Christmas Compromise

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Parker

One more strand of lights, and I’m going to jump off the damn ladder myself and make it look like an accident. I think my sister has gone nuts this year. Why she felt the need to include me in her holiday nonsense is beyond me.

I am the proverbial Scrooge, the grumpy holiday miser.

I give to charities via monetary donations, but that’s it.

You can’t count on me for anything else.

There is no way I’ll be showing up at events, toasting in a red Santa hat or some goofy tie.

I don’t buy gifts for anyone except for Chloe.

It isn’t like she has a family yet, so there’s no need for all this decorating overkill.

Still, here I am on a Sunday, on my only day off, nearly twenty feet in the air hanging up lights because the company Chloe hired flaked out, taking her money with them. She doesn’t trust anyone else, and she doesn’t want me to bury the bastards for robbing her. I’m still going after them.

With Christmas less than two weeks away, Chloe doesn’t have much time to hire anyone else, and I couldn’t stand to see her cry anymore.

There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her.

She’s my sweet little sister with a heart of gold and the soul of an angel.

Once I’m done, I can go inside and watch the football game.

The Bears are playing the Browns, and I can’t wait to see the Bears kick their asses.

I go to move and realize my puffy Chicago Bears coat is stuck between the house and the ladder.

“Shit.” How am I going to get out of this without falling to the ground?

Damn it, how did I get into this situation?

It’s cold and windy, but at least it has stopped snowing.

Last week, we had over two feet of snow. Maybe it’s enough to break my fall.

I take a calming breath and think. I gently move my body backward on the ladder, but the stiff breeze reminds me that I’m high off the ground, and I grip the rungs fiercely.

Fuck. I’m so screwed. There’s no way I want to be laid up in the hospital when I have a business to run. My company can’t function without me.

I drop my head forward and stay like that for a moment. I try to breathe calmly and think of a safe solution. Nothing’s coming to me besides a good case of windburn and frostbite.

“Hey, are you good up there?”

“Aah,” I yell and nearly fall, but grip tight and hold onto the fucking ladder.

My coat tears, freeing me while I cling to the deathtrap in the air.

“Are you crazy?” I bark down at the voice below.

I affix the last light with the final clip and then come down to scold the nut who dares to startle someone high up.

“How dumb are you?” I barely get my feet onto the ground when she starts her babbling apology.

“I’m so sorry.” She apologizes before I turn my back, and I’m surprised she stays for the earful she’s about to get.

“What the hell is wrong with—?” I start shouting at her when the words freeze in my mouth. I’m shocked by the instant way my heart speeds up.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I saw the ladder jerk and sway, and I thought you were going to fall. Then you weren’t moving for like five minutes. I came out here to check before I called for emergency services.”

“Five minutes? That’s an exaggeration.” She’s probably right, but I’m not admitting anything.

“No, it’s not. Are you okay?” I’m not really okay, although I won’t tell the beautiful stranger the truth.

“I’m fine. I was in the middle of dealing with these stupid lights that were knotted, and then I was annoyed as fuck that I agreed to take up a dangerous task for nothing.

” There’s no way I’d tell her that I got myself stuck up there like a dumbass.

Not when I’m staring at the most enchanting being in existence with her pretty pink and brown winterwear, looking like a winter wonderland that needs to be explored and I want to be that frontiersman.

“Oh. Well, I’m glad you’re fine. So glad you weren’t having a seizure, stroke, or anything. Now I’ll go.” I shake my head. That pretty little thing isn’t getting off that easy.

I step closer, getting less than a foot from her, and the whiff of cinnamon hits my nostrils and I breathe her in. I take another deep breath and then introduce myself. “I’m Parker Ames.”

“Yeah, I’m late.” She walks away and goes across the street into a nice car, driving away from me as if that’s fucking acceptable. Who is that little brat? And why am I so affected by her?

“Hey, bro, what happened to your jacket?” my sister asks, coming up to me with a steaming mug. She pokes a finger through my coat, which now has a nice tear right through the middle of it.

“Snagged it on a nail. What is this?” I snatch it and breathe in the hot cocoa. Damn it, she’s in her Christmas spirit even more. I hand it back.

“Oh, no. I’ll pay for it.” She reaches out with her free hand to touch it.

I stop her before she worries even more.

My sister has a heart of gold. A lot of times she reminds me of my mother, and that both concerns me and makes me happy.

She brings her hand to her mouth. She works so hard to get by as a schoolteacher. I love how dedicated she is.

“Don’t worry about it, Chloe. Who is the woman that lives across the street? She drives the little four-door Hyundai Elantra,” I ask, attempting to appear nonchalant.

“That’s Carrie. I’m not sure what her last name is, but she’s super sweet.

” I would beg to differ greatly. Not that it matters, because that little woman just met her match when she crossed my path.

She can be as fiery as she wants because she owes me her life when she almost cost me mine.

Is that an overexaggeration? Maybe. Do I care?

No. I want her, and I’ll have her. It’s what I do, and I don’t lose.

Now how am I going to get a woman when all I do is work?

“What does she do?” I ask.

“I believe she works as a vet tech. Why are you asking?”

“Why you so nosy?” I shoot back, glaring at my little sister.

“You’re one to talk,” she scoffs, rolling her eyes at me.

I purse my lips, wondering how the hell I’m going to get her to see things my way and how I’m going to change my own ways — more problems to solve.

Luckily, I am one hell of a problem solver.

One thing I sure as hell need is a new damn coat.

This thing is ruined. When I was young and poor, this would easily get patched up with a thing of duct tape or sewn up, but now, I can’t be seen walking around with a giant strip of duct tape or a crooked stitch.

“I need to get going. I’ll be back later on today, okay?”

“Are you seriously leaving? I still have a tree to decorate.” I glare at my sister.

“Nice try with that shit. Now, I told you I’ll be back later if you need anything else hung up. If not, I’ll be back to join you for dinner.” She’s always trying to get me in the Christmas spirit, but that’s not going to work.

“Okay,” she says. I walk away, pulling out my phone as I do.

My gaze lifts up toward the house across the street, and I discreetly take down her address, typing it into my phone before walking straight over to my new SUV.

My old vehicle was in an accident last week when my driver, Maxim hit a deer after he dropped off medical supplies to his mother, and thankfully, he had only minor scrapes and cuts.

I make a U-turn out of her cul-de-sac and then drive back to the main road as the snow picks up.

Damn it, I hate winter and, most importantly, Christmas.

It’s the time of year when everyone pretends to be happy for others when they’re miserable themselves.

They waste their hard-earned money and time buying gifts for people who don’t even appreciate the effort.

Some people work themselves to death. I can’t even understand how my sister still manages to love the holiday after what it did to our parents.

My father was perpetually drunk, and my mother pretended to be happy when my grandparents would visit and spew their judgments about how she could do nothing right.

It’s probably the one thing my sister and I managed to get right — no in-laws.

They are the worst. She saw what mothers-in-law were like and wants nothing to do with them.

I’ve never seen her with a boyfriend or even a girlfriend.

She may love Christmas, but she doesn’t have anyone to share it with.

It’s why I’m here. It’s why I will always be there for her as long as she needs me.

My mind goes to the woman whom I scared off—the cute, petite, cinnamon-colored girl with bright caramel eyes and puffy pink lips. Damn, I can picture her bright pink cheeks as the cold air swept through the area. Does she even realize what an image she created?

The beauty before me had held me captive. It was so perfect that I forgot the moment of fear and anger that had filled me. I press my voice button on the phone and call my assistant.

“Hello, Mr. Ames.”

“I need you to do me a favor.” There are going to be some major changes in my life, and I need her assistance more than ever.

“Of course, Sir.”

“I’m heading into the office, and I might need to take some time off.” She coughs on the other end. I twist my lips in annoyance. Yes, we have almost two weeks until the holiday. It’s not like we are days away. People work on Christmas Day. “Don’t act like it’s a big deal.”

“Sir, you haven’t had time off in…”

“In ten years. I know.” It’s another fucking reason I hate Christmas.

My mother was killed in a car accident while Christmas shopping, looking for a stupid gift for the neighbor who was having an affair with my father.

I found out after my mother died. Since then, I haven’t spoken to either of them.

I’d just made my first million. I’d been so happy to share the news with my mother on the phone.

We were talking about how it would be a great Christmas, and she couldn’t wait until there were grandbabies so that Christmas would be like magic again.

“Sir?” My assistant’s voice chirps through my distasteful memories.

“Yes?” I respond.

“I said, what do you need me to do?”

“Oh, yes. Prepare the meeting materials with Ace Investments and Devlin Securities tomorrow.”

“Oh. Okay. I’ll take care of that as soon as I get home.”

“I said take care of it tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

I’m a brutal boss, but I understand it’s Sunday.

I consider having her look up the woman who lives across from my sister, but then I don’t want her in my personal life.

I don’t like anyone in my private life. Not that I have one to begin with.

I have almost every dollar I earned plus interest that I didn’t reinvest back into my financial firm because I don’t have a life outside of work.

I drive straight to my condo building and sigh at the large wreath that hangs above the garage entrance.

If that falls on someone’s car, that will be a massive lawsuit.

I can’t believe they wasted funds on that bullshit.

I pull into my personal spot and then park.

Cutting the engine, I get a text from my sister.

Chloe: Are you really coming back tonight? I can make dinner?

Parker: I am, but I can pick up dinner. What do you want?

I go upstairs, take a quick shower, and then put on new clothes.

Then I head to my laptop in my office. Let’s find out who you are, little pink princess.

I entered her address for the property records, finding the owner to be Caroline Cole.

Next, I’m pulling a quick background search on my little beauty just to learn a bit of basics because I can’t help myself.

And two hours later, my phone rings. “Hey, dick. Where are you?” my sister complains. Fuck. I completely let time get away from me.

“Oh shit. Sorry, Sis. I’m on my way right now. I got carried away with work.” I quickly tuck everything into my office drawer and turn off my laptop. Then I lock my office and slip on my winter coat and scarf. I’m glad I was smart enough to wear my other coat to do outdoor work.

“I’m sure. What’s new?” she scoffs because it’s the truth, or at least that’s almost always the case.