Read Online Second Chance Christmas (The Colorado Cades) by Tanya Michaels - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tanya Michaels
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tree.”
Steven was glancing at the little girl with alarm. Justin recognized some of the same trepidation he’d experienced the other day, when Kaylee had almost started crying and he hadn’t known what to do.
“Don’t you want my help?” Kaylee asked Justin. “I’m very good at picking trees.”
“I... Of course I want your help,” Justin said, not meeting Elisabeth’s gaze, “but I can manage on my own if you have to go.”
Steven lowered his voice. “Elisabeth, could I speak with you for a minute?”
“I’ll keep an eye on Kaylee,” Justin promised, waving them to the side. He valiantly ignored the temptation to eavesdrop. In part because Kaylee’s animated chatter made it impossible.
“Wanna go throw snowballs?” she asked.
“I think we’re supposed to stay in the tent. Patience. They’ll be right back.”
She made a face. “I was stuck inside all day. I like outside .”
Her conviction made him laugh. “Me, too, kiddo. That’s why I have the best job in the world. I get to spend a lot of it outside.”
“Steven has a boring job,” she complained. “He was babysitting me, but he sat at the computer all day.”
“You have to give him a chance,” Justin told her. “He seems nice.”
She twisted her mouth into a contemplative scowl. “He let me play a video game. But it was too hard.”
“We may have a solution,” Elisabeth said, rejoining them. “If Justin is willing to give Kaylee and me a ride home.”
Steven’s tone was apologetic. “My company is about to roll out a new version of our software, and there are still bugs. I hate to work while I’m visiting Elisabeth, but—”
“Hey, I’m the one who worked all day while you watched Kaylee,” she reminded him with a smile. “Teamwork.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “You’re the best. Justin, what do you say? Any chance you could give the girls a lift?”
“ Please !” Kaylee begged.
Looking into her big brown eyes, he knew there was no way he could refuse. “No problem. Now, what’s this I hear about hot chocolate?”
He let Kaylee drag him toward the line at the concessions table while Elisabeth and Steven said goodbye. It only took a moment or two before Elisabeth fell into step with him.
“Elisabeth, can we get a cookie with our hot chocolate?” Kaylee asked.
“Okay, but only because it’s the holiday season. And no dessert after dinner tonight,” Elisabeth warned. “This is it for the day.”
Undisturbed by thoughts of the dessertless future, Kaylee skipped ahead to check out the cookie selection and stood at the front of the line talking to a pigtailed girl she seemed to recognize.
Elisabeth’s shoulders slumped. “This was probably a mistake.”
“What, her inevitable sugar rush? Don’t worry. Colin and I never paid enough attention to nutrition, and Arden turned out great. She willingly eats vegetables all the time.”
“I meant staying here with you. Steven thought it would earn him points with Kaylee, but they’re having a difficult enough time as it is. How’s she supposed to bond with him while he’s at my place and you’re here being charming?”
He grinned. “You think I’m charming?”
“No. But I can see how a six-year-old might make that mistake.”
“Ouch. I don’t remember you being this mean.”
“With as many women as you date,” she said matter-of-factly, “I’m amazed you remember me at all. Do you have some kind of spreadsheet to keep track of us?”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her she wasn’t like any of the others, that she’d been special. But what good would that do? Part of her distinction was how uncomfortable she’d made him. She would forever be off-limits to him even if she weren’t engaged to be married.
Her mouth rounded in a surprised O. “You’re hurt.”
“Because you insinuated I’m a man-ho? No worries, my skin’s thicker than that. Arden says horrible things to me all the time.”
“Your cheek,” she
Steven was glancing at the little girl with alarm. Justin recognized some of the same trepidation he’d experienced the other day, when Kaylee had almost started crying and he hadn’t known what to do.
“Don’t you want my help?” Kaylee asked Justin. “I’m very good at picking trees.”
“I... Of course I want your help,” Justin said, not meeting Elisabeth’s gaze, “but I can manage on my own if you have to go.”
Steven lowered his voice. “Elisabeth, could I speak with you for a minute?”
“I’ll keep an eye on Kaylee,” Justin promised, waving them to the side. He valiantly ignored the temptation to eavesdrop. In part because Kaylee’s animated chatter made it impossible.
“Wanna go throw snowballs?” she asked.
“I think we’re supposed to stay in the tent. Patience. They’ll be right back.”
She made a face. “I was stuck inside all day. I like outside .”
Her conviction made him laugh. “Me, too, kiddo. That’s why I have the best job in the world. I get to spend a lot of it outside.”
“Steven has a boring job,” she complained. “He was babysitting me, but he sat at the computer all day.”
“You have to give him a chance,” Justin told her. “He seems nice.”
She twisted her mouth into a contemplative scowl. “He let me play a video game. But it was too hard.”
“We may have a solution,” Elisabeth said, rejoining them. “If Justin is willing to give Kaylee and me a ride home.”
Steven’s tone was apologetic. “My company is about to roll out a new version of our software, and there are still bugs. I hate to work while I’m visiting Elisabeth, but—”
“Hey, I’m the one who worked all day while you watched Kaylee,” she reminded him with a smile. “Teamwork.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “You’re the best. Justin, what do you say? Any chance you could give the girls a lift?”
“ Please !” Kaylee begged.
Looking into her big brown eyes, he knew there was no way he could refuse. “No problem. Now, what’s this I hear about hot chocolate?”
He let Kaylee drag him toward the line at the concessions table while Elisabeth and Steven said goodbye. It only took a moment or two before Elisabeth fell into step with him.
“Elisabeth, can we get a cookie with our hot chocolate?” Kaylee asked.
“Okay, but only because it’s the holiday season. And no dessert after dinner tonight,” Elisabeth warned. “This is it for the day.”
Undisturbed by thoughts of the dessertless future, Kaylee skipped ahead to check out the cookie selection and stood at the front of the line talking to a pigtailed girl she seemed to recognize.
Elisabeth’s shoulders slumped. “This was probably a mistake.”
“What, her inevitable sugar rush? Don’t worry. Colin and I never paid enough attention to nutrition, and Arden turned out great. She willingly eats vegetables all the time.”
“I meant staying here with you. Steven thought it would earn him points with Kaylee, but they’re having a difficult enough time as it is. How’s she supposed to bond with him while he’s at my place and you’re here being charming?”
He grinned. “You think I’m charming?”
“No. But I can see how a six-year-old might make that mistake.”
“Ouch. I don’t remember you being this mean.”
“With as many women as you date,” she said matter-of-factly, “I’m amazed you remember me at all. Do you have some kind of spreadsheet to keep track of us?”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her she wasn’t like any of the others, that she’d been special. But what good would that do? Part of her distinction was how uncomfortable she’d made him. She would forever be off-limits to him even if she weren’t engaged to be married.
Her mouth rounded in a surprised O. “You’re hurt.”
“Because you insinuated I’m a man-ho? No worries, my skin’s thicker than that. Arden says horrible things to me all the time.”
“Your cheek,” she
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