Marvin had hurt a lot of people during his time at the company.
“He was a pig. I can’t believe…” Trudy shook her head. “I’m glad he’s gone. I’m sorry about the things he said about you, but I also wanted to say congratulations. The way Mr. Nelson announced his feelings was very romantic. Most of the unmarried women said they’re waiting for their own special man.”
Alora chuckled. “Thank you.” She couldn’t deny it was kind of great. Better than great. When she’d heard Adam say he loved her on the PA system, she nearly melted into a puddle. She would never forget that moment. Alora had been standing at her office doorway, arms folded, listening, and then it was like her world finally had the last piece missing.
He loved her.
She’d never been loved before, but this man completely blew her away.
Someone clearing their throat drew her and Trudy’s attention. Adam stood in her doorway.
“Mr. Nelson,” Trudy said, going slightly pale.
“It’s Adam, Trudy. It is past five o’clock, and I do believe it’s time to head home.” He looked toward Alora. “Am I going to have to be the one to pull you away from work?” he asked.
“Goodnight,” Trudy said. “Have a Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” she and Adam said at the same time.
“I’m finished. I can leave this until after the holidays.” She put a cover over the picture on her desk, to keep it secured.
There had been a fresh fall of snow in the afternoon, so she pulled on her jacket, sinking her arms into the warmth. She grabbed her bag, and then Adam waited, putting his arms around her waist and holding her close. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and she felt so loved. So complete.
“It’s time to pick that tree,” he said. “You’ve been putting it off.”
“I have not.” She reached into her jacket and pulled out a card, handing it to him.
She waited as he read it.
“What’s this?”
“I didn’t want us to miss out on a good tree, so I ordered one in advance. I hope you don’t mind.”
“You think of everything.” They stepped out of his building, and with the snow falling, Adam pulled her close. “Have I told you how much I love you?” he asked.
“You have.” She still hadn’t said it to him though.
After he said it, she noticed he waited, and each time she stepped away or changed the subject, she saw his shoulders seemed to droop just a little. She hated that she was the cause of his sadness, but she needed the moment she told him to be perfect. For a woman like her, those three little words meant more than anything.
There was no doubt in her mind, not a single one.
She loved this man more than anything else in the world. He was the only person she wanted to be with. He made her feel less alone in a world she swore had conspired against her all these years.
“Let’s go and get that tree.”
His car wasn’t parked too far, and it only required a twenty-minute drive across the city to the open lot. The moment Alora stepped out at their destination, the scent of Christmas assailed her, pine and burning wood. Chestnuts were roasting just outside of the lot, and they were selling hot cocoa.
She was right to order early because there were barely any trees left, but she did notice they were all gorgeous and full.
They found the office at the back, and within minutes, their tree was loaded on top of Adam’s car, secured in place. She was given care instructions, and they headed to Adam’s apartment, where together, they had to manage carrying the thing toward the elevator. It was awkward and prickly.
“Stop laughing,” Adam said.
“Have you never carried a tree before?” she asked.
“I never had a tree. Never needed one.”
“Oh, you do love Christmas, don’t you?”
Adam smiled. “Of course, I do. Now I’ve got the love of my life to share it with, Christmas is going to be far better.”
She knew exactly what he meant. Loneliness was toxic.
She stepped toward him, placed her hand on his chest, and pressed a kiss to his lips. “We’ll always have each other from now on.”
He deepened the kiss.
The moment the elevator doors opened, they broke apart. The couple waiting to get on the elevator had no choice but to step back as she and Adam carried the oversized tree into the hallway. They had left a mess of pine needles in their wake, but he’d already put in a large bonus for the cleaning staff.
Getting inside his apartment was a huge achievement, and then it was just a case of decorating it.
****
Alora hadn’t said she loved him.
He was starting to develop a complex.
Adam wasn’t the kind of guy who struggled with his feelings. He knew what he wanted out of life, and he went after it, no questions asked. This thing with Alora meant everything to him, and he wanted to hear her say it, but not because he requested it.
“It looks beautiful, doesn’t it?” Alora asked.
She stepped back, admiring their tree. They had purchased decorations a few days ago together.
Now everything was coming together, but he couldn’t help but feel … a little lost. This was unusual.
“It’s so beautiful.”
“I think it’s time for a drink, don’t you?” she asked. Her hands were clasped together, and she pulled away from him just as he was about to kiss her. It had been too long since he got to enjoy her, and the ring in his pocket was burning a hole, demanding he ask her that all-important question.
He wanted to argue with her, beg her, fight with her, but instead, he walked into the kitchen and went to his fridge.
Adam saw the champagne in the side door. He should be filled with happiness, but it was the last thing he felt.
Grabbing the bottle, he got two glasses from the bar, then entered the room, only to stop when he saw Alora holding the canvas of his request.
At first, he didn’t know what to say. The tree twinkled in a kaleidoscope of color behind his woman.
“You finished it,” he said. “You’ve been sneaky.”
He hadn’t gotten the chance to see the last touches until now. Alora had hidden it away, and she must have finished it in secret.
“Before you come any closer, there are a few things I want to say, and I need to say them now.”
Adam felt dread begin to build within his gut. It wasn’t a good feeling. He hadn’t felt this way even when he started his own company. Losing Alora would be too much to bear.
“All my life, I’ve been alone, unwanted. People would come and go from the foster homes, and I’d watch potential parents adopt the others, time and time again. They never wanted me. For the longest time, that’s what I thought. No one ever wanted me, and then you came into my life. I did think you were a player and an asshole, but that’s before I got to know you.”
She glanced down at the painting in her hand and he watched her take a breath. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms, tell her it was going to be all right, but he stayed perfectly still. “I’ve come to see that you’re a fair man, a brilliant one, and you are so much more than a player. It’s an honor to work for you, and I’ve never told anyone else this in my life, but being with you, I finally know what love is.”