All I Want For Christmas Read Online Free PDF

started the meeting. “As you know the board of directors expects us to open twenty-five percent more new accounts and fifteen percent more loans than last year,” he said, looking each of them in the eye.
    Which should have been easy, since theirs was the only financial institution on the island. But many of the residents preferred to deal with one of several banks in Anacortes, a forty-five-minute ferry ride away.
    â€œHere it is, the end of the first week of November, and we aren’t even close,” he said. “To help us reach our goals, Corporate has developed a deposit-and-credit promotion that starts next Tuesday.” Since Monday was Veterans Day and a bank holiday. “Those signs—” he paused to nod at the package propped against the wall “—will be hung tomorrow after closing. That way, they’ll be up when we open the doors Tuesday. Right now, I want your input. Do you have any other ideas about what we can do to reach our goals?”
    Serena glanced at Danielle. They both looked at Jason. Who drew his bushy brows together and then shrugged. All three suddenly found the cherrywood surface of the table fascinating.
    â€œWhat’s on your minds?” Ryan prodded.
    Jason shifted in his seat. Cleared his throat and finally looked straight at Ryan. “We don’t see why we should do anything when we’ll get nothing in return.”
    Ryan was with them there. The Island Banking Corporation, owner of Halo Island Bank and banks on several of the other islands off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, paid low wages and offered no incentive pay. Their lack of consideration toward employees was so demoralizing that turnover was through the roof. Even the previous manager had quit. Ryan didn’t need the money or the headaches, and in the four months since he’d taken this job, he’d thought more than once about resigning. But what would he do with his time?
    For a moment, he imagined starting a bank that knew how to take care of employees and customers as competition. Now that stirred his interest. And made him think. He hadn’t been honest with Tina this morning. He did miss the hustle and bustle. Not from living in L. A., but from building and growing his own company.
    But starting a new bank meant hard work and long hours. He’d given up ten-hour days in order to spend time with Maggie. She was what really mattered. Bad as this job was, it allowed him to work nine-to-five, with time off for school field trips. No overtime, no bringing work home and no weekends. Exactly right for a single father.
    â€œMr. Chase…Ryan?” Danielle asked. He’d asked them to call him by his first name and she still hadn’t quite adjusted to that. “Jason didn’t mean to upset you. But you asked and…”
    Ryan realized he’d been silent too long, and looking stern, to boot. He forced a reassuring smile. “I’m not upset, just thinking.”
    â€œYou’re not gonna quit, are you?” Serena asked, looking worried. “Because you’re the best manager I’ve ever worked for.
    â€œThanks,” he said, wondering whether she’d somehow read his mind. “And no, I’m not quitting.”
    All three employees looked relieved.
    â€œBut if we don’t get the numbers up, I could be in trouble.”
    â€œWe don’t want you to get fired,” Danielle said.
    â€œMaybe we should figure out a way to bump up our business.” Looking pensive, Jason fiddled with a button on the cuff of his shirtsleeve. “How about a free gift, when they open an account or take out a loan? Would Corporate go for that?”
    For the next thirty minutes, they brainstormed. At nine forty-five, fifteen minutes before opening time, they wrapped up with a semblance of enthusiasm.
    Ryan hoped it lasted.

    D UCKING HER HEAD against the driving rain, Tina dashed into the Mocha Java, a café and bakery owned by