Read Online The Christmas Catch by Ginny Baird - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ginny Baird
Ads: Link
and she stealthily stroked it back, hoping Ellen hadn’t seen. “I should never have gotten involved. I knew from the beginning where things would end.”
“Did John say something to you?” Ellen asked with concern. “When we were leaving, I mean?”
Christine pressed her lips together steeling her emotions.
“Have a nice flight,” she said, battling the sting of her tears.
“Oh Christine, I’m so sorry. I had no idea, hon. Honestly, none. John seemed like such a nice guy. I was hopeful, really hopeful—for the first time in a long while—that you were finally getting your life back.”
Christine collected herself, wiping her cheeks with her coat sleeve. “My life’s in Chicago,” she said with more resolve than she felt.
“I know, and mine is too.” Ellen set her jaw, weighing her own insecurities. “I’m not fooling myself with Carlos. The two of us are old enough to know what the score is. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a little fun while we’ve both got some life left.”
Christine forced a smile. “Oh Ellen, I’d say you’ve got plenty of life left. Maybe even more than Carlos can handle.”
Ellen laughed, the tension in the air lightening. “Thanks,” she said. “I try.”
Later that night, Christine locked herself away in her room, her heart breaking. All night long she’d held it in. Fear started as a gentle roll, cresting the wave of her emotions, the moment John gave her that deer-in-the-headlights look in the kitchen. By the time they were saying good-bye, hope had sunk in the well of silence between them. It wasn’t that they didn’t talk. Discomfort sprung instead from all that went unsaid. There was no discourse on keeping in touch, or John seeing them off to the airport. The holiday had come, then—boom—it was done, just as suddenly as fireworks exploding on the Fourth of July. But here it was Christmas… Christmas… and all its twinkling lights had faded for her, it seemed.
There’d been a time when the whole world had looked promising. She’d had a handsome young officer on her arm and they’d been expecting their first child. Dan had sworn he’d never leave her, but, due to the cruelty of fate, he had. She’d never believed she’d love again, or even meet another guy who’d catch her eye. Now here she was more painfully aware of being alone than she’d ever been.
Christine sank to the carpet, her back to the door, arms folded around her knees. “Oh Dan,” she said, doubling forward with her sobs. “I miss you so much.”
A light rapping came at the door. “Everything okay in there?” It was Ellen from the other side, her voice tinged with worry.
Christine sucked in a breath, her throat raw. “Yes, Ellen!” she called back. “Just fine. Merry Christmas.”
Ellen hesitated before replying, concern clear in her voice. “Merry Christmas. Sleep tight.”
Christine listened to her footsteps fade away, then folded her face in her hands. She’d been acting like a fool. Crushing on a man who lived hundreds of miles away and clearly had no interest in falling in love, much less having a family. She’d been crazy to believe there could be more to her relationship with John than just a simple two-week affair. Maybe it was good that she was heading back to Chicago, where she could put her real world in order and ensure it all made sense. In the meantime, she’d need to put on a brave face for these last few days and make the most of this vacation for little Ty. He was the main reason she came here after all, not to create delusional fantasies about her achieving a happily ever after.
Christine dropped her forehead to her knees and let the tears come quietly, as winds beat against the storm shutters. It was snowing harder now, almost as fiercely as it had on the day they arrived. But nothing could match the chill that settled deep in her soul to ravage her aching heart.
Chapter Thirteen
John fixed his brow in concentration, spreadsheets strewn
“Did John say something to you?” Ellen asked with concern. “When we were leaving, I mean?”
Christine pressed her lips together steeling her emotions.
“Have a nice flight,” she said, battling the sting of her tears.
“Oh Christine, I’m so sorry. I had no idea, hon. Honestly, none. John seemed like such a nice guy. I was hopeful, really hopeful—for the first time in a long while—that you were finally getting your life back.”
Christine collected herself, wiping her cheeks with her coat sleeve. “My life’s in Chicago,” she said with more resolve than she felt.
“I know, and mine is too.” Ellen set her jaw, weighing her own insecurities. “I’m not fooling myself with Carlos. The two of us are old enough to know what the score is. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a little fun while we’ve both got some life left.”
Christine forced a smile. “Oh Ellen, I’d say you’ve got plenty of life left. Maybe even more than Carlos can handle.”
Ellen laughed, the tension in the air lightening. “Thanks,” she said. “I try.”
Later that night, Christine locked herself away in her room, her heart breaking. All night long she’d held it in. Fear started as a gentle roll, cresting the wave of her emotions, the moment John gave her that deer-in-the-headlights look in the kitchen. By the time they were saying good-bye, hope had sunk in the well of silence between them. It wasn’t that they didn’t talk. Discomfort sprung instead from all that went unsaid. There was no discourse on keeping in touch, or John seeing them off to the airport. The holiday had come, then—boom—it was done, just as suddenly as fireworks exploding on the Fourth of July. But here it was Christmas… Christmas… and all its twinkling lights had faded for her, it seemed.
There’d been a time when the whole world had looked promising. She’d had a handsome young officer on her arm and they’d been expecting their first child. Dan had sworn he’d never leave her, but, due to the cruelty of fate, he had. She’d never believed she’d love again, or even meet another guy who’d catch her eye. Now here she was more painfully aware of being alone than she’d ever been.
Christine sank to the carpet, her back to the door, arms folded around her knees. “Oh Dan,” she said, doubling forward with her sobs. “I miss you so much.”
A light rapping came at the door. “Everything okay in there?” It was Ellen from the other side, her voice tinged with worry.
Christine sucked in a breath, her throat raw. “Yes, Ellen!” she called back. “Just fine. Merry Christmas.”
Ellen hesitated before replying, concern clear in her voice. “Merry Christmas. Sleep tight.”
Christine listened to her footsteps fade away, then folded her face in her hands. She’d been acting like a fool. Crushing on a man who lived hundreds of miles away and clearly had no interest in falling in love, much less having a family. She’d been crazy to believe there could be more to her relationship with John than just a simple two-week affair. Maybe it was good that she was heading back to Chicago, where she could put her real world in order and ensure it all made sense. In the meantime, she’d need to put on a brave face for these last few days and make the most of this vacation for little Ty. He was the main reason she came here after all, not to create delusional fantasies about her achieving a happily ever after.
Christine dropped her forehead to her knees and let the tears come quietly, as winds beat against the storm shutters. It was snowing harder now, almost as fiercely as it had on the day they arrived. But nothing could match the chill that settled deep in her soul to ravage her aching heart.
Chapter Thirteen
John fixed his brow in concentration, spreadsheets strewn
Similar Books
