Eighty-three, Jase. I so need to thaw the heck out, I really do.” Jewell shoved her hand into the front pocket of her fluffy hoodie. “Winter has been hard this year.”
“The year has been a bitch on too many levels, winter weather included. We all deserve a break.” He leaned back in his chair.
“The cleanup of the Fates’ shit is going to take years. Stratus is probably crawling under rocks and trying to figure out who the hell is going to lead them now.” Jewell stood and stomped her foot, sending her jeans down over her high-heeled boots. “I guess that’s job security for us, huh?”
“I’d be happy if we worked ourselves out of a job.” Jason stood and ambled to the door with his sister. “See you at the airport?”
“Yep. I get to hold Royce all the way. Faith already said I could.” Jewell did a little jig. “That little boy is a cuddle bug.”
“He is.” Jason smiled at his sister and opened the door.
“See you in the morning.” Jewell waved at Sonya and let herself out the double doors.
Sonya turned and Jason tipped his head, silently asking her to come into his office. The woman stood on the stilts she called heels and wobbled into the office.
“Do you have everything you need?” Jason nodded to the computer. “I’ve reviewed all the documents you flagged. Is my laptop synced?”
“IT is on their way up with it. I wanted to make sure they’d installed and function-checked the latest crypto programs. Jewell is going with you, right?” Sonya looked up from her notepad.
“Yes, the entire family is converging.”
“Good, then you’ll have a secure hookup. I’ll forward the important things and rack and stack the busy work unless you tell me to let it dribble toward you.”
“Rack and stack is fine. If I go out of my mind with boredom, I’m sure Faith will have plenty of things planned to keep me busy. She was on the official Aruba website this morning looking at tours, places to see, and things to do. With all the aunts, uncles, and cousins, I’m hoping I’ll be able to spend some quality time alone with her.” Jason picked up his briefcase.
“I hope so. I really do. I don’t know a person who works harder than you do.” Sonya handed him a small yellow square of paper. “The address you wanted.”
He glanced at her, confused until he saw her flowery handwriting. She’d found him a daily meeting on Aruba. “You’re the best.” He hugged the tiny woman carefully.
“You’re damn right I am. Now, get out of here. I’m going to take some time off while you’re gone. I have Christmas shopping to do and then I have to wrap it all. Send me some sunshine, would you?” They walked to the door together.
“I’ll figure out a way to make that happen,” Jason chuckled, not at the absurdity of sending sunshine to someone but because he’d already purchased Sonya and her husband Mark a trip to St. John for a Christmas present and worked behind her back with HR to get someone to fill in for the two weeks she’d be gone in January. Her husband knew, but she didn't.
“You see that you do. Now, go. I’m going to close up shop and go home. I want to curl up in front of the fireplace with my husband.” Sonya waved him away and sat down. She glanced up at him. “Why are you still here? The sooner you leave, the sooner I can leave.”
“Computer?” He chuckled at her pole-axed expression.
The door opened and Hilde, the runner from IT, hustled in. “I’m not late, am I?” She glanced at her watch and then to the clock on the wall.
“No, I’m in a rush to start my vacation.” Jason extended his hand and Hilde handed over his computer. He slid it into his briefcase and smiled at both ladies. “I’ll see you in two weeks.” Knowing he wasn’t coming back in those double doors for two glorious weeks settled a sense of freedom around him. He hadn’t taken two full weeks off in… well, not in a long, long time.
Faith held Royce as he slept. She should put him down, but… His long, dark lashes rested on his chubby cheeks. The little boy was a duplicate of his daddy, down to the curly hair and arched eyebrows. Royce was just over a year old. She closed her eyes and rocked with her precious baby in her arms. Her life was