Hope For Christmas: A Small Town Wisconsin Christmas Romance Novella Paperback Signed by the Author

Chapter 1

Merry Noel zipped her red Mustang into the parking space in front of the office building in downtown Atlanta. She hopped out, slammed the car door, and barked orders at her assistant into the phone as she hurried through the hall to catch an elevator. The old apartment building she’d tried to sell for the last six months finally had a buyer, and she couldn’t afford to lose the sale. She needed to get rid of the property fast. With Christmas a week away and the holiday shutdown, she had no time to lose. The client had issued an ominous warning—if she didn’t have the paperwork at the bank in an hour, they’d back out of the deal.
She stuck her hand into the closing elevator and pushed her way into the crowded space. The lady she forced aside frowned at Merry and rolled her eyes. “Excuse me, Miss Important,” she whispered.
Merry whipped her head around and glared, but continued barking orders into the phone. Throats cleared, and people shifted uncomfortably, but Merry ignored them. Merry had work to finish and money to make—no time for niceties. She stepped onto her floor, her bright red stilettos clicking on the tile as she hurried to her office. She calculated the commission she’d make on the sale and grinned—a perfect way to end the year—making money.
Laughter and loud Christmas music poured out of an office when a door opened. Merry scowled. “That better not be my office.” She marched quicker and honed in on the door of Masters and Son’s Realty while she walked. Laughter and music spilled out, filling the hallway when someone in a Santa hat walked into the hall.
Merry narrowed her eyes and sighed. This is not good. She had an hour to type the documents and send them to the client and no patience for an unannounced party in the office. She shoved the office door open and stared into the faces of her happy coworkers.
“Uh-oh,” someone yelled in a back corner. “Ms. Scrooge is back. Quick, everyone, no more happiness.” Laughter and hoots followed this comment, and someone tossed a piece of gold garland at Merry.
Merry paused, ready to defend herself but scowled and shook her head. She slammed the office door and sank into her chair. At least the door of her office muffled that cheesy Christmas music. Merry shuddered. Those popular Christmas songs set her teeth on edge, like when she accidentally drank sweet tea.
Merry grabbed a notepad and opened her laptop. She glanced at the clock—fifty-five minutes to earn several thousand dollars. She blew a breath to release some of the ever-present tension in her shoulders and typed furiously. She jabbed the button for her assistant, and Christmas music sounded loud and clear, filling her office with some nonsense about shoes. “Just hurry, please. I need you to run copies.” Merry sighed and rubbed her forehead.
Her door opened, and Jayne scurried in, a huge green gift bow stuck in her hair and a plastic elf ears headband on her head.
Merry rolled her eyes. “Really, Jayne?”
Jayne shrugged. “What? It’s Christmas, Merry, and I’m sorry, but I’d think you’d enjoy the season a little bit more with a name like yours.” Jayne pouted and reached for the documents.
“My name is Knoll, Jayne—one syllable. Not no-el,” Merry said.
Jayne shook her head. “I meant the Merry part. Your mother should have named you Sour.” Jayne disappeared, leaving Merry alone in the dark office while holiday cheer leaked in the open door.
Merry jumped out of her chair to slam the door, but Oliver from accounting stepped in. He wore a fake Santa beard, and a red bulb ornament hung from his collar. “What do you need, Oliver?”
Oliver held up a plate of Christmas cookies and grinned. “Where did Jayne go? It’s almost time for the gift exchange. Cookie?” He held the plate out to her, but she waved him away.
“She’s working, Oliver. This is an office, not the North Pole.”
Oliver frowned and said, “Good grief, Merry. No wonder they call you Scrooge. People like to have a little bit of cheer this time of year. Life is hard, Merry. Let people have their fun.” He turned and marched away, and Merry kicked the door shut.
Merry Noel didn’t participate in holiday cheer. She didn’t eat Christmas cookies, listen to carols, or join the gift exchange. Like Oliver said, life might be challenging, but life also brought opportunities, and dancing through the office wearing Santa hats and dollar store ornaments didn’t make anyone rich.
“Party on the weekend if you need a break from your miserable life,” she said.
“What’s that?” Jayne set the papers on the desk. “You’re lucky. That stupid printer kept jamming, but I managed. Are you driving them to the bank?” Jayne glanced at the clock.
“Yes, but I need you to scan this pile into the computer.” Merry pointed at a tall stack of documents on the corner of her desk.
Jayne’s smile faded. “But, Merry, it’s …” she pointed behind her to the party. A crash and raucous laughter poured through the open door.
Merry narrowed her eyes. “Seriously, Jayne? No one told me there was a party today, or I’d have made different arrangements for this sale.”
“Do you know why no one tells you there’s a party, Merry? No one likes you, that’s why. Because we can’t stand how ugly you are about our fun. You make rude comments, roll your eyes, and insult everyone. We like to hang out together, and one afternoon a year to celebrate Christmas isn’t too much to ask. We have permission to hold the party in the office today, and I don’t need your approval. Scan them yourself.” Jayne bounced out of Merry’s office. She returned a moment later and said, “And I have no idea why I care, Merry Noel, but if the happiness of others hurts you so much, you need to get help. Something is seriously wrong with you. You’re a Scrooge, and you deserve all the misery you get.”
Merry watched as Jayne’s shadow march away.
When did Jayne grow a backbone?
Jayne’s accusations stung and rang in her mind. “Because no one likes you, Merry.”
Merry lifted her chin and grabbed the stack of documents and her purse. She gulped a slurp of cold coffee from the mug on her desk and opened her office door. Every eye in the room turned and stared.
“I don’t really care if you people don’t like me.” She raised her eyebrows and shouted. “I don’t like you either. You are the laziest co-workers I’ve ever seen, and if I were the boss, I’d fire every one of you.” She knocked the folders off the corner of Oliver’s desk and every desk along the aisle. She dumped a platter of cookies on the floor and yanked the wreath off the office door. A few people snickered, but the others turned away.
“Turn up the music” someone shouted.
Merry marched to the door with her head held high. Cheerful music rang in her ears all the way to the elevator, and her nerves shook with every note.