Read Online Blessings of the Season by Annie Jones - Free Book Online

confusion, then pointed toward the stairway to direct a young man with a camera on his shoulder that way. “The upshot is, we’re making a commercial!”
    â€œA commercial?” Addie followed along a few steps behind the older woman, suddenly feeling as though she would never fully catch up. “When I suggested a commercial early on, you said it wasn’t necessary. I wish you’d have let me know that you changed your mind. I would have—”
    â€œDon’t worry, dear. You don’t have to do a thing. Doc and I are just going to invite people to see how good the Goodwin’s life can be. It’s only a thirty-second spot.”
    â€œBut as the one in charge of marketing for—”
    â€œOnce again, Addie, not to worry.” Maimie held her hand up. “You will have plenty to do when the Web experts get here.”
    That made her pull up short. “Web experts?”
    â€œOh, yes. Your Web site and everything you’ve done on the Internet has opened our eyes to all the opportunities we’ve missed by not having an online presence.” Maimie kept breezing right on through the store, leaving Addie behind.
    â€œOnline presence?” she murmured, trying to figure out how this whole project had gotten so out of her control and how she, who had proposed it in an effortto create a long-term job for herself, had gotten lost in it all. She started walking after Mrs. Goodwin again, raising her voice to ask, “You…you replaced me?”
    â€œNot so much replaced you as hired someone to do the work you might have done if you weren’t already busy playing Mrs. Goodlife.” She stopped, looked around, spotted Doc and waved to him. Then, when he started in her direction, she hurried off to meet him, calling behind her, “I know we can’t really get much done by Christmas, but we’re thinking of having a few specialty items up for people to order, our commercial, a link to your Web cam and pages.”
    â€œBut I’m the one who is supposed to do all this, to coordinate and come up with marketing plans and…” And no one was listening to her.
    Except Nate, who came up behind her, standing so close that his casual collegiate cardigan rasped against the fuzzy knit of her sweater when he folded his arms and said, “Now you know how I felt that day I said I’d postpone my trip back home a few days to take care of Jesse and ended up as—”
    â€œMy holiday husband,” she whispered. “I don’t suppose you have any clue what she has planned for us today?”
    â€œBig plans! Oh, she has big plans for today,” Doc said as he hustled past. “Big announcement!”
    Addie shut her eyes. “All of this should have come through me. I thought this was my job.”
    â€œIt is your job. Go fight for it.” Nate had leaned in so close, she could feel his breath against her ear.
    She resisted the urge to shiver by concentrating onwhat the man had said, not how he had said it or where he was standing when he said it. She lifted her chin, trying to convince herself more than him as she said, “Me? Stand up to Maimie Goodwin? You really think that’s going to work?”
    He laughed. “She hired you because you brought her something she believed in.”
    â€œThe publicty stunt.”
    â€œYou,” he corrected. “Addie McCoy. That hasn’t changed. You are still as valuable to her as you were a couple of weeks ago. More so, actually, because you’ve contributed plenty to this business since then and, unless I miss my guess, learned plenty.”
    â€œYou know, I have.”
    â€œIt wouldn’t do any harm to remind her of that. It also wouldn’t hurt your cause if you have a solid concept to offer her.”
    â€œI do! Webisodes!” She clutched his arm, barely able to keep her excitement in check. “My mom’s Web site is up all night long, but then