Page 43 of Keeping Denver

"You're welcome, young lady."

After riding the elevator to the top, the doors open, revealing complete chaos. "Goddamnit, Jonathan, where is Judy? And where the hell is my eight o'clock?" Spencer's voice reverberates off the walls. I've never heard Spencer use that tone, let alone raise his voice. A skinny guy wearing a brown sweater vest and glasses stammers as he answers my new boss' question.

"It…it's just now eight, Sir."

I walk past several people bustling about the office as I make my way across the room. Including the man, I now know as Jonathan, who whispers, "run," as he rushes past me.

"Jonathan!" Spencer yells again as he rounds the corner, almost running me over.

I grin. "Hi, boss."

"Hey, sweetheart. You didn't happen to see a skinny dude wearing glasses, did you?"

"No?" I lift a brow, trying to give my new coworker a head start.

"Saving your coworkers from the asshole boss already. They'll love you around here." Spencer grins.

"Looks like I showed up just in time too. If you show me to my desk, I'll get started. Lucky for you, Frances trained me, so I know how to hold my own."

Three hours later, I finally finish going through and organizing Spencer's calendar and rescheduled at least a dozen appointments that were double booked. Then, filtered through and respond to all his unopened emails, had his dry cleaning delivered, ran interference between him and Jonathan, twice. I just finished setting up the conference room for his two-thirty meeting and ordered him lunch, which should arrive in thirty minutes. Plopping down in my chair, I enjoy the silence. Spencer wasn't wrong when he said I would be doing him a favor and saving his ass.

Spencer steps out of his office with a look of awe on his face. "I don't know what miracle you performed, but let it be known, I'm never letting you leave."

I laugh. "I'm glad I could be of service. Although I wasn't sure I could pull it off. Frances has Callan's office run like a well-oiled machine. There wasn't a whole lot for me to do there. Now this," I say, pointing around the office, "was a disaster."

"Excuse me." Spencer and I are interrupted by a delivery guy holding a huge vase full of two dozen red roses. "I have a delivery for Denver Hollis."

"That's me," I raise my hand and stand from my desk. The man hands the flowers to me, and I set them on my desk. "Have a good day."

"You too," I say as I gaze at the roses taking up half my workstation.

"Looks like the son of a bitch is already trying to take you from me," Spencer smirks.

I roll my eyes and try to feign being annoyed but fail as I quickly pluck the card from the arrangement. I'm never not thinking of you. I'd be lying if I said all of Callan's small gestures today haven't made my tummy flutter. Not two seconds after reading the card, another delivery guy, the same young man who always delivers Callan's lunch, Dillon shows up holding a white back with TARANTINO'S scrolled across it.

"Let me guess. You're looking for Denver Hollis," Spencer huffs his annoyance.

"Hi, Dillon," I greet him.

"Miss Hollis, your lunch." I take the bag from him.

"Thank you," I reply, holding the bag as I watch a grinning Dillion eye Spencer before crossing the room on his way to the elevator. Spencer chuckles beside me, and I cut my eyes at him, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

"I'll leave you to your lunch, sweetheart." Spencer retreats into his office, leaving me more confused than ever. How am I supposed to move on when the one person I'm running from is chasing me? Maybe I want to be caught. Either way, Callan Hawk is making it hard not to love him.

17

"Are you sure you don't want to come with Richard and me to my sister's? She'd be happy to have you," Frances asks as she and Richard load their bags into the trunk of their car. They're headed to spend Christmas with her sister in New Jersey and will be gone for three days. "I don't like the idea of you being alone for a holiday."

I'm quick to reassure her. "I'll be fine. Besides, I plan on spending Christmas day helping down at the shelter. They could always use the extra volunteers this time of year. You two go ahead and have a good time. Don't worry about me."

Frances' face softens as she pulls me in for a hug. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Richard stepping away to make a phone call. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call. Spencer is going to be in town so, call him too if you need anything. He can be here in no time," France reminds me for the third time this morning.

My heart warms at the thought of someone caring whether or not I'm alone. That's not something I've had before. Ending his call, Richard steps up to me and kisses my cheek, his mustache tickling my skin. "See ya, sweetheart."

"Bye, Richard. Drive safe and let me know you made it." I wave as the two of them climb into the car. When they are no longer in sight, I head back inside the house, where I jog up the stairs to my room. Kicking off my slippers, I strip out of my plaid pajamas and into a pair of jeans, black sweater, and tennis shoes. With all that has been going on, I missed Roland's birthday party. So, today, I am going by the library in hopes he is working. Stuffing my phone and keys into the pocket of my coat, I pull my hat on over my head and leave. With it being Christmas Eve, I don't bother with calling Mitch, opting for a taxi instead.

Walking into the library, a huge smile takes over my face when I see Roland. He recognizes me immediately and returns a smile of his own. "Denver. It's so good to see you."