Read Online The Christmas Wish by Maggie Marr - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Maggie Marr
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“It’s late. Nearly past my bedtime and we’re still only on fours.”
Brinn followed them into the hall. Why worry about the date with Tyler? This was dinner and a movie, not a wedding proposal. Brinn walked into the kitchen, certain that she’d now hear what the Bunco Babes thought she should wear this Friday and how to make Tyler Emerson fall for her.
Chapter Seven
He hadn’t strolled along Main Street during the Christmas season since before he left Powder Springs for college. Tourists, holiday shoppers, and people simply enjoying a warmer winter evening than they’d had in the past couple of weeks darted down the cobblestone sidewalk. He’d planned on taking Brinn to a movie, but they talked so long over their burgers at the Around the Block diner that they missed the start time.
Former classmates and friends of his parents waved and nodded at them as they walked down Main. Curious looks from locals were pointed their way. Tomorrow he and Brinn would be the big Powder Springs gossip. So what. Despite the cold, warmth cascaded through him, an enjoyment caused by being with someone he felt comfortable with. He hadn’t felt this calm a very long while.
“You’re happy that you moved back from San Francisco?” Tyler wanted to keep their conversation going. Listening to Brinn talk was easy. She told good stories and her face lit with excitement when she talked about her work and the bakery and her family.
Brinn pulled at her black curls that peeked out from beneath her white wool cap. “Even when I went away to culinary school in San Francisco, I always thought I’d eventually move back to Powder Springs. So when I walked in on—” Her eyes clouded with a memory and she stopped speaking. Her gaze dropped to the ground, almost as though her words had gotten away from her. Brinn pressed her lips tight and then her brown eyes glanced back up at him. “When I discovered that staying in San Francisco wasn’t an option, I was sad at first, but I love Powder Springs.”
His breath hitched in his chest. The pain had disappeared from her gaze and her eyes were full of light again, her smile so warm that he could almost think he’d imagined the pain.
“Do you feel the same way about leaving Denver and coming home for a while?”
Tyler nodded. “Powder Springs is what I want for Charlotte. I want the same kind of magical childhood for her that I had here. Especially now.”
“You should bring Charlotte back out to the Grande next week. The Christmas castle looks more like a castle. This time she won’t be disappointed.”
“I peeked in on you the other day.”
Brinn turned to him with a surprised smile. “You should have stopped and said hello.”
“You looked so serious. I didn’t want to interrupt. You were so focused on your work.” He creased his eyebrows and pursed his lips as though trying to recreate the look he’d seen on Brinn’s face.
She pressed her hands to her cheeks. “That’s what I look like?”
“Much cuter than any look I could do.” Tyler flashed her a smile. “I know what it’s like to be in that zone. I didn’t want to pull you out of it.”
“Well, thank you for that.” She stopped walking and turned to him. “But next time say hi.” Her voice was nearly a whisper.
His heart flipped in his chest. He could spend hours with Brinn Bartoli, walking down Main Street, eating at the diner, watching a movie… or missing a movie. Worry didn’t bounce around his gut when he was with Brinn.
“I will.” He angled closer to her as they walked, and the scents of vanilla and cinnamon filled his nose. An electrical pulse zipped through him. Yep, there it was again. When he was close to her, when he looked into her eyes, when he caught her face in profile—there was a heat, an anxiousness, a want that latched onto him because dammit, he was attracted to Brinn. The urge to grasp Brinn’s hand or even put his arm around her waist as they walked through town shot
Brinn followed them into the hall. Why worry about the date with Tyler? This was dinner and a movie, not a wedding proposal. Brinn walked into the kitchen, certain that she’d now hear what the Bunco Babes thought she should wear this Friday and how to make Tyler Emerson fall for her.
Chapter Seven
He hadn’t strolled along Main Street during the Christmas season since before he left Powder Springs for college. Tourists, holiday shoppers, and people simply enjoying a warmer winter evening than they’d had in the past couple of weeks darted down the cobblestone sidewalk. He’d planned on taking Brinn to a movie, but they talked so long over their burgers at the Around the Block diner that they missed the start time.
Former classmates and friends of his parents waved and nodded at them as they walked down Main. Curious looks from locals were pointed their way. Tomorrow he and Brinn would be the big Powder Springs gossip. So what. Despite the cold, warmth cascaded through him, an enjoyment caused by being with someone he felt comfortable with. He hadn’t felt this calm a very long while.
“You’re happy that you moved back from San Francisco?” Tyler wanted to keep their conversation going. Listening to Brinn talk was easy. She told good stories and her face lit with excitement when she talked about her work and the bakery and her family.
Brinn pulled at her black curls that peeked out from beneath her white wool cap. “Even when I went away to culinary school in San Francisco, I always thought I’d eventually move back to Powder Springs. So when I walked in on—” Her eyes clouded with a memory and she stopped speaking. Her gaze dropped to the ground, almost as though her words had gotten away from her. Brinn pressed her lips tight and then her brown eyes glanced back up at him. “When I discovered that staying in San Francisco wasn’t an option, I was sad at first, but I love Powder Springs.”
His breath hitched in his chest. The pain had disappeared from her gaze and her eyes were full of light again, her smile so warm that he could almost think he’d imagined the pain.
“Do you feel the same way about leaving Denver and coming home for a while?”
Tyler nodded. “Powder Springs is what I want for Charlotte. I want the same kind of magical childhood for her that I had here. Especially now.”
“You should bring Charlotte back out to the Grande next week. The Christmas castle looks more like a castle. This time she won’t be disappointed.”
“I peeked in on you the other day.”
Brinn turned to him with a surprised smile. “You should have stopped and said hello.”
“You looked so serious. I didn’t want to interrupt. You were so focused on your work.” He creased his eyebrows and pursed his lips as though trying to recreate the look he’d seen on Brinn’s face.
She pressed her hands to her cheeks. “That’s what I look like?”
“Much cuter than any look I could do.” Tyler flashed her a smile. “I know what it’s like to be in that zone. I didn’t want to pull you out of it.”
“Well, thank you for that.” She stopped walking and turned to him. “But next time say hi.” Her voice was nearly a whisper.
His heart flipped in his chest. He could spend hours with Brinn Bartoli, walking down Main Street, eating at the diner, watching a movie… or missing a movie. Worry didn’t bounce around his gut when he was with Brinn.
“I will.” He angled closer to her as they walked, and the scents of vanilla and cinnamon filled his nose. An electrical pulse zipped through him. Yep, there it was again. When he was close to her, when he looked into her eyes, when he caught her face in profile—there was a heat, an anxiousness, a want that latched onto him because dammit, he was attracted to Brinn. The urge to grasp Brinn’s hand or even put his arm around her waist as they walked through town shot
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