Holiday Magic (Second Chance) Read Free Page B

face him once more. “Everything always looks so nice and clean when it does.” She walked over to the desk and picked up the envelope that held the original contract.
    “ I’m leaving for Atlantic City in the morning. I’ll take this with me. He’s expecting me there by noon. I want to get a feel for the place before I put up my Thanksgiving displays. I’ll be back on Monday to finalize things.”
    “ Which of your brilliant protégés will run our business into the ground during your absence? You know I can’t take that much time away from Anderson Security.”
    Eleni laughed. “Be nice! Sam could have done the job, but she’s still in school. I’ve brought in a temporary manager during my absence.”
    She looked away as if she were afraid to meet his eyes. Alarm bells went off in his head.
    “ I needed someone artistic who could think on her feet. In time, Sam will make an excellent manager, but right now, she lacks the time and the creative spark I need.”
    A bad feeling started in the pit of his stomach and grew as she avoided giving him a straight answer to his question.
    “What have you done, Eleni? Who is going to manage Holiday Magic while you’re in Atlantic City?
    “ Georgia.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
    “ When were you going to tell me this?” he asked, forcing himself to remain calm when he wanted to rant, rave, and curse fate, and beg its forgiveness all at the same time.
    “ Well, I wasn’t sure she was going to do it until Friday night, so I was going to tell you now.”
    “ Did you tell her that I would be there as well?”
    “ Of course I told her. You’re my partner. You come in for a few hours a week to help with the books and the payroll. You help out with the weddings, since it’s hard to be in two places at once. I’m not an idiot; you know darn well that I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”
    “ You conveniently forgot that it is your year-end, and I’ll be there just about every day for the first two weeks of December at least?”
    “ You’re joking, right? It can’t be that time of year. You always did that after Christmas; that’s why I didn’t book anything for January.”
    “ When we expanded the business and opened the showroom, we moved the year-end up I’ve scheduled it for early December, and I’ll be in there a lot longer than an afternoon. The accountant is expecting me there.”
    Eleni dropped into a chair in front of the desk. Tears filled her eyes.
    “Oh Lord, Mark, she’ll never believe that I forgot about this. What am I going to do? She’s moving back, and if she thinks I tried to set you guys up, she may change her mind. I can’t back out of this contract. Surely you can tell the accountant to come back in January?” she pleaded.
    Mark was stunned. Georgia was moving back to Philadelphia? She hadn’t set foot in the city for three years. Why had she decided to come back now?
    “I’m sorry, Eleni, but I can’t. It isn’t only my time involved. I’ll try to stay out of her way, but you have to tell her.”
    “ I’ll tell her as soon as she arrives. I’ve waited too long for her to come home. I won’t take a chance on her changing her mind. I’ll take her to Angelo’s, that little Italian restaurant she used to love.”
    “ While you’re breaking the bad news, make sure you remind her that she has to run all the event quotes by me before she signs any contracts.”
    Eleni smiled. “I already told her that. I’m not really a bubble head, you know. Now, I’d better get going or I’ll be late.” She turned to leave.
    “Eleni,” he called to her as she reached the door, “what about the Christmas Eve Snow Ball. Did you think of that?”
    “ It’s on my calendar, silly. I’m sure the mighty Mr. Simmons will let me come back for that. After all, I’m entitled to some time off, and it is Christmas.”
    “ Did you bother to read the contract?” He was annoyed with her. “It stipulates twenty-four seven,