Chapter 6: Rooftop Confession—Love Returns

On Christmas Eve, we invited Aunt Diane and the boss over for dinner.

Aunt Diane had been single for years. Every year she’d spend the holiday with us—this year, with Mason too.

She was overjoyed, probably from being lonely too long.

At dinner, my mom asked if I was dating anyone.

“Mom! I just graduated, and you’re already pushing me?”

“I’m not! Just asking. If you don’t want to date or marry, your dad and I will take care of you forever.”

Tears! Having an open-minded mom is the best.

Aunt Diane chimed in, “Auntie’s got money too—I’ll take care of you.”

I grinned.

Then my mom turned to the boss. “Mason, do you have a girlfriend?”

He shamelessly shook his head.

His Instagram background had never changed.

But I didn’t call him out in front of everyone.

As the Times Square ball drop played on TV, my mom and Aunt Diane, a little tipsy, dozed off on the couch.

The boss asked me to go up to the rooftop—there’d be a drone show at midnight.

We climbed up, shivering in the cold.

I could feel him getting nervous beside me.

I asked what was up—he said he was just cold.

I went to get blankets, but he grabbed me.

“Don’t go!”

We counted down to one.

Suddenly, a row of drones appeared in the sky, moving in formation.

They slowly spelled out: “Merry Christmas! …Laurel!”

My name! I covered my mouth in shock.

“Boss, that’s my name!” I turned to him—he was looking at me, eyes soft.

He didn’t look surprised—he’d planned this.

“Boss, that’s such a cheesy Christmas message!”

He scowled, looking exasperated.

“Laurel, you…” He looked mad again.

“Just kidding! Boss, it’s such a special Christmas wish.” I tried to save the mood.

But it was too late—he was already down.

He fiddled with his phone, muttering curses.

Suddenly, the drones started moving again, forming new words.

I watched, but he covered my eyes and pushed me toward the stairs. “Don’t look, it’s over!”

“No, it’s not.” I resisted, pointing at the sky.

While we wrestled, the words finished forming:

“Laurel, I like you!”

???

I stared, dumbfounded. “Boss… what do you mean?”

He saw he was caught, stopped pretending, and closed the rooftop door, grinning as he cornered me.

I backed away until I was trapped.

He leaned in, smiling. “Just what it says.”

“So, Laurel, the boss wants to date you.”

“Whoa, calm down, boss…” My face burned. I tried to push him away.

He grabbed my hands tightly.

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

He froze. “Who told you that?”

“Your Instagram background—it’s obvious.”

He burst out laughing, then pulled up his photo gallery.

The full picture showed him holding his phone, with me in the background—our shadows together.

Just then, a text popped up:

“Drone confession planner Rachel: Boss, trust me! Girls love romantic gestures. She’ll be super moved!”

???

The boss snatched his phone and turned off the screen.

My first thought was that he needed an anti-scam app.

A Gen Z using such a cheesy confession—even a dog would shake its head.

“Now you’ve seen the photo—anything else you want to ask?” He looked serious.

“Yeah.” I matched his tone.

“What?”

“The door’s locked. Do you have the key?”

—

We stared at each other, tried calling my mom and Aunt Diane—no answer.

We called for help in the building group chat. The doorman said he’d be there in an hour.

I was freezing, so the boss put his coat around me.

He only had a thin shirt left, shivering hard.

“Wear the coat, you’ll freeze.” I tried to give it back.

“I’m not cold!” He was chattering, but still stubborn.

I couldn’t take it, and my conscience got to me.

I hugged him tight, trying to warm him up.

He stiffened, then hugged me back.

A warm breath by my ear, he whispered:

“So you’re saying yes?”

—

“But you haven’t said it out loud yet.”

“Laurel, I like you.”

“I like you too.”

(The End)

And under the snowy sky, in the warmth of each other’s arms, it finally felt like we’d both made it home.