose another holiday to theme my life around. Valentine’s Day, perhaps. Thanksgiving. St. Patrick’s.”

I gave him one final kiss. “I’m looking forward to trying them, even if I won’t know which ones they were until I’ve already voted. And don’t tell me, I don’t want to perjure myself by saying it was anonymous.”

“You’ll know which is mine. I promise.”

Life had never hit me with such a state of contentment before. In this city that never slept, I was relaxed, and finally able to sleep. It was a nice feeling to hold inside, even if I wasn’t going to be sharing a bed with Henry until the weekend. I knew it wouldn’t always be like that, and eventually our paths would cross in a more permanent position, but for now, I was happy to have him around whenever he could, and we were taking it one step at a time.

The first step was meeting each other after all this time. The second step was confessing ourselves, our true selves, the little in him and the Daddy in me. It was perfect, the only thing that could make it better would be... snow.

As we parted ways with each other to go home, snow fell from the skies. We were stopped in our tracks to see it, like a blessing on our relationship. Henry wouldn’t be choosing another holiday to claim as his. Christmas was ours, and I absolutely adored how much we’d bloomed from a bond in an online forum to a physical bloom that stretched from skin to skin.

“A miracle,” he called to me.

“A blessing,” I called back.

People stared, not stopping, nobody stopped in the streets like we did. And if we stayed standing any longer, we’d end up bashed from a stray handbag or rucksack. But I couldn’t help stop to stare at him and the snowflakes landing gently in his hair.

I blew him a kiss. We’d see each other again very soon.