Santa's Executive by Carrie Ann Ryan Read Free Book Online

district. I have the information back in my room, but with you being in town and helping where needed, the magic will pour out of you, and it will all work out. It's quite handy.”
    “Why can’t Santa do that?” Justin asked, feeling like this was all too much.
    “Because of the amount of kids and parents in the world. There's only one Santa. However, he has thousands of executives, and these executives have assistants that help. It's all an amazing system if everything works out. It's just someone dropped the ball and didn't train you. That's why I'm here.”
    Justin let out a breath “But what if I don’t want to be an executive?”
    “You don’t have a choice.”
    “So, Santa gets cheap labor?”
    “Your life isn’t cheap, and you were an exception. Most people want to be one of Santa’s executives. But I'll help you.”
    “Will I have to live at the North Pole?”
    “No, your job is going to be to live here in your district. If you want to move, then it may take some shuffling with the other executives, but it does happen. You may have to go to the North Pole sometimes for meetings, but that's not very often.”
    “I just take a flight to the North Pole? Because that happens every day.”
    “No, you'll take a snow globe. That's how we travel. Each snow globe goes from one Santa-approved place to another. I'll show you how they work.
    “Wow,” Matt whispered, and he tugged Jordan closer. Abby and Ally looked to be in a trance with all the information being spread. They each knew about Jordan and what Matt had been, but this had to be a whole new thing for them. It sure was to him.
    “I don't know if I can do this,” Justin said.
    “I'm here to help you.”
    “Because you're my assistant?”
    She blinked then bit her lip. “No, you'll get an official assistant later.” A guilty look spread over her face, and his disappointment grew. She was leaving? He wasn't gonna work with her? Why did that make him feel as though he were losing something he didn't even know he’d wanted? And why did Rina look so guilty?

 
    Chapter 4
     
    Rina stared at ceiling above her bed and held back a sigh. She didn't want to get out of bed. She was so warm and comfortable, but her job awaited. She winced. No, not her job, the job she'd stolen.
    She was not really good at this whole bad-elf thing. Though the lunch with Justin and his family and friends had gone well, she still felt like a fraud. She wasn't an assistant, not yet. She might know exactly what Justin needed to do and could make lists of how to help him succeed, but that didn't make it her right.
    She didn't want Justin to get in trouble for something she had done.
    She got out of bed and blushed, remembering the way Justin had touched her in small ways throughout the day. He’d led her through doors in two places, guiding her with his hand on the small of her back, and he'd repeatedly put his arm around her shoulders, whether it was for comfort or protection, as it had been with Jordan’s scrutiny. She liked it oh-so-much every time. Each time he touched her, she'd wanted to sink into him, inhale his crisp scent, and close her eyes. Thankfully, she hadn't. That would've been embarrassing.
    But, she couldn't keep on lying to him. It wasn't fair to anyone. She'd been selfish, stupid. With a new determination running through her veins, she quickly showered and got ready for her day. As soon as she tightened the last bit of her bun, she nodded at her reflection. A bittersweet feeling filled her. She might have been ready to help Justin, but her conscience wouldn’t let her go. She needed to tell him everything, yet she couldn’t. What if she lost him and the job? What if she hurt him? God, lying sucked. She wasn't going to do it again.
    She walked down the stairs and into the small dining room of the inn. No one else was residing, and she felt as if she were a guest in Connie's home rather than in a public place.
    “Well, hello, darling,” Connie said with a