Christmas Overnighted Read online

  Andy sighed. “No, she despises gifts. Coffee is a good one, no hot chocolate. She loves chocolate, don't get me wrong, but hot cocoa reminds her too much of the holidays, and she’s against them entirely.”

  He wondered why Cora would be against the holidays but didn't think it was the right time to ask. “Thanks for the advice.”

  He left, and Andrea sat down to get back to work.

  “Andy?”

  “Holy balls!” Andy shouted as she spun around. “You can’t sneak up on me like that, Cora.” With her hand on her heart, she looked up at her boss standing behind her chair. Her desk was about seven feet away from Cora’s office door and she’d never heard her coming.

  “Were you flirting with that poor man again? Is there something I need to know? You aren't having trouble at home, are you?” Cora fired off questions so rapidly Andy almost couldn't keep up.

  “No, Cora, I was just speaking to him, one human being to another. He’s nice.”

  Cora narrowed her eyes. “You’ve said that before.”

  “Well, it’s true. Unbend, Cora. It’ll be okay.” She went back to work, and she guessed she’d been the one to dismiss Cora for a change.

  It was later on in the break room when Andy and Cora ended up talking about Warren again.

  “Why do you bring him up so often?” Cora was positive there was something going on, and it irritated her that she couldn't figure out what.

  “He’s here every day. All the straight women in the office have the hots for him. It seems weird that you don’t care at all.” Andy poured herself a cup of coffee and refused to think about how much she’d already had for the day.

  “Why should I care about the delivery man, in particular? I’m pleasant enough to him during our interactions.” Cora debated with herself over also having more coffee, but settled on a bottle of water.

  “It’s not that you should care specifically, it just seems like you never put yourself out there anymore. You’re all about work. You live it and breathe it.” Andy blew on the coffee. “When was the last time you did something for yourself?”

  She had a point, but Cora was stubborn. It had to be wrong to have a fling with someone that was technically employed by the company, in a roundabout way. “I’m not looking to hook up with someone if that’s what you mean. I’m too old for that shit.”

  “Pfft. You're never too old, first off. Second, why the hell not? What are you, thirty?”

  Cora focused on her bottle of water like she’d been lost in the desert for days and was dehydrated. She was thirty-two. Finally, she said, “I don’t have a good reason, I guess. It simply feels wrong.”

  “Think about it. I only want you to be happy, in whatever way that is for you.” Andy patted Cora on the arm and left the break room.

  Cora thought about what Andy said. She thought about it so much that she found herself thinking of nothing else. She pictured Warren with his tan skin in the middle of winter in Maine. She pictured his arms without the uniform jacket, even going so far as to picture him shirtless. She imagined that his chest was well-defined with a thin trail of hair running from his navel down to the top edge of his pants.

  “Cora?”

  She was brought back to her senses by Warren’s baritone voice. Caught daydreaming, her tone was more clipped than she’d intended. “Can I help you?”

  He was in her doorway with a to-go cup of coffee in one hand, the signature pad and a large envelope marked with the delivery service’s logo in the other. “I have a delivery, and I thought you might like a cup of coffee to give you a boost in the middle of the day.”

  She felt horrible for being so abrupt with him. She tried to inject warmth into her voice. “That was very thoughtful of you. Thanks.”

  He set everything in his hands on the edge of her desk. “If you could sign here, I’ll get out of your way.”

  He sounded stiff for the first time since she’d met him, and she figured that was how

  she normally spoke to him. She also figured it was for the best. She signed and let him leave without further conversation. Once he’d left, she picked up the coffee and took a careful sip. Thoughts of him drugging her went through her mind, but the odds were pretty slim. She knew who he worked for and how to track him down, and her building had security cameras that would show him bringing it to her. It was good coffee, still hot, and she closed her eyes for a brief second as she savored it.

  “That was bad,” Andy said as she stood in the doorway.

  “It was professional. Let it be, Andy.” She picked up the envelope Warren had delivered and set about opening it to read the contents.

  “Stop ignoring me.”

  Cora looked up at Andrea with a frown on her face. “Seriously? Get back to work.”

  Andy grumbled and went back to her desk. Cora continued to peruse the documents in front of her until Julia showed up in the doorway.

  “Hey, Cora.”

  She looked up at the older woman who had been her friend since shortly after Cora started working there. Julia was a widow that sported gray hair with pride. She was short, only five-two to Cora’s five-nine, but she had a big personality. Julia was the one to encourage Cora to apply for the promotion to vice president.

  She smiled brightly, relieved that it was Julia and not Andy coming to bother her again. “Hey, Jules. What can I do for you?”

  “I wanted to invite you over for dinner tonight. Nothing fancy, but my treat.” Julia hoped that Cora couldn't see through her invitation.

  “Okay.” Cora looked at the clock. “I should be able to get out of here by six-thirty. Is that good?”

  “Yep.” Julia went back to her desk, plotting how she would subtly bring up dating at dinner that evening.

  The day flew by, as they often did. Cora worked harder than the others in upper management because she felt like she had something to prove as the only female in a position of authority. Once she met her self-imposed deadline she left the office to slog through the recurring flurry of snow. She managed to get to Julia’s at seven, which wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

  Julia let her in with a smile on her face. “I made spaghetti, hope that works for you.”

  “Of course.” Cora stomped the snow off her boots on the mat outside and then went about removing all her outerwear once she was in the foyer. “You didn't have to cook, I could have picked something up.”

  Julia shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. You know I miss cooking for my kids.”

  “Are they coming in for Hanukkah this year?” Cora asked. Julia had taught Cora everything about observing the Jewish holidays. It was a lot of information to remember, but she thought she did all right. It was important to her as her friend and as her boss to understand her religion and the reasons behind the days Julia took off from work.

  “They sure are. It’ll be nice to have a full house.”

  The two went to the eat-in kitchen where Julia served wine and spaghetti. Cora inhaled the spicy red sauce. “Thanks for this. I have such a bad habit of sitting home alone and eating a poor excuse for a meal.”

  “Actually,” Julia said as casually as she could. She paused to scoop up some noodles. “I wanted to mention that very thing to you.”

  Cora paused with her fork near her mouth. “You bamboozled me.”

  Julia laughed. “I invited my friend over for dinner to talk to her about being lonely all the time.” Her face grew serious. “I know about loneliness, hon. I don't want that for you.”

  Cora reached out and touched Julia’s hand. “You don't date, either, you know.”

  “I had my prince. I don't want to look for second best. I’ve had a few dates, but it’s not worth it. Besides, I’m much older than you.” Julia put down her fork and raised her wine glass in a mock salute.

  Cora sat back. “I’m not terribly interested in dating right now.”

  “You're pushing yourself at work. I know you feel you have something to prove, but don't forget that if there’s nobody
to celebrate those successes with, life is less joyful.” She took a sip of her wine and tried not to get emotional over the memories of the thirty years she’d been blessed to share with her late husband.

  “I can celebrate them with you, Julia.” Cora was not ready to budge on the topic; she considered it a closed subject.

  Julia sighed. “That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  Cora made a disgruntled sound. “I have no interest in sharing anything with anybody, except maybe you. Can we let it drop?”

  “For now.”

  Four

  Despite stubbornly refusing to listen to what her coworkers were telling her, Cora found that Warren was a nice guy. If she’d hurt his feelings the time he brought in the coffee, he didn't let it slow him down. He was as cheery the next day as ever. Unfortunately for him, he was singing a Christmas carol.

  “Ugh. Can you please not sing that in here?” Cora looked over the delivery pad before signing and tried her best to ignore his song choice.

  “Why, do you not like my voice?” he said in a teasing tone.

  She liked his voice very much. It was a smooth baritone that suited him. She didn't want to admit that it caused tingles in her fingertips that translated into a need to touch. If she wasn't being stubborn, she would want to run her hands through his thick, wavy hair. She would want to test whether his mouth was as skilled as she assumed it was. She would want to find out what kind of muscles he had under that uniform shirt.

  Too bad she was determined to stay away from any man, even one she was finding herself attracted to.

  “I’m not fond of anything related to Christmas, that’s all,” Cora responded to his question.

  He remembered Andy saying something to that effect. “Who doesn't like Christmas?”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Me.”

  He decided to leave that alone since it sounded like a minefield he didn't want to tiptoe through quite yet. “I can sing something else if you’d like,” he said with a grin.

  “No, thanks.”

  He shrugged. “Your loss, then.”

  “I’ll live.” She finished her perusal of the forms he’d delivered. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Warren took that as a clear dismissal. “See you tomorrow.”

  It was the tenth of December, and Cora had still managed not to hear an entire carol. Quick reflexes in the car and knowing which restaurants to pick were the way she avoided them. She hadn't had a sip of hot chocolate since the beginning of November, when it couldn't be construed as holiday hot cocoa, and there wasn't so much as one strand of tinsel in her home.

  She considered her mission to avoid all things Christmas a success.

  Andy tried to talk to her again about opening up to men, but Cora shut her down. Andy was worried that Cora would never find the happiness she shared with her spouse. It bothered her so much that she thought about it after work and decided to seek advice.

  “Rachel, was it so bad being single before you met me?”

  Andy’s wife looked up from where she was stirring their dinner on the stove. “I didn't enjoy it, but it wasn’t the worst thing. Why?”

  Andy gave her a kiss on the cheek. “It’s just that Cora is the loneliest person I know, and I wonder if I’m wrong to attempt to set her up with someone. There shouldn’t be anything wrong with choosing to be single.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with it if that’s what she truly wants. If she’s happy being alone, you shouldn’t push her.” Rachel turned off the heat and set the lid from the pot in the sink while Andrea got bowls.

  “That’s what’s nagging at me. I don't know if she’s actually happy or faking it because she’s afraid of getting burned again.”

  They sat at the table with their food and continued their conversation.

  Andy said, “I was miserable. I need companionship, you know that. I don't like being solitary.”

  “I remember.” Rachel smiled lovingly.

  “It wasn't terrible for me, but I wasn't fulfilled. Maybe it’s more about meeting the one person you can’t live without.”

  “You’ve got a good point.”

  Andy wound up thinking too much about her boss as the night wore on. If Warren wasn't the right one for Cora, then Andy had no right to keep pushing them together.

  Five

  Warren was enjoying interacting with the customers on his route. Most were in a cheerful mood, and some gave him holiday treats. The women were known to be effusive in their attention, but he could handle them, for the most part. Cora was a little stiff and formal compared to the rest of his delivery clients, sending the clear message that she was career-minded and not interested in idle chit-chat. He could get on board with that, except for the fact that he wanted to know more about her. There was something inexplicable about that woman that wouldn't let him walk away without at least a full conversation. Their stunted discussions were like a teaser to what they would enjoy if only she would soften toward him. She didn't appear to be completely repulsed by his presence, or he would have moved on already.

  “How’s the family?” he asked on December twelfth. “Excited for the holidays?” She snorted, making him look up. “What?”

  “What is this?” She waved between the two of them as he unloaded boxes into her office.

  “I believe it’s called small talk.” He smirked at her before moving another box over to her supply closet. It wasn't in his job description; he was only supposed to slip it all off the handcart and move on after the signature.

  “I hate Christmas, and my parents live in Florida and New York.” She answered him with clipped words, but he had a feeling it was more about the subject than the fact that it was him she was speaking with.

  “Like two homes?”

  “Like they’re divorced and have one home each, yes.” She watched him work from under her lashes and found herself admiring the thighs that were thick enough to make his gray pants strain to contain them. He squatted every time he lifted a box and again when he lowered it. Cora swallowed as his pants caressed his ass.

  “You ever visit either of them this time of year?”

  His words brought her eyes up and away from his pants. “I’m too busy this time of year to travel.”

  “Oh.” He set the last box inside the closet and moved to get his signature pad. “Why do you hate Christmas?”

  “Everything about it reminds me of my childhood, and not in a nostalgic way.” She signed and held out the tablet, but almost wished she could keep him talking. She liked the sound of his voice.

  He took the tablet, but she didn’t let it go. “Huh. I guess I can see that. Me, I love Christmas. I start listening to carols in October.”

  Her face fell in disbelief and she lost her grip on the tablet. He held it lazily by his side. “You're kidding me.”

  “Nope.” He grinned and it caused her belly to flop over. “Right after Halloween I get my decorations out and go through them.”

  “Wow.” She put one hand on her chest. “That hurts my cold heart, right there.” She tapped her fingers.

  He chuckled. “I doubt you have a cold heart.”

  “My nickname is Scrooge, but sometimes I get Grinch.”

  “Ouch. That’s pretty hardcore.” He squinted at her, thinking that there was no way she truly was a Scrooge or a Grinch, not based on the things he’d observed over the past few weeks.

  She nodded, knowing he had to go. “Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  At the end of the day, Julia asked Cora if she wanted to come over to watch Miracle on 34th Street. Cora stared her down until she mumbled that they could watch any movie,

  really. Cora agreed, but only to get out of her house and under the solemn promise that Julia would not coerce her into watching a holiday movie. Even Julia had succumbed to the most endearing of Christmas classics on occasion, but she understood her boss and friend felt differently about it all.

  It was pleasant to get out of the house and not be a
lone, but Cora preferred the ease of solitude. She could be lazy or sloppy or eat junk, and there was nobody to judge her. She could watch trash on TV and nobody was there to tell her to change the channel.

  Unfortunately, there was also nobody to go to bed with, to curl up with, or to wake up to. It was a juggle to have the career she wanted and loved and to find the time to date. Even harder was finding someone that didn't mind her quirks and flaws. Cora had been set up on too many blind dates through coworkers and friends, and she inevitably ended up with narcissists or serial cheaters. There was one guy that made it obvious he was doing her a favor by being seen in public with her. That one ended mid-meal. There was another guy that her mother recommended to her through a friend of hers that lived in the city near Cora. He’d had plenty of potential, so much so that she’d started buying bridal magazines and hiding them, but then she found out he’d been sleeping with another woman. She didn't have time for unfaithful men. She didn't think she had time for a man at all.

  After the movie, Cora went back to her tiny house. She kept thinking she should upgrade to a bigger house since she was earning a good salary, but she didn't have the energy for a realtor. Maybe after the new year, she’d make it a priority. When the holidays were over and she wasn't as busy, she would need a hobby outside of work. Or maybe a cat. Something to keep her from wallowing or working long hours to avoid wallowing. The remainder of the night was spent in front of the TV with a bowl of Easy Mac in her flannel pajamas and woolly socks.

  The next day, Cora was running late for work. It was a rare occurrence, one that only came about when the snow was especially heinous.

  “I hate snow!”

  One of her neighbors laughed, and she flushed at being caught grumbling. She didn't realize anyone else was outside. She gave them a half wave as she scraped ice and snow from her windshield and then had to shovel part of the street to unearth her front wheels. She knew what she would look for in her next home, and that was a garage. Streetside parking had its flaws, and the biggest was the pile-up of snow after the plow went through.