who’d spent the last two days working around the clock to get Santa’s Village up and ready for today’s opening were racing down the thirty metre slope of ice.
“Chris!” Jack’s booming voice echoed through the arena, drowning out the hum and whir of machinery, and the shouts of the men and women enjoying a well-earned moment of fun.
“Uh oh.” Kandy stopped. “I don’t think I wanna see this. I can’t stand the sight of blood.”
Elle wasn’t sure she’d be climbing to her feet and smiling the way Chris was, not with the glowering Jack charging the last few feet to the bottom of the slide like a raging bull.
“Hey, J-man.” Chris tossed his hessian mat onto the pile near the stairs. “You made it.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Jack yelled.
Chris glanced past Jack at Kandy. “Hey Kan, ready to go out front?”
Kandy nodded.
“Good.” Chris faced Jack once more. “Did you want a tour of the village before we open the doors?”
“Are you going to answer my question?” Jack was no longer yelling, but it was clear his anger hadn’t abated.
“No.”
Everything around them seemed to freeze, and it had nothing to do with the ice and snow. Every person standing within hearing distance, and that probably included those out in the foyer, remained perfectly still as if waiting for the explosion and fallout — for the moment they would need to run.
“Our insurance does not cover staff goofing off,” Jack growled.
“You know, J-man, it’s a shame Annabelle didn’t take that stick she shoved up your arse along with your money when she divorced you.” Chris folded his arms over his chest.
Elle pulled in a deep breath. The look on Jack’s face — puckered mouth, scrunched up eyes, taut jawline — could only be described as constipated. She struggled not to laugh. Kandy wasn’t successful in holding back her humour though. A snort of laughter left her friend’s mouth before she covered it with her hands.
Jack’s head turned. “You think this is funny? What would the manager of this place think if he knew you were being reckless just minutes before opening?”
Elle opened her mouth, but Jack’s cutting glare stopped any words from leaving her throat.
“What are you all hanging around for?” Jack directed at the gathered staff. “Get back to work.”
The corner of Elle’s mouth kicked up when everyone except Chris and Kandy scrambled to do Jack’s bidding.
She knew his type. Large and in charge. Shame she didn’t go for overbearing alpha males, not that you’d know it by the way her body was responding to this man’s authority and arrogance. It certainly was mind boggling to be turned on and off in the same instant.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Jack turned his penetrating gaze on Elle.
“An introduction.”
“Oh, shit. Sorry.” Kandy moved between them. “Elle, this is Jack Frost. Jack, Elle Roland. Arena manager.”
His mouth dropped open for a split second before he recovered and Elle took pleasure in his shock. “ You’re Mr Roland?”
She smiled. “Well clearly I’m a Miss. But yes, I’m the centre manager.” Elle extended her hand.
Jack gripped her offered hand and held. “You’re not what I expected.”
Elle laughed. “I rarely am.” She had to tug her hand from his.
“But you’re so…”
If he said small, she’d knee him in the balls. “So…what?”
“You’re…”
Wow. The man was really stuck for words. But Elle wasn’t going to let him off the hook even if he did look cute all tongue-tied and flustered. “Yes?”
“Careful, J-man. Don’t leave us open for a lawsuit,” Chris said, sending her a wink.
“Young,” Jack blurted. “You’re so young.”
“Oh, nice save J-man.” Chris thumped Jack on the back causing him to take a half step forward.
Elle’s mouth twitched as she held back a grin. “Hasn’t life taught you looks can be deceiving?” Her blackberry vibrated at her hip and she pulled it from the
“Chris!” Jack’s booming voice echoed through the arena, drowning out the hum and whir of machinery, and the shouts of the men and women enjoying a well-earned moment of fun.
“Uh oh.” Kandy stopped. “I don’t think I wanna see this. I can’t stand the sight of blood.”
Elle wasn’t sure she’d be climbing to her feet and smiling the way Chris was, not with the glowering Jack charging the last few feet to the bottom of the slide like a raging bull.
“Hey, J-man.” Chris tossed his hessian mat onto the pile near the stairs. “You made it.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Jack yelled.
Chris glanced past Jack at Kandy. “Hey Kan, ready to go out front?”
Kandy nodded.
“Good.” Chris faced Jack once more. “Did you want a tour of the village before we open the doors?”
“Are you going to answer my question?” Jack was no longer yelling, but it was clear his anger hadn’t abated.
“No.”
Everything around them seemed to freeze, and it had nothing to do with the ice and snow. Every person standing within hearing distance, and that probably included those out in the foyer, remained perfectly still as if waiting for the explosion and fallout — for the moment they would need to run.
“Our insurance does not cover staff goofing off,” Jack growled.
“You know, J-man, it’s a shame Annabelle didn’t take that stick she shoved up your arse along with your money when she divorced you.” Chris folded his arms over his chest.
Elle pulled in a deep breath. The look on Jack’s face — puckered mouth, scrunched up eyes, taut jawline — could only be described as constipated. She struggled not to laugh. Kandy wasn’t successful in holding back her humour though. A snort of laughter left her friend’s mouth before she covered it with her hands.
Jack’s head turned. “You think this is funny? What would the manager of this place think if he knew you were being reckless just minutes before opening?”
Elle opened her mouth, but Jack’s cutting glare stopped any words from leaving her throat.
“What are you all hanging around for?” Jack directed at the gathered staff. “Get back to work.”
The corner of Elle’s mouth kicked up when everyone except Chris and Kandy scrambled to do Jack’s bidding.
She knew his type. Large and in charge. Shame she didn’t go for overbearing alpha males, not that you’d know it by the way her body was responding to this man’s authority and arrogance. It certainly was mind boggling to be turned on and off in the same instant.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Jack turned his penetrating gaze on Elle.
“An introduction.”
“Oh, shit. Sorry.” Kandy moved between them. “Elle, this is Jack Frost. Jack, Elle Roland. Arena manager.”
His mouth dropped open for a split second before he recovered and Elle took pleasure in his shock. “ You’re Mr Roland?”
She smiled. “Well clearly I’m a Miss. But yes, I’m the centre manager.” Elle extended her hand.
Jack gripped her offered hand and held. “You’re not what I expected.”
Elle laughed. “I rarely am.” She had to tug her hand from his.
“But you’re so…”
If he said small, she’d knee him in the balls. “So…what?”
“You’re…”
Wow. The man was really stuck for words. But Elle wasn’t going to let him off the hook even if he did look cute all tongue-tied and flustered. “Yes?”
“Careful, J-man. Don’t leave us open for a lawsuit,” Chris said, sending her a wink.
“Young,” Jack blurted. “You’re so young.”
“Oh, nice save J-man.” Chris thumped Jack on the back causing him to take a half step forward.
Elle’s mouth twitched as she held back a grin. “Hasn’t life taught you looks can be deceiving?” Her blackberry vibrated at her hip and she pulled it from the
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