Read Online Christmas at Tiffany's by Marianne Evans - Free Book Online

that.”
    “Everyone is. He’s a great—”
    “You sound sad about that.” The pointed piece of repetition was spoken slow and deliberate.
    “I’ll miss him, sure. He provided some nice buffering from Eric, and he’s got a soft spot for charities, and animals. He told me just this afternoon that he’s going to volunteer at the Shelter Helper Event next weekend.”
    Melody’s brows shot clear to her hairline. “You’ll be spending some quality time with him. Nice.”
    “Oh, get over yourself.”
    “Nope.”
    “Don’t push me toward something I have no business going near, OK? I don’t like feeling riled up around him, I’m not sure how to relate to him, and most of all, I don’t know why he gets under my skin.”
    Melody shot a hand in the air. “Oh, ask me, ask me! I have a few theories.”
    “Would you please cut me a little slack?”
    “Listen, you need to step away from your quiet, though lovely, little safe zone and open up. Mitch is just a guy. In fact, he seems to be a very nice guy.” She polished off her smoothie. “He might even be a sort of rich guy. Tell him to bring his wallet and make a personal donation as well.”
    Tiffany sneered at her typically over-the-top sibling. “Step off and behave. He’s already petitioned and secured a fifteen hundred dollar donation on behalf of InfoTraxion. That’s enough.”
    “That’s impressive.”
    “Melody, he’s impressive.”
    ~*~
    “Jewelry. That’s kind of a personal item, isn’t it? I mean, for a simple work-related secret Santa gift exchange?”
    JR’s verdict caused Mitch’s shoulders to sink. It was bad enough to be braving the hordes of shoppers and Christmas pandemonium at Bloomingdales in order to put to rest a few Christmas gift selections as well as his secret Santa obligation for work. And that one was just the problem. Tiffany was his designated recipient; until now he was clueless about what to get for her. Now, he had found something he liked, something he instantly connected to her. As such, the selection should have been a quick and easy slam-dunk. Oh, no. Not likely.
    Instead, his choice was all wrong. Fantastic. Weren’t there better ways to spend a Friday night after work?
    He bit down on a growl and glared at his accomplice-in-shopping. Although…accomplice might be too kind a word. JR was more like a bribed and coerced victim who only deigned to accompany Mitch into the very depths of department store chaos in order to scratch a few names off his gift-giving list.
    So, Mitch felt entitled to grouse just a tad. “You know? I love Christmas, so don’t take this the wrong way, but, stop ruining the moment. I hate gift-buying as it is, and I’m not giving her gemstones and gold, for heaven’s sake. This is nothing more than a simple and pretty silver ring that does a great job of expressing her personality. What’s the problem?”
    “Jewelry is personal. Plus, how do you even know it’s the right size?”
    Mitch bit down all the harder and seethed. “That was a helpful piece of reiteration, and I can simply ask the clerk to give me one in the average size a woman wears. It’s bound to fit one of her fingers, right? By the way, if we have to keep searching, I have to ask the question: How many more hours do you want to waste in the city strolling the women’s aisles at Bloomies?”
    JR shrugged and smirked. “For you, buddy, I’ve got all the time in the world, plus a sister I still need to buy for.”
    “And there’s a cigar bar just waiting for us a few short blocks away at the corner of 56 th and 7 th .”
    “Dude, that kind of diversionary tactic is just cruel, not to mention effective.”
    “I know.” Mitch examined the ring once more. It was perfect. It was… Tiffany . The circular face, mounted on a thin band, was small and flat, shaped like a compass with arrows that formed directional patterns toward the letters N, S, E and W. Inscribed inside the band, in a spot no one would see but the wearer,