Page 34 of Callan

He already has a group of women to cater to.

One who’s pouting inside. And one he’s sharing with her husband.

I let out a quiet sigh, still not moving away.

Oddly, I want to go back to when I was little, and the only thing I knew about Santa was that he was old, kind, and generous.He wore a red costume and brought lovely gifts to good kids like me.

And he’s never heard of mixed messages.

6

MACKENZIE

A few daysbefore Christmas

I nudgethe door open with my boot and step inside when my phone rings in my pocket.

“Oh, damn it. Now you’re ringing.”

Panting and leaving a trail of melted snow on the floor, I make a beeline for the kitchen, where I drop the bags of groceries on the counter and reach inside my pocket.

Mumbling nasty words under my breath, I tip my gaze down. My eyes go wide at the name flashing across the screen.

I answer the call in a shaky voice.

“Mackenzie Prince speaking.”

“Good afternoon,” a female voice says at the other end of the line.

Oh… I remember her.

She was a friendly woman in her late fifties with a penchant for bright colors.

She said I’d get a second interview for sure, and I wanted to believe her.

She seemed the kind of person who could make things happen, yet I still had my doubts.

Considering we were talking about getting a second interview for a secretary position, which isn’t exactly a significant career move, I shouldn’t be so nervous about it.

But I still am.

This job comes with better pay than my other gigs, with the exception of maybe the errands I’m running for that stunning stranger, and that makes a huge difference.

Aside from that, it’s a huge corporation, and who knows?

I might land a marketing job with them in the future.

Getting a call from her a few days before Christmas gives me hope but also comes as a surprise.

“Oh. Miss Goodman. Hello. How are you?” I say in a jovial tone. “How are things?”

“Things are good. How is your job search going?”

Shit. That’s not a good sign.

Is she managing my expectations now?

Why would she ask me that if she had good news for me?

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