Page 12 of A Gift of Time
Chapter Four
Iwas on cloud nine. The pitch to the client had gone over smoothly, and they loved what I offered: combining Christmas with their coffee for a new commercial and advertisement.
“What if Santa drank coffee instead of hot cocoa?” I had asked before clicking the PowerPoint presentation to the next slide. “Only coffee from Brew Emporium can fuel Santa on his long night of delivering gifts.”
Peter Groves, the owner of the coffeehouse, had been elated with the proposal and had signed the contract before the meeting even ended. I would send the idea along to the members of the creative team, and they’d begin creating the components of the ads.
Done and done.
Logan wanted to celebrate the success, and he made it all too clear what he was offering in terms of celebration.
“I can’t,” I told him, trying to let him down easy. We were back in my office later that afternoon, and I was about to leave. “I know you said we had something going on, but I think I need to take time for myself with everything that’s happening.”
Disappointment reflected on his face, but he nodded. “That’s okay.”
“Hey,” I said, tilting his chin back up so he’d look at me. “You’re a great guy, Logan, but things are complicated right now. We’re friends, too, right? Because I could use one of them over a fuck at the moment.”
He smiled. “Yeah, we are.”
“Good,” I said, returning his smile. “See you on Monday.”
Leaving work, I was about to burst with excitement. It was a dream I didn’t want to wake from. Perfect job, car, and home. People looked up to me, and I’d never felt more powerful or successful.
Something felt off, though, and I couldn’t place it. However, I paid it no mind, choosing to enjoy myself instead of dwell on the feeling.
On my way out the door, I stopped in my tracks.
The lobby was different. The curtains I recalled Caden putting up on the first day I’d met him were no longer there.
He’d created such a warm and inviting feel to the office, and now it just appeared boring, like every other high-end office in the area. His magical touch—as I called it—was nowhere to be seen.
That feeling returned—a hollowing in my chest—but once again, I shoved it away.
As I hopped in my Jaguar and drove through Scottsdale, I saw people decorating their houses with Christmas lights, and the stores on Main Street were doing the same, putting Christmas displays in their storefront windows.
It was like déjà vu, as I had just experienced all of that a few weeks prior: the buzz in the air as everyone changed out fall decorations for Christmas ones.
Why had I gone back to December first? Whatever. I’d take it. I planned to take full advantage of my new life.
A few days passed, and I felt like I was on top of the world.
I had checked my bank account and nearly passed out seeing my balance. Needless to say, I went on a binge. I ate at the finest restaurant in town—one where you had to make a reservation a month in advance, but I got in because apparently I was a regular there.
After dinner, I’d walked along Main Street, going inside any store that piqued my interest and buying whatever the hell I wanted.
I’d even bought Logan a few things as a way to saythank youfor him having my back and not throwing me into the nuthouse for telling him the truth about myself.
He’d been overjoyed at my actions, and we’d started having lunch together in my office. Nothing sexual, of course, but just as friends. And he didn’t seem to mind it anymore, either, which was great.
I didn’t want to lead him on like I feared I’d done before in this reality.
Days of freedom and living the life I’d always dreamed followed, and I was elated. Almost a week had passed, and I’d settled in nicely, blending into the alternate reality with ease.
My confusion of whether it was a dream faded, too. I would’ve woken up by now if it were.
I wasn’t surehowit had happened, but I was grateful it had.
However, a week into my new freedom, old feelings stirred. As I left the office that Thursday, I couldn’t help but look at the damn lobby again. A lobby that lacked Caden’s touch.
