Page 24 of The Holidays with Mr. Mitchell
“It would be kind of fun,” she said, “but we need Addy on our team. I won’t dare let Addy beat me.”
“I’ll handle sis,” I said with a smile. “All right, tomorrow I’ll let Mom know she’s going up against not just me, but her daughters, too.”
Her eyes widened, and she laughed, “You know she’ll never compete against me and Addy with things like this.”
“It’s a chance I’m willing to take,” I said. “And if she won’t? Then we win.”
She smiled. “You are pretty smart,” she said, then left to clean her sneaky bowl of ice cream.
How the hell else do I run a billion-dollar empire? I thought, knowing if I didn’t get a grip on my wife proving points about me being a cheapskate, then my ass was going to be doing nothing more than signing checks this year for Christmas events.
TEN
Avery
I’d just satdown in Jim’s office, scrolling on my phone while waiting for him to finish up an email. I still couldn’t believe this man wanted to plan a Christmas event after he practically made choosing cheeseboards for Christmas seem exhausting.
“Now, that’s all finished,” he said, closing down his computer, “we can go to lunch.” He smirked. “Then I will explain how I’m planning my own company party this year.”
My lips twitched. Bless this man’s heart. “Charcuterie boards and champagne. That was your first planning fail for the holidays this year.” I folded my arms, staring Jim down like he’d just suggested we cancel Christmas and replace it with dental cleanings. “And now, you want to suddenly plan Christmas on your own? I don’t think so.”
Jim leaned back in his chair, too comfortably, and the smirk on his face said he knew exactly how much this would piss me off. “There was nothing wrong with that. The idea was efficient,chic, and modern. People don’t need balls and bonuses. Food is always the way to everyone’s hearts.”
“I’m not going to let you die on that hill, Mr. Grinch,” I repeated, blinking at him. “We’renotgetting into the cheese tray argument again. I’m hiring the planner. Done.”
“You do that,” he offered too easily, “That way we can andwillsettle all of this this…the Mitchell family way,” he arched an eyebrow at me.
“Really?” I sat up in my seat across from where he sat behind his desk. “Because everyMitchell family wayof settling on the holidays usually ends up with Jake shitting his brains out in the woods, and then, of course, you in a sleigh, breaking down in the middle of nowhere in the Alps, almost missingout on Christmas entirely.”
“Technicalities, my darling,” he taunted, looking sexier than hell, leaning back in his office chair. “Jake and I were merely settling the score for all the pranks he’s pulled on my ass over the years.”
“And what’s this?”
“Me, having a little fun over the holidays with my wife. Learning who will throw the best party and bring in the holiday cheer.”
“It’s you trying topersonallysave your ass from looking like a greedy billionaire before allowing me to.”
“Perhaps,” he said, standing. “Now, since you came here to go to lunch with me, let’s do so. I’m starved, and we have business to discuss, Mrs. Mitchell.”
“There’s really nothing to discuss,” I grabbed my purse, following him.
“Oh, there is. Like, perhaps thelittledetail of why my wife is planning on turning the Huntington Gardens into the North Pole, which is exactly what you and Cat are plotting. Admit it.”
I gasped. “Did Izzy betray me?”
“Little traitor cracked under ice cream interrogation,” he said proudly.
I pointed at him. “You manipulated our daughter with fudge brownie ice cream?”
“Manipulated?” he feigned offense as we stepped into the elevator. “It was a strategy. You’re not the only one who knows how to run a campaign.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Fine. If you want a holiday war, Mitchell family style, then you’ve got one.”
He arched a brow. “Good. The girls are already on my team.”
“You brought the girls into this?” I asked.
He shrugged and nodded. “I needed their creative minds in order to give my planner the proper direction for the perfect Christmas Extravaganza.”
