Jingle All the Way - Debbie Macomber Page 0,2

is made up.”

Jack straightened and pointed a finger at her. “I want you to take the entire month of December off.”

“What? I can’t…” It sounded like Jack had lost his mind. No way could he deal with everything if she wasn’t around. The entire staff knew she was the problem-solver, not Jack. Then again, maybe this was exactly the lesson he needed.

The idea of sending her away for a month seemed to be growing in his mind as he started to smile, looking pleased with himself. “You need a break and I’m going to see that you get one and that’s final.”

Everly frowned, wondering what had come over him.

“No buts, Everly. You’re too valuable to me and this company, but your drive is smothering your compassion. We’ll somehow muddle through without you. Now book a vacation.”

Her mouth opened and closed several times before she swallowed. The entire month of December? It was November 30; she had no idea where she’d go or what she’d do. Within a matter of days, she’d be bored out of her mind. This position consumed her every waking minute. Then again, there was always email. The team could reach her if necessary. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all to let Jack take over the helm while she silently kept watch in the background.

Before she could stop him, although she wasn’t sure she wanted to, he stepped out of the office and went directly over to Annette’s desk. “I want you to book a vacation for Everly,” he instructed. “Get her a cruise, somewhere tropical, with warm beaches where she can unwind.”

Annette snapped to attention. “Right away,” she said, eager to please her uncle. She immediately turned to her computer, and her fingers started typing away.

Everly put in a full day at the office. She rarely left before seven, long after everyone else had headed home. By the time she reached her Chicago condo, it was close to eight. For dinner, she generally picked up take-out on her way home. Her condo had an amazing view of Lake Michigan, although she seldom took time to gaze out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Seeing how little time she spent in her condo, it was more utilitarian than a real home. She had a few framed photos of her family here and there, but other than those, the space could have been a rental. And in fact, at one time it had been, until she was able to pick it up at a bargain price, thanks to Easy Home.

Once she ate her sushi with a glass of white wine, she settled on her white leather sectional and rested her bare feet on the matching ottoman, crossing her ankles. It’d been one hell of a day. She wasn’t entirely sure she should take Jack up on his offer. He seemed to feel she needed time away and he wasn’t far from wrong. She’d gone six years without a vacation worth mentioning. Oh, there’d been the occasional weekend here and there with her college roommate Lizzy, but those were rare now that Lizzy was married and had a toddler.

Her phone rang and caller ID told her it was her mother. For an instant, Everly was tempted to let it go to voicemail. Then she decided if she didn’t answer now, her mother would simply try again later until Everly was forced to answer or be destined to listen to a litany of voicemail messages.

“Hey, Mom,” she said.

“Daisy.” Just the way her mother said her given name, which Everly hated, told her her mother wasn’t pleased.

“Everything okay?” she asked, ignoring her mother’s tone.

“You were missed at Thanksgiving.”

Her mother tossed guilt with the expertise of a no-hit pitcher. “I’m sorry, I really am. I thought I could get away, and then at the last minute something came up. I was forced to stay in Chicago and deal with it.” She crossed her fingers, hoping her mother wouldn’t inquire about that vague something. “I did let you know I couldn’t make it.” Coward that she was, she’d sent a text message.

“Was it the same something that prevented you from coming home for Christmas last year?” her mother asked pointedly.

This was the problem. Everly was the middle child in a family of five siblings. Two older sisters named Rose and Lily and two younger brothers, identical twins named Jeff and John. Everly had felt squished in between her sisters and brothers. Rose had Lily and Jeff had John and she