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“New snow last night and bright skies tomorrow.”
He scrunched his brow, as if he didn’t enjoy hearing about either fresh snow or sunny days. I pondered what that might mean. Perhaps, he was someone I’d want to stay away from, after all. Besides, he had at least a decade and a half on me, and I was on the job. Mr. Silver was everything I didn’t need.
“Thanks again, George.”
I assumed he would go inside, but he turned his head toward me. My heart stopped for a moment.
“Nutcracker?” He tilted his neck, so I just shrugged.
Bastard!As per the contract, I couldn’t talk to the Silvers or their guests, and judging by the smirk on his face, he knew it.
He shook his head and turned to the others by the curb, yelling out. “Who made Hunter responsible for decorations?”
And without thinking, I blurted, “They’re beautiful inside.”
The words came out before I could stop them, and my hand flew to my mouth in regret. He focused on my face, and my heart sank—until I noticed his curving lip. The silver strand of hair hanging to just beyond his brow completed his I’d-fuck-you-if-I-wanted-to look. My knees went weak.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, and sealed my lips in a thin line.
“It’s all right.” The corner of his mouth lifted. Thankfully, his other, equally gorgeous brothers and cousins approached to distract him.
The guy with the twins abruptly let them go and ran forward, sliding on his shoes to a stop beside us. He was a younger version of the guy I’d just offended, and I could tell he would be the life of this Christmas party. He patted who I assumed was his older brother on his back. “You’re welcome to lift the burden off my shoulders next year, James.”
James.James Silver. Not exactly Bond, but still, an amazing name.
My attention flew back to the twins, tip-toeing across the snow in their impractical, high-heeled Wookie boots as they made a beeline for Hunter and James. Tittering, they each grabbed one of their arms with a squeal. James sighed, and with reluctance, he and the Silvers walked inside, making a beeline to the welcome table set with eggnog, tea, and other beverages. I let go of the breath I’d been holding. What on earth was going on?
“Twenty more minutes, and we’re done.” Allie closed the front door.
We waited for the bellhop to finish unloading the luggage before pulling the door open for him again. Over the next hour, they unloaded one cart full of suitcases after another. The cars pulled away, and we walked around the building’s perimeter, checking for threats. We were in the middle of the Colorado mountains. The only threats here were mountain lions and bears. And two nutcrackers. My watch beeped, showing the last fifteen minutes of our shift.
“I can’t believe your parents know the Silvers.” Allie stepped from one foot to the other, trying to warm up.
“And I can’t believe they gave us a twelve-hour notice about this gig.” My breath left a trail in the air, and I rubbed my mittens together. The temperature had dropped a few degrees since an hour ago.
“Sometimes, I’m so happy your parents are millionaires.”
“It’s not as luxurious as it sounds. More money means more problems and less time. Also, the wealthiest one percent own half of the world’s wealth. My parents are insignificant compared to the Silvers.”
“They still got us this job.”
“Right.” Despite our falling out, my parents had attempted to reconnect, but I wasn’t ready to forgive them. Setting me up with this job was their way of reaching out. But the scars they drew over my body and my heart were so deep, I wasn’t ready to forgive them. I knew I would never forget. But they were still my parents. And they were trying, so that had to count for something.
Allie glanced through a side lobby window. “Rumor has it Silver Securities disagreed with one of their partners, so it seems like everyone has issues. Even billionaires.”
“As long as we’re paid, I don’t care about any of that.”
We walked around the building and back to the front door, checking for footprints. There were none, but the continuous snowfall covered tracks within seconds.
“Skiing should be fun tomorrow.” Allie kicked up a patch of snow and formed it into a ball.
“I know. I can’t wait.”
“What are you doing with the two grand you earn?” she asked.
I’d weighed the pros and cons of my current situation plenty: paying off my credit card or saving up for a new car. It had been a while since I’d treated myself to a new pair of heels, and the idea of having a shiny new toy and shoes lit a spark in my chest.
“I’m not sure. I’ll save some and I’ll spend some. Maybe I should ask Santa for the car I need. What about you?”
