Chapter 8: Assigned to Jack
1520 Words
Holly regretted everything about her life the moment she walked into Mayor Granger’s office that morning.
The space was surprisingly cozy for a town hall office, with warm oak furniture, a festive wreath hanging on the door, and a small Christmas tree twinkling in the corner. A plate of sugar cookies sat on the mayor’s desk, next to a mug that read *All I Want For Christmas Is Peace and Quiet*. Holly glanced at the cheerful surroundings, feeling distinctly out of place.
“Good morning!” Mayor Granger greeted her with a smile that felt far too bright for someone dealing with a blizzard-stranded town. She adjusted her red-framed glasses and gestured for Holly to sit down. “I trust Jack told you we could use your help with the festival?”
Holly hesitated, sliding into the chair. “He mentioned it.”
The mayor’s sharp eyes sparkled, and Holly immediately felt like a chess piece being moved across some invisible board.
“You’ll be working with Jack,” Mayor Granger said, her tone warm but firm. “He’s already been hard at work on the creative side of things, but we need someone organized to help him manage the logistics. You’re exactly what he needs to keep him on track.”
Holly blinked. “Wait. I’m working *with* Jack?”
“Yes,” the mayor said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Jack has plenty of big ideas, but he’s hopeless when it comes to keeping schedules or spreadsheets. I think you’ll balance each other out perfectly.”
Holly bit back a groan. She had spent less than forty-eight hours in Snowfall Valley, and Jack Winters had already inserted himself into every corner of her life. Now she was supposed to be his *partner*?
“That sounds… unnecessary,” Holly said carefully, hoping to find a way out of this arrangement. “I can work independently. Just point me toward a desk, and I’ll handle everything myself.”
Mayor Granger chuckled softly, clearly amused by Holly’s resistance. “I admire your independence, dear, but this is how we do things here in Snowfall Valley. We work together. And trust me, Jack might drive you a little crazy, but he’s good at what he does. You might even learn a thing or two.”
Holly doubted that very much.
“I appreciate the opportunity,” Holly said, forcing a smile. “But Jack and I don’t exactly… get along.”
“Even better,” the mayor said, as if that solved the problem. “A little tension makes for great teamwork. Now, off you go! Jack’s waiting for you at his workshop.”
Before Holly could protest further, the mayor stood, scooped up the plate of sugar cookies, and whisked out of the office, leaving Holly sitting there, stunned.
---
By the time she reached Jack’s workshop, Holly was brimming with irritation. Snow crunched beneath her boots as she approached the small cabin, which looked like it had been plucked straight out of a holiday special. Smoke curled from the chimney, and a wooden sign that read *Winter Creations* hung above the door.
Holly knocked twice, though her gut told her she could probably just walk in. Sure enough, the door swung open a moment later to reveal Jack Winters, his familiar grin lighting up his face.
“Well, look who it is,” he said, stepping aside to let her in. “You’re earlier than I expected. Couldn’t stay away from me, huh?”
Holly gave him her best unimpressed glare as she walked past him. “Don’t flatter yourself. I was told I’m working *with* you. Believe me, if I had a choice—”
“You’d still pick me,” Jack interrupted, closing the door behind her.
“Not even in your dreams,” Holly shot back, glancing around the workshop.
The space was surprisingly neat, with shelves lining the walls, each one filled with tools, books, and what appeared to be miniature models of Jack’s snow sculptures. A large workbench dominated the center of the room, covered in sketches, blueprints, and scraps of paper. The air smelled faintly of wood and peppermint, a combination that was oddly comforting despite her mood.
“So,” Jack said, leaning against the workbench, “what did the mayor tell you?”
“She said I’m supposed to keep you on track,” Holly replied, crossing her arms. “Which, frankly, sounds like a full-time job.”
Jack chuckled. “It is. But don’t worry, McAllister—I’m a quick learner.”
“I doubt that,” Holly muttered.
Jack didn’t seem the least bit offended. Instead, he grabbed a thick notebook from the workbench and handed it to her. “Here. This has all my ideas for the festival. Themes, slogans, decoration plans—you name it.”
Holly opened the notebook and blinked. The pages were crammed with scribbled notes, sketches, and what looked like a very ambitious to-do list. There were random ideas scattered everywhere, including phrases like *Make the world’s biggest snowflake sculpture?* and *Convince Marjorie to bake 500 cookies for free.*
“This is chaos,” Holly said flatly.
Jack grinned. “It’s creativity.”
“It’s disorganized,” she corrected. “Do you even have a schedule? Deadlines? A budget?”
Jack waved his hand dismissively. “Details, details.”
Holly groaned, already feeling the headache forming behind her eyes. “No wonder the mayor wanted me to help you.”
“Hey,” Jack said, leaning closer with mock offense. “I’m very good at what I do. I just need someone to handle the boring parts.”
“Boring parts?” Holly repeated, raising an eyebrow.
“Spreadsheets, emails, all that technical stuff,” Jack said. “You seem like the type who loves that.”
Holly opened her mouth to argue, then stopped. He wasn’t wrong. She did love spreadsheets and organization. But that didn’t mean she was thrilled about being roped into Jack’s whirlwind of chaos.
“Fine,” she said, snapping the notebook shut. “I’ll organize your mess. But you have to actually listen to me.”
Jack held up his hands in mock surrender. “Deal. What’s the first step, boss?”
Holly narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t call me boss.”
“Whatever you say, boss,” Jack said, his grin widening.
Holly sighed. This was going to be a long week.
---
The first task on their list was creating a schedule for the Snow & Ice Festival. Jack sat across from Holly at the workbench, tossing a pencil in the air while she painstakingly typed dates and deadlines into a spreadsheet on her laptop.
“Okay,” Holly said, her tone brisk. “We need to finalize the decoration plans by Friday, and the marketing materials need to go out by next week. That includes flyers, social media posts, and press releases.”
“Sounds good,” Jack said, catching the pencil mid-air.
“And you need to finish your main sculpture by the fifteenth,” Holly continued. “That gives us enough time to promote it before the festival starts.”
Jack nodded. “Got it.”
Holly glanced at him suspiciously. “Are you actually paying attention?”
Jack flashed her an innocent smile. “Of course.”
“Prove it,” Holly said, crossing her arms. “What’s the first deadline?”
“Friday,” Jack said immediately. “Decoration plans. See? I’m a great listener.”
Holly didn’t know whether to be impressed or annoyed. “Fine. But if you miss a single deadline, I’m taking over completely.”
“Deal,” Jack said, holding out his hand.
Holly stared at his outstretched hand, then reluctantly shook it. His grip was warm and firm, and for a moment, she forgot why she was so annoyed with him in the first place.
“Good,” she said, pulling her hand back quickly. “Let’s get started.”
---
By the time they finished for the day, Holly was exhausted but oddly satisfied. Jack had actually listened to her—mostly—and they’d managed to make real progress. She hated to admit it, but working with him wasn’t as terrible as she’d expected.
As they stepped out of the workshop, the sun was setting, casting a soft golden light over the snow-covered town. Holly paused, glancing at the view. It was breathtaking, though she’d never admit it out loud.
“Not bad, huh?” Jack said, standing beside her.
“It’s fine,” Holly said, though her tone lacked its usual bite.
Jack chuckled. “You’re warming up to this place. I can tell.”
“Don’t push your luck, Winters,” Holly said, walking ahead of him.
Jack followed, his grin firmly in place. “Whatever you say, partner.”
Holly groaned. This was going to be a long week.
Despite her reluctance, Holly begins to see glimpses of Jack’s charm—and the potential for their partnership to become something more.
- Writer
