HIS CHRISTMAS SWEETHEART

“What did Raina want now?” Paige muttered rushing down Fulton Street as fast as she could. She could have been visiting potential sites to film the next season of her show.

Couldn't her boss go on her Christmas vacation already? Taxis were scarce on a Friday afternoon in New York. She didn't pay attention to rows of tiny lights flickering across the streets. Snow-topped Christmas trees stood at regular spots, decked in gold and red balls, fairy lights twinkling between their green foliage. Splashes of red and green decorated storefronts and windows. Giant wreaths hung in store entranceways. Candy canes and glittering tinsel decorated the pathway leading up to her producer's office in Times Square. Paige found the decorations more annoying than beautiful. The first day of December had barely settled in when New York exploded into garish shades of red and green and glitter in between. What was it with people and December?

The festive season reminded her of all the times she'd spent alone while her parents traipsed around the country attending one function after another with family and friends Paige had never met. They'd always buy her the biggest Christmas tree, leave tons of gifts and shower her with money…but they'd never spent Christmas with her as far as she could remember. She'd spent most of her time holed up in Once Upon a Time— her Gran's Book and Coffee shop back home in Crystal Lake, Connecticut lost in fictional worlds while nibbling on cake and sipping on hot chocolate.

“Good afternoon, Mr. West.” Paige greeted the doorman as she made her way to the fifth floor.

“Good afternoon, Paige.” Mr. West didn't smile his usual smile at her this morning.

“Hello, Toni.” Paige greeted Raina's assistant with a huge, fake smile hoping she would give her a hint about the reason for Raina's sudden call.

“Hi, Paige.” Toni Granger smiled gently, almost pitifully at Paige. “Miss Kaur is ready to see you.”

Goosebumps pricked Paige's hands through her sweater, jersey and jacket. Something didn't feel right. “Thank you,” she said making her way inside Raina's office.

“Good afternoon, Paige.” Raina greeted her with the same gentle, pitiful smile as Toni.

“Hi.” She tried to say something more but the words wouldn't form.

“Please have a seat.” Raina gestured at the vacant chair. A sickening sensation formed in the pit of her stomach.

Raina avoided meeting her gaze. “I'm afraid I have bad news, Paige.” She paused.

Paige clasped her hands together to keep them from trembling.

“NSTV canceled your show.” Raina stared at the oak table between them. “I'm so sorry. I tried my best to convince to them to give you another chance —I really did.”

Paige froze. How could they? Why now? She'd spent almost all her savings renovating her own home. She'd nearly maxed out her credit card searching for the next great idea for “New Day, New Paige.”

“It's okay,” Paige summoned up enough courage to mumble. How had her holidays turned into a disaster before it had even begun? A million different thoughts flashed in her mind. She could ask Eric, her best friend, for help but she wouldn't be able to stay long in New York without a job. Where would she find a new job this time of year? She shut her eyes for a second. Images of Crystal Lake flashed in her head. She could go back home …

“Your show's ratings took a nosedive after the McClellans broke their deck and blamed it all on you and your crew's workmanship and it never picked up. It's not your fault. Celebrities with much larger followings are jumping on the bandwagon every day. It would take years for you to achieve that kind of following,” Raina rambled on.

Paige nodded. “Yeah, I understand.” She didn't understand how viewers could love celebrities who were not skilled in construction and renovation and ignore experts like her. The McClellans had damaged their deck by overloading it.

“I'm sorry, Paige. The decision wasn't mine.” Raina looked directly at her for the first time during their meeting.

“It's not your fault,” Paige said. She sucked in a deep breath. She hoped the press wouldn't find out that her show had been canceled just yet. She needed time to digest the news first and figure out a way forward before anyone found out she was jobless for Christmas.

“I'm sorry for ruining your holiday,” Raina said.

Paige forced a smile. “I guess this is a good excuse to go home for the holidays.” Her chest filled with dread. She'd never really felt at home in her family home.

Raina's face lit up. “That sounds amazing. I'll be spending Christmas at work this year. My kids are not impressed.” Her expression dulled. “Make the most of the festivities with your family. The holidays only come by once a year and sometimes it's the only chance we get to spend with the ones we love.”

“Yeah,” Paige said. Nobody knew that she'd last seen her parents at her grandmother's funeral a few months ago. They'd greeted each other like strangers and she hadn't spent more time with them after the funeral. Her parents didn't care what she did Going home for the holidays meant facing her parents and listening to their “I told you so's” after they found out her show had been canceled. They'd warned her about the entertainment industry being too risky for a permanent career. They'd tell she hadn't listened. The truth was she hadn't. She'd followed her dreams and she didn't regret it one bit.

“I should get home and start packing,” she mumbled, rising from the chair.

Raina rushed to her side and hugged her. “I'm terribly sorry for being the bearer of such bad news for the holidays.”

“Don't stress about it. I'm sure something else will come up,” Paige said. “Happy Holidays.” She rushed out of the office and onto the street before anybody else said anything. She didn't feel like talking to anyone right now.

***

Paige blinked back her tears and hailed a taxi. She had to tell Eric, her best friend since college and cameraman /tech guru, the bad news.

“Meet me at my home office in ten,” she texted him.

She jumped off outside her semi-detached house in downtown New York. Eric was already waiting on the sidewalk for her.

“Hey,” he greeted, with two coffees and a bright smile.

“Hi,” she said, hoping she wouldn't burst into tears. Her lips twitched s she fought back her emotions.

“What's wrong?” His forehead creased with concern.

“Let's go inside.” Paige took a few deep breaths once she was safely inside her two-bedroom house. He needed to know about the television channel's decision. “NSTV canceled our show,” she blurted.

“Darn!” Eric said, handing her one of the coffees.

She sipped her coffee. “Yeah. Darn.”

Eric shook his head. “Couldn't they have waited until after Christmas to tell us?”

Paige shook her head. “It wouldn't have made a difference. We still need to look for new jobs, new opportunities.” One thing was certain, she couldn't afford to continue living in New York without a job.

Her chest tightened. New York had become her home since she'd moved out of Crystal Lake. She'd miss the hustle and bustle of Downtown New York, and losing herself amidst the throng of commuters during rush hour. Most of all she'd miss the coffee. New Yorkers brewed the best coffee she'd ever tasted. Pangs of homesickness stabbed her chest her at the thought of leaving New York. She hadn't even felt emotion this intense when she'd left Crystal Lake, Wyoming to settle here.

“Let's hope to hear good news from the European television channel,” Eric said. “I pitched our idea to them a few weeks ago. They promised to arrange a meeting as soon as one of their studio executives is available.” Eric had pitched an idea to renovate abandoned castles throughout Europe and turn them into livable, family homes.

“I'll keep my fingers crossed,” Paige replied. Suddenly, losing her show, going home for Christmas and the stress of worrying about her next job overwhelmed her. She wished she hadn't asked Eric to meet her. She needed to be alone to digest the curve ball NSTV had thrown her way, and check if she could buy any last-minute tickets to Crystal Lake. She couldn't explain why but going back to Crystal Lake seemed like the best thing to do right now despite her dread of having to see her parents. It would give her a chance to meet with her late grandmother's attorney for the reading of her will.

“I guess it's the perfect time to spend the holidays in Crystal Lake,” Eric said like he'd guessed her thoughts.

Her smile faded. “Yeah. It's been five years since I've been home.” She sat on her couch, her shoulders hunched. “I've always been too busy to go back and now I don't have a choice.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “It won't be the same without my Gran.”

“I'm sorry about your Grandma, Paige.” Eric hugged her.

She pulled away from him when he pulled her closer. The thought of returning to Crystal Lake and not seeing her bubbly Grandma filled her with a hollow sadness. “Going home will never be the same. Gran had a little bookstore and coffee shop I spent most of my childhood reading. She made the best cold meat sandwiches.” Regret filled her at not having spent enough time with her Grandma in the last few years. Their few visits had been fleeting. She'd realized too late just how sick her Grandma was. Before she knew it, she'd sobbed at her funeral six months ago. “Her lawyers called me a few days ago to remind me about the reading of her will.” She suspected her Grandmother had left her the coffee shop and cottage. She'd sell both properties and use the money to keep herself afloat until she found another job, she decided. Her gran wouldn't but she'd do whatever she needed to manage financially.

Eric squeezed her hand. “Losing someone you love is never easy, especially at this time of the year.”

She bit her bottom lip not wanting to cry in front of Eric. “I guess I have to focus on the bright side.”

“I can help you out with rent and stuff until something new comes along.”

Paige shook her head. “Thank you so much for the offer. I'll ask you for help if I really need it.” A brief silence followed. She stared at him as he moved closer to her. When his lips were about to touch hers, she pulled away. “Happy Holidays,” she said.

“Happy Holidays, Paige.” His face reddened a little before he left.

She sighed once the door shut behind him. Eric had always subtly hinted he wanted more than friendship. She shook her head. He'd never set her emotions on fire. Nor did her heart race when their hands touched. Her knees never turned to jelly. Eric could never be more than a good friend to her.

Paige loosened her hair and stretched her arms. She needed a break. She also needed to clear her head and focus on herself. She couldn't recall the last time she'd spent time doing absolutely nothing or resting. She shut her eyes. Familiar waves of dizziness washed over her. She needed to see a doctor for those dizzy spells. It could just be a lack of some kind of vitamin or the other. She opened her eyes quickly, made her way into the kitchen and fixed herself a fresh cup of coffee. Perhaps that would do the trick. She switched on her tablet while sipping her coffee and searched for the cheapest airline tickets to Crystal Lake.

“Yes!” she said, as she clicked on the last available ticket. She didn't mind flying economy tonight. Next she booked a rental car online. She checked her confirmation emails, called both the airline and car rental company to confirm her bookings, then finished the rest of her coffee. She packed two suitcases quickly while making a mental checklist of potential things she could work on while she searched for a new job. Maybe she could write another book? Her first two books had sold quite well so maybe now was a good time to start book number three. She'd draft an outline during her flight, she decided. First, she needed to visit Anna, her best friend, at her home décor store, three blocks away. How would Anna feel when she told her the news?