Page 20 of Santa Baby Maybe
5
Seven weeks ago
W.B.
Iglanced up from my computer screen when I heard the knock on my office door.
“You’ve got the furrow in your brow again,” Joy said. “Is everything okay?”
No. Everything was not okay, but it wasn’t anything I could share with Joy. However, it was now something I had to share with Wes. The evidence was there.
“Just trying to do an audit and the numbers aren’t adding up,” I said, keeping it vague.
“I hate it when that happens. Which is why I never attempt to add things.”
“Are you here to ask for more overtime for the staff? Or maybe to tell me we’re dumping rings and going with four calling hens instead? Because it would not be a good day for that.”
She frowned. “I don’t think calling hens is right. No, I made you something. But if you’re in a bad mood, now might not be the time.”
I sighed and leaned back in my chair. “I’m not in a bad mood. I’m in a thoughtful mood. There’s a difference. And you made me something?”
She shrugged and I noticed there was a box in her hand. “Just something I’ve been messing around with. On my own time, lest you be concerned.”
“I’m not concerned. What is it?”
She came further into the office and slid the cardboard box across my desk. “It’s an ornament for your office tree. When you put yours up.”
“I’m not putting up a tree,” I said, frowning at the box.
“What? Everyone is putting up a small tree. We’re a Christmas ornament company. Celebrating Christmas is what we do. There’s the big tree downstairs, and of course all the break rooms have one. It only makes sense that all the executive level offices have one, as well. News flash, you’re an executive.”
“I know what I am, but what you’ve just described are more than enough trees for one building.”
“You can’t have too many Christmas trees. That’s not a thing. You could only have too few Christmas trees, which it sounds like you’re going to be guilty of. People are going to start referring to you as The Grinch.”
“Not worried about my Grinch status, thank you.” I eyed the box warily. “That’s not another porn ornament is it?”
She snickered. “No, but do you know I’ve been making some adult ornaments on the side and I sold ten to an adult sex shop. The manager said the clients loved them. Snatched them right up. I’m telling you, we’re missing out on the porn ornament business.”
“Somehow we’ll survive. Seriously, I don’t want to see another penis that might have a red nose or something.”
“No, but I’ll make a note. A Rudolf penis ornament that glows!” She giggled. “No. Of course I would never make anything so suggestive for a coworker. Trust me, it’s HR safe.”
Curious despite myself, I opened the box and took out the delicate ornament. It was about two inches long, oval shaped, and brown, with indents along the surface. Plus a pair of dark sunglasses glued on it. I couldn’t even begin to guess what I was looking at.
My expression must have indicated as much, because she huffed when I wouldn’t even make the attempt.
“It’s a blind date. Get it? That’s a date, with dark glasses. Blind date.”
She was beaming, and then she started to giggle, snort, then actually cackle at her own Christmas ornament joke.
“This is the ugliest ornament I’ve ever seen,” I said.
“It’s not supposed to be pretty. It’s supposed to represent the year you’re having.”
I slipped it back into the box. “Thank you. I think?”
She laughed again. “You break down and get a tree for your office and we’ll hang it there as a sign of your search for love.”
