A Christmas Worth Billions (Countdown to Christmas Book 4) Read online

  A Christmas Worth Billions

  Countdown to Christmas

  by Jaclyn Weist

  Trifecta Books

  Book design and layout copyright © 2015 by Trifecta Books

  Cover design copyright © 2015 by Jenni James

  This is a work of fiction, and the views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author. Likewise, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are represented fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, or actual events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Copyright© 2015 by Tristi Pinkston

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Author Bio

  A Christmas Worth Billions

  By Jaclyn Weist

  Dedication

  For those who need a little help finding the spirit of Christmas

  Acknowledgments

  Christmas has always been my favorite time of year (although Halloween is a very close second), and I especially love the stories and the movies that come along with the season. You’ll find me watching sappy Christmas romances any time of the year, and I’m always excited when Netflix puts up their new shows.

  This is the first time I actually tried a synopsis for the story beforehand, and I’m so thankful I did. It was my second attempt at writing romance, and this was a story I wanted to get just right.

  I want to thank Tristi Pinkston and Trifecta Books for giving me the chance to be a part of their Countdown to Christmas. I also want to thank Tristi for being such an awesome editor.

  Thank you to my mom for continuing to be my biggest cheerleader. It means the world to me!

  My family is my rock, and they’ve been so good to let me write when I need to get the story out of me. Thank you.

  And most of all, thank you to my readers. You’re the best!

  Chapter 1

  It was the Christmas season again, and David wanted to forget the whole thing. It reminded him of how much his wife loved everything about the holiday. This would be his first Christmas without her, and it nearly crushed him.

  The alarm woke him that morning with a jolly Christmas song, and he fumbled for the clock to shut it off. He rolled over and rubbed his face before climbing out of bed. It had been another night full of bad dreams, and he wanted to wipe them out of his mind before heading off to work for the day.

  David pulled on his sweats, scarf, and running shoes and went out for a jog. The cold air always cleared his head, even if his lungs were burning by the time he was done. He passed the old church and waved at the pastor as he continued on the trail. Moving away from the city had been good for him. Close enough to work, but far enough away that he could make a new life for himself.

  The diner was busy as he passed by, and he waved at his neighbors. They always invited him for dinner, but he’d managed to escape so far. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to get to know them. He was just hesitant to make new friends in case they asked questions.

  When David returned home, he turned on the kettle, and headed to his bathroom for a hot, steamy shower. The water helped thaw him out and finished wiping away the cobwebs of the night before.

  The light blinked on his answering machine, so he pushed the button and listened while he poured himself some hot chocolate.

  “Hey, David. It’s Peter. The shareholders are getting antsy. I sure hope you’re planning to come in today for the meeting.”

  David shook his head and walked back into his bedroom. He’d forgotten about the meeting, but the threat of losing the company he’d worked so hard to build was enough to get him out of the house and back to the office, a place he’d rarely gone in the last several months.

  He changed into his suit and straightened his tie. He could do this. The phone rang again, and David let it go to the answering machine.

  “Hey, David. I haven’t seen you at church for a few weeks. I was hoping to meet with you tonight. Have a great day.”

  It had actually been a few months, but David figured he wouldn’t correct Reverend Smith. At least that meant he had plans that night. He sent a text back on his cell phone and finished off his hot chocolate.

  David grabbed his briefcase and headed toward his old Chevy pickup. It took a few tries to get it started up because of the bitter cold. He should have just taken his Mercedes, but it was too conspicuous in this small town. Once the truck was warmed up enough, he pulled out of the driveway and onto the street. He’d chosen the truck because it was the make and model he’d wanted in high school.

  The trip into the city was slow because of the ice on the ground, but David found himself looking forward to being at work again. He’d heard about some of the changes Peter had made, and he was anxious to see them in action.

  An hour later, David pulled into the parking garage. He chuckled at the look on the security guard’s face when he drove up.

  “Hey, Dan. How’s it going?” David asked.

  “Never been better. Wow, man. Nice truck.” Dan laughed. “I didn’t realize work was going that poorly.”

  “This was by choice. See you later.” David pulled forward and parked in his spot. He paused for a moment before grabbing his briefcase and headed upstairs to his office. His heart beat rapidly as he rode the elevator up to the fifteenth floor. He wasn't sure how people would react after he'd been gone for so long. And if any of them brought up his wife ... he didn't think he could handle it.

  His employees greeted him with surprise as he walked past them to his desk. The spacious office welcomed him back. He’d spent countless nights here in meetings and on phone calls ever since he’d taken over the company, so many nights that he should have spent with his wife.

  There was a knock at the door, and Peter poked his head in. “Oh, there you are. I was worried I’d have to tell the shareholders you were gone. Again.”

  “Sorry. It was icy out there, or I would have been here sooner.” David leaned back in his chair and played with a pen from his desk. “Is everyone here?”

  “Yes, they’re in the conference room.” Peter paused. “Listen, you’ve been gone long enough …”

  “I’ll have you do the talking.” David stood and straightened his suit coat. He probably hadn’t needed to wear it, but his dad had taught him to always look his best. It was an old habit.

  The look of relief on Peter’s face was almost comical. “Great. I’ll turn things over to you once I’m done.”

  “Perfect.”

  Peter opened the door farther so David could leave the room. “It’s good to have you back, David. We’ve needed you.”

  David didn’t say anything as he followed Peter toward the conference room. It irked him not to be in control, but he had to admit, it made sense. He’d been gone too long. He was stopped a few times on the way to answer questions or just so people could say hello.

  The conference room was full when they walked in. David took a seat near the front, and Peter continued standing. Murmurs went through the room before quieting down.

  “Welcome to our shareholders. Let’s get started now.” Peter tur
ned to the PowerPoint.

  * * *

  The meeting had taken the entire morning, but it seemed that everyone was happy as they left.

  “You did great, Peter. I can see I left my company in good hands.” David walked out of the conference room with Peter following behind.

  “Thank you. I must say I’m glad you’re here. I can go back to my old job of keeping the press away.” Peter stopped to sign for a package and then hurried to catch up.

  David laughed. “If you insist. I’m sure I could find you a corner office somewhere, if you’d prefer. You deserve it.”

  Peter stopped, his jaw dropped. “What?”

  “Unless you like that tiny office next to mine. Seriously, you’ve earned it.” David walked into his office and flipped through the charts on his desk. “We have an empty office, right?”

  Peter leaned against the wall. “You used them all up before you left, remember? You got the new account and gave them all promotions.”

  “Oh. Right. Sorry.” David sat down and pulled out his laptop. “What if we rented out the floor below us? We could send them downstairs so you could take their office.”

  Peter laughed. “It’s taken. I’m fine where I am. Anyway, I’m off to lunch. Are you coming?”

  “No, I think I’ll stay here. I want to look at the numbers from the meeting. Bring me something back?”

  “Of course.” Peter left, and David picked up the folder Peter had left on his desk.

  The numbers that had been quoted were much higher than David had expected. Clearly, they hadn’t missed him much, no matter how many times they said otherwise. He had a few things he wanted to change, but otherwise, he was thrilled. Peter was definitely in need of a raise after everything he’d done in David’s absence.

  By the time Peter got back from lunch, David had approved raises for several of his top employees, and a bonus for Peter as well. It just had to be sent through HR, and he’d announce it the week before Christmas at their annual party. A party he’d told himself he would skip—until now.

  Peter set a bag of Chinese food on David’s desk. “Here’s your lunch. I’d stay and chat, but I have a few things that need to get done.”

  “That’s fine. I have a few things to do as well.” David pulled out the contents of the bag and arranged them on the desk.

  “All right. And David? I’m glad you’re back. Sorry for everything that happened.” Peter walked to the door, oblivious to the pain that hit David in the stomach.

  David sighed. “Thanks.”

  * * *

  It was later than David would have liked when he finally left the office. He shivered as he made his way out to his truck. The brisk winter weather had only gotten colder while he’d been working.

  The pickup groaned as it started it up, and lurched as he backed out of the spot. There were few cars still in the garage, like David had hoped. The fewer people he had to run into, the better. He couldn’t handle even the slightest chance of someone bringing up his wife. It wasn’t that Peter had meant to hurt him, but it was still raw.

  The snow had begun falling again, and David could only see a few feet in front of him as he made his way out of the city. He turned on the radio to keep him alert, but every station played Christmas music. Her favorite.

  David was grateful to pull into the church parking lot at last. He hoped the meeting wouldn’t go too long so he could get home. This was the longest he’d been out of the house since he’d moved, and he could feel the anxiety creeping up on him.

  Warmth washed over him as he walked inside the small church. Candles lined the room, and there were no other people sitting in the pews.

  “Ah, there you are. I was wondering if you would come.” Reverend Smith came forward to shake David’s hand and led him into his office.

  David sat in the chair across from the pastor. “Sorry about that. The snow didn’t help much.”

  Reverend Smith laughed. “I can imagine.”

  “So what did you want to talk to me about?” David shifted in his seat, uncomfortable.

  “I wanted to see how you are doing. I know you’ve been out and about to go running, but that’s all I’ve seen. Frankly, David, I’m worried about you. Sarah wouldn’t have wanted you to suffer like this.” His eyes were sad.

  David clenched his fists. The reverend had never even met Sarah, but he’d heard about her not long after David had moved in. He forced himself to calm down, and sighed.

  “I know. I’m trying.” He ran his fingers through his hair.

  “It’s hard to get past losing a loved one.” The reverend stared at the desk in front of him. “But if we don’t move on, we’re not allowing ourselves to heal, and that helps no one.”

  David leaned forward. “You’ve lost someone?”

  “Yes. I was married once. She was the love of my life. I let her loss get the best of me, and I became very bitter. It wasn’t until I learned that service was the only thing that would help get past the grief that I was able to move on. Now I’m able to serve in a capacity I never thought possible.”

  “So you want me to become a pastor?” David asked, his eyebrows raised.

  Reverend Smith laughed. “No. Not unless you want to, but I do think you could find a few ways to serve here.”

  David studied him for a moment. “What do you mean?”

  Reverend Smith sat back in his chair. “These old knees of mine won’t allow me to climb the stairs to the bell tower anymore. I miss the sound, and I would like someone to ring the bells for services every morning. All the instructions are up there, along with several choices of songs. Do you think that’s something you could do?”

  “Do I have to decide right now?” David asked. He knew the reverend was right, but that meant he’d have to leave his house more often than he had before.

  “No, just give me an answer on Sunday.”

  David nodded and stood. “Fair enough. I’ll get back to you.”

  “Thank you. Merry Christmas, David.” The reverend followed him out of the office.

  “Merry Christmas.” The words were bitter in his mouth. As he turned away, he bumped into a beautiful woman, knocking the money she’d been holding to the ground. He knelt and picked up the few coins to give back to her. Their eyes met, and he was mesmerized by her green eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

  Her smile lit up her face, and the dark circles under her eyes were almost unnoticeable. “It’s fine. I should have watched where I was going.”

  “I was the one who ran into you. Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yes, thank you. If you’ll please excuse me, I need to get back to my children.” She moved past David and walked over to Reverend Smith.

  David heard something about tithes as he walked past two children huddled in the doorway. They stared up at him, and he winked. They smiled back before turning away.

  The snow made it hard to see as David trudged out to his truck and grabbed a brush so he could clean the windshield. Snow had fallen in the few moments he’d been in the church. Before he climbed into the truck, he stared up at the bell tower that stood tall and proud. It was exposed to the elements, and that didn’t seem too appealing, but … Sarah would have loved the music.

  David sighed and drove away. Service. It shouldn’t have been such a novel concept to him, but he’d been used to doing everything for money. It was how he’d made his billions. But wasn’t that what Sarah had been arguing about in the car that night? He’d become too consumed by money and forgot the little things.

  The garage door stuck for a bit before finally opening slowly. David parked the truck and walked inside. He left his snowy shoes next to the door and changed into warm pajamas before climbing into bed. He rolled over, picked up his phone, and typed in a few words.

  I’ll ring the bells for you. And thank you for the opportunity.

  Chapter Two

  Lily woke to the coughs from her oldest, Mary. She climbed out of bed and wrapped her blanket around her shoulders. She’
d need to find a way to pay for more gas for the house. It was too cold in here for her children. At least they’d be warm at school the next day. She went into Mary’s room and climbed into bed with her.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. Come here.” She brushed Mary’s hair away from her face. “It’s nearly morning.”

  “I’m cold, Mommy.” Mary snuggled in closer.

  “I know.” Lily kissed the top of Mary’s head. “Just sleep. We’ll find a way to warm our house, okay? I’ll make this better. Christmas is coming, so people will be out shopping and they'll need a place to eat.”

  Mary nodded, and soon, her breathing slowed. She coughed again, but didn’t stir. Lily stared off into the dark, remembering how it had been before. She’d been able to afford whatever Mary and Patrick had wanted, but then things at the diner had gone downhill. Now all of the money was put into paying off store expenses, leaving her nothing to pay bills at home. If they could just get past this cold spell, it wouldn’t be so bad. Lily pushed the thought away that it wasn’t even Christmas yet. It’d be a long time before winter was over, and so far, it had been harsh. If it kept going, they’d have to go to the church to ask for help.

  It was something that Lily wanted to avoid. She wanted to show she could do this on her own. Her mind drifted back to the man she’d met in the church. She’d seen him jogging past her home a few times, but had never seen him in church. He was handsome, and from the clothes he wore, the rumors were probably true that he was a billionaire. Far beyond her league.

  * * *

  “Bye! I’ll see you two after school.” Lily smiled and waved as Mary and Patrick ran into the building. They waved back before disappearing inside.

  Lily made her way to the family diner and smiled at her customers as she walked to the office to grab her apron.