Read Online Operation Christmas by Barbara Weitz - Free Book Online

looked the part.
    Ah, what to do about Jess. Arm or no arm, she knew a virile man lay beneath Jess’s cool facade. Was it his tenacious nature that kept him alive on the battlefield or luck? Who knew? More important, if Jess brought his persistent nature to the bedroom, would she be woman enough? She shook away the thoughts that brought pricks of awareness to her skin.
    So many things about Jess scared her when all her experience centered on Danny. The only boy she dated in high school. Then they married. How did she move on from the one secure relationship she’d ever known without guilt and fear? She tried to rub away the pounding headache. A deep sigh caught Gram’s attention.
    “Sad tonight, honey?”
    “A little.”
    “I’ll turn this thing off.” Grams grabbed the remote and found an old episode of Seinfeld. “You going out with Jess again?”
    “Doubt it.”
    “You didn’t like him?”
    “I’m not ready to date.”
    “You mean you’re not ready to have sex with someone new.”
    “ Grams. ” Heat hit Madeleine’s face in a burst. How aggravating and embarrassing the elderly women in the house seemed capable of reading her mind. “I’m not afraid of sex . ” Liar. You’ve gained ten pounds over the last two years. She made a vow to lay off the morning day-old bakery.
    “Pooh. Let’s call it what it is. Don’t throw away your youth.”
    Oh, boy. Madeleine didn’t like where this was going. “If this is going to be a commentary on hormones or sex, I’d rather skip it.”
    “I’m too old to beat around the bush, being all nice and politically correct.” She peered over the top of her glasses. “If I can’t speak my mind to family, you might as well shove me in the ground next to Gramps.”
    Okay. That did it. Madeleine hopped up from her chair to go find an aspirin. “It’s been a rough day. I think I’ll turn in early. You okay here alone?”
    “Do I look like I need babysitter?”
    “No, it’s just that I didn’t want you to be lonely.”
    “ Lonely. Ha. Go to bed. That’s where you’ll find out what lonely’s about.”
    After a lousy day like today, Madeleine couldn’t agree more. “Good night.”
    “Don’t forget you’re taking me to the mall tomorrow night,” Grams called out.
    “I won’t forget.”
    Grams had hit the nail on the head about lonely. Add in being bored to tears with her life, her job, she couldn’t deny they all added up to reasons why she dragged her leaden body up the stairs to her bedroom. The dreariness could easily be lifted if she gave Jess a chance. Even if they didn’t work out, she’d at least be making a step in the right direction.
    She stopped at her wedding picture. The image shone with happiness, the memories so sweet. Oh, the damned headache. She pressed her fingertips into her forehead in a circular motion.
    Madeleine took hold of the picture frame and held it tight against her chest while slipping her cell phone from her purse. Standing next to her bed, she saw three messages waited and set the wedding picture on her nightstand. Tiffany: Call me. I miss you. Next came four words from her mom: stew on the stove. “Ate it.” She opened the next message. This one made her legs go weak.
    Her rump hit the bed hard as she gulped back a boatload of emotion.
    Jess.

Chapter Six
    Madeleine read the message for the third time: U avail 2morrow after wrk? Need typist for tins.
    She lay back on the bed and groaned. Like her dad, Jess had the same adept ability to weasel out favors. He had hit upon a vulnerable spot and her natural desire to help others. In this case, she typed fast. He didn’t. She couldn’t say no outright. Trapped, she knew he’d been listening to her talk to Tamara last Saturday about Operation Christmas. How she wished she had known about the project earlier so she could have been more help. “That’s what Christmas is all about,” her own words rang in her ears.
    Rolling to her belly, she texted a quick reply before