Read Online Gift Wrapped for Christmas: A Contemporary Romance by Mona Ingram - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mona Ingram
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tiered
cement steps that overlooked the ice and waved to Annie as she skated by.
There was something comforting
about watching children at play. In that moment, she was reminded of Connor’s
exuberant antics, although the truth was she seldom thought about him anymore.
As for Allan, she thought about him even less.
A flash on the far side of the
rink caught her eye. Annie’s group was taking pictures of each other, amid much
giggling. How did children do that anyway, worm their way into your heart when
you weren’t looking? She sighed and tucked her hands into her pockets.
“That was a big sigh.”
Brent stood above her, his hair
dusted with snow. He motioned her to get up, and she complied wordlessly. She hoped
she wasn’t imagining his presence.
He carefully folded an old
blanket and placed it on the step. “Sit on this,” he said. “That cold cement
isn’t good for you.”
It felt much better, especially
when he sat down beside her.
“Hello again,” he said, bending
his legs and draping his arms over his knees. He scanned the ice. “Where is our
girl?”
“Last I saw her she was over
there, taking pictures.” Maddie pointed to the far side of the rink. “There she
is; they’re still at it.”
“Good.” He watched for a moment,
then turned back to her. “Thank you for doing this. I know you must be busy,
setting up your business and all.”
“I’d done about all I could for
today.” She lifted her face to the falling snow. “Besides, I’ve been inside far
too much recently.”
The way he was looking at her
made her heart go all skittery in her chest. “I guess that’s not a problem for
you. Don’t geologists spend a lot of time outdoors?”
“Yes, but not as much as you
might think. Even so, I wouldn’t trade it.”
They sat silently for a while,
watching the skaters. Annie spotted them and waved, but kept on going.
“A penny for your thoughts.” He’d
leaned closer, and she could see individual snowflakes on his eyelashes.
She looked into his eyes. They
appeared darker than before, but that was a trick of the light. Dark or light,
they were compelling.
“Shall I make up something
outrageous, or do you want the truth?”
“The truth,” he said simply.
“Always the truth.”
She nodded as if this was an
ongoing conversation. “Okay then. I was hoping that my business is successful.
I know it’s only for a couple of months, but I’ve never done anything
completely on my own before.” She tilted her head and smiled to herself. “It’s
a matter of pride, I suppose.”
He leaned into her for a moment.
“You’ll do fine.”
She pulled back, giving him a
little attitude. “And you know this because...”
He wasn’t deterred. “Because
you’re good people, Maddie LaRocque.” He turned back to the ice, and the moment
he spotted Annie, his eyes softened. “How about I give you your first piece of
business? I’d like you to get something for Annie for Christmas.”
She followed his line of sight.
The girls were catching snowflakes on their tongues. “I told Chase what she
wants, but I got the impression that there’d been some negative feedback from
someone within the household.”
“Cynthia!” He almost spit the
word out. “She’s not part of the household.” He seemed to be struggling to maintain
his composure.
Maddie wasn’t sure how to
respond, but he was easy to talk to, and she wanted to stand up for Annie. “She
really does want a sewing machine, you know. My friend Lily knows about these
things, and she says that Annie could easily master using one. She says that
girls even younger than Annie have no problems if they’re shown the basics.”
She was starting to babble, and forced herself to slow down a bit. “Annie’s
going to visit Lily’s studio one of these days. She’s fascinated by anything to
do with fashion.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face.
“Sewing machines, fashion, people named Lily. See what happens? I go away, and
it’s
cement steps that overlooked the ice and waved to Annie as she skated by.
There was something comforting
about watching children at play. In that moment, she was reminded of Connor’s
exuberant antics, although the truth was she seldom thought about him anymore.
As for Allan, she thought about him even less.
A flash on the far side of the
rink caught her eye. Annie’s group was taking pictures of each other, amid much
giggling. How did children do that anyway, worm their way into your heart when
you weren’t looking? She sighed and tucked her hands into her pockets.
“That was a big sigh.”
Brent stood above her, his hair
dusted with snow. He motioned her to get up, and she complied wordlessly. She hoped
she wasn’t imagining his presence.
He carefully folded an old
blanket and placed it on the step. “Sit on this,” he said. “That cold cement
isn’t good for you.”
It felt much better, especially
when he sat down beside her.
“Hello again,” he said, bending
his legs and draping his arms over his knees. He scanned the ice. “Where is our
girl?”
“Last I saw her she was over
there, taking pictures.” Maddie pointed to the far side of the rink. “There she
is; they’re still at it.”
“Good.” He watched for a moment,
then turned back to her. “Thank you for doing this. I know you must be busy,
setting up your business and all.”
“I’d done about all I could for
today.” She lifted her face to the falling snow. “Besides, I’ve been inside far
too much recently.”
The way he was looking at her
made her heart go all skittery in her chest. “I guess that’s not a problem for
you. Don’t geologists spend a lot of time outdoors?”
“Yes, but not as much as you
might think. Even so, I wouldn’t trade it.”
They sat silently for a while,
watching the skaters. Annie spotted them and waved, but kept on going.
“A penny for your thoughts.” He’d
leaned closer, and she could see individual snowflakes on his eyelashes.
She looked into his eyes. They
appeared darker than before, but that was a trick of the light. Dark or light,
they were compelling.
“Shall I make up something
outrageous, or do you want the truth?”
“The truth,” he said simply.
“Always the truth.”
She nodded as if this was an
ongoing conversation. “Okay then. I was hoping that my business is successful.
I know it’s only for a couple of months, but I’ve never done anything
completely on my own before.” She tilted her head and smiled to herself. “It’s
a matter of pride, I suppose.”
He leaned into her for a moment.
“You’ll do fine.”
She pulled back, giving him a
little attitude. “And you know this because...”
He wasn’t deterred. “Because
you’re good people, Maddie LaRocque.” He turned back to the ice, and the moment
he spotted Annie, his eyes softened. “How about I give you your first piece of
business? I’d like you to get something for Annie for Christmas.”
She followed his line of sight.
The girls were catching snowflakes on their tongues. “I told Chase what she
wants, but I got the impression that there’d been some negative feedback from
someone within the household.”
“Cynthia!” He almost spit the
word out. “She’s not part of the household.” He seemed to be struggling to maintain
his composure.
Maddie wasn’t sure how to
respond, but he was easy to talk to, and she wanted to stand up for Annie. “She
really does want a sewing machine, you know. My friend Lily knows about these
things, and she says that Annie could easily master using one. She says that
girls even younger than Annie have no problems if they’re shown the basics.”
She was starting to babble, and forced herself to slow down a bit. “Annie’s
going to visit Lily’s studio one of these days. She’s fascinated by anything to
do with fashion.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face.
“Sewing machines, fashion, people named Lily. See what happens? I go away, and
it’s
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