Free Holiday Hearts by A. C. Arthur Page B

was staring at her and she was staring back at him, her gaze dropping to the middle left side of his chest where his name tag read, Jasper.
    “Look, Jasper,” she began her tone considerably more civil than it had been just a few seconds before. “I’m up against a deadline and I’d like to get out of here before midnight. I’m just trying to get my work done, not trying to be rude or anything.”
    Jasper shook his head. “No. I don’t think you’re trying to be rude. I don’t think that at all.”
    She sighed. “Thank you.” Mary had raised her to be respectful, no matter who it was.
    “I do think you’re working yourself too hard, blaming yourself for something that maybe wasn’t even your fault,” he said, and then turned away from her. He kept sweeping the little pile of dust and dirt toward the door.
    “What did you just say?” she asked.
    He looked over his shoulder. “Oh nothing, nothing at all, Ms. Donovan. I’ll be getting out of your way now,” he said. He paused, tilted his head a bit and seemed to be lost in another world.
    Keysa figured he was listening to the radio again. The sound of Nat King Cole’s voice was nearing the end of the song as Jasper sang the last line in a deep, rich baritone that almost matched the singer’s note for note. At the end of the song, the janitor touched the visor of his cap and nodded to her with a smile.
    Keysa didn’t return the smile but felt a slight stirring in her chest. With a shake of her head she dismissed the weird exchange and resigned herself to get back to work.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    TWO
    It was getting late. He should just leave and go home, he thought.  After all, he had caught up on his work and most of the staff in his department were either already off on vacation for the holidays or gone for the day. There was no reason for Ian to still be in the office.
    Correction, there was one reason.
    Keysa Donovan.
    She was still here. Ian knew because the bank of elevators was right across from his office. If he kept his door open he could see everyone that got on the elevator on the tenth floor.
    He’d seen Keysa earlier today at one of the many holiday parties catered by one of their clients as thanks for their hard work throughout the year. She’d looked great, but then, that was nothing
    new.
    Keysa was a good looking woman with her coppery skin tone, cocoa brown eyes and chocolate brown hair. Her small frame might give the impression that she was meek and mild. But her fierce determination and quick wit could make you think twice. Smiling to himself, Ian remembered that it was one of the first things that had attracted him to her.
    It had been two years ago at the office picnic, which had to be held indoors because of a summer thunderstorm, that he first saw Keysa. She had her arms filled with bowls and plates that she’d scooped off the picnic table in an attempt to save them from the downpour that began without warning.
    She wore sneakers and jean shorts, a white tank top and a sun-visor with the company logo on it. Stumbling through the door she was holding a conversation with another employee and trying to balance the items in her hands. Ian, being a gentleman, had quickly gone to her aid. Mistake numero uno!
    “I can handle it,” she’d snapped, the minute he appeared trying to take one of the larger bowls.
    With a smile he nodded. “I know. I just don’t want any of the execs getting on my case for not offering to help a lady.”
    She’d frowned, but it had been such a pretty frown, and grudgingly she had allowed him to take the bowl. However, she completely ignored him as they walked over to the makeshift picnic table in the center of the room that one of the women from accounting was hurriedly putting a wrinkled white tablecloth over.
    At the time, Ian had been on the tenth floor for just about two weeks. His first stop at Maser Marketing had been on the twelfth floor with the team assigned to handle media clients.