A Clandestine Corporate Affair - By Michelle Celmer Page 0,45
in front of the fire, sipping coffee and watching Max play with his presents, although he seemed to be having as much fun with the boxes as the actual toys. Nathan sat on the floor by the tree, assembling all of the “some assembly required” items. He had loved the “World’s Greatest Dad” beer mug from Max, and the San Antonio Spurs season tickets from her. And she still couldn’t believe he had booked them a week on a Disney cruise! Honestly, she had expected something less original, like fine jewelry, for which she’d never really formed an affinity. She inherited all of her mother’s jewelry and wore that when the event necessitated it. But a trip, just the three of them, where no one would know or care who they were, sounded like heaven on earth.
Overall, she would have to say this had been a pretty awesome Christmas so far. Despite her father’s call. She couldn’t even work up the will to be angry about it. She just felt sorry for him. He didn’t know her at all anymore. Maybe he never had. And the really sad part was that he didn’t even want to try.
Oh well, his loss. Maybe if she held her ground, and refused to let him manipulate her any longer, it would force him to take a good hard look at himself.
Although somehow she doubted it. She’d always just assumed he started acting this way after her mother passed away, but what if he’d always been so self-centered and stubborn? Ana was only six when her mom died. Maybe her memories of them as a happy family were nothing but childish fantasies.
“Finished!” Nathan said, holding up the assembled toy triumphantly.
“And it only took you an hour,” she teased.
He got up from the floor and sat beside her on the couch. “I have to admit, I have a new appreciation for all the toy assembly my father did over the years. Although I could have done without the shouting and cussing.”
“In our house the butler assembled the toys.”
He slipped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “Things will be different for Max.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder and smiled. “I know.”
For a long time they sat there together, listening to Christmas music, watching Max play. Eventually Ana had to get up and put the turkey in the oven, then she got all the side dishes prepared, and the potatoes peeled and ready to boil. When Max went down for his afternoon nap, Ana and Nathan crawled into bed and made love. Afterward, Nathan fell asleep, so Ana showered, dressed and checked the turkey’s progress. It still had another hour to cook, but it was already a deep golden brown and smelled delicious. So far so good.
She’d left her phone on the kitchen counter with the ringer off, and when she checked the display she saw that there was a missed call from her father at 3:05 p.m. Maybe he thought she’d been bluffing, and was probably calling to find out why she wasn’t there. She hoped he learned a lesson from this, but knowing him, he would only accuse her of being selfish.
Well, that didn’t matter anymore. She couldn’t make him see something that he didn’t want to see.
Ana straightened up the living room, stacking all of Max’s new toys back under the tree until she could decide on a permanent home for them. At four she heard Max begin to stir and was about to go in and get him when the doorbell rang. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and most people didn’t just stop by on Christmas Day.
She walked to the door and pulled it open, her jaw dropping in surprise when she saw who was standing on her porch. “Dad, what are you doing here?”
“Since you insist on being stubborn, I had no choice but to bring Max’s gifts to him.”
She was stubborn? Was he kidding? “Now isn’t a good time.”
“Who is it, Ana?” Nathan asked from behind her, holding Max, both still wearing their pajamas, hair mussed from sleep. Her father shouldered his way past her through the door. When he saw Nathan he blinked in surprise.
“Who the hell is this?” he asked, looking from Ana to Nathan, then his eyes narrowed, and she could tell the instant recognition set in. He turned to her, jaw tense, teeth gritted. “Why am I not the least bit surprised?”
“It isn’t what you think,” she said.
“Is this how you punish me? By consorting