say, about mid-March . It would be perfect for April Fools’ Day . That would make for a spectacular work day, and I'll have to make sure I'm well out of the house before he wakes up . "
Shayna pulled her phone out and fiddled with the calendar, giggling all the while . "I bet that would be what finally made his gorgon of an assistant crack a smile . "
"Be nice! I happen to like Larry . "
"You would like anyone who wasn't a tall, sexy blond named Miranda . "
"I should not dignify that with a remark, but that is also really true . " Anya frowned at the memory of all the trouble Leo's former assistant had made for them .
"At least she’s well out of your hair now . " Shayna shoved her phone back into her purse . "She wasn't even that good of an assistant . Too busy trying to get a ring on her finger . "
"I still feel a little bad for her . "
"After what she did? Seriously? She framed you, so Leo would leave you . You do not need to feel bad for her . "
"But she gave up a good job and all her connections to run off with my father . "
"I suppose the fact that she had sex with your dad is punishment enough . "
"Shayna! Please, let us never speak of my father as a sexual being again . Remember, he abandoned her at the first sign of trouble . "
"Fine, fine, we will never again speak of her shtupping anyone again . But having the holiday spirit does not mean you actually have to forgive her . "
"I'm not sure there is enough holiday spirit for that . Still, to go from a very well-paid executive assistant to being unemployable? That does not make for a very good holiday . "
"So send her a fruit basket . She's unemployable because she violated her boss's trust . And she not even actually unemployed, you know . "
"Wait, what?"
"I'd say the spirit of Christmas moved somebody, but that jackhole Laurence Schall hired her, like, a month after she got canned . "
"How do you even know that? Also, ew . Maybe I should send her a fruit basket, I would not like to work for that slime . "
"Right? But I know because we all kind of end up working together, coordinating things . He's still in your general social circle and he's always had a thing for a frigid Grace Kelly type . Five bucks says they end up married before a year is up . "
"I am not sure I would wish them on each other, but at least we won't be invited to the wedding?"
"Are you kidding? You would so be invited! How can you still be so innocent about this stuff? It's business, not personal . And then you would have to see her at all the stupid events . She always lands of her feet, doesn't she?"
"Let's think about something else . Anything else . "
"Oh my God, perfect gift . We could get Leo a monkey!"
~ * ~ * ~
Leo sprawled on the brown leather sofa while Brian poured them each a stiff measure of scotch .
He leaned back and groaned, covering his face with his hands and said, "Brian, I am going to be such a dead man come Christmas Eve . Anya is going to open the package, smile sweetly at me and say, 'Wow, yet another sparkly necklace . '"
Brian handed Leo the tumbler with a single round ice cube in it and said, "You know she will do no such thing . Anya always enjoys your gifts and she is a far kinder woman than you deserve . "
"Why can't she be a woman who goes into raptures over excessive jewelry, as long as the price tag on it is big enough?"
Brian settled into the chair across from Leo and said, "You would never have married a gold digger . Well, stayed married to one, anyways . "
"But it really would make gift giving so much easier . " Leo took a swig of the amber liquid and swirled it around his mouth . He savored the peaty scotch . He said, "I just want to see her eyes light up . Not just be generally pleased to get a gift from me, but for her to be absolutely completely delighted by something I gave her . " He gestured his glass at Brian before continuing, "She’s such an angel and she puts up with me being a grumpy workaholic . She's always really
Shayna pulled her phone out and fiddled with the calendar, giggling all the while . "I bet that would be what finally made his gorgon of an assistant crack a smile . "
"Be nice! I happen to like Larry . "
"You would like anyone who wasn't a tall, sexy blond named Miranda . "
"I should not dignify that with a remark, but that is also really true . " Anya frowned at the memory of all the trouble Leo's former assistant had made for them .
"At least she’s well out of your hair now . " Shayna shoved her phone back into her purse . "She wasn't even that good of an assistant . Too busy trying to get a ring on her finger . "
"I still feel a little bad for her . "
"After what she did? Seriously? She framed you, so Leo would leave you . You do not need to feel bad for her . "
"But she gave up a good job and all her connections to run off with my father . "
"I suppose the fact that she had sex with your dad is punishment enough . "
"Shayna! Please, let us never speak of my father as a sexual being again . Remember, he abandoned her at the first sign of trouble . "
"Fine, fine, we will never again speak of her shtupping anyone again . But having the holiday spirit does not mean you actually have to forgive her . "
"I'm not sure there is enough holiday spirit for that . Still, to go from a very well-paid executive assistant to being unemployable? That does not make for a very good holiday . "
"So send her a fruit basket . She's unemployable because she violated her boss's trust . And she not even actually unemployed, you know . "
"Wait, what?"
"I'd say the spirit of Christmas moved somebody, but that jackhole Laurence Schall hired her, like, a month after she got canned . "
"How do you even know that? Also, ew . Maybe I should send her a fruit basket, I would not like to work for that slime . "
"Right? But I know because we all kind of end up working together, coordinating things . He's still in your general social circle and he's always had a thing for a frigid Grace Kelly type . Five bucks says they end up married before a year is up . "
"I am not sure I would wish them on each other, but at least we won't be invited to the wedding?"
"Are you kidding? You would so be invited! How can you still be so innocent about this stuff? It's business, not personal . And then you would have to see her at all the stupid events . She always lands of her feet, doesn't she?"
"Let's think about something else . Anything else . "
"Oh my God, perfect gift . We could get Leo a monkey!"
~ * ~ * ~
Leo sprawled on the brown leather sofa while Brian poured them each a stiff measure of scotch .
He leaned back and groaned, covering his face with his hands and said, "Brian, I am going to be such a dead man come Christmas Eve . Anya is going to open the package, smile sweetly at me and say, 'Wow, yet another sparkly necklace . '"
Brian handed Leo the tumbler with a single round ice cube in it and said, "You know she will do no such thing . Anya always enjoys your gifts and she is a far kinder woman than you deserve . "
"Why can't she be a woman who goes into raptures over excessive jewelry, as long as the price tag on it is big enough?"
Brian settled into the chair across from Leo and said, "You would never have married a gold digger . Well, stayed married to one, anyways . "
"But it really would make gift giving so much easier . " Leo took a swig of the amber liquid and swirled it around his mouth . He savored the peaty scotch . He said, "I just want to see her eyes light up . Not just be generally pleased to get a gift from me, but for her to be absolutely completely delighted by something I gave her . " He gestured his glass at Brian before continuing, "She’s such an angel and she puts up with me being a grumpy workaholic . She's always really
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