Working Christmas

Working Christmas

By

––––––––

Donna Steele

––––––––

Copyright @ 2017 Donna Steele

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system-except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Web without permission in writing from the publisher.

All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or name. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Cover illustration by Robert Steele copyright @ 2017

All rights reserved

Dedication

To everyone who has to work through the holidays, hope you get your Christmas wish.

And of course to Darwin . . .

Working Christmas

Chapter One

Angie closed her laptop down a little too forcefully and looked around to see if there had been witnesses. Her office door was open, but most people had already left. They were excited and happy to have such a long vacation over the holidays.

What the hell was she going to do with herself for eleven friggin’ days? Okay Christmas fell on a Wednesday this year. But that was no excuse to shut down the firm for the whole week. From today, Friday, she’d be on her own, and alone, until a week from Monday. She’d thought her assistant would wet herself when she found out.

Angie had barely managed not to scream Bah Humbug, she’d only muttered it, and no one had heard. Angela Louise Sullivan did not make scenes.

She could work from her place. There was always catch up work and research to do. As one of the newer partner-track attorneys, she had expected to be forced to work during this week. Hell, she’d counted on it. Benevolence on the part of the senior partners never entered her mind.

Gathering up her work and overstuffing her briefcase she started out.

Don’t forget your poinsettia, Rachel, one of the other newbies reminded her. Angie looped her bag over her shoulder and shifted her load enough to grab the damn plant. Another gift from management.

The last of the people left on the floor rode the elevator with her, laughing and excited about a week off. She managed to smile and not drop the plant.

With this load she opted for a cab. The walk wasn’t that far and she was used to it, but not carrying so much. Her mood was in the pits anyway.