Read Online Cole's Christmas Wish by Tracy Madison - Free Book Online

presumed. A past that Cole shouldn’t have tried to use to his
advantage. Great. Some brother he was.
    Dylan, who up until now had remained quiet, said, “This is
getting us nowhere. It’s a simple matter, really. Cole never asks for our help.
Ever. He has, and that alone is enough to sway me.” He shrugged. “For what it’s
worth, I’m in.”
    “I feel the same.” Haley pushed her chair closer to Reid and
rested her head on his shoulder. “But if Reid is that uncomfortable with this,
then maybe we—”
    “No. Don’t worry about me. It’s...it’s fine,” Reid interjected
in the same controlled, even manner as before. At everyone’s look of surprise,
he grinned halfheartedly. “Dylan’s right. Cole never asks for anything from any
of us. I’ll go along and hope—” he tugged on their sister’s hair “—for a
positive result. Besides which, someone needs to get on grandbaby duty before
Mom starts arranging our marriages.”
    “Why, I would never—” Margaret broke off as everyone burst into
laughter. She sighed. “Grandbabies would be nice. Seeing my children happy and
settled would be nicer. And from a woman’s perspective, I find Cole’s idea holds
a touch of romance, which appeals to me. So, with that said, and with Reid,
Haley and Dylan’s agreements, I’ll do my part.” She squeezed her husband’s arm.
“What do you say, Paul?”
    The patriarch of the family gave his wife a sidelong glance. “I
have to echo Reid’s earlier statement—beginning a relationship with subterfuge
is risky. However—”
    “Now, Paul—”
    “However,” Cole’s father continued,
“a man is apt to crush the sides of the box when he falls in love, if he thinks
it will help. I certainly did. My goal will be to stay clear of Rachel until
this mess is over with, but if I were to run into her—I’ll play along. Just
don’t take this too far out of bounds, Cole. Emotions are involved. Not only
yours, but Rachel’s.”
    “I won’t and I know.” That was one thing he didn’t need
reminding of. Cole swallowed past the lump that had manifested in his throat. He
had just received something that rarely occurred within the Foster ranks: a
unanimous vote. “Thank you.”
    The words were meant for everyone, but he looked at Reid as he
spoke them. Learning that his by-the-book brother had skirted outside the rules
once and, if Cole were to follow the path of logic, had lost Daisy as a result
had stunned him. It also helped him understand Reid a bit more than before, gave
him some insight into what made him tick.
    “You’re welcome,” Reid said. “Just...be cautious.”
    Cole nodded for his brother’s benefit. He’d be a fool if he
didn’t give credence to Reid’s earlier comments, to the potential danger of
ruining any chance of a future with Rachel due to this charade. Hell. If he
really screwed up, he could lose her friendship, as well.
    A rush of nausea twisted in his stomach and a wave of
light-headedness made his vision swim. Rachel not being a part of his life in
any way at all was an inconceivable thought. On the outside, his brother’s
advice was solid and in line with Cole’s earlier decision. Somehow, though, in
the course of this conversation, something had changed. Now, he didn’t think
being too cautious was going to take him where he wanted to go. Too much action
could, as he had already surmised, send Rachel running.
    Yet another fine line to balance upon.
    “It seems,” he said to no one in particular, “that having a
pretend girlfriend is going to prove more troublesome than having a real
girlfriend ever has.”
    Dylan snorted. “Real or pretend, all girlfriends are trouble.
I’ll take the pretend one any day of the week.”
    “Amen to that,” Reid said, leaning over to smack Dylan’s palm
in a high five. “Or in my case, the no-girlfriend route.”
    “I miss being a girlfriend,” Haley said wistfully, tucking a
chunk of reddish-brown hair behind one ear. “And I want a