“Of course. I’m already so grateful for everything you’ve done,” Vera said, her emotions unusually raw for once.


    She clutched the business card in her hand, holding onto it as if it were herst lifeline.


    She’d lost count of how many times she’d thanked her lucky stars for joining thispany. She was grateful, too, that she’d worked hard enough <i>to </i>grab hold of the opportunity Alessia had given her, climbing her way to where she was now.


    Without Alessia, there was no way she could have afforded her mother’s medical bills on her old sry.


    “That’s all for today. If you don’t have anything else to finish up, you can get ready to head out for the holiday. Happy New Year.”


    “You too–happy New Year.” Vera looked at the woman eight years her junior, feeling more respect than anything else.


    With thest contract signed, the year’s whirlwind of work finally came to a close–for now. Alessia stretched, gathered her things, and made her way out of the office. Cole was already waiting for her downstairs.


    “Hard day?” Cole wrapped her in a hug, ruffling her hair before handing over the cup of coffee he’d brought.


    “All finished with the Whitley Group?” Alessia took a sip. It was hot, but not too


    sweet.


    She nced at him–he’d asked for less sugar, just how she liked it.


    “Yeah, they let us off yesterday. I went with Larkin this morning to tie up a few loose ends. You done here?”


    ?ole draped his scarf <i>around </i>Alessia’s neck and opened the car door for her.


    “Done,” Alessia replied, buckling her seatbelt.


    “By the way, my <i>mom </i>wants <i>you </i><i>to </ie over for dinner for New Year’s. I figured we could eat lunch at our ce first, then head over to the Dawsons‘ tonight to wish them a happy New Year–what do you think?”


    “…Sure, sounds good.” Cole hesitated for a second, but quickly slipped back into his usual self.


    <i>1/2 </i>


    12:37


    “Any other ns this afternoon?” Cole asked.


    Alessia thought for a moment, then shook her head.


    “Then after lunch, how about we stop by the supermarket for some holiday groceries? We can drop off some things for your parents and the Dawsonster.”


    “How about business gifts? Did you get those sorted?”


    “Larkin’s already confirmed all of that–deliveries will go out over the next couple of days. There are a few clients I’ll need to visit in person, but that’s separate. For your family and the Dawsons, I thought it’d mean more if we picked something out ourselves.”


    When Parrish was still around, he and Cole used to handle all these details. Now, Cole had moved far beyond those early days when he’d been overwhelmed by little tasks like these. He managed everything with calm efficiency.


    “Nicely done,” Alessia said, giving Cole a yful pat on the head, like she was praising a kid.


    Cole grinned and, with a fond squeeze of her cheek, started the car.


    The Morton family had recently moved into a new house–far bigger than the old one. The eldest and youngest siblings rarely came home, so two shared a room while everyone else had their own. Alessia and Cole were both surprised when the Mortons set aside a bedroom just for Cole.


    Their reasoning was simple: so he’d feel wee toe for dinner more often.


    After the move, Alessia returned to live with her family. Not because she or her parents objected to her staying with Cole, but because Cole himself had suggested <ol><li>it. </li></ol>


    In his words: “We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us. There’s no rush. You should spend more time with your family.”


    Alessia didn’t want to move back, but after Cole’s gentle insistence, she finally relented–though she still spent plenty of her free time at the Whitleys‘ ce.


    Sometimes Cole came by for dinner, and if it rante, he’d just stay over. Gradually, little traces of him began to appear around the Morton house, as if he belonged there too.


    212


    <b>12:37 </b>