Santa Is A Sl*t (Holiday Hoemies #2)

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

NOEL

Having a couple of days off was exactly what I needed to clear my mind. After my conversation with Kane, I had a lot to think about.

His offer to join them, and possibly Nico, was enticing.

My first instinct was to chase Kane out of that coffee shop and tell him yes. But he was right. I needed to think it through.

I had to make sure that I wasn’t making a rash decision just because I’ve started feeling so lost and lonely. I care about each of them but I won’t deny that the idea of closing our dynamic off felt like things got very serious, very fast.

It’s not that I’m against relationships. I’ve just never been in one. Or wanted to be.

My feelings for Eve and Kane have always been there, even if I refused to admit it. And when I let go of my anger for Nico’s decisions and took time to consider that he could be coming from a good place, I know that I could easily develop those same feelings for him.

I can’t deny that starting a relationship with not one person, but three, feels like I’m jumping into the deep end of the pool without any arm floats. Ultimately though, my feelings for them have easily outweighed my nerves, and I’m ready to be honest with them about that.

And I know just where I need to start.

The boss.

I have no idea how his conversation may have gone with Eve but we can’t let those two, even with their good intentions, run this entire thing for us. He and I are going to have to work on our own relationship.

In order to prove that I’m ready for this, I think it’s best if I talk with Nico first. I want to know where he stands and if all of this is just fun and games.

Because if he’s not in this, can we really move on as just a throuple? I know Eve and Kane believe that they want me no matter what, but what if we try it and they feel like he’s really their missing piece.

My steps are confident as I make my way down the hall, approaching Nico’s office.

Eve isn’t at her desk, which doesn’t strike me as odd. Although she takes her work seriously and is good at her job, I know first hand that she’s a coffee fiend with a habit of office hookups.

She could be in Nico’s office with him but I’m certain that pending a work emergency, she’d let me have a private conversation with him.

Or at least pretend to while she listened at the door.

I’m about to know when I notice a slight crack. Peeking through, I realize that Nico is definitely in his office alone, pacing the room.

“I understand that but if we could just have a little more time…” He sounds frustrated.

I’m about to give him a signal that I’m here but the conversation seems to escalate quickly.

“That’s just it, Jack. I’m doing everything I can to make sure this place survives while you’re out on a private island relaxing.”

Survives? Maybe Kane was onto something. Nico might be making all of these changes and canceling our big celebration to save the company money.

It sounds like that’s true but that it might be a much bigger deal than a few budget cuts.

“No, Jack. I’m saying you won’t even have a job when you get back to the states. SantaScape is going to have to close its doors after this season.”

The finality of his words cause me to let out a gasp loud enough that Nico stops and turns. I’m in shock. Suspecting something and having it confirmed are very different things.

Opening the door fully, I narrow my eyes at him. “What is going on, Nico?”

He sighs, “Jack, I’ll call you back.” Without waiting for a response, he puts the phone away. “How much did you hear, Noel?”

It’s interesting to me that he doesn’t try to make an immediate excuse or brush me off. Even though he’s been caught, he could easily tell me to leave and mind my own business.

Nico doesn’t though. Instead, I watch his shoulders fall in shame.

“I’m going to be real with you, Noel. My uncle left this place dangling above the red. I’ve made all the cuts I can to the budget but I don’t think we’re going to make it.”

I nod. That, I can understand. We’re a seasonal business focused on one holiday celebration. It wouldn’t take a business expert to know it’s a risk.

“And the other thing? About Jack?” I ask as I take a few steps towards him.

Nico runs a hand through his hair. “I’m supposed to be done at the end of the year.”

I inhale and exhale, willing some of my anger to leave my body. My plan was to enter this room and have a conversation about our future. Instead, I’m learning that maybe there was never meant to be a future for us at all.

“When were you going to tell us, Nico? All of us depend on this job in some way.” It occurs to me as I’m speaking that maybe not all of us were in the dark.

Eve and Kane have been close with Nico much longer than I have. Did they know this was possible?

“I didn’t want anyone to know, Noel. I was hoping to find a way to fix this before it ever got to this point.”

And maybe if that were the only problem here, I could easily move past it. But he’s also planning to leave us and didn’t say anything about it.

“Was this job always temporary? Why didn’t you tell us that?” For as many of those stupid memos he sent out, one of them could have included this information.

He looks at me like I’m silly for asking. “You and everyone else here wouldn’t have respected me or the changes that had to be made if you thought this was all temporary. It was my uncle’s idea.”

I hate that he’s right. I never would have abided by any rules he set because I would have assumed they’d change again the moment he left.

“Maybe. But that doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t tell me sooner. Or Kane and Eve.”

“Tell us what?” Kane’s voice startles me from where he stands behind me in the doorway.

He and Eve are holding coffee cups and pastries, something I imagine they thought the four of us would be sharing.

“That he’s leaving. That SantaScape is failing financially and he never planned to be here long enough to see the dust settle after it all crumbles.” I paint the picture exactly as it looks in my mind.

Eve sets the items in her hands down on Nico’s desk before making her way beside me, grabbing my hand as she looks at Nico with betrayal on her face.

I guess she really didn’t know either. Which means whatever conversation they had the other day, he didn’t even give her the courtesy of telling her the truth.

Kane leans against the wall, drinking a cup of coffee that is probably full of sugar and cream and little caffeine. He looks casual but his shoulders are hunched enough to give him away. “Is that true, Nico?”

Nico rounds his desk and collapses in his chair. “That’s not how I was going to break it to everyone, but yes.”

“How else is there to say it? How did you plan to sugarcoat your leaving to the three people you’ve been fucking?” I say with anger biting through my voice.

He groans. “It wasn’t like that. You all knew my uncle was retiring and someone was supposed to take over. It was going to be my cousin, Jack, but he had some problem over Halloween weekend that led to him needing to wait until the new year.”

Eve tries to lead me to take a seat on the couch but I don’t feel like sitting. That seems like a calm reaction and I definitely am not feeling calm.

“So they called and asked if I would fill in until he could get here. My uncle didn’t let me in on just how much trouble he was in until I got here and I suspect he thought with my skillset that I could fix it. But I don’t know if I can.”

His voice is filled with defeat as he says “Then I met Eve…and Kane…and you, Noel. I thought we’d all have some fun and…”

“And then you’d leave.” Eve is the one to say it.

I’m glad it wasn’t me because the words send a jolt of pain through my chest. I’m no stranger to casual hookups and fun times but the other night felt different.

They made it seem like it was different.

Nico speaks up again, “At first, yes. That’s exactly what I planned to do. Now, though, things are different. We talked and I want this, we can figure it out.”

I’m over this conversation. I need to leave. I need to run away and never come back here. “Well, it doesn’t have to be different. This was fun and all, but I’ll see you around. Or not. Whatever.”

I realize I’m being an asshole to Eve and Kane who don’t deserve it but I need to protect the slice of my heart I was willing to give to this arrangement before it shatters even more.

“Don’t leave this way, Noel.” Kane pleads as he tries to block the door.

“Let me go, Kane.” I hold back the tears in my eyes but I know he can see them. “Please,” I beg.

Slowly, he slides out of my path and I take the opportunity to run.