Read Online It's Not Christmas Without You (The Holloway Series) by HelenKay Dimon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: HelenKay Dimon
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in the art world, are we talking about that guy?”
Austin took a second to analyze those facts then discarded them because they didn’t fit in with his plan. “She needs something else. We’ll both be sitting there and she can compare. Seeing us both she’ll realize whatever else she wants to change about her life, she wants to keep me.”
Spence sat on the edge of the desk. He wore his usual big brother I-know-better expression. “Have you taken a good look at her lately? The suits and the job. She fits here.”
“For now.”
Spence whispered something that sounded suspiciously like “dumb bastard” under his breath. “Does she know that all of this so-called romancing you’re doing is aimed at bringing her back to Holloway rather than accepting her job and coming up with a compromise?”
Compromise. Carrie used that word a lot before she left home. She hadn’t said it since. He got that she liked her job, but he wanted her to need him more.
“I have to go or I’ll be late.”
“Hold on a second.” Spence hesitated as if turning the situation over in his mind. “You’ll be chaperoning this date and I’ll be working the lot alone?”
Austin waited for the full truth to hit his brother. “Yes.”
“On the Friday night, two weeks before Christmas. The busiest time for people to buy trees.” The longer he talked, the slower Spence’s pace got until a beat of silence separated each word.
“I’m still going with yes.”
Spence stood up, hands on his hips and ready for battle. “Will you be saying yes when I throw you in traffic?”
Knowing the argument was coming, Austin had worked out a contingency plan. Not a great one, but a workable one. “The security guys can help you for a few hours until I get back.”
“Hours? As in more than one?”
“I won’t be long.”
Spence pointed out the window at the guard circling the lot and eyeing up the potential customers as if they were terrorists waiting to attack. “That one has a neck the size of a utility pole.”
Which was exactly why Austin hired him. “Then he should be able to lift trees onto cars without getting a hernia.”
“You’re paying them to watch the lot and make sure our inventory isn’t stolen while we sleep. Another bill you’re fronting, by the way.” When Austin stepped toward the door, Spence shifted and blocked any attempt at a speedy exit. “Did you rob a bank and not tell me?”
Austin wasn’t touching that question. He’d cleaned out a hefty portion of his savings. Between the engagement ring and the D.C. trip, it was a good thing he didn’t have to put a down payment on a house anytime soon. “Carrie is worth it.”
“I’m not arguing with that.”
He’d tried joking and explaining and failed. This time Austin went with the simple bottom line. “I need to do this.”
“What you need is meds.”
“Probably true but I’ll settle for convincing her to come home with me.”
Spence exhaled in a sound weighed down by the burden of being the older brother. “I’m betting it won’t be that easy.”
“Nothing ever is for us.”
“You know she left more than twenty minutes ago, right?”
“ What ?”
“Figured you’d missed that.” Spence opened the door. “Try not to be arrested.”
Austin was still stunned by Carrie getting the drop on him and leaving early. “I can’t promise that.”
Chapter Eight
They made it to the end of the salad course before Austin wandered in. He walked over, waved off most of the wait staff and did not stop until he hit the side of their table.
Austin shot Shawn one of those hard-to-read smiles that could go either way—furious or happy. “Did we change the time and no one told me?”
To his credit, Shawn shrugged off a threat, implied or otherwise. “Carrie and I decided to start without you.”
“Fair enough.” Austin’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “How are we doing?”
Since this likely meant the end of the rational part of the evening,
Austin took a second to analyze those facts then discarded them because they didn’t fit in with his plan. “She needs something else. We’ll both be sitting there and she can compare. Seeing us both she’ll realize whatever else she wants to change about her life, she wants to keep me.”
Spence sat on the edge of the desk. He wore his usual big brother I-know-better expression. “Have you taken a good look at her lately? The suits and the job. She fits here.”
“For now.”
Spence whispered something that sounded suspiciously like “dumb bastard” under his breath. “Does she know that all of this so-called romancing you’re doing is aimed at bringing her back to Holloway rather than accepting her job and coming up with a compromise?”
Compromise. Carrie used that word a lot before she left home. She hadn’t said it since. He got that she liked her job, but he wanted her to need him more.
“I have to go or I’ll be late.”
“Hold on a second.” Spence hesitated as if turning the situation over in his mind. “You’ll be chaperoning this date and I’ll be working the lot alone?”
Austin waited for the full truth to hit his brother. “Yes.”
“On the Friday night, two weeks before Christmas. The busiest time for people to buy trees.” The longer he talked, the slower Spence’s pace got until a beat of silence separated each word.
“I’m still going with yes.”
Spence stood up, hands on his hips and ready for battle. “Will you be saying yes when I throw you in traffic?”
Knowing the argument was coming, Austin had worked out a contingency plan. Not a great one, but a workable one. “The security guys can help you for a few hours until I get back.”
“Hours? As in more than one?”
“I won’t be long.”
Spence pointed out the window at the guard circling the lot and eyeing up the potential customers as if they were terrorists waiting to attack. “That one has a neck the size of a utility pole.”
Which was exactly why Austin hired him. “Then he should be able to lift trees onto cars without getting a hernia.”
“You’re paying them to watch the lot and make sure our inventory isn’t stolen while we sleep. Another bill you’re fronting, by the way.” When Austin stepped toward the door, Spence shifted and blocked any attempt at a speedy exit. “Did you rob a bank and not tell me?”
Austin wasn’t touching that question. He’d cleaned out a hefty portion of his savings. Between the engagement ring and the D.C. trip, it was a good thing he didn’t have to put a down payment on a house anytime soon. “Carrie is worth it.”
“I’m not arguing with that.”
He’d tried joking and explaining and failed. This time Austin went with the simple bottom line. “I need to do this.”
“What you need is meds.”
“Probably true but I’ll settle for convincing her to come home with me.”
Spence exhaled in a sound weighed down by the burden of being the older brother. “I’m betting it won’t be that easy.”
“Nothing ever is for us.”
“You know she left more than twenty minutes ago, right?”
“ What ?”
“Figured you’d missed that.” Spence opened the door. “Try not to be arrested.”
Austin was still stunned by Carrie getting the drop on him and leaving early. “I can’t promise that.”
Chapter Eight
They made it to the end of the salad course before Austin wandered in. He walked over, waved off most of the wait staff and did not stop until he hit the side of their table.
Austin shot Shawn one of those hard-to-read smiles that could go either way—furious or happy. “Did we change the time and no one told me?”
To his credit, Shawn shrugged off a threat, implied or otherwise. “Carrie and I decided to start without you.”
“Fair enough.” Austin’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “How are we doing?”
Since this likely meant the end of the rational part of the evening,
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