"REALLY?" NAT asked, thrown off guard by the strong, masculine voice on the other end of the line.
But she quickly recovered. She wasn't the romance-novel-addicted teen of yesteryear, and a sexy voice over the phone didn't make her go weak in the knees anymore.
Okay, maybe a little.
Who was this guy, anyway?
Zoe and Jecca were staring at her, their Chinese food forgotten. Nat grabbed a napkin and a pen, and scribbled two words: Cyrus Blackstone.
She raised the napkin. Her friends stared at it, confused. Then Zoe took out her smartphone and started typing.
"Absolutely," the sexy voice continued. "Leah and her prior employers speak very highly of you."
Nat scoured her brain for info. Leah was the woman she had been talking to. At first Nat thought she was Mr. Blackstone's assistant, but Leah's voice when referring to the kids had sounded very possessive. Maybe she was the nanny?
"She said she worked for the Hagens," Nat replied. "I very much enjoyed working with them."
That was not entirely accurate. Mary Hagen was a woman of exacting standards who knew exactly how she wanted things and wouldn't settle for anything less than her idea of perfect. Working for her was exhausting.
But Nat remembered the nanny—a young British girl with enormous patience who had kept the Hagen kids on a tight leash.
"And they were very impressed with you," Cyrus replied, his voice as sweet as honey. "They are so sad they can't stay in the Grand Lodge this year."
Zoe gave a low wolf whistle as she stared at her phone.
"What?" Nat mouthed, putting her phone on mute.
Zoe raised her own phone. The photograph on the screen featured a strikingly handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes and a glamorous blonde hanging on his arm.
"And when they told me about you," Cyrus continued. "I knew you were the answer to my prayers."
Oh, this man did not intend to take no for an answer. Best to nip this in the bud. She never took last minute jobs, as they were a recipe for failure.
Not to mention that she had a prior engagement.
"I am deeply flattered," Nat said. "And I wish I could help you, but I have long-standing vacation plans."
Zoe swiped her phone, revealing a gossip column clipping.
"Millionaire Blackstone in shock divorce," Nat read under her breath. "Socialite Wife Absconds with German Prince."
Zoe's smirk said it all. She kept on scrolling, unveiling reams of coverage about Lillian Blackstone's affair. A dalliance which had not lasted long, as the former Mrs. Blackstone was now dating an elderly Russian oligarch.
Nat felt an involuntary twinge of sympathy, but that did not dent her resolve.
"I hear you're going to Mexico," Cyrus said, his voice as smooth as aged whisky.
"Yes," Nat replied, feeling wary. "I have non-refundable tickets, you see."
There was more than that, of course. This Mexico trip had special significance for her, but she wasn't going to share that with a stranger.
"And I have two kids who were just ditched by their mother practically on Christmas Eve," Cyrus said. "I have no plans because they haven't spent Christmas with me in years."
"Well," Nat said, trying to contain her sympathy. "It's not that I don't want to help—"
"The Hagens said that they spent their best Christmases ever in Holiday Lake," Cyrus continued. "That's what I want for my children. The perfect Christmas."
"I understand," Nat said. "That's what everyone wants, even though it's not that easy."
"But you can make it happen."
The man's confidence in her was flattering. "Yes, but—"
"I am prepared to triple your regular fee."
Triple? Nat's eyes went wide.
The Christmas Queen didn't come cheap. Three times her standard fee was a lot of money. Of course, she would have to spend part of it—
"Expenses will be covered, of course," Cyrus added. "I imagine last minute sourcing will be expensive."
Triple her fee with expenses covered? That would more than cover her nonrefundable vacation—
"And I will reimburse your vacation costs," Cyrus continued. "That goes without saying."
Nat's jaw dropped. No, it absolutely did not go without saying. Mr. Blackstone must be truly desperate.
"You know, I think I can do even better than that," Cyrus said. "It's going to be hard to schedule another holiday on short notice."
Actually, no, thought Nat. She'd just booked her trip a few minutes ago. It was easy, as long as your standards were low enough.
"And everyone needs a little escape now and then, no?" he continued in that silky, tempting voice. "After a while, one starts to feel trapped."
"Yes," Nat said, feeling as if this man was reading her mind. "That's absolutely right."
"But I can help," Cyrus explained. "I own a little hotel in Mexico called El Mirador."
Nat's heart stopped.
"You've probably never heard of it," Cyrus continued. "But the hotel was voted Best Beach Sand in the World in 2013."
"Yes," Nat confessed in a quiet voice. "I've heard of it."
"I keep a beachfront suite," Cyrus said. "In a few days, you'll be sinking your toes in the warm sand and soaking in the rays."
Nat found herself hesitating. Her all-inclusive was nice...
But it wasn't El Mirador.
"She's buckling," Jecca whispered to Zoe.
"She's a push-over," Zoe replied. "Always has been. She was done when she heard about the kids."
Nat straightened. "Mr. Blackstone," she said firmly. "I'm sure you can get someone else—"
"Sure, but you are the best," Cyrus said. "And that's what I need for my children."
She couldn't deny that, could she? Holiday Lake was Christmastown and she was, after all, the Christmas Queen.
And she could do it. It would be hard to plan and provide a blockbuster holiday in a day, but if anyone could do it, she could.
She took a breath. "Very well, I'll do it."
"Told ya," Jecca whispered to Zoe.
Nat ignored them, grabbing another napkin, so she could write things down. "When do you expect to arrive at the Grand Lodge?"
She winced as he gave her the details. It would be a five-day vacation, and she had to decorate, arrange for food, and come up with activities for the kids. Mercifully, it would just be Cyrus, the two children, and nanny Leah.
Four people. She could do this.
"Thank you," Cyrus said, his voice thick with relief. "I'll owe you for this."
Nat stared at her napkin, picturing the epic to-do list she would have now. "Yes, you will."
Cyrus laughed. It was a nice sound. "I'll throw in complimentary margaritas at El Mirador."
"All I can drink complimentary margaritas," Nat corrected.
"You drive a hard bargain, Ms. Quinn," Cyrus chuckled. "See you tomorrow."
"Yes, tomorrow," Nat replied, her voice a tad shaky.
But Cyrus didn't notice. He'd already hung up.
She looked up to find Zoe and Jecca staring at her in disbelief.
"You gave up Mexico?" Jecca asked, eyes wide.
"No," Nat replied. "I only delayed it for a few days."
"But Christmas in a day?" Zoe asked. "Are you serious?"
"I can do it," Nat said, in the most confident tone she could muster.
"The Grand Lodge is huge," Jecca noted. "The Hagens asked me to do a gingerbread model two years ago. It took me weeks."
"I've decorated that house before," Nat replied. "I did it for one of the movies that filmed in town last year. It's achievable."
"In one day?" Jecca exclaimed, absentmindedly finishing off the last egg roll.
"Yes," Nat replied, trying not to panic. "It's doable."
"You'll need a tree," Zoe said. "A big one."
"Yes," Nat agreed.
The Grand Lodge had a humongous two-story living room with tall windows. In the past, Nat had ordered the tree far ahead of time. A tree that tall was hard to find.
Luckily, her mom could call her boyfriend, Joel—
A thought struck her.
Wait a minute.
She glanced up. Zoe and Jecca were exchanging a look, and their expressions did not bode well.
"You were saying something before the phone rang," Nat said. "Something about my mom."
Zoe started cleaning up the Styrofoam containers.
Jecca looked at her wristwatch dramatically. "My, look at the time," she said, grabbing her coat. "I'd better go."
"Stop," Nat shouted.
Her friends froze.
"No one is going anywhere," Nat said. "Now, what's going on with my mom?"