Jingle All the Way Read online

  Lily used to tease her and claim Everly had been adopted. She might have believed it except the family resemblance was too strong. She had the same dark brown hair and brown eyes as the rest of her siblings. The same small curve in both her little fingers as all four of her siblings.

  Her father blew it off by saying Everly was a typical middle child. Perhaps she was. From her earliest memories she’d been driven to be the best. If her job was to weed a garden row, she did it faster and better than any of her siblings did. She got top grades, was voted the most likely to succeed in her high school class, and was granted a full-ride scholarship to the University of Indiana, graduating magna cum laude. Following graduation, she threw the entire force of her will and determination into getting Easy Home off the ground with Jack Campbell.

  In contrast, her two sisters had both married young and started their families, and her brothers had joined their father in the farming enterprise. They had little in common with their upcoming-business-executive sister. When she was home it was as if they didn’t have anything to talk about. Rose wasn’t interested in how exciting the low home mortgage rates were and Everly had a hard time being excited little Rosie was cutting her first tooth.

  “Are you going to answer the question?” her mother asked.

  “Sorry, Mom, my mind was elsewhere.”

  “Will you or will you not be home for Christmas?” her mother asked, getting right to the point.

  “Ah…home.” If her family learned that she had the entire month of December off and she skipped the holidays for a second year running, there would be consequences. “I’ll be home for sure.”

  “You promise?”

  “Cross my heart. As it is, I’m taking a few days off.”

  Her words seemed to shock her mother. “You’re taking a vacation?”

  “That’s what I just said.”

  “You don’t sound happy about it.”

  That much was true. “Jack insisted I needed time away because I’m stressed out and he isn’t far from wrong.”

  “Where do you plan to go?”

  “Somewhere tropical, I guess…perhaps a cruise.” She had never been one to idle away on a beach. The thought of all that wasted time depressed her. She didn’t suntan easily and she detested the idea of sweating in a swimsuit.

  “You make it sound like you’re heading off to Guantánamo.”

  Everly smiled. “I’m not showing the proper amount of enthusiasm, am I?”

  “You’re not.”

  “The thing is, I’m not convinced I should go. Jack isn’t as good at the business end of things as I am. I’m worried he’ll mess up one or several of the major deals we have in the works.”

  “Then let him. You’ve carried your load and his for far too long.”

  The truth shouldn’t feel this sharp. Her mother was right and Everly knew it. She’d gone back and forth on this vacation idea ever since Jack first mentioned it.

  “It’s up to you to make the most of this opportunity, Daisy,” her mother continued. “You can make yourself miserable worrying about Jack and the business, or you can have the time of your life. It’s up to you.”

  They ended the conversation with Everly promising to spend Christmas on the farm and a determination to take her mother’s words to heart.

  * * *

  —

  As soon as Everly made an appearance Tuesday morning, Annette hurried to greet her, smiling as if she held a winning lottery ticket in her hand.

  “I’m so grateful you’ve given me this chance to prove myself,” Annette said. “Uncle Jack said it was more than I deserve, and I want to thank you.” Her eyes sparkled with delight and were as round as the moon.

  Everly eyed her warily.

  “I found the perfect cruise for you.” Annette clapped her hands so excitedly, it surprised Everly she didn’t hop up and down. “There was a cancellation at the last minute and I grabbed it. You’re going to have such a great time.”

  “And where is this cruise?”

  “Brazil,” Annette shouted and thrust her arms in the air as if she were a referee declaring a touchdown.

  “Brazil,” Everly repeated. Not bad.

  Her smile deflated a little. “There’s only one small problem. It leaves on Saturday.”

  Everly automatically shook her head. “That’s impossible. I’d need shots and to get everything organized here at the office, plus pack.” Her head was spinning like a bowling ball heading toward the gutter. No way could she make all that happen.

  “That’s just it!” Annette declared excitedly. “I’ve taken care of everything. I’ve got you an appointment this afternoon for your shots and had the prescription for the malaria pills filled, and”—she stopped to take in a deep breath—“I contacted the Brazilian consulate and they have agreed to expedite your visa application.”

  Annette clasped her hands and waited as if she expected Everly to applaud.

  “Isn’t she wonderful,” Jack said, coming out of his office. He showed far more enthusiasm than Everly felt was necessary. “This is exactly what the doctor ordered.” He smiled at Annette. “Good job.”

  “Thank you, Uncle Jack. It’s refreshing to have someone believe in me.” She stared pointedly at Everly.

  It demanded effort for Everly not to roll her eyes.

  “I’ll go first thing on Friday morning to collect the travel documents,” Annette said, “so you won’t have a single thing to worry about.”

  The necessary shots were only part of what was needed. “What about my flight?”

  “Booked,” Annette announced, and shared a high five with her uncle. “I have you in business class, leaving O’Hare early Friday evening. Timing, unfortunately, is a tiny bit tight, but you should be able to make the ship when it sails Saturday afternoon.”

  Everly felt like everything was moving far too fast for her to keep up. “This is very last-minute…I’m not sure I can get everything together in such a short amount of time.” She needed to get to her desk and handle the most pressing issues herself and delegate the rest. Jack might be her partner, but she didn’t trust him to deal with the more stressing aspects of the business. She’d have to monitor him through emails to the members of her staff.

  “One last thing,” Annette said. “I’ve got all the paperwork filled out. All I need now is your passport.”

  “Excellent,” Jack said with a wide grin.

  * * *

  —

  For the next three days Everly nearly camped out at her office. She left several of the less delicate matters for Jack to manage. Easygoing Jack had shown far more interest in his golf game than in what was happening with the business. She handled nearly every aspect of the online business, although they were supposed to be partners. The rest of what was on her desk she delegated to her most trusted associates, spending hours explaining what needed to be done and what to expect.

  On Friday morning, she woke to a snowstorm. The newscaster predicted ten inches before noon. If her flight was held up because of weather conditions, she would miss the cruise ship.

  “What happens if my flight is delayed?” she asked Annette, once she got to the office. “Are there any other options?”

  “No,” Annette said, as if that had never entered her mind. “I was online searching for quite a while before I was able to find a flight that would get you to the dock on time.”

  “You did a fine, fine job,” Jack complimented his niece, hugging her as if she’d scored an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics rather than managing to book Everly’s travel arrangements.

  “But the weather,” Everly pointed out.

  “No worries,” Annette said, and handed Everly her travel documents. “I’ve been assured that the cruise will postpone the embarkation up to three hours if by some chance your flight is delayed. There sho
uldn’t be a problem.”

  Three hours. She had a three-hour window to make the ship before it set sail.

  “Excellent, Annette. You’ve thought of everything,” Jack said, praising his niece yet again. “Brazil is perfect for Everly. Time to laze on a beach, bask in the sun, and let all the stress and worries of the job roll off her shoulders.”

  Like that was going to happen.

  “What are you doing standing here?” Jack asked. “It seems to me you need to get packing. Be sure to stop off at the pharmacy and get sunscreen.” He patted Everly on the back and escorted her to the elevator.

  With more to do than her mind could comprehend, Everly headed home to pack. Two weeks on a cruise. Her flight was scheduled to fly out at five that afternoon, heading to Manaus, Brazil. According to the documentation, she had two stops and was scheduled to land at noon the following day. The cruise ship was scheduled to depart at three, plus she had that three-hour window if anything went awry.

  Back at her condo, Everly pulled out her suitcase and tore through her closet. She needed summer clothes. The problem was her closet was full of business attire. She didn’t own a single pair of shorts.

  Everly detested all this rushing, afraid she would miss packing something vital. This wasn’t the way she operated. She liked to plan everything out well in advance so she could be in control, but that option had been taken away from her. With only a few hours left to get ready, she packed what she thought would suffice, determined that she would shop for anything she needed once she arrived in Brazil.

  * * *

  —

  By the time she left her condo the gently falling snow had turned into blizzard conditions. When she arrived at O’Hare, she discovered her flight had been delayed an hour. Fine, if the flight was canceled, then she had the perfect excuse to remain in town. Jack couldn’t fault her for the weather. Already she was having second thoughts about leaving him in charge.

  With nothing to do while she waited for her flight, she sat at the bar sipping wine, waiting for the latest update from the airlines. Two and a half hours after her scheduled departure time, her flight was called.

  CHAPTER TWO

  After two glasses of wine on an empty stomach, Everly was eager to close her eyes and do her best to relax. As much as possible she put the tight schedule out of her mind. If she missed the cruise, she missed the cruise.

  At check-in she got the information for the two plane changes. One in Atlanta and another in São Paulo. She’d been assured by the airlines that there wouldn’t be a problem with her connections, as she had a three-hour layover in Atlanta. Everly didn’t want to dwell on how close she was cutting it to reach the ship on time. Already her mind was coming up with a contingency plan. If she missed the cruise, she would simply rent a hotel room and spend the next two weeks shopping, keeping in touch with everyone via email. She’d downloaded three business-type books she intended to read, so there would be plenty to occupy her mind. And for a guilty pleasure, she downloaded several romances as well.

  As it turned out, she missed the connecting flight in Atlanta, but there was another flight leaving in two hours. That had an effect on the flight out of São Paulo as well. Thankfully, the airlines were able to find her a connection with a different airline that had her landing two hours into her three-hour window. The possibility of her missing this cruise was beginning to seem real. It would be tight, which would make the long overnight flight to Brazil too stressful to sleep.

  Once she was on the plane in Atlanta, the woman sitting next to her in business class glanced over and smiled. The two struck up a conversation and Everly enjoyed chatting with another business executive. They had a lot in common. The flight attendant delivered them each a glass of champagne and a dinner menu before the flight’s departure. Ah, the luxury of it. At least Annette had gotten this part right.

  “To a safe flight,” Heidi Johnson, her seatmate, said, and they clicked glasses.

  Everly sipped the bubbly and sighed. “Are you able to sleep on these long flights?” she asked her companion.

  “Not a problem.”

  This was encouraging news. “I’m stressed about making this cruise.” Everly hated the thought of arriving in Brazil half brain dead from fatigue.

  Heidi leaned her head close to Everly. “I have a little helper that puts me right to sleep.”

  Everly was interested. “What is it?” she asked.

  Digging inside her purse, Heidi held up a small bottle of sleep aids, saying, “I take one of these little jewels. They work every time.”

  “I’ve never taken a sleeping pill.” It was a rare night that Everly couldn’t sleep.

  “These knock me out in nothing flat and I sleep like a baby. By the time we land, I’m as fresh as a daisy.”

  Everly wished she’d thought ahead enough to have considered a sleeping pill. With so little time to get ready, she’d scrambled to pack, buy what she needed as best she could, and get to the airport in time for her flight. She felt breathless remembering rushing around her condo, grabbing clothes and stuffing everything in a lone suitcase. She did manage to pick up sunscreen and a few other necessities, but that was it. Never had she felt more ill prepared. Heaving a sigh, she told herself it would all work out in the end.

  “The seats make up into a reasonably comfortable bed,” Heidi told her. “Would you like one of my pills?”

  “I would. Thanks.” If Everly was going to arrive in Manaus with a functioning brain, sleep would certainly be helpful. Besides, what was she going to do with herself for the next ten hours if she couldn’t sleep?

  Her newfound friend handed over the small pill, which Everly downed with the remainder of her champagne. When the attendant came to collect her dinner order, she ordered the pasta, which was surprisingly tasty, along with another glass of wine. By the time her dinner tray was removed, she was yawning. The sleeping aid had done its job in quick order, and Everly was grateful. She thanked Heidi again.

  With the help of the flight attendant, Everly lowered her seat to the reclining position, laid her head down on the soft pillow, and closed her eyes. The lights in the cabin dimmed. Almost immediately she could feel herself drift off into the wonderful land of dreams.

  Soon her head was whirling with the most fanciful visions, to the point that she was unsure if she was asleep or awake. She sighed as she saw herself walking along a sandy beach in her bikini with a full-length sheer cover-up blowing behind her in the wind. The warm, gentle waves of the Brazilian waters rippled against her bare feet as her footsteps left indentations in the wet sand. Admiring looks from other sun worshippers came her way as the wind tossed her soft brown hair about her face. With her head tilted toward the sun, she basked in the approving glow of admiration.

  At five ten, she was the tallest of the three Lancaster girls. As a kid she was all legs. Her height had helped her in the business world, she felt, and she used it to her advantage, often wearing three- and four-inch heels. No man was going to intimidate her. She wore her thick shoulder-length hair straight, often securing it at her nape.

  She wasn’t looking for a relationship for the simple reason she didn’t have time for one. Driven as she was to make Easy Home a success, she found her workweek frequently included twelve-hour days and often exceeded sixty hours a week. She was the first to arrive in the mornings and the last to leave. Her role in the company had taken over her life. Jack was right: She was stressed. What Everly needed was a life, a real life that involved relationships, laughter, and social events. All of which were sadly lacking. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been on a date. Well, actually, she could. It was the night Dave broke up with her, claiming she was married to her job.

  A vacation, she reasoned, in her half-dreamlike state, would be the perfect time for a romantic fling. A smile curved the edges of her mouth as she contemplated meeting the man
of her dreams.

  A fiery Latin lover. Ooh la la.

  The cruise should give her ample opportunity to meet men. It was sure to be a romantically rich environment. Everly’s dream was getting better by the minute. She pictured herself in the arms of a dashing man worthy of being a cover model. His muscles bulged as he bent her backward for a toe-curling kiss, sweeping her off her feet.

  And then the lights came on.

  Everly blinked against the brightness and pushed the button that would raise her bed into a sitting position. Rubbing her eyes, she heard the pilot announce that the plane would be landing in São Paulo within the next hour.

  No sooner had she finished speaking when the flight attendant came down the aisle with a cart, offering coffee.

  Everly continued to blink. It felt as if she were caught in a thick fog and was drifting outside her body.

  Placing her hands over her face, she shook her head to clear her vision and wake up. It astonished her to learn she’d been asleep for nearly eight hours. It hadn’t felt as if any time had passed at all. The last thing she remembered was her romantic fling with a Latin lover.

  The flight attendant handed her a hot cup of coffee, which she eagerly downed, hoping that would help clear her head. She stared into the brew after each sip, as if the cup contained the answers to the universe and the solar system.

  Her seatmate must have noticed her difficulty. “Are you having trouble waking up?”

  “I…I don’t know. I have the funniest feeling…like I’m in the middle…of a sandstorm.” It sounded as if someone else was speaking. Everly hoped she wasn’t slurring her words and feared she had.