Page 25 of Yes to The Holidays
“Why are you perfect? I’m sorry. God, I’m a mess.”
“Just call me Odin.”
I laughed hysterically. But that helped my tears subside, and I was able to gather myself. “Seriously, it just feels weird for someone to care. I say yes to the holidays. We’ll see where this goes.”
He pulled my hand to his face, kissing my fingers before he turned it over, kissing my palm, then rubbing his cheek into it. I rubbed my thumb over his cheek, his short scruff tickling my hand.
So instead of two weeks, we had through the holidays. Maybe more…
Chapter 14
Odin
The next few days were amazing. We went back to the farm we had visited over the weekend and took in the Christmas light drive-thru display. It was drizzly, so we grabbed coffee before we went instead of getting any at the little stand. She said it would be too muddy to get out and walk around again but driving through was fun and there was even holiday music set to the lights available through one of the radio stations.
It was a little over an hour from the city, and we took backroads, so we drove through several towns that had their decorations and lights up as well. We sipped coffee, held hands, and listened to festive music together as we drove around for hours. She had stories for every town we rode through and listening to her share them was more entertaining than anything I could have watched or listened to. All were childhood memories; she spoke very little of the time she was married.
Saturday was still cold but not rainy, so we spent the day walking the decorated city, checking out some of the shops, grabbing small snacks from some little hole-in-the-wall restaurants she knew of, and we rode the Ferris wheel once it got dark. From up high, Atlanta didn’t look much different than New York but it wasn’t as loud. There were also more holiday lights than before Thanksgiving. It seemed the whole city was now in the holiday spirit.
Janie loved the little-known places, and she got excited over the smallest of things. Watching her window shop and the things she ran her hands over inside the stores, I learned she loved comfort items like soft blankets and slippers, and she got excited over cute coffee mugs and fragranced candles. Not once did she drag me to a jewelry store or any of the high-end shops. We even checked out several thrift shops, and she looked for old books and thumbed through clothes. I wouldn't mind if she enjoyed some finer things because she definitely deserved them, but I loved that she was so low-key.
Sunday, we stayed in, ordered room service all day, and lounged around watching more holiday movies between exploring each other. I couldn’t get enough of her, and I knew the week ahead would be a stark contrast to our restful and fun days behind us. It was hard to let her leave Sunday night, but she had work, and I had a big week ahead with the possible acquisition.
My sleep was incredibly broken, and I found myself clinging to the pillow her sweet smell lingered on. After dozing in and out of sleep all night, I rolled over and noticed it was five on the alarm, so I decided to get up and shower then check some emails in case I needed to make any calls before I headed over to see Edward and meet some of the senior staff. I had made up my mind as I tossed and turned all night that this business venture was destiny.
Not only was it a great company and industry to get my hands into, but it brought me to her. It had only been a little over a week, but I was infatuated with this woman. Events for months led me here. It had to be some higher power intervening. I didn’t work in cyber security, nor was I acting as any role in any company but my investment firm. None of it made sense on paper, but it made sense in my head and my heart.
After spending two hours on emails that had piled up again and checking in with my assistant briefly, I texted Janie good morning and smiled down when she replied back quickly.
Janie: Busy day, have some meetings this morning. Dinner later?
Me: Dinner sounds great. I’ll be tied up most of the day as well. Let me know when you’re out of work.
Janie sent a smiley face emoji, and I quickly replied with a heart. Immediate regret washed over me. She promised the holidays, but I still didn’t need to come on too strong. But I knew what I felt. The one bad business move I had made was because I ignored my gut and went with what I could see. Deep down, I knew it seemed off, but I was anxious to make the deal, and the analytical side of my brain decided it was good. Ever since then, I made sure to use my eyes but also trust my instincts. That had gotten me far in life in a short amount of time, so I wasn’t ignoring this feeling. Still, she just got divorced, and I lived in another state, so her reservations weren’t unfounded.
Shaking off the regret of the heart emoji, I grabbed my coat and headed to the car to make the drive to the office. It wasn’t a long drive, but it would have taken a while to walk, and unlike New York, it didn’t seem like many people walked from place to place in Atlanta. There were people on the sidewalks, but nothing like eight in the morning up North. Although, I’d probably gotten there faster had I walked. Traffic was atrocious on every street. And no wonder, every damn street was Peachtree something. Everyone was probably lost.
After a few turns and half an hour, my GPS led me into a parking deck of a tall, glass building covered in tinted windows from top to bottom. It reminded me of several high-rises back home. After parking, I made my way to the reception area and signed in.
The gentleman was kind and prompt, letting me know that Edward was expecting me and would be down soon to collect me. I had barely gotten a chance to look around when I was greeted warmly.
“Odin, my boy! So wonderful to finally have you here. Come, come,” he said as he pulled me down the hall while shaking my hand.
“Glad to finally be here. I hope there’s coffee. I was going to stop, but traffic is well–”
“Awful. Traffic is awful. But please don’t let that be a deal breaker for you, son. After you,” Edward said, motioning for me to enter the elevator. “I’ll get you settled in the board room with coffee, then we’ll go over a few things, and then I’ll grab my directors.”
“You’re the boss. For now, anyway.” I winked at him, and he smiled wide as he ran his thumbs behind his lapels. In the months I’d gotten to know him, I had grown fond of Edward. It was easy to see why he was touted as one of the best men to work for.
As we walked the hall to the grand conference room with a long mahogany table and at least twenty executive chairs, a small voice in the back of my mind questioned whether I’d be able to live up to that title. For the little amount of time I had “owned” all the companies I flipped, they had all been public and had shareholders and boards. Edward’s company was still privately owned and run by him. He did explain he relied heavily on his staff, but that was why they were also greatly rewarded.
Coffee and pastries were waiting on a side table, so we both made a cup, and I grabbed a muffin before sitting. We spoke at length about the recap of the books, but I probed more on the daily aspects and how he delegated.
“Well, we have our finance department, operations, and sales. You’ll meet those Directors here shortly. They really keep the show going.” He stretched then stood. “I do have work, but most of it consists of what they’re doing, and of course I have the final say of everything. But even they have people that report to them. I just look at reports all day, really.”
“If it’s so simple, why sell?”
He laughed. “Simple, but not easy. I’m going to round up the troops. Do you need anything?”
