For the first time in a long time, the concept of something more absorbed her. Something different. Something where she could see daylight hours. Where her evenings would be open for a dinner date or otherwise date with a good-looking, one-of-a-kind guy like Hawk Danielson.
Ella stuffed her feet into her boots with more force than was necessary. What was her problem? It wasn’t like he’d even asked her out or anything.
She paused with the zipper halfway up her calf and couldn’t help wondering—what if he had asked her out? What would she have said? Sorry. I have to go to bed by eight?
It was the main reason she didn’t bother trying to date anyone. Well, that, and the disastrous end to her very brief relationship with Derek Cummins, her stepsister’s ex-boyfriend. Dating was of no use. Ella didn’t want a relationship. She didn’t want Stina interfering the way she did last time.
Ella didn’t want to lay blame at Stina’s door for that, but what else was she supposed to believe? Stina had known Ella was out of town. She’d invited Derek over anyway. It had been no secret how jealous Pris had been of Ella’s relationship with him.
At least Ella lived in her own place. She just wished she had the courage to tell Stina no in the employment arena, too. But Stina was her only connection to her father these days, and Ella got the feeling he wouldn’t be too pleased if she quit, either.
Slipping into her coat, beanie, and gloves, Ella stepped outside and locked her apartment door behind her.
She thought about Stina all the way through town, driving slowly and carefully as snowplows were still pushing clear the fresh snow which had fallen the night before. Within minutes, she pulled into Ever After Corporate’s monstrous facility. Smoke rose from the dual pipes, and shadows pooled over the back entrance. Ella parked and exited her car, pausing in the morning’s stillness.
Westville was beautiful, she’d give the town that much. The slow-rising fog, the white hush in the air, the smell of crisp, stark cold. She took a moment to breathe it in and bask in the icicles tipping every tree and the edges of Ever After’s rooftop.
“This is what people who are sleeping right now miss,” she said to the quiet air. This was absolutely stunning, her own personal snow globe. What a wonder, to be the first to leave a footprint, to have a conversation with the stars and snowflakes as they drifted lazily down.
Ella’s coworker, Janice, strolled through the snow from her car a few feet over, meeting Ella at the door.
“Morning,” Ella told her.
She could barely hear Janice’s muffled response through the scarf covering her face. Clearly, she wasn’t as mesmerized by the morning’s weather as Ella was.
Together, they entered the back of the building, kicked the snow from their boots, and found Stina waiting at the desk in the breakroom with her arms folded in distaste. Pris and Charlotte chatted in their corner, and a few of the others sat on the bench, retying their shoes after donning their jumpsuits.
“What did we do now?” Ella whispered to Janice as she turned the key to enter her locker and removed her freshly wadded jumpsuit. Whoops. She really should have folded it nicely.
Other members of the crew seemed to harbor the same unease. The room was as solemn as a tomb.
“Who knows?” Janice said, zipping her jumpsuit over her clothes. “She‘s always got something to grill us about.”
Ella stiffened. Had something else gone missing?
The tense mood continued while the rest of the sleepy crew trickled in. Emmett, with his short-cropped curls, saluted Ella and Janice with two fingers at his temple.
Stina sat at her almighty chair, arms folded, mouth pinched, until Ella and the crew stood in their gray jumpsuits, ready for keys and the day’s assignments. Ella suddenly felt as though she were in the army rather than on a janitorial staff.
Officer Stina gave a noisy sniff. Her chair creaked, and she rose and stood before them like for all the world she was a drill sergeant.
“Mr. Danielson is getting suspicious,” Stina began. “How many of you received an email with an invitation to the ball yesterday?”
Ella traded a confused glance with Janice. She received a snooty glare from Pris and a surprised squint from Charlotte. One by one, each member of the crew raised his or her hands. Was there something wrong with having been invited?
“So did I,” Stina said. “To have him extend this invitation so soon after accusing one of us of theft?”
“Innocent until proven guilty?” Charlotte suggested.
Her mother ignored her. “That means he’s noticing us. That means we’re either doing something very right, or very wrong. Let’s make sure it’s the former, people. Make sure you’re double and triple-checking your work. Every garbage can, every hallway, every stair. Make sure your work is impeccable, and if you know anything about the missing office supplies, be sure to report it immediately.”
Ella’s stomach twisted. “You still don’t know who’s been taking things?”
“Isn’t it always the guilty one who speaks up first?” Pris sneered at Ella across the room.
“I didn’t do it.” Ella offered her hands in unnecessary surrender. “I’m just surprised they haven’t found out who it was.”
“It’s a sneaky thing to do,” Stina said, stalking toward Ella. Her heels smacked the cement. While Ella stood her ground and maintained eye contact, inside, her stomach retreated.
“Especially at Christmastime,” Stina continued. “I’m sure they’re doubling down on surveillance, so let’s make sure we do our best work. I’d hate for Ever After Sweets to search for different custodial management because someone on my staff has been dishonest.”
Stina’s words stung. She hadn’t directed them at Ella. She hadn’t even been looking at her. But from the way Charlotte and Pris sniggered beneath their hands, from the
