Spread out on the coffee table in front of her were employee files and new Summer Adventure brochure proofs. It was December, but she was already thinking ahead to the next two seasons. His sister was one of the hardest working businesspeople he knew. Went to show, you didn’t need a fancy MBA from an Ivy League school to be successful.

“Rough night?” she asked.

“It was busy, but no more than usual this time of year.”

“You seem stressed and you don’t usually visit at 2:00 a.m., so what’s up?”

He sat on the couch. “Have you talked to Erika much since she left?”

Cassie closed her laptop, propping her sore foot onto the coffee table. True to his sister’s nature, she’d had the cast removed early, opting for a smaller boot that she refused to wear. Trying to tell her otherwise was pointless.

“No... She texted once to ask if she’d left a pair of gloves here...and once more to see how my foot was healing, but I haven’t heard from her in days.”

Disappointment in his sister’s voice matched how he was feeling.

“Right.”

“Look, I pretty much missed what was happening between you two, but judging by your shitty mood and the dark circles under your eyes, I’d say you’ve got it bad.”

He leaned back and rested his head against the couch cushions. “So bad.” He wouldn’t normally confess as much to his sister, but he needed her help. Unlike him, Cassie had been in love before. She’d experienced heartache. He just needed to know how to pull his head out of his ass and forget about Erika for a single moment.

“Well, Tank’s about to fire you, so you better get your head on straight.”

He blew out a long, slow breath. He’d been hoping for better advice than that. “Yeah, we talked.”

“You threw darts, you mean.” She rolled her eyes. “I swear that man thinks all of life’s solutions are hidden in that freaking dartboard.”

“Cass...can we focus on my fucked-up love life for a sec?”

“Fine. For a second,” she said, swatting his leg. “Okay, so what’s going on? She’s not available as much as you’d like?”

More like not available at all. “I’m not that clingy, Cass.”

“Well, didn’t she agree to come here for Christmas?” She pointed a finger at him. “To stay with you, I might add. I’m done with houseguests for at least a year.”

There was hope in his sister’s voice. Hope he’d almost given up on. “Yeah, but I’m not counting on it. She wasn’t kidding when she said she works every day of the week and long hours. We’ve barely talked at all lately and I haven’t asked her again about Christmas.”