Read Online A Very Crimson Christmas (Crimson, Colorado 4) by Michelle Major - Free Book Online

Her friends, Josh and Sara Travers, owned the guest ranch outside of town. While she trusted them to keep her precious boy safe, Crimson Ranch was popular enough that Josh would be hard-pressed to find the free time to take her son snowmobiling. That had definitely made it easier to say yes to Austin in the first place. “I don’t know. It’s pretty dangerous.”
    “Liam and Mr. Crenshaw will make sure I’m okay.”
    “You could come, too.” Liam snapped shut his mouth, but the words were already out. What the hell possessed him to make that offer? He’d been looking forward to letting off some steam on the mountain with his buddy. Not hosting a pseudo-family outing.
    “I don’t want to leave Ruth for so long,”
    “Of course you should go,” Ruth argued. “I can have one of the nurses from the home-care agency fill in if I need it. Besides, I’m feeling much better.”
    “Please, Mom.”
    The teacher from Austin’s class called the kids to gather at the door. Austin tugged on Natalie’s arm. “Ple-eease.”
    “Fine.” Natalie blew out a breath. “We’ll both go.”
    “Yes! You’re the best mom ever.” Austin threw his arms around Natalie, then hurried off to line up with his class.
    “It’s fine,” Liam said when Natalie shot him a glare.
    “Didn’t you total the snowmobile Jase’s dad owned back in high school?”
    “I’m going to walk with Harold back to his room,” Ruth said quickly, waving to the older man as she hobbled away.
    “I can’t believe she ditched me,” Liam muttered, then offered Natalie a tentative smile. “I was young and stupid then.”
    “Now you’re older.” Natalie continued to stare at him, arms crossed, the toe of her purple clog tapping on the floor.
    “And smarter.”
    “I don’t want anything to happen to Austin,” she said after a moment. “He’s all I’ve got.”
    She didn’t meet his gaze as she said the words, but he could see how much they cost her. He felt a rush of emotion and a spark of envy. It was irrational and unfair, but Liam didn’t have anything—anyone—so precious to him in his life. He hadn’t since he’d left Crimson.
    “I’ll keep him safe, Natalie.” He couldn’t stop himself from touching her, just a finger on the delicate bone at her wrist. “I’ll keep both of you safe.”
    She went still as his finger grazed her skin. “I’m overreacting,” she said after a moment, shifting away from his touch. “It will be fun. Thank you for including us.” The words were as stiff as her body language, but Liam didn’t press her on it. He wasn’t sure what, if anything, he wanted from Natalie again—but had an entire holiday season to figure it out.

Chapter Five
    “A re you sure you don’t want a beer or a glass of wine?”
    “Mom, it’s not even five o’clock.”
    Her mother sat the cup of coffee Natalie had requested on the shiny bar. “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” she sang in her gravelly alto. “Besides, Lou isn’t here so I can give you a drink on the house. One of the perks of the job.”
    Natalie was pretty sure Lou Bristol, the owner of Crimson’s local bar, The Tavern, would comp her a drink if he were there. Natalie’s mother, Trudy, had worked for Lou since Natalie was a girl. She’d spent hours in the corner of the bar, playing on the same pinball machine that currently fascinated Austin.
    “Have you finished your homework?” she called to her son. The bar was empty save for a couple of regulars who were used to seeing her stop by to visit her mom. It was easier to spend a few minutes with Trudy here than to get stuck in her mother’s cramped apartment for an entire evening.
    “Yep,” Austin answered, shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth before shooting the pinball once more.
    “You’re too hard on him,” Trudy said as she stacked glasses. “I never hassled you about homework.”
    You never paid enough attention to realize I had homework, Natalie wanted to answer, but took a