All Chapters of The Christmas Contract : Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

The first thing Tara did when she walked into the hospital that morning was sanitize her hands. It had become muscle memory by now, the automatic press of the dispenser, the sharp scent of alcohol, the way she rubbed her palms together until the sting faded. Some habits never left you, no matter how tired you were.The short break had helped more than she expected. A few days away from the fluorescent lights, screaming monitors, crying families, and endless charts had reminded her how much she needed to be away from here for a while. She had slept like she had no worry in the world. She had eaten the best home cooked meals and spending time with Daniel changed a whole lot of things for her. She was glowing.She stepped into the nurses’ station, dropped her bag into her locker, slipped into her scrubs, and tied her hair back neatly. Today was going to be a very busy day and she had a dinner date with Daniel and some of his friends after work.“Welcome back, Tara,” Lisa said,one of the

Melody stepped out of Mr. Russo’s study after a while. It was still early and she had nothing but time in her hands, so she’ll just go to the salon. The heavy door shut behind her. She stood in the hallway for a moment, her fingers moving through her hair. Immediately she stepped out, she saw Logan.He was coming from the opposite end of the hallway, towel slung casually over his shoulder, his phone in his hand. He looked sweaty like he'd been jogging, something inside her twisted painfully. He slowed when he noticed her, his eyes flicking briefly to the study door behind her.“What were you doing in there?” he asked.The tone wasn’t angry. It wasn’t gentle either. It was sharp with suspicion, clipped, like he was already annoyed.Melody blinked. “Wow,” she said lightly. “I didn’t realize the study was out of bounds.”She tried to smile, trying to make it sound like a joke.It didn’t land.“I didn’t say it was,” Logan replied. “I just asked what you were doing in there.”The air betw

Melody hadn’t slept the whole night, she was almost tempted to eavesdrop on Logan and Hanni, but what would happen if she gets caught. That would be so embarrassing.She’d lain on the bed through the night, eyes open, listening to the unfamiliar sounds of water hitting the rocks. The image of Logan and Hanni having sex was hard to resist. She kept thinking about them together, in the bathroom, on the floor, maybe even on the balcony. Hanni looked freaky.By morning, she was already exhausted.She sat on the edge of the bed with her phone in her hand, refreshing flight results that refused to change. Malibu to New York. Nothing, no direct flights. No connecting flights either, weather delays littered the screen like bad omens.This morning, nothing has changed. The weather app confirmed what she already suspected, winds too strong, conditions unstable. She exhaled slowly and locked her phone.Her suitcase sat open on the bed, clothes folded neatly inside. She’d packed quietly at dawn,

The café smelled like roasted hazelnuts and burnt sugar, and Melody loved it here. It was quiet and warm. Melody liked sitting by the window so she could occasionally look out and watch people go about their day. There was comfort in that.People passed by in coats and scarves. A woman arguing on her phone. A couple sharing earbuds. A man dragging a golden retriever who clearly did not want to walk.In front of her sat a cup of hot cocoa she hadn’t touched in five minutes. The whipped cream had sunk slightly into the chocolate, forming a pale island. Beside it, a small plate of chips she’d been absentmindedly picking at.And her book. Dan Brown’s thick spine rested open in her hands. She was seventy three percent in yes, and she felt smug about it. Reading was the only thing lately that didn’t demand anything from her. A rush of cold air brushed past her ankle.She didn’t look up. The bell above the door chimed again.“Hey, stranger.”Her heart misfired before her brain caught up. Sh

Melody adjusted her clutch nervously as she stepped out of the garden party, the soft glow of fairy lights fading behind her. James had already slipped ahead of her, hands in his pockets, walking with a confident ease she found both infuriating and oddly comforting.It was already getting dark, he drove and stopped in front of an almost unassuming mini supermarket. He got out of the car and ushered her out. Melody was confused, he said he was bringing her to a spot he loved, was he talking about the supermarket?“You wanted to bring me here to get cake?” she asked, tilting her head in amusement as they walked hand in hand.James laughed lightly, a low, warm sound that made her chest flutter. “No, just trust me,” he said.Curious, Melody followed him through the glass doors of the shop. It smelled faintly of sugar and chocolate, warm and comforting. But then James led her to another door in the back, one she hadn’t noticed at first. He opened the door, revealing a staircase that descen