A Season of Miracles

“And I’m really trying to finish up and get out of here today.”

“I’m really here on an errand of mercy.”

“Oh?” she queried carefully.

“It’s Halloween. I didn’t want you going home alone. You know, poor little rich girl, all alone in the family mansion. That big old place where none of the rest of us are invited to live.”

She leaned back, grinning. “You are such a pathetic liar.”

“Well, in a way, but not really. I don’t want to live in the family mansion. I like my privacy. And believe it or not, the family fortune isn’t my bag, though I do like to live with a certain style.”

“Griff, I have no fear of you ever changing.”

He grinned. “I’m worthless, totally. And happy. And smart enough to be grateful.”

“You pretend to be worthless, but you know you’re not. Anyway, I need to get out of here.”

“So you can sit by the fire like a little old lady and hand out candy to the kiddies? No. Ever since Milo died, you don’t do anything or go anywhere. It’s time for you to start doing things again. You’re not a mole. Not to mention, you’re far too young and…yes, good-looking. Why, Jillian, some people might even call you beautiful. Thanks to good family genes, of course. And right now all that beauty is just being wasted. You need to get out again.”

She felt a rush of air escape her. It was odd how life went on, but that, at strange moments, grief would come sailing back and, like a blanket, wrap itself around her. She had known what she was doing when she got married. She had always known she would lose Milo.

And she knew that Griff really was here to help her.

So she smiled. “For your information, I am going out.”

“A date?” he queried.

“Maybe.”

“With Robert Marston?” he asked carefully.

“Robert Marston?” she repeated impatiently.

Robert Marston had just started working for the company. He wore Armani just as well as Griff did, but he came with sharp, very dark eyes and, in Jillian’s opinion, a sharper—possibly darker—mind. He was handsome, intelligent, deep-voiced and very articulate. He had gone to school with Theo, and spent the past five years with one of the fastest-growing computer companies in the world. He was the type of man who walked into a room and drew attention. By his physical nature he seemed to exude authority.

She had felt wary of him from the moment she had first seen him—and that had actually been from quite a distance. She didn’t even know the color of those dark eyes of his. There had been far too many rumors flying about for her to willingly meet the man her grandfather had brought into the business.

Was he stepping on her cousins’ toes? Or were her cousins in agreement with the situation, content for Marston to be the one with the power? Somehow, she doubted it.

“Why on earth would you assume I’m going out with him?” she asked too sharply. She had wanted to convey courteous impatience. She was afraid that her tone had given away concern.

His grin told her that he had, indeed, heard far more than impatience in her voice. “Well, are you going out with him?”

“No, I haven’t even met him yet. I saw him across a room. And I don’t believe in going out with business associates.”

“So?”

“I’m going out with Connie.”

“With Connie?” he repeated. Was that relief she heard in his voice? Connie had been one of her best friends forever, way back to grade school. Connie was also her administrative assistant. And since it was such a family enterprise, Connie’s husband, Joe, also worked for the company. He was on Daniel’s staff.

“Yes, Connie and I are going out. As we do every Halloween,” she reminded him.

He dropped his teasing manner for a moment and looked at her seriously. “You’re really going to go—”

“Christmas shopping, yes.”

“As everyone does on Halloween,” he responded with a fine line of sarcasm.

“It’s a personal tradition,” she said with feigned indignation. It was a strange tradition, she knew, and it had started when they were little kids who went trick-or-treating together. Now Connie had two daughters, a dog, a cat, a bird and in-laws coming out the kazoo, so she traditionally started her Christmas shopping on October thirty-first, convinced that the best Christmas sales came on Halloween, when everyone was doing last-minute scrambling for a costume. They had a great time shopping, then going trick-or-treating with the girls, and then, usually, just spending the evening together checking out the acquired candy.

“All right,” Griff said. “Just so long as you’re really going out.”

“I really am.”

“Not to baby-sit or hand out candy.”

“No.” Her voice was steady. She wasn’t baby-sitting, and she wasn’t handing out candy.

“And you’re really going to have a good time.”

“Really.”

“Because if you came with me, I’d show you a good time, you know.”

“I’m sure you would.”

He slid off her desk at last, brushing her cheek with his fingertips. “I’d show you off to all my friends. You are gorgeous, you know.”

She caught his hand and squeezed it. “Thanks, Griff.”

“Oh, by the way, Daniel asked to see you. His office.”

“When?”

Griff looked at his watch. “Hmm…a while ago, I guess.”

“Griff, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing.” He placed his hands on her desk and leaned toward her again. “Why don’t you defy him? Just go home!”

“Because it might be important,” she said impatiently. She stood and walked past him.

“Hey, Jillian?”

She turned back.

“Happy Halloween. And merry Christmas shopping.”