Read Online How Nick and Holly Wrecked...Saved Christmas by Carla Rossi - Free Book Online

cat’s heart pounds fast and hard under my fingers. I hold him close and he purrs against my chest. “Sometimes I think I’m lucky I don’t have those kinds of issues. I guess an absent parent is better than a mean and selfish one.”
    “Who knows? It depends on the parent.”
    “All I know is men don’t stick around long in my family. My grandfather left and my father left. Whatever we’re doing chases them away.”
    Nick’s faces changes for three seconds before he looks at me with such intensity I almost turn away.
    “Don’t worry, Holly. All men don’t leave.”
    His words land soft and warm in the bitter cold of our too-real and too-raw conversation.
    I touch his hand. “They’re like us, Nick.”
    “Who?”
    “Black cat and white cat. Dumped on someone else’s doorstep for Christmas. We’re all the same.”
    Nick nods to the cat curled in a ball and dozing inside his coat. “I don’t think this one’s feeling the harsh pain of abandonment right now,” he says and smiles.
    “Thanks for helping me rescue them.”
    “Any time.”
    “And now,” I say and grab the box. “I do happen to know about cats and I know these two need food and water. So back in the box, and on to Granny’s.”
    The cats are screaming again, but Nick is staring at me as push back my seat and slide the messy box onto the floor. “Sorry, cats, I’ll get you out of there soon.” I glance at Nick. “What?”
    “Nothing,” he says, his eyes glittering. “Nothing.”
    But it isn’t nothing. He leans in and touches my face and I stop breathing as his lips catch mine in a warm and urgent, but surprisingly easy, kiss.
    “Is this OK?” he asks, breathless and close against my mouth.
    “A little late to ask,” I say and kiss him back.
    I lean into his embrace and know with certainly this is the best Christmas ever.
    Nick Zernigan is kissing me and I am kissing him.
    If not for the wailing cats, I would be happy to do this all night.
     
     
     
     
     

Day Five—Hillbilly Cops Are Afraid of Old Ladies.
     
     
    I shake the bag of cat treats and dive under the covers on Granny’s bed. She dangles the feather cat teaser off the side and then joins me under the quilt. We are breathless with anticipation and try not to make a sound as we wait.
    Within seconds, there are two thumps on top of us as the cats pounce. We laugh hysterically, reward the cats with a treat, and do it again.
    We’ve been playing like this for two hours.
    Granny’s sigh is long and happy as she fluffs a pillow behind her head. “Oh, I need a rest.”
    I settle in beside her. “Have you decided what to name them?”
    “Well, we’re dealing with a boy and a girl, but I don’t know. We could be obvious and call them Onyx and Diamond. Or Black Diamond and Pearl.”
    “Or Cappuccino and Latte, or Espresso and Sugar, or Mocha and Whipped Cream,” I offer. “Or any combination of the above.”
    Granny looks at me with concern. “You are obsessed with coffee, aren’t you? Do you need to see someone?”
    “What about you and all the gemstone references?”
    “I can’t help it. I love being a gemologist. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But so are rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. I like my friends.”
    “Anyway,” I say and take a sip of water from my bottle on the nightstand. “I like Jingle and Bell. It’s catchy.”
    White cat makes a circle then plops near us to take a nap. Granny scratches its head. “Do you know anything about them?”
    “No. There wasn’t much information available. I’m not even sure how old they are.”
    “Did you find them at the shelter?”
    Ummmm...
    “Yes.”
    “I need to run them by my vet,” Granny says.
    “Yeah. I was thinking I’d see if I could take mom to work one day next week and borrow her car. We can do that and get whatever else you need. Definitely some scratching posts.”
    “ Oui . I didn’t keep those. Pierre destroyed them. And I need to get the cats on the list for the spay and