eyes. But then her stubborn determination kicked in and she stood a little straighter, causing his hear t to swell with love and pride.
He frowned and cleared his throat, smoothing his black tuxedo, and then running a hand over slicked-back hair. His armor. “Ms. Darling, you look lovely this evening. I hope everything is to your liking.”
“No, actually, it isn’t. I have an issue I’d like to discuss,” she said firmly.
“I thought you might.” He pulled out a legal document from the inside of his jacket. “Happy holidays.” He handed the paper to her.
“What’s this.” She looked at him warily and a little confused.
“Your gift,” he said simply and made a valiant effort to keep his face blank.
Her delicate eyebrows drew together in confusion as she opened the paper, then her eyes sprang wide. “You’re giving me my freedom?”
“Precisely. From this moment forward I am releasing you from your punishment, and I will not press charges now or in the future over this matter. In other words, Ms. Darling, you are free to go.”
“But ... what about the window display contest?”
“You let me worry about that. Win or lose, it doesn’t matter. Your debt has been paid.”
She looked as though he’d slapped her in the face. “Oh my God, I am such an idiot.”
Now he was the one to frown. “I’m not sure I follow you.”
She clenched her jaw and glared at him. “Oh, I’m sure you follow me exactly. Cold and ruthless doesn’t begin to describe you. You never cared about winning that contest. You simply refused to release me from my punishment until I gave you what you wanted. You’re worse than Scrooge. You’re a coward. And to think I let myself fall in love with you.” She whirled around and fled, leaving Nathan stunned and reeling, with a room full of guests who’d overheard every word.
He glanced out over the crowd and watched face after face turn into frowns of disapproval and glares of anger. He couldn’t blame them. He was mad as hell at himself. He’d only tried to give her what he thought she wanted. He’d had no idea she loved him, too. He still didn’t think he was good enough for her. What if he brought her down with him? What if he ruined her life? What if he made her sad? What if he changed her, too? He’d never forgive himself.
He was scared to death and, for once in life, let everything he was feeling sho w raw and real across his face.
“What the hell is wrong with all of you?” Roz barked. “Can’t you see he loves her, too? In his foolish, misguided way, he’s trying to save her from himself because he doesn’t think he’s worthy. He has no idea how much he’s changed. He does deserve to be happy, no matter how much the oppos ite has been drilled into him.”
Could Roz be right? Did he and Samantha actually stand a chance? This time when he looked up, half the room was teary-eyed right along with Roz and himself.
“What are ya waiting for, Mr . Snow?” Betty said, sniffling.
“It’s plain as day you two belong together,” Sal added.
“Come on, son, go after that girl,” Bob chimed in.
“It’s all just so romantic,” Cindy said on a dreamy sigh.
“They’re right,” Nancy, his longtime rival, said quietly. “You have changed. It’s awful to love someone and not have them love you back,” she let her longing for him show on her face as she looked him in the eye, “but to have someone love you back and not tell you would be a downright shame. Forget the contest. I forfeit, and you win, so don’t be stupid. Life’s too short not to go after what you really want. Be happy, Nathan. And who knows. Maybe we’ll find a way to work together someday.” She smiled her first ever genuine smile toward him.
Roz stepped forward and hugged him hard in a rare display of affection, then she pulled back and donned her most stern expression. “Well? What the hell are you going to do about it?”
His smile came slow and sweet as he responded with a
He frowned and cleared his throat, smoothing his black tuxedo, and then running a hand over slicked-back hair. His armor. “Ms. Darling, you look lovely this evening. I hope everything is to your liking.”
“No, actually, it isn’t. I have an issue I’d like to discuss,” she said firmly.
“I thought you might.” He pulled out a legal document from the inside of his jacket. “Happy holidays.” He handed the paper to her.
“What’s this.” She looked at him warily and a little confused.
“Your gift,” he said simply and made a valiant effort to keep his face blank.
Her delicate eyebrows drew together in confusion as she opened the paper, then her eyes sprang wide. “You’re giving me my freedom?”
“Precisely. From this moment forward I am releasing you from your punishment, and I will not press charges now or in the future over this matter. In other words, Ms. Darling, you are free to go.”
“But ... what about the window display contest?”
“You let me worry about that. Win or lose, it doesn’t matter. Your debt has been paid.”
She looked as though he’d slapped her in the face. “Oh my God, I am such an idiot.”
Now he was the one to frown. “I’m not sure I follow you.”
She clenched her jaw and glared at him. “Oh, I’m sure you follow me exactly. Cold and ruthless doesn’t begin to describe you. You never cared about winning that contest. You simply refused to release me from my punishment until I gave you what you wanted. You’re worse than Scrooge. You’re a coward. And to think I let myself fall in love with you.” She whirled around and fled, leaving Nathan stunned and reeling, with a room full of guests who’d overheard every word.
He glanced out over the crowd and watched face after face turn into frowns of disapproval and glares of anger. He couldn’t blame them. He was mad as hell at himself. He’d only tried to give her what he thought she wanted. He’d had no idea she loved him, too. He still didn’t think he was good enough for her. What if he brought her down with him? What if he ruined her life? What if he made her sad? What if he changed her, too? He’d never forgive himself.
He was scared to death and, for once in life, let everything he was feeling sho w raw and real across his face.
“What the hell is wrong with all of you?” Roz barked. “Can’t you see he loves her, too? In his foolish, misguided way, he’s trying to save her from himself because he doesn’t think he’s worthy. He has no idea how much he’s changed. He does deserve to be happy, no matter how much the oppos ite has been drilled into him.”
Could Roz be right? Did he and Samantha actually stand a chance? This time when he looked up, half the room was teary-eyed right along with Roz and himself.
“What are ya waiting for, Mr . Snow?” Betty said, sniffling.
“It’s plain as day you two belong together,” Sal added.
“Come on, son, go after that girl,” Bob chimed in.
“It’s all just so romantic,” Cindy said on a dreamy sigh.
“They’re right,” Nancy, his longtime rival, said quietly. “You have changed. It’s awful to love someone and not have them love you back,” she let her longing for him show on her face as she looked him in the eye, “but to have someone love you back and not tell you would be a downright shame. Forget the contest. I forfeit, and you win, so don’t be stupid. Life’s too short not to go after what you really want. Be happy, Nathan. And who knows. Maybe we’ll find a way to work together someday.” She smiled her first ever genuine smile toward him.
Roz stepped forward and hugged him hard in a rare display of affection, then she pulled back and donned her most stern expression. “Well? What the hell are you going to do about it?”
His smile came slow and sweet as he responded with a
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