Susan Meier - A Diamond For Christmas

THE SNOW ITSELF might have stopped by Sunday morning, but on Monday morning the air was still cold, the wind wicked.

They set out to get Rory’s car from the interstate at seven o’clock, but discovered it had been towed—with all the other stranded cars—to a used car dealership in the next town over, so the roads could be plowed.

By the time they returned to Green Hill, the store was already open for business. When they entered the crowded first-floor sales department, color, scent and sound bombarded them. Throngs of noisy people crowded the sales tables. Red, green and blue Christmas ornaments hung from the ceiling, along with strings of multicolored lights and tinsel. The scent of chocolate from the candy department wafted through the air. “Jingle Bells” spilled from the overhead speakers.

Shannon cast a quick glance at Finley, who was being carried by her dad. Her eyes had grown huge. Her mouth was a little O, as if she were totally surprised or totally horrified. When she threw arms around Rory and buried her face against his neck, Shannon guessed she was horrified.

Rory held her tightly. “Finley, honey, we’ve been over this already. I told you the store would be decorated for the holiday. I told you there would be Christmas songs.”

Finley only snuggled in closer.

After the lovely weekend that had caused her to begin to bond with a man and child she couldn’t have, Shannon had promised herself she would keep her distance. No more private conversations with Rory. No more helping to discipline Finley.

But a frightened child had to be an exception to her rule. She grabbed Rory’s hand and led him in the direction of the elevators.

“Come on,” she said, ignoring the thump, thump, thump of her heart from the feeling of Rory’s hand tucked inside of hers. “Before you know it we’ll be in my office where, I swear, there isn’t as much as a poinsettia.”

Pushing through the crowd, Shannon got them to the elevator and immediately dropped Rory’s hand. She pressed the button for the third floor. The door closed, blocking out most of the sights and scents of Christmas, but “Jingle Bells” still piped into the little box.

Finley huddled against Rory. She wasn’t upset or panicky. Just huddled. Once they got into the undecorated administrative offices she would be fine.

Shannon faced Rory. “Even though we lost the weekend, we can get down to work right away. There are four administrative departments. Buyers, human resources, accounting and advertising. If you take one day with each department, that will give you a full day on Friday to walk the store and some time for questions and explanations.”

“Sounds good.”

The elevator reached the second floor. “Jingle Bells” became “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Finley looked to be getting antsy, so Shannon kept talking. “I only have four departments because I combined a lot of things for efficiency.”

“That makes sense—if you’ve combined the right departments.”

“MIS with accounting. Public relations with advertising.”

He shrugged. “Should work.”

The elevator pinged. Shannon sucked in a breath. Though they were entering the housewares department, it was as decorated with shiny red, green and blue ornaments as every other floor in the store. And the Christmas music? Well, that was piped everywhere, except into the administrative offices. So “Rudolph” still echoed around them.

She hurriedly ushered Rory around the tables of sheets and towels, past the shelves of small appliances, past the rows of dishes, glasses and stemware.

When they finally reached the swinging door into the administrative offices, she pushed it open with a sigh of relief. The second it swung closed behind them, “Rudolph” became a soft hum. As they hurried down the hall, even the hum echoed away.

At the end of the long, thin corridor, she opened the door that led to her office suite. Wendy was already seated at her desk.

“Good morning, Ms. Raleigh.”

Shannon shrugged out of her coat. “No need to be formal for Mr. Wallace’s sake. We spent the weekend together.”

Wendy’s eyes widened. “The whole weekend?”

Rory slid Finley to the floor and helped her out of her little pink jacket. “Couldn’t get to my car until today.”

“It was a mess,” Wendy agreed, scrambling to take Finley’s coat and Rory’s topcoat and hang them on the coat tree. “So what are you planning for today?”

“Since we’re late, I’m only introducing Rory to the staff this morning. Then he can pick a department to spend time with this afternoon.”

Wendy said, “Sounds good to me,” but her gaze fell on Finley.

Rory put his hands on his daughter’s shoulders. “She’ll just come with us.”

Since she’d promised herself she would distance herself from Rory and Finley, Shannon didn’t argue that Finley would be bored. Instead, she set her briefcase on her desk then led the Wallaces into the hall again.

“Accounting is in the suite closest to the door. Buyers are in the next suite. Advertising and PR are in the third suite and the human resources department is on the fifth floor. They need extra space for testing and continuing education so they have half the floor. The cafeteria has the other.” She met Rory’s gaze. “So where to first?”

With a quick glance down at Finley, he said, “Let’s just stay behind the door for as long as we can.”

Understanding that he didn’t want to take Finley out into the decorations and music until he had to, Shannon said, “How about buyers then?”

“Sounds great.”

She led Rory and Finley to the first door and opened it onto a narrow office with a row of desks that led to an executive office in the back. Papers were everywhere. Invoices, catalogues, samples.

Shannon faced him. “I’m sure you’re not surprised that we’re finalizing our spring merchandise.”

He laughed. “Not in the least.”

She stopped at the first desk. “Lisa, Robbie, Jennifer, Bill…” All four employees glanced up at her. “This is Rory Wallace. He’s our first prospective buyer.”

Everyone perked up. Superenthusiastic hellos greeted Rory. He stifled a laugh. Everybody was clearly trying to give a good first impression.

He met Missy McConnell, the head buyer, then Shannon herded him and Finley out of that office and into accounting. Five desks had been crammed into the narrow space and everyone sat staring at a computer screen.

Having already established a drill, Shannon simply introduced people as she walked by their desks. Though this group looked a little more wary than the enthusiastic buyers, Rory nodded and smiled.

In department three, advertising and PR, copy layout littered a big table in the center of a much wider main room. Employees sat at drafting table desks. The department head, John Wilder, was just a tad too happy for Rory’s tastes. Finley wasn’t thrilled with him, either.

“So are you going to sit on Santa’s lap?”

Finley’s little mouth tuned down into her perfect U frown. “No.”

“Ah. Too old for that now, huh?”

“No, I don’t believe he exists.”

John laughed, but Finley tugged on Rory’s hand. “I don’t like it here.”

Rory covered for her with a little laugh. “We’ve been meeting people since we arrived. She’s probably ready for a break.”

Shannon moved them toward the door. “That’s a great idea.” In the hall, she stooped in front of Finley. “How about if we go up to the cafeteria and have a soda?”

Her little mouth pulled down even farther. “I want to go home.”

Shannon shot a glance up at Rory, and he crouched beside Finley. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he said, “I told you this would be boring and you said you didn’t care as long as we went to the beach afterward.”