Read Online Chosen for Power (Women of Power, #1) by Kathleen Brooks - Free Book Online

been overcooked. Even when he was nineteen and was two hours late arriving from college, the turkey had been perfect.
    “Merry Christmas, Mom.” Drake ignored the clucking and wrapped his mother up in a hug that brought her off the ground, screaming to be put down. He’d started doing that to his mom when he hit six feet, towering almost a foot over her.
    He’d inherited his height from his father, Steven, who was six-foot-one. “Son. Glad you’re home. How were the kids?”
    “Great. Tara will be released in a couple weeks.”
    “Oh, wonderful.” Penny pulled the turkey out of the oven and Drake almost started drooling. “Now, tell us about the ball. Was it beautiful? Was it romantic?” She clapped her hands together before pulling out a giant knife.
    “It was beautiful and everyone had a great time.” Drake knew he did. He’d found Elle Simpson.
    “If only you had a wife to share it with,” Penny sighed as she prepared to cut the turkey.
    Drake paused and thought about the night with Elle. It had been better than any night of his life because he was with her. Sure, there was hot sex, but the laughing and talking and dancing—all things he had hated to do with women prior to last night—had been wonderful.
    “You know, Mom, you may be right about that.” Drake snagged a pinch of stuffing and headed into the living room. All he heard was the clanging of the knife on the stone floor behind him and what might have been his mother fainting. But he had a very important phone call to make that couldn’t wait.
     
    Elle fluffed her pillow and flopped back down on it with a huff. She stared at the ceiling in hopes of finally falling asleep but knew it wouldn’t happen. She was mad. She was livid. Worst of all? It was with herself.
    She had fallen in love with a man, and what did she do? She’d run out leaving him naked and never even remembered to ask his name. His name. She had been so naïve in thinking she could have a one-night stand with a man like him. He was tall, handsome, kind, funny . . . Elle turned over, buried her head in her pillow, and screamed.
    Slowly she raised her eyes from the pillow and looked at the red numbers on the clock. It was a little before midnight and it looked like sleep would not be coming for a while. Giving up the pretense, Elle swung her feet out of bed and pulled on the red silk robe draped over the chair before heading downstairs.
    A light from the kitchen spilled onto the bottom of the stairs. She heard the sink turn off and wondered who was still awake. She walked into the kitchen and saw her mom, wearing the same fuzzy robe she’d had for twenty years, drying the last of the dirty dishes.
    “You know, we have a dishwasher,” Elle said as she snagged a Christmas cookie.
    “And some things are done better when done by hand.” Her mother placed her treasured china back into the cabinet and took a seat on the stool next to Elle. “So, what has you up so late?”
    Elle pushed around the cookies and found a big star. “Just a problem I don’t have the answer to and don’t think I can solve.” Her new idea was to eat all the cookies. Maybe she’d stop feeling so horrible.
    “’Tis the season for miracles, sweetie. Why don’t you ask Santa for help?” Her mother stood up, grabbed a reindeer cookie, and then kissed her forehead. “It’s a couple of minutes before midnight. You still have time to make that Christmas wish. Good night.”
    Elle watched her mom disappear up the stairs and took another bite of her cookie. She knew her mother still saw her as a child sometimes, but making a wish to Santa Claus? Elle rolled her eyes and got a plate to put cookies on.
    She made herself a cup of hot chocolate and turned off the lights. The Christmas tree cast a warm glow across the living room and sparkled over the presents beneath it. Taking the plate of cookies and her drink, she sat on the comfy overstuffed chair looking at the tree and the childhood stockings her