Page 74 of Her Big Fat Hunky Billionaire Boss

“Work keeps my mind off of…things.” Lie. He was totally thinking about Kat.

“Call her.”

After he’d gotten back from Pleasant Hollow, he’d confided everything to Chuck. Told him the whole story, even the pathetic ending of the relationship. The way he’d found out Kat wasn’t who he thought. “I can’t.”

“Why not? You’re sitting there brooding over her. You obviously love her. So, do something about it.”

Chuck’s words rang in his ears. Did he love Kat? The realization shocked him. He had fallen in love with a small-town girl. A spunky, funny girl with a laugh that made his heart melt. He put his head in his hands. “She doesn’t love me back.”

“Oh, come on. You said yourself she created that fake account before you two got close. Her job was on the line. You can’t blame her for wanting to know if she would be out of a job, can you? What makes you think she doesn’t feel the same for you?”

Damian rubbed his neck. “She lied.”

“And you’ve never lied to someone you care about? Get over yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. Even you.” Chuck scoffed and shifted toward the door. “I’m leaving, and if you know what’s good for you, you’d get on that private jet of yours and go see her. She’s probably as miserable as you are.” He slapped the door jam and left.

Great. Now all he could think about was seeing Kat again. Damian stood and crossed his office. His secretary had hung a wreath on the wall and it reflected off the glass windows. What was Kat doing right now? Was she curled up on that awful couch of hers, watching a movie?

Memories of the night he’d been on the couch with her surfaced. He’d opened up to her about his accident. Shown her his leg. She hadn’t pushed him away.

In fact, come to think of it, he’d opened up to Amelia about his leg before that night. She knew his leg was burned. Damian closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. Was he being stupid, pushing her away? Was Chuck right?

He didn’t like to think that he was being stubborn and unforgiving. He was just as capable of making mistakes as the next guy. Maybe he was being unreasonable.

Another image of Kat flashed through his mind. This one was of her on that stupid sled, grinning like she was a twelve-year-old. She really was something else.

He wavered for a moment before picking up his phone and calling his assistant. If he arranged things now, he could be at her house by morning. Maybe this Christmas wouldn’t be a stupid waste after all.

***

Kat awoke Christmas morning and lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She tried to muster up the energy to get out of bed, but couldn’t. It was Christmas, and she’d thought for one brief moment she’d have someone special to spend it with. She should have realized that was a pipe dream.

Hilary poked her head into her room. “I made candy cane cookies.”

Kat moaned and pulled her pillow over her head.

“Come on, you have to get out of bed. I can’t stand to see you like this on Christmas.”

“I don’t care.”

“We can watch Hallmark movies,” Hilary said as she ripped the pillow out of Kat’s hands.

“Hallmark movies? Where all the couples get together at Christmastime? I’d rather die.” Kat pulled her covers over her head.

“All right then, we’ll watch A Christmas Story. You love that one and there’s no romance in it.”

Kat was warm under the covers. She really didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to think. Sleep sounded good. “No.”

The sound of her blinds moving rang out, then Hilary gasped. “Oh my gosh, get out of bed. Damian’s here.”

Right. If Hilary thought that would work, she was delusional. “You’re such a liar.”

“No, I’m not kidding. He’s really here.”

Something about her voice made Kat believe her. She threw her covers back, a panic rushing through her. “Are you serious?”

The doorbell rang.

Kat hopped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. She quickly brushed her hair and rinsed her mouth with mouthwash before she grabbed her robe and ran to the front door. Hilary stood nearby, a smirk on her face, but she hadn’t answered the door. Kat’s heart pounded as she flung the door open.

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