Page 15 of A Perfect Christmas Romance (Kringle, Texas #8)

The conference room of William Lawrence Associates, Kringle branch. Brandi Jo’s last day.

Yay!

Liv surveyed the hubbub as coworkers filed into the conference room, chattering about their holiday plans.

Putting her hands on her hips, she admired her handiwork.

She’d put together a good party under budget—banner, cake, nonalcoholic champagne, trays of nibbles and noshes, Christmas music played low over the speakers, a gift. No one could complain.

Why the vague dissatisfaction gnawing at her brain?

Um, because she couldn’t stop thinking about Nick. Why had she abruptly cut him off when he asked to see her again after the art show?

Liv pushed at a cuticle on her fingernail. Had she made a mistake? She shook her head, trying to dislodge the thought. No. Career first. That was the new rule she’d made after watching her parents’ marriage implode.

Nick was... well, Nick was a complication she couldn’t afford, no matter how much his smile lit her up inside.

She smoothed down her pencil skirt, a piece of her carefully chosen armor of professional attire. It served as a reminder of her values. Competent. Professional. Unflappable. Not the least bit loose, Boz, thank you very much.

At least, that’s what she kept telling herself.

The door swung open with a soft whoosh, and in walked Brandi Jo, all bouncy blonde curls and megawatt smile.

Liv’s stomach dropped. For months, she convinced herself the intern was gunning for her job. Now, watching Brandi float around the room like she was walking on a cloud instead of an industrial carpet, Liv felt her paranoia ratchet up another notch.

“Good morning, Liv!” Brandi chirped, her voice as bubbly as a freshly popped bottle of champagne. “Oh my gosh, this looks amazing! You really outdid yourself!”

Feeling guilty for being less than charitable about the intern, Liv pulled out a welcoming smile. “Thanks, Brandi. We wanted to ensure your last day was memorable.

Brandi Jo bounced on her toes, her enthusiasm making Liv feel aged in comparison. “I can’t believe my internship is already over. It feels like just yesterday I was trying to figure out how to use the copy machine!”

Liv bit back snark about how Brandi mastered office politics faster than she’d learned to collate. Instead, she nodded. What was Brandi’s angle? Did the company merely serve as a stepping stone, or was the young woman actively seeking Liv’s job?

Boz spied Brandy Jo and made a beeline toward the intern, all smiles and charm.

Liv’s eyes narrowed. Boz, with his slick hair and comments about how she needed to “loosen up” to be successful with the company, still irritated her.

She hated that she’d agonized over his advice and tried to bend herself into the mold her boss wanted.

It wasn’t until Nick had reminded her to stay true to herself that she snapped out of it.

Nick.

Her thoughts kept circling back to him like a boomerang with a vendetta. She could almost hear him. You don’t need to change for anyone, Liv. You’re perfect, just as you are.

A shiver charged down her spine. She had pushed him away, convinced it was the right thing to do, but standing here, watching office politics play out in front of her, she wondered if she’d made a terrible mistake.

A hush fell over the room, pulling Liv from her thoughts. She looked up to see William Lawrence II had just walked in. William Lawrence II at an intern’s farewell party?

Why?

She thought about the evening she saw him and Brandi Jo in the Italian restaurant, heads together as they engaged in intimate conversation. Were they having an affair? Scandalous since the man was old enough to be Brandy Jo’s grandfather.

Liz straightened.

The senior Lawerence moved to the lectern at the end of the conference table. The room fell silent.

“Hello, everyone,” Mr. Lawerence said. “I’m here to wish you all happy holidays as you leave on your break and to say goodbye to our fantastic intern, Brandi Jo.” He paused and glanced around the room at the gathered employees. “But first, there’s another matter that needs addressing.”

That nailed everyone’s attention.

“Brandi Jo is not just an intern. She graduated top of her class from Rice, and she’s my business partner’s niece.” He paused again. “What you also don’t know is that I hired her to observe and evaluate this office—its culture, leadership, and overall performance.”

Well, that explained why she’d seen Brandi Jo and Mr. Lawerence together. It wasn’t an affair. Thank heavens. Heat fled up her neck at how wrong she’d been. Jumping to conclusions was not her most attractive trait.

The absolute silence from the group. Not even a cough.

Mr. Lawerence motioned for Brandi Jo to join him at the lectern. Looking rather shy for once, Brandi Jo went to him with her head ducked.

Liv felt like she got dunked in ice water, every nerve ending alert and tingling. Brandi Jo wasn’t just an intern? All this time, the young woman had been watching them, observing everything, with a direct line to the top.

Liv’s mind raced, recalibrating everything she thought she knew. She’d spent months convincing herself that Brandi was trying to angle for her job, that the younger woman was positioning herself for something bigger.

Now it was clear—Brandi had been evaluating them all, not striving for a place, but observing their every action.

Liv flicked her gaze to Boz. Her immediate boss stood at the back of the room, arms crossed, looking uncomfortable. His usual smug expression vanished, replaced by one of barely concealed panic.

At the lectern, Mr. Lawrence’s face hardened.

“Bosworth,” he said, his voice taking on an edge sharp enough to slice through steel.

Your remarks advising staff must “loosen up” to succeed are unprofessional and potentially sexist, as no male employees received the same message.

“That kind of behavior is unacceptable and certainly not in line with our company’s values. ”

Boz’s face drained of color faster than a sink with the plug pulled. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.

“As a result,” Lawrence said, his tone leaving no room for argument, “you’re being sent back to the Dallas office for retraining.”

Boz took a small step back. “Bu-but...it was Billy’s idea to lose the stuffiness and?—”

“No excuses,” Mr. Lawerence said.

Liv felt a surge of vindication, followed by a wave of relief. She’d come so close to compromising herself, to trying to fit Boz’s and Billy Lawerence’s mold. If it hadn’t been for Nick...

But Lawrence wasn’t done. He turned to his son, William Lawrence III, who stood near the front of the door, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else, possibly including the middle of a desert with no sunscreen.

“And you, son,” the senior Lawrence said, his tone cooling but no less sharp, fostered this kind of atmosphere. “You fostered an environment where these attitudes went unchecked.”

Billy’s face tightened, his jaw clenched, tension rippling across his features.

“You’ll be attending sensitivity training along with Bosworth,” his father said. “Our company won’t tolerate such behavior, and you will take responsibility for ensuring it never happens again.”

Billy nodded, his movements stiff and uncomfortable. He reminded Liv of one of those inflatable tube men outside car dealerships—all flailing limbs and fake enthusiasm. Now, he looked like someone had unplugged him, deflated and small.

Finally, Mr. Lawrence’s gaze landed on Liv.

The weight of his stare held her captive. What had she done wrong?

“Olivia Kearns,” he said, his tone warming like butter on fresh toast, “Brandi Jo’s reports were very favorable of you. She spoke highly of your professionalism, your intelligence, and your leadership.”

Liv blinked, sure she’d misheard. Me? She glanced at Brandi Jo, who gave her a small, genuine smile and a nod.

“You’ve shown the qualities we value in this company.” Mr. Lawrence leveled her an appreciative look. “And because of that, you are being promoted to Senior Crisis Manager, effective immediately.”

Was she getting Boz’s job?

The room erupted in applause, but Liv barely heard it. Senior Crisis Manager. The title she’d been working toward for years was hers.

But instead of feeling elated, she felt... numb.

As the applause died down and people offered their congratulations, Liv stood a little taller. She had earned this. She stayed true to herself, not because of anyone else’s expectations, but because Nick encouraged her to trust her instincts.

But even as the accolades flowed in, she couldn’t focus, her thoughts tangled up in Nick.

He had told her not to change for anyone , and now, in the aftermath of her success, she realized he was right.

She hadn’t needed to fit into anyone’s mold to succeed.

She had done it her way, and that made all the difference.

Then Brandi Jo gave a going away speech, and afterward, the festivities got underway with toasting and cake and high-spirited laughter and conversations.

William Lawrence II came over to Liv, his eyes sharp and knowing. He gestured toward the door. “Walk with me, Liv?”

“Sure, sure.” Heart pounding, she followed him out of the conference room and down the hallway.

“You’re probably wondering why I chose you for this promotion,” he said.

“It did cross my mind.”

“It’s simple, really. In a world where everyone’s trying to be someone else, you’ve remained steadfast. Consistency. That’s a rare trait, Liv. And valuable to my company.”

A pleasant warmth spread through her chest. His words validated everything she’d strived for.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Lawrence winked. “With this promotion comes greater responsibility. Greater challenges. Are you ready for that?”

Liv straightened her shoulders, meeting his gaze head-on. She felt a shift inside her. Long-held doubts vanished, replaced by newfound confidence. She had faced her fears, stood her ground, and come out stronger for it.