Christmas was Gina’s favorite time of the year, but ever since her first day at Forever Christmas, every day was a holiday. Gina grinned as she looked around the main house. Every inch of the beautiful Victorian sparkled with Christmas cheer.
“This place looks amazing in the morning light too,” Juliet said as she and her dog, Holly, entered the house.
“You’re here early,” Gina replied.
They walked into the empty café and sat down. The baker came out of the kitchen with a tray of coffees and pastries.
“Actually, I’m here late. Once again.”
Gina had no clue what Juliet was talking about.
“Have you given any thought to your replacement?” Juliet blurted out.
“Are you firing me?” Gina gawked at her boss.
Gina’s question came out so shrill sounding that Holly, Juliet’s Doberman, popped out from under the table and began nosing Gina’s arm.
“Sorry I scared you, Holly.” She rubbed Holly’s satiny red cheek to soothe her.
Juliet furrowed her eyebrows. “Why would you ask such a thing?”
“What do you mean?” Now Gina looked baffled. “You just asked me to find someone to take my job.” Had she ever given Juliet a reason to want to fire her? Then she remembered her first year here on the tree farm and a groan escaped from her lips.
Juliet put down the homemade cinnamon bun and licked the frosting from her fingers. She relaxed back in her chair and tilted her head to one side and studied Gina.
Gina waited, each second more excruciating than the last. Juliet was planning on firing her, she just knew it. Gina waited, not wanting to dig herself a deeper hole.
“Let’s start over, shall we?” Juliet smiled.
Could that be the same smile Gina witnessed when Juliet fired the tree-trimmer? It seemed similar, except she could swear that was Juliet’s you-mean-the-world-to-me smile. The suspense was killing her, and she began chewing on her bottom lip.
“Gina, when you started with us over two years ago you were totally up-front with me. You said this job would only be temporary. You told me you’d left a position in the marketing industry back in Boston where you had a career to come to Glenville and take care of your very sick mother. You wanted me to know that as soon as Carla got back on her feet and could once again hold down a job and take care of your sisters and brother, you would return to Boston and art promotion.”
Juliet picked up her teacup and sipped. “I appreciated your honesty. It was one of the reasons I hired you, despite knowing you would be leaving us.” Juliet reached across the tiny table and laid her hand over Gina’s. “Carla returned to work last October, right before Ivy and the others from Life Bridge began their six-month internship. You knew the farm was financially strapped and that I wouldn’t have the time to manage the women. So you stayed on to help us get through the holiday season and my wedding.”
Holly pressed her head into Gina’s legs, one of her many tactics she used to get attention. Gina stroked Holly’s head, trying to calm both herself and the dog.
“I want you to know I appreciate you and everything you do more than I’ve ever said. You’ve been on the tree farm for as long as I have. Colton and I consider you part of our family. But I’m saying this as a friend, not as your boss: I want you to pursue the career that fulfills you. Don’t stay on the farm out of loyalty. You don’t owe me anything. Although as your boss, I would sincerely appreciate it if you could stay for one more Christmas. Finding someone to step into your shoes is going to take some time. They will be overwhelmed if they try to take over during our busiest time. You know only too well how crazy it gets here.” Juliet tried to smile, still Gina could see a sheen coating her eyes.
“You’re right. When I interviewed for this job my only goal was to pay the bills and keep food on the table for my family. I was dead set on returning to Boston the instant that Mom could go back to work.” Gina tore her stare from Juliet to keep from totally breaking down and gazed around the place where she’d spent the last two and a half years of her life. The dilapidated, neglected old Victorian had disappeared, and in its place was a holiday wonderland. The house was reborn in full glory, as a place where every holiday was celebrated. “If I’ve learned anything from being a part of the birth of this real-life utopia you’ve allowed me to help create, it’s that I love my job and the people I work with. If you’ll have me, I’d like to stay here at Forever Christmas.”
“We would be lucky to keep you, but what about your art promotion career? That’s all you talked about the first year,” Juliet said.
“I worked on a computer all day long. Everything I created was digital. However here it’s real, it’s tangible. You let me bring my ideas to life.” Gina smiled. And you’ve helped me mature in my personal life.”
Juliet giggled. “I must confess. There are days I miss your short, spiked, hot pink hair, neon shirts, and short, checkered skirts.”
“I can drag them out every so often if you’d like?” Gina treasured their relationship.
“Please, no! Not on my account.” Juliet teased. “Actually, I love your hair long. It suits you. I’m thrilled you want to stay. I secretly hoped you would turn down the chance to return to Boston. So let’s talk about where we go from here. We gave you the title of manager of the main house last year. I’d like to offer you a new position.” Juliet took hold of Gina’s forearm to keep her from speaking. “I’m offering you the position of general manager of operations for the main house and supervision of the landscapers and arborist. It means you’re responsible for managing the employees that take care of the trees. This will include a fifty-percent raise.” Gina’s mouth dropped open and her eyebrows shot up.
“But—” Was the only word she managed to get out before Juliet cut her off.
“You deserved a raise last year,” Juliet said. “I really wanted you to have one. I just couldn’t find it in the budget, what with the main house remodel and payroll. I’d hoped to give you a raise after the new year. Unfortunately, Colton and I were at our breaking point, trying to come up with the money to buy out my partners before the shops were placed on the open market. But we did it and the business has grown every month.”
“Thank you, Juliet!” Gina squealed.
“Colton and I discussed it,” Juliet said. “You will have control of the main house, which includes all hires and fires.” Gina slightly grimaced. “No, it’s not fun to fire someone. Still sometimes it’s necessary. I want you to work out a budget and we’ll walk through it together. We’ll have a formal weekly meeting. And you know my door is always open.”
Juliet rose from the table. “I almost forgot. You did an outstanding job on the remodel of the old servants’ quarters downstairs. If you still want to have a place of your own, it’s yours. Consider it our gift to you. One you’ve worked long and hard for. The suite is yours free of cost. Forever. Let’s get out of Gina’s hair, Holly.” Holly stood up, shook, and stretched first her front legs out and then her back legs straight out behind.
Gina didn’t know what to say. “Really? I thought we were planning on renting it as a suite on a long-term basis.”
“That’s what I wanted you to think.” One side of Juliet’s mouth turned up.
“But the loss of income?”
“Not a loss. A definite plus. I have complete faith in you. Now that you have full rein of the main house, I’m certain the investment will be highly profitable.”
“Thank you.” Gina jumped up and bear-hugged her. “That saves me so much time. I really need to move out of Mom’s house. Now I won’t have to spend time house hunting.”
Juliet’s eyes danced. It was the first time since her partners left Forever Christmas that Gina had witnessed her friend this content.
“So, what’s first on your agenda?” Juliet asked.
“Something I’ve been thinking about for a long time now. I’d like to give this grand Victorian and centerpiece of Forever Christmas a proper name. Is that okay?”
“You just proved my point. You, Gina Jamerson, are going to be a fabulous general manager.” Juliet hugged her, pulled away, and smiled. “Come on, Holly.” She patted the side of her leg. “Gina has lots to do and we’ll just be in the way.”
A few days later, Juliet and Holly walked into the main house. As soon as Holly saw Gina, she ran around the desk, her short tail wagging faster than a second hand on a clock.
“Hi there, Holly,” Gina squatted down and rubbed Holly’s neck; Holly licked Gina’s face in return.
“We just stopped in to see how it’s going,” Juliet said as she leaned on the desk. “This time of the year is so busy, I don’t get up here as much as I would like.”
“How many new stained-glass orders have you got now?”
“I’m not counting.” Juliet sighed. “Thank goodness I have Ivy.”
“I haven’t seen her in weeks,” Gina said.
“Hopefully that will change. Now that she’s married, she’s having to reprioritize her life. I haven’t even had the chance to find out if you’re all moved into your new home.”
“I don’t have much in the way of furniture yet, even so I absolutely love having a place of my own.”
“We’ll have to throw you a little open house.”
“I’d love it. But could it wait until after Christmas?”
“Of course. That way we can all enjoy it. However, I do have a house-warming gift that can’t wait.” Juliet’s smile beamed.
“You didn’t have to get me a gift. My new home is your gift. I can’t tell you how nice it is to have a quiet place that is all mine.”
“I’m happy you like it. Even so, I just had to get this for you. The second I saw it, I knew you’d love it. Come on, Holly. Let’s take Gina out and show her what we got for her.”
Holly’s head whipped around at the sound of her name and she left Gina without a thought. Gina found herself wishing she could have her own Doberman.
“You fair weather friend,” Gina teased as she followed Holly and Juliet out the door. They walked down the front steps.
“You wait right here,” Juliet said. “We’ll be right back.”
Juliet walked over to her Jeep and opened the tailgate. Gina couldn’t see what she was doing through all the tinted windows, but she saw Holly scamper away from the back of the Jeep, followed by a black Doberman puppy. The puppy chased Holly around the yard. Gina silently watched the two interact as tears trickled down her cheeks. She ran to meet Juliet and threw her arms around her.
“I guess my gift’s a hit,” Juliet said, matching Gina’s tears.
“I can’t believe it! I’ve wanted a Doberman since the day I met your little red spitfire. Thank you, Juliet.”
“I’m so glad you like her. I’ve never given anyone a pet as a gift before. But after I heard her story, I just knew she was the one for you; Holly obviously approved, too. She’s not a baby. My breeder said she’s ten months old, and she is still all puppy.”
Holly and the puppy came to a screeching halt in front of the two women. The puppy stumbled into Holly, all legs and fat paws.
“Gina, this is Angel.”
“What a perfect name,” Gina said as she held out her hand for the puppy to smell. Angel gave her a sniff and instantly began licking her hand and arm. Gina giggled. She got on her knees and Angel sat in front of her. “Looks like she’s had some training.”
“Yes. Her owner had her own store and from the day she took Angel home at nine weeks she was training her to be a service dog. The owner had trained service dogs for years, and a few years ago the owner started having seizures. She now needed a service dog for herself, one she could train to alert her when she was going to have a seizure.”
“What happened?” Gina asked. Angel laid down next to her and Gina rubbed her belly.
“She left Angel in her car and went into her store. She had a grand-mal seizure and hit her head on the desk when she collapsed. A business neighbor noticed Angel. Apparently, she was howling and digging at the door. Her nose was bleeding because she kept trying to get out. By the time they got the door opened, the interior was torn to pieces.” Holly leaned against Juliet’s leg and Juliet stroked her head. “She’d made it all the way to the metal and her paws were a mess.
“They opened the car door and Angel shot out and ran to the store door and shoved it open. Except it was too late. Her owner didn’t make it. My breeder was notified and immediately went to retrieve Angel. She’s had her for three months. Angel adapted well, only time will tell on whether the experience will scar her. The breeder asked if I’d like to have her. She seemed convinced Forever Christmas would be the perfect forever home. I said I would take her, but only if I could give her to you.”
Gina wept once again as she comforted her new puppy.
“You need to decide before you get attached. Angel needs a home where she can feel safe. And she’ll still need to be trained like any other dog. You’ll need to be patient with her and always keep her history in mind.” Juliet said. “I would certainly understand if this is not what you want. But if you decide to keep Angel, next week the breeder will come here to meet you.”
“She’s mine now. I’ll train her, give her a happy life, and love her endlessly. Thank you, Juliet.”
Juliet grinned at the two of them.
“What?” Gina asked.
“I told our breeder that’s what you’d say.”