Harlequin Holiday Collection - Four Classic Seasonal Novellas

and no one likes me” moments. She had to get over these silly feelings.
    Just work, Olivia. Everything else will fall into place.
    Unless…someone was out to get her.

Chapter Six
    A grocery bag in each arm, Olivia dropped her keys twice before she managed to unlock her apartment door. Nothing about the day had gone right.
    Jacob had avoided her the entire shift. And because of the erroneous test results first thing that morning, she’d been behind all day.
    Running late made the lab look bad, made her look bad.
    As she twisted the key, she lost her hold on one of the grocery bags. It plopped to the floor and burst like a bomb, sending cans and produce in every direction. She bent down and her purse slid off her arm, hit the floor and vomited its contents. “Damn.” Olivia fell to her knees and raked up her scattered belongings. She was beyond ready for this day to be over.
    “Let me help you with that.”
    Olivia looked up to find Gerald McKay rushing toward her. “Hey, Gerald.”
    “You should try making two trips.” He nodded to the tumble of groceries.
    “Yeah, I know.” She shook her head as she gathered the last of her personal belongings. She snagged her badge. If she lost that she would just cry. She’d already lost one.
    Gerald gathered the final can of soup and pushed to his feet. Arms full of groceries, he waited while she opened the door.
    “Just dump it all on the table.” She tossed her purse on the sofa and took a breath. The day was done. Let it go . “How’s your new job going?” she asked Gerald.
    “Great.” He stacked the last of her purchased items on the table. “I didn’t think I would like working in a medical lab, but it’s growing on me.”
    “Sometimes I wish I’d taken your advice and signed on with MedTech.” She’d only been in Kenner City a couple of days when she’d met Gerald. He lived on the opposite side of the hall, two doors down. He’d told her about an opening at MedTech, but she’d been all gung ho to start at the crime lab. That was the reason she’d made the move from Boston; she’d wanted to stretch her horizons, do something that mattered on a different level—one where results were more readily seen. Medical research sometimes required years, if not decades, of work before results were gleaned.
    “Bad day, huh?” He grabbed an armful of apples and followed her into the small kitchen.
    “Really bad day.” She shivered. It wasn’t that cold outside, but with everything else, she felt cold inside. “Want some coffee?” She wasn’t in the mood to be alone right now and Gerald was good company. Recently divorced, he’d come to her more than once needing to talk.
    “That would be grand.”
    Olivia set the coffee brewing and between the two of them they put away her groceries. She couldn’t talk about her work, but she could commiserate with him about the feeling of not fitting in.
    “Olivia…” Gerald began slowly “…I don’t really know any of the people you work with, but I’ve heard rumors around MedTech that the guys at the crime lab are ruthless when it comes to promotions and such. Maybe you should watch your back.”
    Olivia really hoped that wasn’t true. “Thanks,” she said with a pathetic attempt at a laugh. “That really makes me feel better.”
    “Sounds like you need chocolate.”
    “Chocolate?” She was pretty sure she had absolutely nothing chocolate in the apartment.
    He held up a hand. “I’ll be right back.”
    She peeled off her jacket, hung it in the closet and set her hands on her hips. Only five days until Christmas. She needed to get that tree decorated. She inhaled deeply, loving its smell. That was something nice to come home to. After toeing off her shoes, she shuffled back to the kitchen and poured two steaming cups of black coffee. Maybe the caffeine would give her a boost. She placed Gerald’s cup on the coffee table and curled up on the sofa with her own.
    “Here we go.” Gerald breezed back into her apartment, a plate of brownies in one hand. He held them out for her viewing pleasure. “This is just what the doctor ordered.” He kicked the door shut behind him.
    “Are you serious?” The treats smelled as if they’d just come out of the oven. Brownies were her favorite. “Did you make those?”
    “As soon as I got home today.” He sat the plate on the table and settled into a chair across from her.
    “You’re a good neighbor.”
    “So,” he said as he picked up his mug,