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“What? No way. I’m driving you home first.”
“I insist. There’s no time to waste.” She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll see each other around the office.”
He shook his head in wonder. “You are something else, you know that?”
“I know.” She grinned then motioned toward his car. “Now, go!”
He climbed into the car and started up the engine, and she waved as he took off. He watched her in the rearview mirror with a smile on his face.
As soon as she was out of sight, he called Skylar. No answer. He hung up and tried again with the same result, this time letting it go to voicemail.
“Sky, I am so sorry about the party. I’m on my way there right now.”
He raced through the streets, exceeding the speed limit more than once to get downtown, praying he wouldn’t get pulled over. When he arrived, he parked his car as quickly as he could and ran for the building. The elevator ride to the floor where the party was being held seemed to take a lifetime. He only hoped he wasn’t too late to make amends.
The doors to the elevator slid open, and he followed the Christmas tunes down the hallway to the party. He scanned the room, spotting Ephraim and Harriet Schultz, but he didn’t see Skylar. He walked the perimeter, his gaze darting from group to group, but she was nowhere in sight.
He pulled his phone out again and texted.
I’m here.
There was no reply.
“Are you looking for Skylar?” a woman behind him asked.
He spun around to see Skylar’s assistant, Joy, who wore a perpetual smile on her face. Her red hair stood out against her green Christmas sweater with the reindeer on the front, and her full cheeks looked rosier than usual.
“Yeah, I am,” he answered. “Is she here?”
“She left early.”
Franky’s chin fell to his chest.
Joy raised an eyebrow at him. “You better get her something real nice for Christmas this year.”
Franky’s eyes met hers, and she gave him a knowing look.
He laughed and nodded. “Do you think Tiffany’s can get something here by Christmas?”
“Of course. The more karats the better.” She winked as she turned to go. “Merry Christmas.”
“You too.”
Franky left the building with his head hung low. Even Skylar’s assistant knew he’d stood her up, which made him feel like a loser.
Back in his car, he tried calling her again. Another unanswered call, one more apologetic voicemail, and an equally remorseful text message later, he started up his car and drove to her place. He rang the doorbell and knocked, even though all the lights were off inside. After several tries, he returned to his car and slammed his palm against the steering wheel in frustration. The last thing he wanted was to cause more of a rift between them, but he feared that’s exactly what he’d done.
In the days that followed, Franky continued to send messages, but all went unanswered. He tried her house a couple of times too. Still not home. Getting the cold shoulder from Skylar felt like the worst thing in the world, and he needed to make things right, which was why he was currently approaching her place again on Christmas Eve. There were lights on this time, which felt promising.
He raised his hand to knock, but the door opened before he had a chance.
Skylar’s eyes widened in surprise. “Franky? Wh-what are you doing here?”
“Merry Christmas Eve.” He held out a bouquet of red and white roses, noticing she was dressed for the winter weather and carrying her purse. “Where are you off to?”
“Dinner with my family. Bash and Gen flew in last night.” She reached out and took the flowers he offered.
“I’ll have to give him a call. Maybe he can squeeze in a drink with me.”