The Billionaire's First Christmas - Contemporary Romance (4 page)

“Really? That’s great,” he said,
sounding surprised. I could tell that he found it strange and
amusing that I hadn’t been embarrassed to dress like an elf. “How
would you like to go to the offices and hand out the presents to
each department in full costume?”

“I’d love to,” I told him, “You must
be one of the executives…” He didn’t answer that. I was fishing, I
hadn’t expected him to. But then I said, “Just as long as I can
have lunch first.”

“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry,” he said,
actually sounding remorseful. “I should have thought about lunch. I
suppose you could have Jeffrey go in and get it.”

“Why couldn’t I go get it?” I
asked.

“I was just thinking of you. You’re
still in costume, correct?”

“Yeah, but I don’t see the problem. I
like the costume and it fits very nicely.” He was obviously not one
of my friends or close acquaintances or he would know that I loved
to have fun and very little embarrassed me.

He chuckled, but I could tell he found
it odd. “Okay then, have Jeffrey take you out to lunch. On me,
anywhere you’d like to go. Then he’ll take you to the
offices.”

“That sounds perfect,” I told him.
“And when do I get to see you?”

“Have fun Robyn,” he said, and then he
hung up.

I could see Jeffrey’s face in the
mirror, he was smirking. “What’s so funny?” I asked him.

“Nothing, Miss.”

***

After much cajoling, I convinced
Jeffrey to join me for lunch at a nice steakhouse. He’d wanted to
wait for me at the car. He seemed a little uncomfortable about it
as we were walking in and I asked, “Are you embarrassed to be seen
with an elf in public?”

He smiled and said, “No miss, but I
was thinking about what a picture an elf having lunch with a
chauffeur might present.” I laughed.

“I hadn’t thought of that, we’ll have
to ask our waiter to take a picture of us. Everyone at work will
love it.” Jeffrey just shook his head and followed me inside. I
think he was as surprised as our mutual employer for the day that I
wasn’t uncomfortable at all in the outfit.

We enjoyed our lunch, Jeffrey told me
about growing up in the U.K. and that he’d met his employer just
after coming to the States for his mother’s funeral. He’d had to
stay in New York to care for his ailing father and when Jeffrey
told him his predicament, the man had hired him on the spot. He’d
also helped Jeffrey obtain his work visa and eventually his
citizenship.

“He sounds like a wonderful man this
Mr…?”

Jeffrey actually stuck his tongue out
at me. It cracked me up because I’d be willing to bet he hadn’t
done that since he was five. He said, “When will you figure out
that you can’t trick an old English chauffeur like me?”

“I’m persistent like that,” I told
him.

I felt so much better after lunch, my
energy was renewed. I was wondering if I’d ever get to meet this
man or not as it would already be almost the end of the workday
when we finished at the office. I wondered what he looked like and
if he was as handsome as his voice sounded. I hoped that I’d get
the opportunity to meet him and find out first hand.

Jeffrey drove us to the offices of
Winters Inc. and I set about my task delivering the gift baskets to
each department. Jeffrey followed along behind me and I showed
everyone the picture of Jeffrey and I having lunch and took a few
orders that I promised to take straight back to Santa Claus. It had
a great time and was starting to think I’d like to add something
like this to my yearly Christmas

Traditions. I had some of my own
already that I’d been putting into practice since I was a kid. No
one that knew me seemed the least bit surprised that I was dressed
like an elf, and the rest of the staff found it amusing. I ran
across Gary when I was in the building and looking me over he said,
“Who was it that beat me out last night?”

“I have no idea,” I told
him.

“Really?” he asked,
suspiciously.

“Really, I haven’t met him; I’ve only
spoken with him on the telephone.”

“Hmm, the guy is obviously loaded,” he
said. “It would have to be someone from upstairs.”

I shrugged, “I don’t know. He’s
generous, that’s for sure. I better get back to my task.” I could
feel Gary watching me until I was out of his sight. Sighing, I
wondered if he would ever give up.

I finished handing out the gifts at
work and Jeffrey drove me home. When he opened the car door for me
he had another package, similar to the one he’d given me this
morning in his hand.

“What’s this? A present for me?” I
asked, like a child on Christmas morning. I’d always rather give
gifts out, but everyone likes one of their own sometimes. Jeffrey
smiled.

“I think whatever it is; you deserve
it for your hard work today.” I surprised him, not for the first
time that day, by giving him a hug. I really liked the old guy and
because of him my day had been more enjoyable.

“You worked just as hard. Thank you,
Jeffrey.”

“You’re very welcome, Miss
Robyn.”

I carried the box up to my apartment
and I was about to open it when my phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hello Robyn, how did things go at the
office?” It was him, the mystery caller. My belly fluttered just at
the sound of his voice.

“Spectacular,” I told him. “Everyone
was so pleased with their gifts.”

“Good, Jeffrey said you should be
commended for the job you did today. So, I commend you. Thank you
for taking care of all of that for me.”

“You’re welcome, I enjoyed myself. I
hope Jeffrey will also be commended. He’s great.”

“He will be. I’d like to take you out
to dinner as a reward for a job well done if you don’t have an
objection to joining me?”

“I’d love to,” I said. Not only did I
believe I deserved a treat after my long day, I was so excited
about meeting him. I was really hoping that he was as beautiful as
his voice.

“Great. We have reservations at a very
exclusive restaurant in Manhattan. Put on the outfit I sent for you
and I’ll send Jeffrey around to pick you up at eight.”

“Okay, I’ll see you then,” I told him,
before hanging up. Finally, I pulled open the box. Inside was a
cornflower blue silk dress. It had a designer label that I
recognized. It was a very expensive dress. It had probably cost him
over a thousand dollars. It was beautiful and when I slipped it out
of the box, I realized there was a lovely matching scarf, stockings
and shoes.

I took it into my bedroom and held it
up to me in front of the mirror. It was the exact shade of blue as
my eyes, and the soft material of the dress would cling to all of
my curves, no doubt. I wondered if this man had matched my eyes on
purpose. Did he actually go shopping for it himself, or did he hire
someone to do that? I looked at the size of both the dress and the
shoes… both perfect. Who was this man? How could he possibly know
my shoe size of all things? I looked back at the dress and realized
suddenly that the only thing that had bothered me about him all day
was that he didn’t trust I had enough sense and taste to dress
myself for a night out. I loved it, but it wasn’t me. I was never
one to be anything or anyone other than myself. I got an idea then…
it was a terrible, awful idea…

CHAPTER FOUR

~

ROBYN

I really did like the dress a lot, but
the fact he’d told me to wear it was nagging at me. Since I was in
kindergarten, I had my own sense of style. I used to drive my
mother crazy with some of my choices. I choose my clothes because I
like them and I’m comfortable in them. I wear what’s appropriate
for the occasion, but rarely what everyone else would be wearing.
Designer labels didn’t impress me either. I’d found dresses at
second-hand stores that were just as nice.

When he simply said, “Put on the
outfit I sent you,” that was when the idea came to me. My mystery
man had sent me two outfits today. He told me to wear the one he
sent, but he hadn’t specifically said which one. It made sense to
me that he couldn’t really be offended if I happened to wear the
wrong one then, right? I took a bubble bath while I considered it.
By the time I stepped out and wrapped myself in a towel, I’d come
to a firm decision. I was wearing the elf outfit. If he was
offended… oh well, what had I really lost?

As I fixed my hair and did my make-up
I thought about what he’d said about going to an “exclusive”
restaurant. I decided that I’d take the dress with me and I would
change after I played a little trick on him. There was no harm in a
little fun. I didn’t know if they had a dress code though and I may
get asked to leave. This way I would have the dress to change
into.

My hair and make-up were ready for a
night out. I put on the elf dress with the shoes that went with the
dress and then slipped the elf slippers over them. I wore a pair of
diamond stud earrings that my parents had given me when I graduated
high school, they were my favorite pair, and I’d always thought
they’d brought me good luck.

I chose a delicate silver chain that
would complement the dress and after I put it on, I tucked it
inside my elf suit. Jeffrey arrived right on time, and when I
opened the door and saw his face, I wished I’d had my camera at the
ready.

“Um, Miss Robyn… did you open the
other box?” The poor guy looked like he was about to pop a blood
vessel in his head.

“I did, I like this one better,” I
said, as I slipped on my black trench coat.

“Oh, well…” I couldn’t keep a straight
face. Jeffrey looked relieved when he realized I was laughing. “Oh,
it’s just a joke, thank goodness,” he said.

“It’s a joke on your boss, Jeffrey. I
am wearing this to dinner.”

“Oh, I don’t think… I’m not sure you
should… well he’s kind of…”

“Serious?” I finished for
him.

“Yes miss, he’s very serious. I don’t
think he’ll be pleased.”

“Too bad,” I told him with a wink. “It
sounds like he needs to learn to loosen up a bit.” Jeffrey didn’t
say any more about it, but I could tell it made him anxious that I
was going through with this. I couldn’t imagine a man so generous
that didn’t at least appreciate a little humor. Besides, he wasn’t
really my boss. What was he going to do?

When Jeffrey drove the
limousine up in front of the restaurant, I almost lost my nerve.
When he’d said exclusive, I had no idea he was talking about
Per Se
. It was THE most
exclusive restaurant in New York and if he didn’t own his own table
here, then he’d made these reservations either weeks or months ago.
When Jeffrey helped me out of the car he raised an
eyebrow.

“You’re sure about this miss?” he
asked.

I looked back at the fancy restaurant
and all of the fancy people going inside and I suddenly realized
that I was sure. If this man couldn’t take a joke, what have I
lost? A fancy dinner? I’d obviously not met him after nine months
of working at Winters Inc.; I’d likely not see him too frequently
after this. He probably works somewhere up near the top like
everyone seems to think, judging from the fact that he was
obviously wealthy so I doubted we’d have to mix and mingle much. I
was going for it; I thought it would be fun.

“I’m sure,” I told Jeffrey with a deep
breath and a confident smile.

“Good luck then,” he said, as if I
were headed to the gallows.

“Oh, who should I ask for?”

“Just ask for Aaron,” Jeffrey told
me.

“Thanks, Jeffrey. I enjoyed my day
with you.”

“And mine with you,” he said. He
tipped his hat at me and I went inside. “Good luck,” he said
again.

I walked into this beautiful
restaurant, very serene and intimate with wide open, and I have to
say, spectacular views of Central Park and Columbus Circle, in my
elf costume. Granted at this point I still had on my coat, but I
wasn’t the least bit worried about taking it off. It was gorgeous,
but everyone in the place including the staff looked like they
could use a little Christmas in their lives. The only way I could
describe them all was just way too serious.

“Hello ma’am, can I help you?” the
beautiful, soft spoken woman at the counter asked me.