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Authors: Ginny Baird
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some water. Anybody else want a glass?”
“I’ll come help,” Carlos said, getting to his feet.
John leaned into the counter and took a long drink.
“What is it, amigo,” Carlos asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Suddenly, I don’t feel so hot.”
“No joke. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
John gradually met his gaze. “I have, Carlos. The Ghost of Christmas Future, and it’s too much. It’s all too much.”
“What’s too much?”
“ This. Old home week. Christine… Tyler… I just can’t do it.”
“Nobody’s asked you to do anything, other than have them to dinner. As I recall, it was your invitation.”
“Her best friend’s here. You know they’ve been talking about me.”
“That’s what best girlfriends do!” Carlos reassured him. “They even weigh the merits of the UPS man, from what I hear.”
John looked Carlos in the eye. “I heard from Mary Stewart.”
“On the personnel committee?”
John nodded. “If I want it, the position’s mine.”
“That’s awesome news. Congratulations.”
“You know what this means. Long hours… extra meetings… Honestly, it’s a good thing Christine and Tyler are going home.”
Carlos cocked his chin. “Sometimes distance doesn’t matter.”
“And sometimes it’s an excellent deterrent,” John said firmly. “Just the right thing, at just the right time, before anyone’s in too deep.”
Carlos shook his head with a disapproving look. “And I thought the only chickens in this house were the ones you served for dinner.”
Chapter Twelve
Christine and Ellen rode in the front of the SUV while Tyler slept soundly in his car seat in back. It had been a full and joyful day for her little boy; Christine was grateful for that at least. She kept her eyes on the road, trying not to think too hard about John’s parting statement. Could she really have made such colossal mistakes that he didn’t ever want to see her or Tyler again?
Ellen checked her lipstick in the driver’s side mirror and fluffed her hair, lost in her own world. “I think the sexy professor’s sweet on you,” she said settling back in her seat. “ Maybe next year things will be different…? That sounded promising!”
“You totally misread that, Ellen. I doubt that’s what John meant at all.”
“He’s got the love bug for you, sister,” Ellen stated authoritatively. “The love bug and it shows. That man wants you in his future.”
“That man, as you call him, was only making conversation. Think about it Ellen. I’m in Chicago, he’s in Vermont… Just how is that supposed to work?”
“I used to date a guy in New York.”
“ Used to being the operative phrase.”
Ellen folded her arms across her chest. “As a girl who’s got a date tomorrow, I don’t appreciate your pessimism.”
Christine turned toward her, pleased. “Carlos?”
“Isn’t he gorgeous,” Ellen asked with a sigh.
“I guess he’s got a certain appeal,” Christine said noncommittally. “So, where are you two going?”
“Snowmobiling!”
“Seriously?”
“What? It’s not like bungee jumping. Though I’d be up for that too… What do you think? Too much to suggest for a second date?”
“How long are you planning on staying?”
“For the rest of the holiday, and you?”
“Our return flight’s on the twenty-eighth. You know that, you arranged it.”
“Oh right, right. Sorry. I forgot.” Ellen fiddled with her purse, sneaking out her cell to check for messages. “Do you think Carlos has been married before?”
“From what I hear, twice.”
“Third time’s the charm,” Ellen quipped merrily.
“You two just met!”
“I know, I know… Don’t take me so seriously. Heavens!” She frowned, tucking away her cell. “So… When are you seeing John again?”
Christine’s lips took a downward turn as she fought the burn in her heart. “I’m not.”
Ellen reached out and touched her arm. “What happened?”
Christine felt a tear escape her
“I’ll come help,” Carlos said, getting to his feet.
John leaned into the counter and took a long drink.
“What is it, amigo,” Carlos asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Suddenly, I don’t feel so hot.”
“No joke. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
John gradually met his gaze. “I have, Carlos. The Ghost of Christmas Future, and it’s too much. It’s all too much.”
“What’s too much?”
“ This. Old home week. Christine… Tyler… I just can’t do it.”
“Nobody’s asked you to do anything, other than have them to dinner. As I recall, it was your invitation.”
“Her best friend’s here. You know they’ve been talking about me.”
“That’s what best girlfriends do!” Carlos reassured him. “They even weigh the merits of the UPS man, from what I hear.”
John looked Carlos in the eye. “I heard from Mary Stewart.”
“On the personnel committee?”
John nodded. “If I want it, the position’s mine.”
“That’s awesome news. Congratulations.”
“You know what this means. Long hours… extra meetings… Honestly, it’s a good thing Christine and Tyler are going home.”
Carlos cocked his chin. “Sometimes distance doesn’t matter.”
“And sometimes it’s an excellent deterrent,” John said firmly. “Just the right thing, at just the right time, before anyone’s in too deep.”
Carlos shook his head with a disapproving look. “And I thought the only chickens in this house were the ones you served for dinner.”
Chapter Twelve
Christine and Ellen rode in the front of the SUV while Tyler slept soundly in his car seat in back. It had been a full and joyful day for her little boy; Christine was grateful for that at least. She kept her eyes on the road, trying not to think too hard about John’s parting statement. Could she really have made such colossal mistakes that he didn’t ever want to see her or Tyler again?
Ellen checked her lipstick in the driver’s side mirror and fluffed her hair, lost in her own world. “I think the sexy professor’s sweet on you,” she said settling back in her seat. “ Maybe next year things will be different…? That sounded promising!”
“You totally misread that, Ellen. I doubt that’s what John meant at all.”
“He’s got the love bug for you, sister,” Ellen stated authoritatively. “The love bug and it shows. That man wants you in his future.”
“That man, as you call him, was only making conversation. Think about it Ellen. I’m in Chicago, he’s in Vermont… Just how is that supposed to work?”
“I used to date a guy in New York.”
“ Used to being the operative phrase.”
Ellen folded her arms across her chest. “As a girl who’s got a date tomorrow, I don’t appreciate your pessimism.”
Christine turned toward her, pleased. “Carlos?”
“Isn’t he gorgeous,” Ellen asked with a sigh.
“I guess he’s got a certain appeal,” Christine said noncommittally. “So, where are you two going?”
“Snowmobiling!”
“Seriously?”
“What? It’s not like bungee jumping. Though I’d be up for that too… What do you think? Too much to suggest for a second date?”
“How long are you planning on staying?”
“For the rest of the holiday, and you?”
“Our return flight’s on the twenty-eighth. You know that, you arranged it.”
“Oh right, right. Sorry. I forgot.” Ellen fiddled with her purse, sneaking out her cell to check for messages. “Do you think Carlos has been married before?”
“From what I hear, twice.”
“Third time’s the charm,” Ellen quipped merrily.
“You two just met!”
“I know, I know… Don’t take me so seriously. Heavens!” She frowned, tucking away her cell. “So… When are you seeing John again?”
Christine’s lips took a downward turn as she fought the burn in her heart. “I’m not.”
Ellen reached out and touched her arm. “What happened?”
Christine felt a tear escape her
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