Claimed for Christmas

Chapter Five

I arch my back in my chair; I’ve been hunched over for two hours trying to get the bonuses sorted out for the team so that Harrison can sign them off. I don’t know why I’ve been handed it, hello! I’m a receptionist not a damn secretary! Not that Mr Grumpy Pants seems to understand that.

As though summoned by the power of thought, my phone rings, the light for Harrison’s office phone flashing, making me roll my eyes as I pick it up.

‘Yes my liege, what can I, your most humble, yet gratuitously eager underling do for you now?’ I snark as I press the phone to my ear, yes, I’m still salty about the bonuses, this is Callan’s department not mine.

‘f***k sake’ I hear my boss mutter, but he doesn’t call me on my sass, ‘Elijah, please can you ring Eralia and order some cakes from the bakery for tomorrow, I have an important client coming in.’

I frown in surprise, who books a meeting for two days before Christmas? Don’t they have family to visit? The thought immediately brings my mother to mind and the promise I made to ask for time off, ugh!

I must take to long to answer because my boss is calling my name gruffly.

‘Elijah? Did you hear me?’ he asks.

‘Yes, I heard you, of course, I’ll ring now’ I reply dejectedly.

The line goes quiet for a second before Harrison’s voice floats down the line, concerned.

‘Are you alright?’ he asks, is something wrong?’

His unusually worried tone throws me, Harrison Cadell is not known for his caring personality, unless it’s his wife Eden, then he’s like a big labrador.

‘I’m fine’ I mutter, ‘don’t worry about it.’

‘Elijah’ Harrison’s tone is sharp again, that no nonsense one that reminds everyone that he is a Marine that takes no s.hit from anyone.

‘I spoke to my mother yesterday’ I admit reluctantly, ‘she’s upset that I won’t be home for the holidays. I did tell her that I would be needed to man the fort here as most of the team are away but she . . .’ I sigh heavily, ‘she wanted me to ask if there was any chance of me taking some time off.’

‘Sure’ my boss replies without pausing, ‘how long do you need?’

‘Um sorry, what?’ I choke in shock.

‘Yes, you can have the time off’ Harrison repeats slowly, with a little bit of the sarkiness that I usually give him.

‘No, I can’t! I have to be here to man the office’ I argue. ‘Callan and Mackenzie are already in Hawaii, Gage and Lincoln are at the cabin with their families, Hallick has taken Seona home to his mothers . . . there is no one else . . .’

Harrison’s exasperated sigh flows down the line, ‘we’ll just shut the office down, I don’t intend to be here after my meeting tomorrow anyway and if anyone needs us, they can just call my cell.’

‘But . . your meeting’ I stammer, ‘I need to be here to greet your client, make the coffee, get any paperwork you need.’

‘I can greet Ms Fleur myself Elijah’ Harrison huffs, ‘and we have a coffee machine in the damn board room, which you remind me about constantly’ he adds. ‘Now, how long do you need off? I’ll put it in the calendar for Callan when he gets back next week.’

‘I . . I . . ‘ I stutter.

‘How about you go till New Years’ Harrison cuts across me.

‘New Years’ I practically shriek, that’s nine freaking days! ‘I can’t be gone until New Years.’

‘Elijah’ my boss snaps, his usual tone doing more to ground me than anything else can. ‘You haven’t taken a vacation since you started here, and no, that one day you took to go and watch starlight express at the theatre does not count as vacation.’

‘Yes but . .’ I try to argue.

‘No buts,’ my boss growls, ‘you are taking time off until New Years, if I see the office unlock before the first of January I will fire you.’

I gasp, ‘you can’t fire me’ I hiss, ‘you need me! This place would fall apart without me.’

‘You’re right’ Harrison replies, chuckling, ‘so do me a favour and don’t call my bluff. I had enough problems finding you to man the reception desk, I do not want to search for someone else.’

‘I don’t even know if I could get a flight’ I mutter, ‘it’s the twenty second, all the flights will be full to Colorado . . . I could maybe take a train, if there are any seats still available tonight but it’s still a three day journey, is it even worth it . . .’

I hear clicking at the other end of the call, ‘check your email’ my boss grumbles seconds later.

Cautiously I click my email icon on my computer, selecting Harrison’s name before gasping loudly.

‘You booked me a flight?’ I state shrilly, ‘how? How did you . . .’ my eyes scroll down the page with my flight details, stalling at the last line as my heart thumps loudly in my chest.

‘First class?? First freaking class?!?!’ I’m practically yelling in shock, I’ve never flown anything other than economy, do you know how much First Class costs? Holy s.hit on a stick.

The Marine chuckles lightly as I grip the edge of my desk to stop myself from falling out of my chair, muttering over and over again to myself about first class.

‘It’s your Christmas bonus’ Harrison replies, obviously amused by my speechlessness, which is not surprising as I’m very rarely left without words.

‘Th . . thank . . you’ I stammer, not really sure what say.

‘Wow, I think that’s the first time you’ve ever thanked me for something in the whole time you’ve worked here’ the Marine retorts, back to his usual self.

I swallow thickly, my mind still in a jumble, unable to comprehend what the hell is happening.

‘I . . I . . I . .’ my brain refuses to bring coherent words to my lips, first freaking class!

‘Happy Holiday’s Elijah’ my boss murmurs drolly, ‘now go home and pack, your flight leaves at four am tomorrow.’

‘OK’ I agree weakly.

‘Oh and Elijah?’ he adds as I’m about to hang up, ‘don’t let me see you back here before the first, that’s an order.’