Booked for Christmas Read online

  June’s clear blue eyes stared right back at her. “You haven’t. This is just nerves talking. You can’t let McStick-Up-His-Ass win, Annika.”

  Annika walked over to her desk and pulled ZeeZee out again. Her heart was beginning to pound. “It’s not just him. It’s Hudson Craft, too. Do you know how demoralizing it is that some dude with excessively gelled hair and a toothpaste-ad smile can just come in and have everybody buzzing with his cruel, thoughtless app? Meanwhile, Make Up is going to change the way we look at technology and its use in interpersonal spaces, and we don’t even get a one-line mention in that article? Do you know how absolutely, exquisitely infuriating that is?” Annika smacked ZeeZee face-first into the desk. He made a satisfyingly squelchy sound on impact, the force rattling the framed pictures of June, her dad, and the Make Up office that were all lined up neatly next to her laptop.

  June thrust a finger at her. “There it is! Stay with that feeling. And don’t forget, Hudson’s a thief.”

  Annika couldn’t believe he’d turned out to be such a jerk. When they’d met at a conference in Vegas last summer, they’d laughed at how desperate everyone was to be done with the conference so they could get to the real reason they were there: the blackjack tables. They’d bonded right away because they were both virtually the same age, from LA, and interested in starting a business soon. And later, they’d … well. That wasn’t important.

  What was important was that after she returned from Vegas, she’d found herself thinking about him often. She’d even considered reaching out to him. Until, that is, he began popping up in tech magazines and articles more and more frequently, talking about his new app, Break Up. That was when she realized he’d stolen her idea—or at least a kernel of it. “He didn’t steal my whole idea. All the lawyers I called were very specific about that. He was probably influenced by it, which isn’t a crime.”

  “Okay, so he was influenced by it. It’s still totally shitty that a nasty app like his is getting all this attention.”

  Annika studied her best friend’s flushed cheeks, her bright eyes. She felt her own temper rise another notch. “You know what? You’re right. Local businesswoman agrees—he is a total ass, just like Mr. McMannerless. They’re both douchebags who think they can just push us around. Well, they can’t. We’re not going to run off crying. We’re here to fight.”

  “Yeah!” June said, pumping a Baby Yoda–wielding fist above her head.

  “We can totally do this.” Back in her chair, Annika spun around in a purposeful circle.

  “Yeah, we can. How can I help? No task is too small.”

  “Really?” Annika hesitated. “Would you mind getting a whiteboard from Staples, then? It’s been on my to-do list forever. I feel like I need to write stuff down where we can see it every day and be inspired. Like, for instance, we need to get ready for EPIC next month. Let’s get some ideas flowing about that.” EPIC—the Entrepreneurs Pitching Investors Conference—was their one big chance to turn things around.

  “Yes! I have a really good feeling about EPIC.” June clapped her hands and made for the handbag hanging on the back of her chair. “I’ll go get the whiteboard, and meanwhile, you just keep thinking.”

  “I will.” Annika hopped up again and paced faster than before. June was right; the anger helped her think. God, she should have embraced her dark—uh, hotheaded—side a long time ago.

  “None of that yogi crap!” June called over her shoulder as she headed into the elevator. “Stay mad!”

  About the Author

  LILY MENON has always been enamored of romantic comedies and happily-ever-afters in all shapes and sizes. Her very first love story, written at age nine, was about a handsome boy who wooed the heroine with books, chocolates, and a very fat puppy. Now Lily lives with her own handsome boy (who indeed wooed her with books, chocolates, and fat puppies) in the mountains of Colorado, where she spends her days dreaming up kissing scenes and meet-cutes. Her first adult romantic comedy, MAKE UP BREAK UP, will be out in February. Visit her on the web at www.lilymenon.com. Or sign up for email updates here.

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  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Excerpt: Make Up Break Up

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  BOOKED FOR CHRISTMAS. Copyright © 2020 by Lily Menon. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY, 10271.

  www.stmartins.com

  Cover design by Danielle Christopher

  Cover illustrations: house © allaksel kruhlenia/Shutterstock; couple © nayya/iStock/Getty Images Plus

  Our e-Books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact your local bookseller or the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].

  First Edition: 2020

  eISBN 9781250801845

  First eBook edition: 2020