Read Online Snow Angels by Fern Michaels, Rosalind Noonan, Marie Bostwick, Janna McMahan - Free Book Online Page A

girls.
    “They okay?” He motioned to the sleeping girls.
    “As okay as they can be under the circumstances.” Grace eyed the poor things to make sure they still slept. “What happened? I was sure Glenn was gone for good. Stephanie had him arrested. He was in jail the last I heard.”
    Max motioned for her to follow him upstairs.
    “We can talk up here without waking them. Apparently, Glenn was being transported to Denver. The deputies driving him stopped in Grand Junction for a bite to eat. Thinking Glenn was as innocent and harmless as he claimed, they let him come inside to have his meal with them. He went to the men’s room, and that’s the last they saw of him.”
    “This makes no sense! How did he know where to find Amanda and Ashley? I didn’t plan on any of this happening.” Perplexed, Grace dropped down on a small wooden chair.
    “Those roadblocks last night, they were searching for him. He had no idea he’d find his girls here. As luck or whatever you want to call it would have it, I just happen to have the only house around here for miles. He must’ve walked all night and wound up here, the same as you. It’s a heck of a coincidence, don’t you think?”
    Grace wasn’t sure what to think and told him so.
    “I called the number you gave me and talked to a woman by the name of Juanita. Told her you were fine and that you’d be back as soon as possible.”
    “Thanks so much, really. Juanita is my mother. I’m sure she and Stephanie were beside themselves with worry. Did you tell her the girls were with me and that they were okay?”
    “I did.”
    Grace was about to ask Max if they’d said anything else, but he piped up. “Your mother said Bryce was there. Said he couldn’t wait until Christmas Eve to see you.”
    Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Fantastic, I can’t wait to see him. It’s tough to schedule visits now that we live so far apart. I can’t wait to see him. It’s been almost a year. I can’t believe I let so much time pass. It’s just that—”
    “You’d better leave before it starts snowing again. We’re supposed to get another two feet by nightfall. I promised your family you’d be home today,” Max said, staring intently into her verdant eyes.
    Grace felt a little piece of her heart break at the thought of leaving Max behind. She barely knew the man, and what she did know she wasn’t sure she liked. Still, there was something about him.
    She nodded. “You’re right. I know the girls are excited; they want to decorate the Christmas tree. I promised them they could.”
    “I gathered as much,” Max said.
    Before he could stop himself, before he had a chance to second-guess himself, Max pulled Grace into his arms kissing her softly on the mouth. Her intake of breath, shock or desire, surprised him because instead of pulling away, she kissed him back.
    “Grace.” The sound of her name filled him with emotions that had been dormant for so long, their intense return stunned him.
    Before either could react Max pushed her away. For a moment neither spoke. When the silence between them became too uncomfortable, Max looked at her with more than just a casual interest.
    Grace looked away, then something pulled her attention back to him. She gazed into his deep blue eyes, seeing more than just the man who’d offered her a place to stay.
    Hesitantly, Max smoothed the hair away from her face. “I want to say I’m sorry, but I’m not.”
    Grace smiled. “It’s okay, really.”
    Max nodded. “You’d better go. The snow and all.”
    Neither made an attempt to move their gazes as they locked on to one another, both amazed at the sudden attraction between them.
    Max spoke up, breaking the connection. “What about Bryce?”
    She squinted her eyes as though he were suddenly out of focus. “What about him?”
    “Never mind,” Max said softly.
    “Wait. Why are you asking me about Bryce? Do you know him?”
    “No, and I don’t want to either. Look, Grace, it was