Page 5 of His Christmas Promise

Chapter Two

Alex

After getting out of the Marines when I was twenty-six, I took my parents’ inheritance and the money I’ve saved over the years and opened a cybersecurity firm called Drakos Security. Three years later, my business is doing better than I expected, and it’s finally time to set things in motion. The first thing I did was search for the perfect place to set down roots. This place needed to be special. It needed to be like the fucking Hallmark Channel through and through. When I came across Mistletoe, Montana, where it’s Christmas all year long, I knew this was the place. When I went for a visit to check it out, I knew it was the real deal.

I’ve lived here for over a year, getting everything ready for my sweet Zoe. I had to make sure things were perfect, so I could finally fulfill my promise to her. She probably thinks I forgot, but I didn’t. No, I’ve been planning this out for years. I only hope she’s

Although we haven’t talked much over the years, I’ve always made sure that she knew I was thinking about her, especially at Christmas. I’ve been following her every move ever since I got out of basic training. Not many people knew I was good at computers before my parents’ accident. When I joined the Marines, I made it my mission to focus on cyber terrorism, which allowed me the freedom to keep tabs on Zoe.

There were so many times I wanted to come for her, or hell even call her just to hear her sweet voice, but I held back. I couldn’t risk getting close to her when I was in the service if something went wrong, and I ended up dying as her father did. I couldn’t do that to her. I wouldn’t. Once I was out, I had to wait even longer to make sure my business was running successfully without my constant attention. The first two years my firm was open, I worked fourteen-fifteen hour workdays, seven days a week.

I waited for years until it was the right time to make her mine. In all that time, she’s been the one thing keeping me going—my prize at the end of the race. I haven’t touched a woman since before I met her, and even then, it was meaningless. It was teenage urges and boredom that fueled me before her. After meeting Zoe, I never once thought of filling my empty bed with a meaningless woman. It would have tainted everything I’ve been working toward since I was eighteen. My only hope is that Zoe understands why I waited and can give me a chance. All I need is one.

Zoe has no idea that I’m the one who sent her resume to the head of Human Resources at Mistletoe General. I’d been waiting for months to hear they had an open position. Given the opportunity, I knew she’d be the perfect person for the job. I knew she was looking to get out of Reno, and for that, I’m thankful. It made it that much easier to get her here.

The time is now. I contacted Mistletony, the award-winning florist in town, and had them send Zoe a bouquet of red roses to her job with a note. I’ve been watching her since she moved to Mistletoe, making sure she had everything she needed from afar. The day she moved here, I contemplated knocking on her apartment door and whisking her away, but I held myself back. It wasn’t the right time, not yet. I needed to be sure she’d be happy here before asking her to stay forever.

I check my watch and see that it’s a quarter past four o’clock. Zoe should be getting out of work any minute now, and I’m ready for her. It was hard as hell watching her struggle with her car this morning, but that won’t be a problem after today. I grabbed everything of Zoe’s out of her car, then had it towed away. My buddy at the car dealership gave Zoe a more than fair price for it.

I get out of the brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee I ordered for Zoe a couple of weeks ago and stick a large envelope on the front seat with her name on it. I would have preferred to get her a truck, but she’s used to a car. I figured an SUV was a happy medium. Plus, it’s one of the safest vehicles on the market and has all the bells and whistles. I adjust the big red bow on the hood of the shiny black SUV, making sure it’s perfect, then walk back to my truck.

After a few minutes, I spot Zoe coming out of the hospital carrying her bouquet of flowers, walking to where her car used to be parked. She looks so confused when she doesn’t see her car, but instead a new Jeep in its place. She stands there and stares at it for the longest time, and eventually moves closer to inspect it. Tentatively she opens the driver’s door and pulls out the envelope. She looks around the parking lot briefly, but I make sure to duck just in time.

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