Page 31 of A Cozy Kind of Christmas
TWENTY-EIGHT
JOHANNA
Johanna awoke to moonlight creeping in through the slats in her wooden shutters. It was way too early, but there was no chance she could go back to sleep, so she tugged on her winter gear and trudged to the lodge.
It was blissfully peaceful at this early hour.
Brunch was set up in the lobby, and a fire blazed, casting a golden glow on the delicious array of breakfast treats. The smell of strong coffee and bacon roused her senses.
She poured herself a cup of freshly brewed coffee, added a splash of cream, and slathered butter on a slice of warm cinnamon bread.
She found a table near the fire and waited for Meg.
They’d agreed to meet in the lodge last night.
The first snocross race was slotted for 9:00 a.m., but according to maps, it would take forty minutes to get to the track, and they needed to check in at the press tent.
Connor must have finally gotten the message because there were no new texts or missed calls.
Good.
It was about time.
But why did she feel the tiniest hint of disappointment?
This was how sick and twisted their situationship had become.
She needed a cleanse. Maybe a long weekend in the snowy Oregon mountains wasn’t long enough. Maybe it was time for her to walk away. Forget about the job. Forget about Connor.
She could extend her stay—take a long sabbatical, think about her next move, plot her revenge.
Let’s see them try to run the station without her.
Good luck.
Maybe she just wouldn’t show on Monday morning and let them sweat.
No, she wouldn’t give Connor the satisfaction.
She nursed the coffee, enjoying the touch of holiday notes—sweet spices and cinnamon. The lodge was decked out with fresh garlands, twinkle lights, bundles of Christmas roses, and buffalo plaid pillows—rustic meets elegant.
She made the mistake of opening her email just to check and double-check the race schedule.
Big mistake.
The subject line stopped her cold: Hiring announcement! Connor Howard to lead new division.
What?
That was it?
No heads-up?
No second round of interviews?
Not the courtesy of a conversation after everything she’d given them?
They’d made their decision.
They had chosen him.
Without so much as a word to her.
Johanna stared at the screen, every muscle in her body tightening. She felt heat rushing to her head.
She wasn’t just upset.
She was furious—fuming.
Meg stormed into the lodge in a flurry of pink a few minutes later.
She was dressed from head to toe in pink snow gear—a pale pink puffy jacket, matching snow pants, boots, and a knitted hat with a pink pompom hanging from the top.
Her laptop bag was slung over her shoulder, and her notebook was tucked underneath her arm.
She bypassed the breakfast buffet and tromped over to Johanna with a look of rage. “Tell me the truth. Why did you assign snocross to me?” She threw her hands over her chest in a protective stance.
“What?” Johanna flinched.
Did she know?
“This assignment.” Meg yanked the notebook from under her arm and tapped it with the tip of her finger. “Why me? Was it to get me out of New York? Are they firing me?”
“Firing you? What?” Johanna sputtered, nearly spilling her coffee.
Where had this come from?
But at least she didn’t know the real reason.
“Spill it.” Meg plopped into a chair across from her, furrowing her brow as her lips thinned into a hard line.
Johanna stifled a laugh. Aw, bless her sweet little heart.
Even when she was mad, Meg couldn’t pull off anything but cute, especially in the Barbie snow outfit, but she could tell her friend was serious.
“I don’t know where this is coming from.
Why would anyone fire you? And if I were, why would I send you an assignment? And come with you?”
“No idea, but you’re not telling me something, so spill it.” Meg propped herself on one elbow and pointed at Johanna knowingly. “I know about Connor.”
This time, Johanna couldn’t hide her reaction. She froze.
Crap. Well, it was out now.
Who else knew?
“Know what?” Johanna took a long sip of coffee, hoping she sounded casual.
“That he’s coming! He texted me this morning.” Meg yanked her phone from her coat and held it up to show her, tapping the screen and scrolling through her texts.
“What?” This was a massive violation. She couldn’t believe he’d looped Meg in on their relationship.
That was low, even for Connor.
How dare he?
“He’s coming this afternoon. He’s coming for my job and this assignment.
Why didn’t you just give it to him to begin with and save me from all this?
” Meg stuffed her phone back in her pocket and collapsed onto the table, laying her head on her hands.
“I’d expect this from the bros, but I can’t believe you wouldn’t just tell me. ”
“No, wait.” Johanna shook her head and sucked air in through her nose in gulps trying to control the narrative.
Maybe Meg didn’t know the truth, but why was Connor coming to Bend?
“Connor doesn’t have this assignment. You do, I swear, and I would never do that to you.
We’re a team, girl. I’ve always had your back. ”
Meg raised her doe-like eyes, looking much younger and innocent than her soon-to-be thirty years.
“Why is Connor coming, then? It doesn’t make sense.
Are we both toast? Layoffs are coming, aren’t they?
It’s a freaking boys’ club—all the ‘women in sports’ initiatives are just for the PR spin.
If anyone is on the chopping block, it’s me.
They’re going to shutter the entire extreme sports division, aren’t they?
” She blew out a breath, sticking out her lips like a duck.
“I can handle it. Give it to me straight. Maybe it’s a good thing—this will force me to get serious about freelancing and maybe even finally write a book. ”
“A book?” Johanna perked up. “You’ve never mentioned anything about writing a book. You’re holding out on me.”
Meg sat up and shrugged. “That’s because this is the first time I’m saying it out loud. Gam always says once you speak a dream, the Universe conspires to find a way to bring it to you. I just didn’t quite picture it would happen like this.”
“Look, I’ve told you as much as I know. You’re not on the list. I swear, but they’re planning a massive restructuring.
It could be that both of us end up cut in the process, but honestly, I don’t think they want that kind of PR.
It’s a bad look to lean into the old boys’ club.
” Johanna picked up her coffee again, buying a minute to figure out how to come clean with her friend.
Connor had forced the issue, like it or not.
“Then why the hell is Connor coming to Bend?”
Johanna sucked in her cheeks and pressed her fingers together, closing her eyes for a second. If Connor was already on a flight, there was no point in keeping it from Meg any longer. She opened her eyes and stared at her friend, who looked perplexed. “Because of me. Connor’s coming because of me.”
“What?” Meg gasped.
Johanna nodded. “We’ve been hooking up a bit.”
What she didn’t say was that she was internally raging over the job—that Connor had gone behind her back and interviewed for the same position without telling her.
She needed time.
Time to think.
Time to strategize.
And most importantly, time to decide whether or not she was going to fight for a position she deserved, march back to the office, and demand they reconsider. Or strike out on her own.