22. Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Two
Everything had been perfect—Harris’s reaction to the window display, his invitation to the Christmas ball, the fireworks that had exploded in her chest when he leaned in for a kiss. But just when she expected his lips to brush hers, he’d pulled away. His dreamy gaze vanished, replaced with a seriousness that stilled her.
Harris stepped back, clearing his throat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. This is a work event.”
Gigi’s brain malfunctioned, glitching like a broken computer. It took a few seconds to process the change in Harris, but she ultimately managed a nod. “Yes, of course.” She forced a smile, despite the confusion swirling inside her.
Harris searched her gaze for a second longer, as if gauging her reaction. “The event’s about to start. We should head inside.”
“Don’t want to be late,” she replied, forcing robotic cheer.
As she mulled over what had just happened, Harris guided her through the crowd and into Macy’s. He kept his hand on her lower back, which confused her even more. She couldn’t deny he was right. They shouldn’t be kissing at a work event, but what had stopped him at the last moment? Did he regret asking her on a date? Had the reality of them together suddenly jumped up and slapped him in the face? Or was he simply trying to be responsible?
Inside, the store was full of last-minute shoppers. The buzz of chatter and Christmas music surrounded them. It was no place to instigate a serious conversation with Harris. Instead, she bit her tongue and followed him into an elevator. They ended up on opposite sides, packed in like sardines, but Gigi still had a direct line of sight to Harris. He looked like a statue—stoney and sullen. Was he even blinking? He avoided eye contact with her completely, and by the time they reached the seventh floor, Gigi was as tightly wound as spooled thread.
Once off the elevator, they moved past displays of candy and chocolates, stopping under the arched entrance to The Walnut Room, the department store’s historic restaurant, where the brunch would take place. Harris turned to her, and Gigi hoped he’d address the sudden change in his demeanor. Instead, he went straight to work talk.
“Do you need any help with the product display?” he asked.
She shook her head. The floor below her heels felt unsteady. “No, it’s all taken care of.”
“Okay, I’m going to head in for brunch then. I’ll see you afterwards, right?”
“Sure,” she replied, not sure what he truly meant. He’d see her later, after work, when he could go back to the man she was falling in love with?
Harris gave her a flat, unconvincing smile before walking away. As he disappeared into the restaurant, Gigi couldn’t help acknowledging their stark differences. Harris wasn’t just her boss. He was a man from a world of wealth and privilege. He was joining his family, to mingle with board members and other business owners, likely to sip champagne and nibble appetizers. Meanwhile, she’d be working, representing his family’s company. The disparity between their lives seemed to widen with each step he took from her.
With a sigh, Gigi turned away. Could they honestly make a go of this? Was she out of her mind, thinking they could blossom into real life? Was she only entertaining Harris until he went back to New York?
Wanting to stop the tornado of doubt, Gigi headed into The Walnut Room, toward the retail area in the center, which was set up around the base of the restaurant’s towering, iconic Christmas tree. The forty-five-foot tree nearly touched the ceiling of the two-story space. White lights, glittering ornaments, and silky white-and-gold ribbon adorned it. The base was trimmed with life-size nutcrackers and shiny presents. Usually, it took Gigi’s breath away, but at the moment, she couldn’t appreciate its beauty.
Plastering on a smile, she weaved through product displays, finding the table she’d set up with SheTime’s Christmas Collection. She tidied it, angling every box just right. Then she chatted with the other vendors, trying to immerse herself in the festive spirit. But her mind kept deceiving her, drifting back to Harris. She couldn’t help glancing around the restaurant and into the crowd, unsuccessfully looking for Harris amongst the white linen tables and dark-wood paneling.
Was he thinking of her too?
Thankfully, shoppers quickly filed in, distracting Gigi. She got swept into greeting customers, helping them select products, and pointing them toward the registers. Minutes stretched into an hour, and when there was a slight lull, Gigi went to find a Macy’s associate. The gift sets were selling quickly, and she’d need more brought in, but as she wound her way to the front of the restaurant, a familiar voice caught her attention. She stopped in her tracks and quickly discovered the source. Just a stone’s throw away, Harris and his father were talking. They stood in the hallway off the main entrance. Harris’s back was to her. His tone was low, and Mr. Ryan’s expression could’ve peeled paint from the wall.
Startled, she took a step back, hiding behind a column. She was just about to backtrack when she caught a snippet of their exchange.
“. . . your proposal to dissolve SheTime,” Harris’s father said, his voice filled with determination and finality. “I agree with it. It’s the right answer. The numbers just don’t support keeping the division going.”
Gigi’s breath hitched. Her heart stopped. What were they talking about? Dissolving SheTime?
Numbly, Gigi stepped closer to the edge of the column, her ears straining to hear more.
“Did you read my entire proposal?” Harris replied, his tone tight. “I don’t think—”
“Yes, I read the entire thing,” his father interrupted. “We can’t keep sinking money into a failing venture. It’s better to cut our losses now.”
A chill grabbed Gigi’s spine. Harris wanted to dissolve SheTime? Her breath increased as their conversation sunk in. Had Harris wanted this all along? What did that mean for her job? For her future? Harris was kissing her and holding her and telling her she was so wonderful . . . and at the same time, he was planning to fire her?
Harris spoke again, but his tone was so low that Gigi couldn’t make it out. However, she clearly caught his father’s response.
“SheTime isn’t viable,” his father almost growled. “It’s not personal. It’s business. You know that. Or, at least, you should know that.”
Tears stung Gigi’s eyes. Her heart pounded in her ears. She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Unable to bear another word, she plowed forward, wanting to get out of the restaurant as quickly as possible. She hoped to God Harris didn’t see her because she couldn’t face him. Not now. She wouldn’t believe a word he’d say. The man she was falling for didn’t think she was capable, didn’t think the business she’d built was worth saving, and that hurt more than she could’ve imagined.
Fleeing the restaurant and jogging into the store, Gigi zigzagged around shoppers, heading for the elevators. Her vision blurred as she ran, disappointment and heartache deceiving her, pushing tears over her lashes. And her heart leapt to her throat when she heard her name.
Harris was behind her, calling to her.
Please, let an elevator be open . I just want to leave. Never in her life had she run out on a job or a commitment, but she couldn’t look him in the face. She just needed to be away . . . by herself, to process.
“Gigi!” he called again as she neared the elevators, finding them all closed.
“Come on,” she groaned, pushing the call button multiple times, but not one elevator obliged her plea. When Harris rushed around the corner, she squeezed her eyes shut, telling herself she wouldn’t cry in front of him.
“Gigi, wait,” Harris said, and she wiped her eyes with her fingers. When he put a hand on her arm, she yanked it from him, and he had the nerve to look hurt.
“Why would you lie to me?” she asked, questioning every gut instinct she had. Harris was not the man she thought he was. How could she have looked past his red flags? Why did her heart blind her so? Did she have some weird fetish for men that would break her heart? “You’re going to dissolve SheTime?”
Color drained from his face. “It’s not what you think—”
“What is it, then? Because I think you’ve been playing with my emotions while planning to eliminate my job.”
“I haven’t—” Harris stopped himself, taking a breath as if he were the one in the tough spot. “I haven’t been playing with your emotions.”
She immediately noticed he didn’t reference her job. “But you have been planning to fire me?”
“No, I—” He tossed a hand through his hair. “What you must’ve overheard . . . it’s not the whole truth.”
She peered at him, scanning his face, not sure why he looked conflicted. “What’s the truth, then?”
His features steeled, but his eyes somehow stayed soft. “I did propose to dissolve SheTime,” he admitted, and Gigi’s mouth fell open. “Before I met you. Before we worked together.” His jaw squared, and Gigi questioned the flex of muscle. “The first thing I did when I got to Chicago was a financial analysis. I went through the numbers. I thought I was being efficient, that I’d help streamline the business before I went back to my life in New York.”
She shook her head like she might rattle some sense into it. Eventually. “And you decided it would be best to get rid of SheTime?”
“I did,” he breathed. “But then I started working with you, and you changed my mind. You helped me understand the potential of the business. You proved me wrong, and I’ve been fighting for SheTime ever since.”
Gigi’s mind swirled, ruminating on his words. Raw emotion shot through her. “But your father said—” A lump hit her throat, cutting off her words.
Harris shook his head, looking torn. “My father was upset because he saw us together, in front of your window, when I was just about to kiss you.”
“What?” Her stomach roiled, crashing like a wave. Could anything else possibly go wrong?
“I’ll handle him. Please don’t worry. He’s only upset because of the proposal—”
“I can’t.” The words slipped out of her mouth, stopping Harris mid-sentence.
“Gigi, I—”
She reached out, putting her hand on Harris’s chest, stilling him. “I don’t know what to think. I need time. Space.” Her heart was heavy, pulling her down. She wanted to go somewhere quiet, to process what had happened and all the sharp emotions cutting through her.
Harris’s mouth parted, looking defeated by her response. But instead of fighting her, he quietly said, “I understand. Take all the time you need. Just know that I’m here when you’re ready to talk.”
Just then, an elevator finally opened. Gigi dropped her hand to her side. She couldn’t bring herself to say another word. She took a step back and turned, leaving Harris for the empty elevator. But as the doors closed, she caught the longing in Harris’s eyes. Instantly, her heart clenched, and her stupid instincts told her to throw a hand out to stop the door. Instead, she fisted her fingers, keeping them from making another reckless mistake.