Page 62 of The Publicity Stunt

Nia hugs her tightly. "Thank you, Bri. Honestly, keeping my job was more than enough of a present."

"You do a good job, Nia. Now, go on your Christmas cruise. Tell me about the hot guys you meet and hook up with like you do every year," Bri says as she leaves.

Bobby holds his envelope up. "Did you want me to wait because you're firing me?"

Laughing, she shakes her head. "Absolutely not. But you can open it now."

His jaw drops. "Brianna Waters, this is too much."

"You're the best head of security I've ever had, and I want to keep you as long as I can."

"I ain't going anywhere. You know that."

She smiles. "I also want you to know how much I appreciate you. But accepting this also means you need to keep your promise and not break any knees, okay?"

"So, I can give it back?"

Laughing, she hugs him tightly. "Nope."

"I suppose I should listen to you. Let me know if you need anything."

Bobby picks up the sack and leaves, and Tessa walks over and wraps an arm around her shoulders. "You're too good for your own good, you know that?"

"They're my family. The family that chooses me every day when they don't have to."

"I get it."

"So, when are you heading out to visit your parents for the holiday?"

Shaking her head, Tessa pulls her back over to the couch and yanks her down to sit next to her. "Nope, I'm not leaving you."

"Tee, you have to go see your parents. It's Christmas."

"Eh, they've had twenty-four Christmases with me. They can miss one. You need me."

"Go home. I'll be fine."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she glares at Bri. "Would you leave me alone?"

"That's not fair. I don't have a family to go see."

"If you did, would you leave me?"

"No," Bri admits. "But seriously, some alone time would probably be good for me."

Tessa refuses. "Babe, we are gonna hang out here, eat food that's probably not good for us, and watch any chick flick you want. Break up movies, Christmas movies, Rom-Coms, whatever. We will have a movie marathon the entire break if we need to. Plus, my parents already know and told me to stay."

"Let's make Christmas dinner."

"Excuse me?"

"We'll invite the security guys up, and we'll all eat together like a family. We can go get groceries and be like normal people."

Sighing, Tessa shrugs. "If you think it'll make you feel better, why not? For the record, I did not inherit the cooking gene, but I can make a mean salad and pour wine like no one's business."

"Perfect. I can take care of the rest."

Bri's phone buzzes in her purse, but she doesn't bother getting up to check it. Tessa sighs. "Kace?"

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