Read Online Christmas Kisses (Romance on the Ranch Series #5) by Verna Clay - Free Book Online Page A

pounced. "Well, can you tell us anything about Mystery Kid?"
    Tilly was working today and rushed from behind
the counter. Angie was still there, too, and joined them.
    The shop was empty except for a group of teenage
girls that often visited after school and never paid attention to anything but
the gossip they shared.
    A few days before Sean's arrival, Cecelia had
confided to her employees that Mystery Man had a son arriving and she may need
to take time off during his two week stay. Since she'd made it clear early on
that they would never get information from her about Mystery Man, they didn't
prod her for particulars, although she could see curiosity sparkling their
eyes.
    Cecelia responded to Justin. "He's a
teenage boy."
    Justin slapped his head. "Now why couldn't
I figure that out?"
    Cecelia grinned. "He's a sullen teenage boy
named Sean and that's all I'm going to say."
    Justin grinned back. "You're a regular
encyclopedia, boss."
    While Cecelia closed down the cash register, she
gave serious thought to an idea that kept popping up. She said to Justin, Tilly,
and Angie, "You know, I think I'll ask Sean to help us decorate the shop
this Sunday. Maybe being involved in Christmas cheer will help his
attitude." And maybe pigs will fly.
    Justin said, "Being a teenage boy once
myself, I can tell you it probably won't make a difference."
    Cecelia sighed, "I know. But maybe there
will be a long-term affect."
    Tilly laughed, "Yep, using that
terminology, you were a high-class business woman."
    Cecelia grinned. "Perhaps I should have
said, 'Maybe down the line he'll get some smarts in that noggin' of his'?"
    Justin winked, "Another six months and
you'll be speaking full-blooded cowboyanese."
    Amidst jokes and laughter, Cecelia and her
employees finished closing shop for the day and called goodbyes. She drove the
short distance to the pizza parlor. Inside Pappy's Pizza Palace, she inhaled
the aroma of Italian spices, meats, sauces, and bread. Pappy was still there
and said, "I just pulled yer order outta the oven and if I say so meself,
it's pure perfection."
    "I have no doubt about that," Cecelia
agreed.
    "So, Fannie Levinworth said she saw you
bring a teenage boy to Mystery Man's house. Wanna share what's up?"
    Cecelia sighed. What Mac couldn't seem to grasp
was that the more he remained hidden, the more the townsfolk focused on him and
wondered who he was. She responded, "There's nothing up except a night of
your pizza and television reruns."
    Pappy guffawed, "Nothin' stays a secret
forever."
    Cecelia reached into her purse to pay Pappy and
leave a nice tip. She grabbed the monstrosity of a pizza and said with a grin,
"Catch you later, Pappy."
    *
    Mac watched Cecelia set plates and utensils on
the coffee table and then open the huge box with Pappy's pizza. His son sat
across from him on the couch and Cecelia settled in beside him. He had to hand
it to her—she was a trouper. If he'd been treated as rudely as Sean treated
her, he'd have tossed the kid out on his ass. Hell, what was he thinking, he had been treated just as obnoxiously. The boy had stayed in his room all day and
only come out when Cecelia called him to eat. Mac figured the kid was either
doing his schoolwork online, surfing the net, listening to an iPod, or playing
video games on a fancy cell phone. After all, his parents were rich and Mac had
created a generous trust fund for him. Funny, how he thought about his own son
having parents.
    Cecelia gave a few attempts at making
conversation and the boy just sort of grunted. Mac studied his son's face. He
reminded him of himself around that age—sullen, cocky, and rude. Of course, Mac
had been dealing with an alcoholic mother, and then, after her death, being
bounced from foster home to foster home, so he sort of figured he had reason.
His son had been raised in the lap of luxury with loving parents—his excuses
were limited. Except that Mac could only imagine the shock it had been for Sean
to discover his