A Rose for Christmas

In the approach to Christmas, Cliff Baskers has closed yet another deal for Chicago-based North Lake Financial. Instead of the appointment to open the new Shanghai office that Cliff was wanting and expecting following this achievement, his boss, Mr. Ellsworth, in making him even hungrier to advance in the company, assigns him to Pasadena to what he sees solely as the babysitting task of overseeing the construction of the company's float for the Rose Parade on New Year's Day, Ellsworth saying that this job just as important in bringing greater public recognition to the company brand. They have hired Sunshine Floats with thirty years experience specifically in building floats for this parade. With company head Al Lindry - Big Al - sidelined due to health issues on the directive of his physician, the foreperson role for the float construction is left to his daughter, community college art teacher Andy Lindry. While Cliff treats this assignment as any of his business transactions in believing that they only need the cream at the top to achieve success, Andy, who has assisted in the floats before, knows that it is an all hands on deck job, everyone who can be that cream if given the chance. As such, Cliff and Andy immediately butt heads. But what starts off as an adversarial relationship slowly changes into one where they challenge each other, especially in achieving their true goals into the new year. As they start to fall for each other, they may not be able to get over their business relationship of client and employee, especially if the float construction goes off the rails in their differing visions for the end product.