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    Tinsel in a Tangle
    Tinsel in a Tangle
    Tinsel in a Tangle
    Ebook90 pages1 hour

    Tinsel in a Tangle

    By Ainslie Paton

    ()

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    About this ebook


    A Christmas story that packs a punch...

    It's Shelby Yule's job to make sure the office Christmas party is a success. That means no dodgy Kris Kringle presents, no one gets too sloshed, and there are definitely no dance floor injuries. Never did she think she'd have to worry about the shy new guy, her inappropriate crush, starting a fight.

    Adam Tide can't help it if his job as the lead coder means he has a better relationship with his project management software than his human colleagues, but that doesn't mean he's unaware of Felix, head of HR, and the way he treats Shelby. Adam has suffered a whole twelve months of Felix being a dick and after one over–warm beer he just can't take it anymore.

    Decking Felix lands Adam in the Emergency Room, and likely the unemployment line, but since Shelby's New Year's resolution is to go after what she wants most, there's still a chance this season will be jolly.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers Australia
    Release dateOct 1, 2018
    ISBN9781489265869
    Tinsel in a Tangle
    Author

    Ainslie Paton

    Ainslie Paton always wanted to write stories to make people smile, but the need to eat, accumulate books, and have bedclthes to read under was ever present. She sold out, and worked as a flack, a suit, and a creative, ghosting for business leaders, rebel rousers, and politicians, and making words happen for companies, governments, causes, conditions, high-profile CEOs, low-profile celebs, and the occasional misguided royal. She still does that. She also writes for love.

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      Book preview

      Tinsel in a Tangle - Ainslie Paton

      Adam: Now

      The only jingle bells Adam heard were the ones ringing in his ears.

      That was a relief after suffering through Bing, Frank, Elvis, Madonna, and Mariah—even if it was a sign of concussion.

      It could be concussion. The nurse said he wasn’t allowed to leave casualty until someone saw to him, and that meant waiting until the muttering drunk guy, the Santa with a buggered knee, the woman wearing reindeer antlers, and the two little kids in candy cane PJs had been attended to.

      It could be a long night.

      It hurt to open his right eye and his left eye was swollen closed. His neck felt like a sumo wrestler had been trampolining on it, and there was blood all over his shirt. His brow might need stitching. His hands weren’t shaking to look at, but deep inside the bones were clattering together like knives in a shaken cutlery drawer.

      He’d never gotten into a physical fight before. He wasn’t made that way. Books over brawling; movies before mauling, almost anything before being aggressive. Even assertive was sometimes too flagrant an attitude. It was no surprise he got on better with his workflow software than he did with his office mates, but tonight he’d discovered his tolerance had a limit, and he’d tripped over it with twelve months of aggravation stored up in his fists.

      Felix might look like he was made of thick crust pizza dough, but he punched like a character in Sniper Elite 4. That’s why Adam’s arse was sore. He’d hit the floor so hard he’d bounced, but he hadn’t stayed there. He didn’t like the view, Felix standing over him like he bloody owned the place and everyone in it. Also legs, a lot of legs, a lot of bare legs in tall heels and short party dresses providing quite the unlooked for opportunity for up-skirting, had that been a thing he’d ever thought about doing.

      Odd that he thought about it now. That’s how radically out of order this situation was. He really should be focused on whether he had enough money for an Uber ride home, and what the hell he was he was going to do Monday morning when they gave him the flick.

      Felt like he’d gone thirty rounds with Felix while Mariah sang about what she wanted for Christmas. Probably only lasted thirty seconds. Mariah was warbling youooooo when he’d put Felix down.

      And Felix had stayed there.

      Man, they sure knew how to throw a wowzer of a year-end party at LuxLife. Shame Adam’s first would be his last. They could forgive Karaoke mic hogging, bum photocopying, those beef jerky edible undies and sex toys in the Kris Kringle, but Adam was pretty sure decking the head of HR was a sackable offence.

      Things were already grim, and then the only person in the company he’d rather lose a limb for than disappoint walked in to St Vincent’s.

      There could only be one reason for her to be here. His Christmas present was going to come with unemployment benefits, like not being able to pay his rent.

      Shelby left a space between them and sat in the next orange plastic bucket seat in the connected row. She still wore holly in her hair and Christmas tree earrings, and she smelled like spice and vanilla, a human version of a delicious warm pudding. A reminder of good things year-round.

      He tried to straighten up, but he’d been here over an hour already and he was moulded to the chair and everything hurt, but nothing more than the pinched concern on Shelby’s face. He kept his own face averted and tried to focus on the blue and silver twists of tinsel strung along the opposite wall and the assorted non-farm animals in the nativity scene. There was a T-Rex, a Porg and a Groot watching over a Lego baby Jesus.

      ‘Are you okay?’ she asked.

      He didn’t have to wait till Monday. He was going to get sacked in the casualty department of St Vincent’s hospital at 10.00pm a week before Christmas, while wondering if it was his wonky eyes and concussed brain or was Joseph really a Mr. Spock doll?

      This sucked mightily, and he hated Shelby seeing him this way, but he’d brought it on himself. Might was well get it over with. ‘You didn’t have to come.’

      ‘Someone had to check on you.’

      ‘Not you.’ Urgh, said that aloud, really, really didn’t mean to, especially while sounding shitty when contrite was more fitting. None of this was Shelby’s fault.

      ‘Why not me?’ she said.

      Because she was going to ask why he’d hit Felix and he’d have to lie because the reason would make no sense to her and that would make this whole wrong episode of decking the halls even more pointless than it already was. ‘I’d have thought someone, you know, on the executive team would need to do it.’

      ‘Well, it would’ve been Felix, but he’s somewhat incapacitated at the moment due to excessive Christmas cheer.’

      That was a strange way of putting it. He’d half expected Felix to arrive at St Vincent’s too. ‘Is he all right?’ The guy had dropped, out cold.

      ‘He’ll have a black eye and a headache but he’s fine. No stitches required.’

      Adam rocked forward and peered at the ground. It was a relief to hear Felix was okay. He could swear his tailbone creaked right before two fat ruby drops of blood fell to the puke coloured flooring between his feet. He straightened up again and used the gingerbread men tea towel he’d swiped from the kitchen to mop his head.

      He was a triple threat: assault, battery and theft. Ho, ho, ho.

      He should look at Shelby, but he didn’t think he was strong enough to take her disappointment even if he only had one working eye to see it with. He smudged the blood droplets with his foot. ‘Might as well get on with it then.’

      ‘Do you need anything? Can I call someone for you?’

      She couldn’t be kind. He didn’t want her to be kind. She was always kind and fair and sensible. Always had a smile, always made you feel better. A sweetheart, everyone said so. He never had though. Never had the guts to openly admit how much he liked her for her sweetness and her strength. If she was kind now, then fuck, it might be

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