He’d worn a ridiculous Santa costume last month that was laden with bells. The only good thing about the costume was there was zero chance someone didn’t know he was coming. I had considered making him wear a bell all the time.
What the hell was he up to now?
I looked up from my laptop to see Lucas making his way through the open floor plan wearing a pair of glittery pink wings strapped to his back. They were enormous, clearly homemade, with what appeared to be actual feathers hot-glued to a wire frame. There were flashing pink lights around the edges. They bounced with every step he took, jiggling the bells that hung from the contraption. He was wearing a red shirt and white slacks in one of the tackiest ensembles I’d ever seen.
He was also carrying a large wicker basket decorated with red and pink ribbons, pulling small, wrapped packages out of it like some deranged Valentine’s fairy godmother.
“Happy Valentine Exchange Day!” he announced to the office at large. I watched several of the matchmakers cheer while the IT team collectively groaned.
Of course. The gift exchange. The thing I’d temporarily forgotten about in my attempt to survive the week without thinking about the photoshoot.
Lucas was distributing gifts with the enthusiasm of a man who had clearly mainlined coffee. Through my open office door, I watched him approach Ina’s desk. She looked up from whatever she was working on, saw the wings, and her entire face lit up.
“Oh my God, Lucas, those are awesome!”
“Custom made by yours truly,” Lucas said proudly, doing a little spin that made the wings flap. “Well, technically custom made by a very talented Etsy seller I commissioned, but I added the extra glitter myself. I’m Cupid today, spreading love and joy through the sacred art of gift-giving.”
Ina laughed and I found myself leaning slightly forward in my chair to hear better.
“You look very official,” she told him. “But I thought Cupid wore a diaper.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “I’m wearing red boxers, does that count?”
She burst into laughter. “I guess that’s close enough.”
“I don’t think the boss would let me get away with the diaper, but I’ll run it by him.” He reached into his basket and pulled out a gift. The damn thing was wrapped in what looked like one of the brochures from the lobby.
My frown was automatic. That was Ina’s gift?
What the fuck, Keith? You could have made some effort.
Ina took it with both hands, still smiling, thanking Lucas with genuine enthusiasm despite the fact that her gift looked like it had been wrapped by a drunk raccoon.
Then Lucas turned toward my office.
“And for our fearless leader,” Lucas announced, sweeping into my office with a flourish that made his wings knock against the doorframe. He set a box on my desk with a reverence usually reserved for holy relics.
The box was a work of art. Heart-shaped, wrapped in gold paper that caught the light, and covered in hand-glued pink pompoms. They were everywhere. Different sizes, different shades of pink, arranged in what might have been a deliberate pattern or might have been chaos. I couldn’t tell. But someone had clearly spent hours on this.
“Your secret admirer has excellent taste,” Lucas said, waggling his eyebrows.
“It’s Secret Santa, not secret admirer.”
“SecretCupid,” Lucas corrected. “We’re spreading love, Dane. Try to keep up with the theme.”
“Will you dress up as a leprechaun next month?” I muttered.
“That’s your job, my Irish friend.”
“I’ll wear a Chewbacca costume before I ever insult my heritage.”
He grinned at that. “Ohhh, now that’s a good idea.”
I stared at the box. This had taken time. Effort. Thought.
My eyes flicked to Ina’s desk. She used one of her bedazzled red nails to cut through the twenty-two yards of scotch tape that had been wrapped around the monstrosity that was her gift.
“Well?” Lucas prompted. “Aren’t you going to open it?”
