Chapter 16: Spreading Heat

*Olivia*

After the cruise, I realized I wanted to work on myself some more and threw myself into my work, grueling in the office for long hours and doing everything I could to get the company back up and running.

I was so focused on my new role as essentially co-owner of our family company, that I didn’t even realize that time was passing at an alarming rate. Before I knew it, Christmas was upon us, and snow covered the ground in thick white blankets.

I shifted the big cardboard box full of decorations in my arms before opening the office door. Work was over for the day, but I still had to go out and grab a few last-minute things before the office holiday party I was throwing.

It might have been silly to plan such a thing, but I really believed that the key to a well-run company was ensuring a sense of family in the workplace. These people weren’t just our employees. They cared about us as well, and we needed to show that we reciprocated those feelings.