30. Making Moves

Making Moves

Nova

1 Day Until New Year’s Eve

I woke up well before the sun feeling like absolute dog shit. I had spent most of the previous day and night crying my eyes out. Accepting that I wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight, I went into the bakery. Being there wasn’t much better than being home. Everywhere I went, memories of Lincoln, Grant, and Ben assaulted me.

As quickly as I could, I finished the day’s baking and left a note for Stef that I wouldn’t be in today and that we would be closed tomorrow. I sighed as I returned home. The guys had about twenty dozen red roses delivered to me yesterday following Linc’s text. What the hell was I supposed to do with two hundred and forty roses? Determined to get my shit together and my life in order in preparation for my move, I called the nursing home and arranged for someone to come by and pick up the flowers. They were more than happy to do so and immediately sent a van. Before the last bouquet was carried out, I swiped a single rose from it and placed it in water.

Once my house didn’t look like a flower shop, I started packing away the Christmas decorations. I gathered the stockings we made together, planning on throwing them away, but at the last minute, I changed my mind. Instead, I carefully tucked them away in a box. A memento from this special Christmas I spent surrounded by love. As I packed up my Christmas memories, I thought about my plans for the future. Maybe I would head south. Somewhere warmer and near the water. With what I should get for the house and the shop, I should be able to settle elsewhere. As much as I loved my snowy little town, I had once dreamed of living on the beach.

After struggling to drag the tree to the curb, I called the realtor and arranged to have the house and shop listed on the first, assuring her that I was motivated to sell. She agreed to keep it quiet until then. I spent the rest of the day cleaning and packing until I could barely stay on my feet. I had run myself down and was asleep before my head hit my pillow.

New Year’s Eve

I woke up the next afternoon with a groan. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing the guys tonight, but I had no choice. I would uphold my end of the agreement. After a late breakfast, I spent the day pampering myself, determined to look my best. That was why they made the contract with me, to begin with. They needed arm candy for their party. As I stepped into my dress, it felt a little bittersweet. I had been looking forward to them seeing me in the dress, and now everything had changed. I wasn’t a fool. I knew they wouldn’t make the evening easy for me. I hadn’t heard from them since Linc’s text and the flowers. Either they didn’t care, or they were planning something. My mind told me they didn’t care. My heart wanted to believe they were up to something.

Just as I was grabbing my keys to head to the party, there was a knock on my door. I opened it to a chauffeur and limo parked on the street. They had sent a car for me. Was this a kind gesture or insurance that I held up my end of the deal? I guess either way, it didn’t matter. The driver helped me into the limo, and I was relieved to see it was empty. Another bouquet of roses and an open bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket awaited me. I poured myself a glass as the limo glided away from my house.

My interest became piqued as the limo took me further up the mountain. They hadn’t brought me to their cabin before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. When the limo arrived, I had to laugh. “Cabin” didn’t exactly fit the elegant log monstrosity before me. White Christmas lights were scattered among the trees surrounding the house, and I could see through the large glass windows that the inside was decorated just as elaborately. They had spared no expense for their company holiday party.

The chauffeur helped me out of the limo and escorted me to the fairy-light-lit path to the front door. Halfway down the path, a waiter was waiting with a tray of bubbling champagne flutes. I accepted one and sipped it as I made my way to the door, where another waiter was waiting to take the glass and open the door for me.

“Just give me a minute,” I pleaded as his white-gloved hand grabbed the door knob. He paused as I collected myself. I could do this. I just had to make it to midnight, and then I could leave. Mere hours, that was all. I would remain strong and stick to my guns. I deserved to be with someone who valued me and treated me as more than an afterthought in their career. I just had to be strong. I nodded to the door attendant. I was ready.