The Office Party

He’ll probably give it back once he opens it, anyway.

I ignore the fact that my neighbors are standing on their stoop in black and red leather Santa costumes and rush to the town car.

Thankfully, the driver already has a bagel and coffee ready for me, and he manages to get me to headquarters with five minutes to spare.

The moment I step inside, one of the other top executives from the message board—Lily, loops her arm in mine.

“You know, I’m kind of excited about this year’s reveal. I heard it’s going to be someplace super luxurious.”

“It’s always someplace super luxurious.”

“Bridget in Accounting said she overheard the travel agent on the phone yesterday morning.” She lowers her voice. “She asked the resort to make sure that all the hot tubs had private access. Oh, and she mentioned some type of carriage ride.”

I tune out her words, smiling and nodding as we step onto the elevator.

When we arrive on the top floor, we find ourselves walking right into a real-life Christmas card. As usual, the professional decorators have gone out of their way to make us forget that we work in the seventh circle of hell.

Every window is dressed in a massive custom wreath with red ribbon. Sixty foot Christmas trees stand guard against the walls, showing off complementing red and gold ornaments with flashing white lights.

There’s a snow machine pumping flakes across the air, and waiters are donning elves’ ears as they carry around trays of beverages.

“I heard that this place is going to have a spa that rivals any of the other ones we’ve been to.” Lily is still babbling. “That means better than Aspen, Miami, Vegas. What do you think about that?”

“I think that I need to hand off my gift,” I say, unable to deal with any more holiday cheer. “I’ll talk to you later.”

I make my way through the crowd in search of Garrett.

Thankfully, he’s standing by the window alone, tapping his phone’s screen.

He looks up at me as I approach. “I was just about to text you, Miss Grey. I thought you were attempting to avoid the party again.”

“I overslept.”

“That’s a first.”

“And a last. Here,” I say, handing him the gift box. “I pulled your name this year.”

“Will I die if I open this?” He raises his eyebrow. “The tech team says someone on my staff has a recent obsession with True Crime: The Boss Gets Murdered stories.”

“I’m sure that person would only kill you if she thought she would get away with it.” I smile. “I got you something that conveys exactly how I feel about you, so I don’t want you to doubt what’s inside.”

Before he can respond to that, Nate from Accounting steps between us.

He holds out a shiny blue box and smiles at me.

“This is for you, Savannah,” he says. “I feel like right now is the best time for me to shoot my shot.”

“In front of the boss?” Garrett asks.

Nate ignores him, clearing his throat. “I feel like you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever met in my life, the total package.”

Garrett clenches his jaw and gives Nate an “Are you being serious?” look, but Nate remains oblivious.

“I wouldn’t open that until the first night of the trip, if I were you,” he says. “Wherever we’re headed, I’ll be sure to stay up and wait for your answer.”

He winks at me a few times, and then he licks his lips before walking away.

Garrett stares at the blue box, looking as if he expects me to open it in front of him.

“There’s a no-fraternization policy at this company, Miss Grey,” he says. “I hope you know that.”

“I do know that. Then again, maybe there shouldn’t be, since you make us all spend so much time together. I’m bound to hook up with one of my advisor colleagues at some point.”

He narrows his eyes at me, and I narrow mine right back.

“Mr. West, may I have your assistance, please?” The travel agent calls from the front of the room. “It’s almost time to announce this year’s destination.”

He stares at me for a few more seconds before walking away.

Letting out a breath, I grab a cup of eggnog from a waiter’s tray. I shake Nate’s box and decide to open it later since he’s still winking at me from across the room.

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?” The travel agent calls over the microphone, and the room falls silent. “It’s my honor to be of service to you for another year and it’s time for me to reveal where you’re going!”

A fake drumroll sounds from somewhere, and she counts backward from ten—looking a little too excited about this.

“Three, two, one!” She yells, and the words “Colorado Springs, Colorado: The Grace Estate & Resort” pop onto the screen.

I choke on my eggnog.

What the hell?

“This is the one and only six-star resort in the United States!” She yells.