Read Online Come Home For Christmas by Susanne Matthews - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susanne Matthews
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old enough to understand Christmas. You’ll find a box of keepsake ornaments I bought for her in there, too. I didn’t want to chance breaking any of your mother’s heirloom ones. They’re yours. Maybe we can use them this year on the main tree. I bought new lights for that tree last week.” He shrugged. I figured you’d want one in here, too. You used to love Christmas.”
“I used to love a lot of things,” she said. “As far as the ornaments go, let’s mix them up. Let’s not have any yours and mine this year. For once, let’s make it all hers. I think it’s time for hot cocoa and cookies.”
“With little marshmallows?” Leah asked.
“If there are any.”
“Okay,” Ethan agreed, her comment about Christmas eating at him. “I’ll go out and refuel the generator and then when I come back, maybe we can play a game.” He turned to Leah, now standing looking at the crèche his grandfather had carved years ago. “As I remember, Krista plays a mean game of Candyland .”
The afternoon flew by, and after a homemade spaghetti dinner he’d never have been able to make in a hundred years, they settled down to watch Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman, two of Krista’s old favorites.
By nine o’clock Leah was exhausted, and he carried her up to bed. Instead of the two stories she usually needed, she was out like a light before he got halfway through The Poky Little Puppy’s First Christmas . Grateful for the reprieve, he headed down the stairs to enjoy time alone with Krista.
“Can I get you anything,” he asked coming into the room.
“No, I’m good. So what’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” she asked moving away from the window where she’d been standing. “It’s stopped snowing.”
“Well, after I take care of the animals, we can go and get a couple of trees. Reverend Clark called and wants to have a pageant rehearsal. While Leah’s there, I thought we could go and see my lawyer, Mr. Slocum, and iron things out. There are documents to sign. There are copies of them all in the box in your closet. You may not want to read my letters, but it would be best if you read those before we see him. No surprises that way.”
“If you insist, but I’d much rather put all this off until I get back in January.”
“That won’t work. The ranch’s year end is December 31, and we really have to get this straightened out this year. It’ll be my accountant’s worst nightmare as it is.” While he’d find a way to divide this year’s income, if they started January with the new split, it would be easier.
“If you say so, but I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Can we just sit here and pretend it’s fifteen years ago and watch It’s a Wonderful Life ?”
“Of course, but if it’s fifteen years ago, then you probably shouldn’t be having that drink. There’s a lot of rum in that eggnog,” he said and laughed, trying to keep things light. If she’d said ten years ago, he could’ve put his arm around her, but fifteen would keep him in his chair on the other side of the room.
“You’re not getting it back,” she said, “now quiet. It’s starting.”
Together, but separate, they watched the Christmas classic. When the movie ended, she had tears in her eyes.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
He watched her limb the stairs wishing it was fifteen years ago because if it were, he could avoid what had happened five years later.
Chapter Seven
Light filtered into the room telling Krista she’s slept in later than the previous morning. She glanced at her alarm clock. It was just before seven, her usual wake-up time. For the second night in a row, she’d slept soundly. While Leah would be up by half-past seven, that gave her almost an hour to herself. Time to look in the box as she’d promised Ethan she would. It only made sense that she should know what he expected her to sign before she did.
Putting on her slippers, she donned
“I used to love a lot of things,” she said. “As far as the ornaments go, let’s mix them up. Let’s not have any yours and mine this year. For once, let’s make it all hers. I think it’s time for hot cocoa and cookies.”
“With little marshmallows?” Leah asked.
“If there are any.”
“Okay,” Ethan agreed, her comment about Christmas eating at him. “I’ll go out and refuel the generator and then when I come back, maybe we can play a game.” He turned to Leah, now standing looking at the crèche his grandfather had carved years ago. “As I remember, Krista plays a mean game of Candyland .”
The afternoon flew by, and after a homemade spaghetti dinner he’d never have been able to make in a hundred years, they settled down to watch Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman, two of Krista’s old favorites.
By nine o’clock Leah was exhausted, and he carried her up to bed. Instead of the two stories she usually needed, she was out like a light before he got halfway through The Poky Little Puppy’s First Christmas . Grateful for the reprieve, he headed down the stairs to enjoy time alone with Krista.
“Can I get you anything,” he asked coming into the room.
“No, I’m good. So what’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” she asked moving away from the window where she’d been standing. “It’s stopped snowing.”
“Well, after I take care of the animals, we can go and get a couple of trees. Reverend Clark called and wants to have a pageant rehearsal. While Leah’s there, I thought we could go and see my lawyer, Mr. Slocum, and iron things out. There are documents to sign. There are copies of them all in the box in your closet. You may not want to read my letters, but it would be best if you read those before we see him. No surprises that way.”
“If you insist, but I’d much rather put all this off until I get back in January.”
“That won’t work. The ranch’s year end is December 31, and we really have to get this straightened out this year. It’ll be my accountant’s worst nightmare as it is.” While he’d find a way to divide this year’s income, if they started January with the new split, it would be easier.
“If you say so, but I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Can we just sit here and pretend it’s fifteen years ago and watch It’s a Wonderful Life ?”
“Of course, but if it’s fifteen years ago, then you probably shouldn’t be having that drink. There’s a lot of rum in that eggnog,” he said and laughed, trying to keep things light. If she’d said ten years ago, he could’ve put his arm around her, but fifteen would keep him in his chair on the other side of the room.
“You’re not getting it back,” she said, “now quiet. It’s starting.”
Together, but separate, they watched the Christmas classic. When the movie ended, she had tears in her eyes.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
He watched her limb the stairs wishing it was fifteen years ago because if it were, he could avoid what had happened five years later.
Chapter Seven
Light filtered into the room telling Krista she’s slept in later than the previous morning. She glanced at her alarm clock. It was just before seven, her usual wake-up time. For the second night in a row, she’d slept soundly. While Leah would be up by half-past seven, that gave her almost an hour to herself. Time to look in the box as she’d promised Ethan she would. It only made sense that she should know what he expected her to sign before she did.
Putting on her slippers, she donned
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