The CEO's Christmas Wish (The Christmas Wish Series Book 2) Read online

  The CEO’s Christmas Wish

  By

  Lexi Ostrow

  Published by Hot Ink Press

  This Book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  ©Text Copyright 2015 Lexi Ostrow

  Cover by Lexi Ostrow

  Edited by CLS Editing

  All rights reserved

  This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events, or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Nick’s eyes glossed over the longer he stared at the beautiful silver foil calligraphy on the invitation in his hand. That didn’t stop him from staring at it, rather than the pile of paperwork on his desk. The invitation could have been entirely different than the one he held in his hand, should have been entirely different.

  “We cordially invite you to the happy nuptials of Jake DeMarco and Leena Kensy.”

  He hadn’t even realized he was speaking, let alone snarling the first line until his phone rang and he stopped. Growling, he crumpled the invitation into a ball and launched it at the floor to ceiling glass window overlooking the city. Ordinarily, Leena would have been standing there. Ordinarily had ended a year ago.

  His phone rang again and he snatched at it. “Nick DeMarco.”

  “Is that anyway to greet your mother? On any planet, in any time zone?” his mother’s voice playfully intoned from the other side of the phone.

  He winced, frowning as he did, and grabbed the glass of brandy on the corner of the desk. “I’m sorry, Mom. What are you calling for so close to when I’ll be up there?” he sloshed back the deep amber colored liquid and relished the burn as it slid down his throat.

  “That’s exactly what I’m calling about. I want to be certain that you will, indeed, be showing up in three days.” There was nothing overtly harsh in her tone, but there was judgement.

  He felt the color drain from his face, and his eyes darted over the ridiculous ivory paper ball almost a hundred feet away. He wasn’t certain if his mother was giving him a way out, or trying to let him know he was not allowed out.

  Sighing, he rubbed his fingers over his eyebrows and closed his eyes tightly. There were so many reasons why he did not intend to be at his family’s chalet this Christmas, and they all started and stopped with his brother and his ex-fiancé. Just the thought of Leena in that capacity shot a jolt of anger through him. Even if it had only been for three days, and even if she’d only done it to make Jake mad.

  He opened his eyes and growled low as the balled up invitation came back into view. There was no way in hell he was getting through an entire two week time period with the pair of them. So, he was choosing to believe his mother was giving him a way out. And he took it.

  “I don’t think I can, Mom. We’ve signed a rather big client and taking the holiday off this season just doesn’t seem like the smartest move.”

  “Nicholas Ian DeMarco, you seem to have mistaken what I said for a choice.” Her voice was shrill.

  Fuck. “I sincerely do not think it’s the best time. I will be there in spirit for sure.”

  “Last Christmas, we all spent it apart. We will not be having a repeat of that. The whole reason you own a multinational corporation is so that you can take some of the holidays off.”

  He couldn’t stop the small smile that spread over his lips. His mother was perhaps the least judgmental billionaire in the world, for her to have said that was nothing short of amusing. Being stuck with Jake and Leena was not.

  “It’s a no for me, Mom.”

  “This isn’t So You Think You Can Dance telling someone they aren’t going to Vegas Week, Nicholas. This is your mother. Telling you that you're spoiled ass had better be in your seat at the table for the Christmas Eve feast, or you’re going to wish you didn’t have a mother any longer.”

  He’d heard that tone in his mother’s voice only a time or two in his short time on the planet. It was the tone that said, “Don’t fuck with me, I’m your mother.”

  He closed his eyes again and tried to force away the images of Leena tangled in his arms, their mouth’s entangled. Suddenly, it felt as if something was sitting on his chest, and he sucked in a deep breath of air. His mother said nothing as he steadied his breathing.

  “You aren’t going to let me out of this, are you?”

  “Not in the least. What happened was nothing short of a mess. However, if you had feelings for Leena for almost a decade, then you have no one to blame but yourself for allowing her to slip through your fingers. Your brother’s actions were noble…noble enough. Leena made the decision on which of you was right for her. Leena chose what was best for her, and whether you like it or not, what was best for you. That marriage would have ended in a lot more heartache and disaster if she’d married you because Jake had told her to. So, what you’re going to do is come up here for the break, as you have every year since you were barely able to walk, and you’re going to behave. I’ll have the same conversation with Jake if need be. But you will be there.”

  The other line went dead when she was done, the insistent beeping filling his ears. His mother was one of the most genuine people he’d ever met. She was also one of the last women someone argued with. His father had built DeMarco Communications from the ground up, but his mother had been the reason it had succeeded. She was a hard ass, in the best of ways of course.

  “And because of that you’re stuck going up there.” He let out an exasperated breath, uncorked the brandy and poured another glass.

  Standing, he picked the glass up and walked over to the window. It was the middle of the day, and the snow-dusted streets seemed so bright from over twenty stories up. Denver wasn’t experiencing the maelstrom of snow it had the year before, but it almost seemed prettier this way. He could see the trash and leaves blowing around the ground, and the few city snowmen kids had built. There was no danger in snow like this, aside from slipping of course. It was serene, and an image of lying in the snow with Leena, arms fluttering as they made snow angels, made his grip tighten.

  The faint sound of glass splintering sounded just before the glass shattered in his grip. Shards sprayed outwards, brandy splashed onto him and glass dug into his hand. His eyes narrowed at the barest reflection of himself in the glass. Christmas was going to be worse than usual this year.

  “Tasha, it’s going to be amazing! I cannot even believe how real this is becoming. In four weeks, I’m going to be Mrs. Jake DeMarco,” Leena’s excited voice blared out of the speakerphone.

  Tasha’s smile was genuine, she couldn’t have been happier for her best friend. Leena had pined after one of the DeMarco brother’s for so long, Tasha had thought she was destined to be alone. Then, not
one, but two of them had tried to be with her last year. Leena had made the right decision in Tasha’s mind, and her friend had only ever asked the question once. So, Leena clearly felt she had as well.

  Tasha grabbed her empty snifter glass and walked from the couch to the sink. “It will be wonderful, Leena. Not because you haven’t hired the most amazing of everything to be at the wedding, but because you and Jake are more than ready for this.”

  She could almost hear the smile in Leena’s voice as she spoke. “It’s like my very own version of one of your movies.”

  Tasha laughed and turned the water off, setting the glass upside down in the drying rack. “Oh, I would think it’s going to be much better. The sex is not you dry humping a guy with a sock on and being sprayed with water to make it look real.”

  They both cracked up, Tasha laughing so hard, the small glass of brandy she’d had was making her dizzy. When they were both in control again, a comfortable silence fell over them. They’d been the best of friends since Tasha’s father had moved the family off the reservation in eighth grade. There wasn’t much they didn’t or couldn’t share, and Tasha hoped Leena had that with Jake and that she’d find it one day as well.

  “So, about the holidays…” Leena said and let her voice trail off.

  Tasha wasn’t the biggest Christmas girl. She was raised with her own people’s holidays and customs. She still loved a beautifully decorated Christmas tree or house, but it wasn’t something she put on snowflake pajamas and snowman earrings for. Leena on the other hand, was a Christmas nut for one month every year.

  “What about them, Leena?”

  “You’re between projects right?”

  “Leena, just come out with what you want all ready, I’m going to have gray hairs if you keep stepping around it.”

  Leena chuckled. “I need a buffer.”

  The minute the words were out of Leena’s mouth, Tasha had thrown her hands up in the air. “Not a shot in hell, Leena Kensy. N.O. No. Nope, nu-uh.”

  “Tasha! You didn’t even let me explain why.”

  “Leena we’re not ten anymore. I’m not an idiot. I will not be the buffer between you and Nick. You chose to accept his proposal. Then, you chose to run off with Jake. You will not stick me in the middle of this nonsense any more than I have to be at the wedding next year.”

  Leena sighed dramatically. “You’d be wonderful at it, Tasha. Just pretend you’re acting. All I need you to do is come up on the pretense that we are discussing wedding things that couldn’t wait. Nick’s mom is aware of my idea and thinks it’s smart to put another body in the room. Anna is coming in alone, and she loves me. I just need one more person…”

  Tasha groaned loudly.

  “Plus, as my maid of honor, isn’t it your responsibility to do everything possible to help me prepare for my wedding?”

  The groan was even louder. “There is absolutely no way out of this, is there?”

  “Nope. I don’t want to be in the situation where Jake or I could possibly be alone with him. It was nasty enough before I broke his heart. I want this year to be peaceful, and his mother is insisting we are all there for it.”

  Tasha lay back on the bed and sighed. “If I didn’t have you on speaker phone, with the phone across the room, I would dramatically hang up right this very second. But since I can’t, I’ll have to know what to bring.”

  Leena squealed. “You are the best friend ever, Tasha. I don’t care if we are sixty, you’ll still be the best.”

  “Yes, well, Native American’s do age well,” she said with a laugh. “Now, what do I need to bring, and how will I get there?”

  “You’ll need at least two of those stunning awards dresses I’m always trying to steal. Warm clothes, it’s colder than Denver with more snow. Do you have a way up there on your own?”

  “What you're asking is can I use my private jet because I’m just as rich and famous as they are?”

  “Precisely.”

  She shook her head, unable to stop the smile. She loved Leena, but her best friend was a schemer if ever there was one. “Fine. I’ll be up there Christmas morning.”

  “Wrong, the morning before Christmas Eve day. Wow, did that make sense? There’s a lot of traditions, and it won’t kill you to pretend to enjoy them.”

  “Ugh, yes December twenty-third, got it. One day, I’m going to make you smoke a peace pipe, go on a spirit quest or do some other ridiculous over blown Native American tradition. Just you wait.” She was standing up to go end the call as she spoke.

  “Count me in! You’re the best, but Jake is clamoring for some pre-work attention.”

  “Goodness, Leena. TMI!” she laughed as she hit the end button on the phone. Putting her hands on her hips, she looked around her condo. “Well, I suppose we have some Christmas shopping to take care of.”

  Nick shuddered as he tugged his Armani coat off and stepped inside the cabin. There wasn’t a brutal storm like the year before. “There also isn’t a beautiful, intelligent woman trudging up behind you,” Nick grumbled as he hung his coat.

  The cabin was quiet. He’d purposefully arrived first thing in the morning. He didn’t want to stumble in on Leena and Jake doing, well, anything.

  “Mom? Anna?”

  Silence met his call. The cabin was as stunningly decorated as ever. You should get them to do the office. The workers would love it. The color scheme was not the typical red and green, and he wondered if it had to do with Leena’s wedding colors. Everything was identical to the year before, from the giant ball placement to the beautiful table centerpieces. Only the colors were purple and blue, and the room felt less Christmasy than ever. Not that he minded in the least. He liked the idea of Christmas, even liked the family element of it, but he didn’t get all jazzed up over the holiday.

  “Which Leena did,” he said bitterly as he stared at a photo his mom had put on the mantel of Leena and Jake. His eyes traveled down, and he saw that she even had her own perfectly matched stocking hanging from the big stone hearth. “Of course she does, she’s marrying your brother in a matter of weeks.”

  The tree wasn’t in its traditional corner spot, and he wondered if they were forgoing one, or if Marshall was just a little late. He hated thinking about what would have happened if he’d just put aside his lack of Christmas love and decorated the damned tree with Leena. He’d been thinking about their safety but had stayed at the lodge checking his emails rather than rushing back to the perfect woman he’d left all alone.

  Kicking off his snow-covered boots, he walked over and dropped onto the couch, completely ignoring the way he tracked wetness everywhere he stepped. His mom would kill him if she were there. She would’ve also killed him if she’d known he’d almost fucked Leena on the couch.

  He snarled and clenched his fists so tightly his barely-there nails bit into his palm. “Everything is always going to circle back to her? Isn’t it?”

  No one answered. No one could answer, after all. His head began to pound as memories from the year before slammed into him. Everywhere he looked, he could see himself with Leena — either from their time together last Christmas or business meetings they’d held there. It felt as if someone had reached into his chest and was slowly giving his heart a twist every time a memory surfaced.

  The door slammed open and struck the wall with such force, it shook Nick from his thoughts. He almost said something when the tip of a Douglas Fern poked through the front door.

  “Fucking tree,” Marshall muttered.

  Nick popped up and made his way to the door. “Can I give you a hand, Marshall?”

  “Fuck, I’m late aren’t I?” Marshall said by way of greeting.

  Nick walked to grab the top of the tree and helped shuffle it through the door. “Or I’m early.”

  “I was hoping that if I came closer to when you all got here, that maybe Anna would be here. I’ve got a gift for her from last Christmas. Figured I should get it to her sooner or later.”

  Nick smirked as he h
elped Marshall set the tree in the holly-green metal stand. Marshall’s crush on his little sister had never been subtle. He’d caught them, snuggled next the fire, one winter when they were teens too. She’d grown up and moved off to London, and as far as he knew, hadn’t spoken to or thought of Marshall since.

  Cause that sure stopped Jake from wanting Leena after six years.

  “Marshall?”

  “What’s up, Nick? Your tone doesn’t sound right.” The big guy crossed his arms over his chest and shook some snow of his longer brown hair.

  “You ever stop thinking about, her? My sister?”

  Marshall turned bright red, and Nick suspected he would’ve matched the old Christmas ornaments.

  “If I say no, are you going to deck me?”

  Nick laughed an honest laugh as amusement flickered over him. He’d had a long year, and while he’d enjoyed himself, he hadn’t touched another woman, and he’d rarely laughed.

  “I’m sure you heard I got dumped…by my fiancé. I was just wondering if you ever forgot the woman that trampled your heart.”

  Marshall’s laugh was exactly what you’d expect from a big, burly, mountain living dude, loud and boisterous. He clapped Nick on the shoulder and grinned.

  “I don’t think you ever do. I hear the trick is to get under someone new though,” Marshall said with a wink. “I’ve got other trees to deliver. I’ll stop back after the holidays and try to drop Anna’s gift off,” Marshall said with a mock salute and walked back toward the front door. He closed it much quieter than he’d opened it.

  Once again, Nick was alone with his memories. His mother wanting him to come made sense, but it was downright torture. Having to sit at the same table, sleep in the same house and talk to them as they planned the final details of their weeding was going to be unbearable. He hadn’t spoken to Leena since she placed his ring in his hand last New Year. January first. She had barely made it past the 2015 mark. To be fair, she’d tried to speak to him when she’d come back to Denver. He had hid in his office and had her replacement, a guy named Harvey, give her a check.