Read Online A Christmas Howl by Laurien Berenson - Free Book Online Page A

be talking about you. Why is any of this your problem?”
    â€œNormally it wouldn’t be.”
    I sighed. Loudly. And mostly for effect. The Mini puppy who, like all Poodles, was attuned to the people around her, tipped her head to one side and cocked an ear in my direction.
    â€œLet me guess,” said Bertie. “We’ve finally worked our way back around to the Christmas bazaar.”
    â€œBingo. It’s one of the biggest fund-raisers of the whole year. Mr. Hanover called me into his office earlier today. Apparently you’re looking at its new chairman. As of a few hours ago, I’m in charge of the whole shebang.”
    â€œThat sounds like a big job.”
    â€œIt is!” I wailed. “It’s huge .”
    â€œAnd when does this happy event take place?”
    â€œNext weekend. Saturday.”
    Her eyes widened. “ Eight days from now? You must be kidding. How are you ever going to pull the whole thing together by then?”
    â€œWell, there’s good news and bad news about that.”
    â€œShoot,” said Bertie.
    â€œThe good part is, most of the advance planning has already been done. The committees were formed six weeks ago and everyone is already working on their assignments. The whole school has been buzzing about the event for the last month.”
    â€œOkay.” She nodded. “So what’s the bad news?”
    â€œThe woman in the middle of all that activity, a parent volunteer who was the former chairman, eloped to Cabo San Lucas yesterday morning. Apparently she tendered her resignation as chairman of the bazaar by e-mail. Mr. Hanover was not amused .”
    Bertie and I grinned together.
    â€œMaybe you should follow suit,” she said. “E-mail Hanover and decline the position.”
    â€œThat’s not an option,” I told her. “The parent was a volunteer. I’m an employee. Mr. Hanover thought that giving me the position was a great idea. He said it would ease me back into full-time work before the next semester starts.”
    â€œRight,” said Bertie. “Because that’s what every mother wants before Christmas. More stuff to do.”
    I lifted my hands helplessly. “I didn’t have a choice. Mr. Hanover steamrolled over all my objections. He said the event was already primed and all I had to do was step in and make sure that nothing went seriously awry.”
    â€œ Awry? That’s the word he used?”
    â€œYou betcha.”
    â€œPrig,” Bertie said again. “With a capital P.”
    The Mini’s puppy’s legs were finished. I moved on to the rounded pompon at the end of her tail. “He’s actually a pretty good guy,” I told her. “You’d probably like him if you met him.”
    â€œWell, that’s not going to happen,” Bertie replied. She reached into a pen and scooped out a Toy Poodle. Then she turned and looked at me, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Is it?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I said innocently. “Could be.”
    Bertie crossed the room and plunked the Toy Poodle down on the other tabletop. “Melanie Travis, what are you up to now? And what makes you think there’s even the slightest possibility that I might want to be involved?”
    I gestured toward the Mini, now brushed, and fluffed, and ready to scissor. “This one’s good to go. Don’t you want to work on her next?”
    â€œIf you think I would even dream of letting you change the subject, you must be delusional.” Bertie retrieved a cloth case from a nearby shelf, unzipped it, and set a pair of Japanese scissors down on the edge of my grooming table. “Here you go. Your trims are every bit as good as mine. Have at it.”
    Aunt Peg would have disagreed with that assessment. Not me. I accepted the compliment with pleasure, and went to work.
    The Mini Poodle was young, but she already knew what was expected of her. When I slid