Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Emery

I slumped against my wrapping station, fighting the urge to bang my head repeatedly on the table. Levi had promised me a ride home twenty minutes ago, but apparently there was some “urgent business” he needed to handle first. At this rate, I’d be better off walking—even if it meant frozen extremities and questionable street lighting.

Levi had been picking me up and driving me home every day since our impromptu shopping trip and extra-curricular activities in the dressing room. We hadn’t had sex since then, but we’d made out twice and I could tell he was holding back for my sake. The question was, did I want him to hold back?

My gaze drifted up to the office windows overlooking the workshop floor. All day I’d been distracted by the strange sight of my three supposedly Christmas-allergic bosses decorating their windows like enthusiastic elves. Well, Levi had been enthusiastic. Max looked like he was solving differential equations with every placement, and Ronan... Ronan had looked ready to murder the next person who mentioned tinsel.

Levi’s window was exactly what you’d expect from someone who treated life like one big party waiting to happen. He’d gone full Winter Wonderland, with cotton ball snow drifts and what had to be at least three strings of twinkling lights. Paper snowflakes dangled at different heights, catching the light and creating dancing shadows. And was that...? Yes, that was definitely a snowman made out of disco balls in the corner. Somehow, he’d made it work.

Max’s window was understated, but oddly captivating. He’d created a night sky scene using dark blue paper as a backdrop, with delicate cut-out stars that seemed to actually twinkle when the light hit them right. A paper moon hung in one corner, and silhouetted trees lined the bottom. It was beautiful in a quiet, thoughtful way—just like Max himself.

Not that I thought about how Max was beautiful. Or any of them, really. That would be... complicated.

And then there was Ronan’s window. I had to bite back a laugh every time I looked at it. He’d apparently taken “minimal” as a personal challenge, creating a geometric pattern with silver and white papers that somehow looked both festive and like an architectural blueprint. It was so perfectly, precisely Ronan that it made my chest ache a little.

“This is ridiculous,” I muttered to myself, pushing away from the table. I couldn’t keep sitting here thinking about my bosses and their weirdly endearing window decorations. I’d go find Levi and tell him not to worry about the ride. Maybe the walk home would clear my head of all these confusing thoughts about the three of them.

Just as I stood up, the sound of footsteps on the stairs made me freeze. Not one set of footsteps, but three. My heart did a complicated little dance as Levi, Max, and Ronan descended together, looking like some kind of corporate holiday calendar shoot.

“Sorry for the wait, Christmas Spirit,” Levi called out, his grin wider than usual. “Had some important matters to discuss.”

“Important matters involving window decorations?” I couldn’t help asking, raising an eyebrow.

Max suddenly seemed very interested in straightening his already perfectly straight tie. Ronan’s scowl deepened, if that was even possible, while Levi’s grin got bigger.

“Actually,” Levi said, bouncing on his toes like an excited puppy, “we need your expert opinion on something.”

“My expert opinion on window decorations?” I looked between the three of them, trying to figure out what was going on. “I’m not sure I’m qualified...”

“Nonsense,” Levi interrupted, while Max shot him a warning look I couldn’t quite interpret. “You’re perfectly qualified. We just need you to tell us which window display you like best.”

Something about the way they were all looking at me made my knees a little wobbly. I wondered why this felt like more than a simple decoration judgment. “I think I need another look.”

I stepped back, tilting my head to take in each window display again. Levi’s winter wonderland was a celebration of excess that somehow worked, like the man himself. Max’s display had captured that peaceful moment when you first step outside on a clear winter night. I could almost feel the crisp air and hear the soft crunch of snow beneath my feet.

But Ronan’s... I was drawn back to it again and again. Where the others had created scenes, he’d created a feeling. The precise geometric patterns in silver and white shouldn’t have worked as holiday decorations, but they did. Each angle, each fold, each carefully measured space between elements spoke of someone who’d pushed way outside their comfort zone while staying true to who they were.

I could picture him up there, probably muttering under his breath about the ridiculousness of it all, but still taking the time to ensure every line was perfect. It must have killed him a little inside to participate in something he probably found frivolous, yet he’d done it anyway. That meant something.

“Well?” Levi prompted, practically vibrating with anticipation. “Which one wins?”

“They’re all amazing in different ways...” I ventured carefully, trying to read the shifting expressions on their faces.

Levi shook his head emphatically, that irrepressible grin of his spreading across his face. “Nope, no diplomatic answers allowed. Pick a winner. Those are the rules.”

I glanced at Max, who was trying to look casual while radiating enough tension to power a small city. Ronan stood slightly apart, his arms crossed and jaw tight, like he was preparing himself for criticism.

“Okay,” I drawled. “Then I choose... Ronan’s.”

The reaction was immediate and completely confusing. Levi’s face split into the biggest grin I’d ever seen, while Max’s shoulders slumped slightly. But it was Ronan’s response that really threw me—his eyes went wide, and for the first time since I’d met him, he seemed completely lost for words.

“Ronan’s?” he finally managed, his voice rougher than usual.

“Yes?” I suddenly wondered if I’d made some horrible mistake. “I mean, it’s so... precise and thoughtful. You can see how much care went into every detail, even though this probably isn’t your thing at all. You took something that makes you uncomfortable and turned it into something beautiful. That’s kind of amazing.”

My cheeks heated as I realized I was rambling. When I dared to look at Ronan again, he looked like I’d handed him something both precious and dangerous, and he wasn’t sure what to do with it.

Levi clapped Ronan on the back. “The people have spoken! Congratulations, Ronan.”

“I still think this whole thing was ridiculous,” Ronan muttered, but there was something different in his tone now. Something almost... soft?

“What exactly did he win?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“Nothing!” Max said quickly—too quickly—while Levi snickered, and Ronan shot them both death glares.

I looked between the three of them, feeling like I was missing something obvious. “Okay... well, if the judging is done, I should probably start walking home.”

“Walking?” Ronan’s head snapped toward me. “Absolutely not. I’ll drive you.”

Now it was my turn to be stunned. “You will?”

“I won,” he said simply, as if that explained everything. “Get your coat.”

I grabbed my coat and followed Ronan to his car, still trying to process this unexpected turn of events. His SUV was exactly what you’d expect from someone like him—sleek, black, and probably worth more than I’d make in three years. The leather seats were heated, which was a welcome relief from the December chill.

He slid into the driver’s seat but didn’t start to drive immediately. Instead, he gripped the steering wheel, staring straight ahead with an intensity that made me wonder if he was trying to solve world peace in his head.

Finally, he cleared his throat. “Would you like to get something to eat?”

I opened my mouth to refuse—my pride and empty wallet forming the automatic response—but my stomach chose that exact moment to remind me that ramen for the fifth night in a row wasn’t exactly living my best life.

I hesitated, weighing my options. On one hand, my first real paycheck was still days away, and I was trying to be responsible with what little money I had left. On the other hand, if my grumpy boss was offering to feed me actual food that didn’t come in a Styrofoam cup, would it really be responsible to refuse?

“It’s a simple yes or no question.” His tone lacked its usual edge.

“Yes.” I tried not to sound too eager. “Food would be nice.”

He nodded once and pulled out of the parking lot. As we drove into downtown, I noticed the streets were unusually busy for a weeknight. Then I saw the twinkling lights strung between buildings and the crowds of people bundled up against the cold.

“Oh!” I pressed my face against the window like an excited kid. “Is this the Winter Night Market?” I’d seen flyers for it around town but hadn’t thought I’d be able to go. “They have tents set up with local vendors and hot chocolate and-” I caught myself mid-ramble, remembering who I was talking to. “Sorry. I get a bit excited about holiday stuff.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” Ronan said dryly, but when I snuck a glance at him, I could have sworn I saw the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

He found a parking spot—something I was pretty sure qualified as a Christmas miracle given the crowds—and turned to look at me. “Do you just want to find something to eat here?”

“Yes!” I practically bounced in my seat, feeling a rush of childlike excitement bubble up inside me before I forced myself to settle back against the leather upholstery. “I mean, yes, that would be fine,” I added in a more measured tone, though I couldn’t quite keep the smile from my voice.

The thought of wandering through the market stalls, surrounded by twinkling lights and the scent of holiday treats, was making it hard to maintain my composure.

“You don’t have to do that, you know.”

“Do what?”

“Try to contain your excitement.” He unbuckled his seatbelt but didn’t move to get out of the car. “It’s refreshing.”

Coming from anyone else, it might have sounded condescending. But there was something in the way he said it, something almost wistful, that made my heart do a weird little skip.

“Refreshing enough that you won’t judge me if I want to try one of everything?” I was only half-joking as I fiddled with a button on my coat. The scents of cinnamon and roasted nuts already wafting into the car weren’t helping my growing appetite.

He turned to look at me fully, those dark eyes held mine with an expression I couldn’t quite read, but it sent a warm shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the car’s heater. “I won’t make you choose.”

Oh. Well. That was... something. My heart did another one of those annoying little skips, and I had to remind myself to breathe normally. Maybe I needed to get my cardiovascular health checked because it was doing an awful lot of weird things lately.

“Come on.” He opened his door with a soft chuckle that practically had me going into cardiac arrest. “Before you spontaneously combust from holding in all that Christmas spirit.”

His teasing tone warmed me more than any cup of hot chocolate could have, and I bit my lower lip to keep from grinning too widely. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

He shut his door and came around to my side of the car, opening my door before I could reach for it. “With you? I’m thinking it might not be.”