Read Online The Wedding Date: A Christmas Novella by Cara Connelly - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cara Connelly
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sputtered.
“Don’t use double negatives, dear,” Ellen said, then gave Cody an apologetic smile. “I’m a teacher for thirty years now, and still my children mangle the language.”
Julie slugged the wine. “It’s delicious, okay?” She held out her glass. Cody filled it. She guzzled half of it down.
“Jules,” Amelia laughed, “you should savor that. You won’t be getting it again unless Cody comes back.” She gave Cody a wink that said he was welcome any time.
Ray clapped him on the shoulder. He had to reach up to do it. He couldn’t be more than five foot six. “Amelia got me a new TV,” he said. “My wedding gift. Come check it out.”
They went down a short hall, into a small room that was all flat screen. Cody let out a whistle. “Sixty inches?”
“Sixty-five.” Ray hit the power. The Patriots charged into the room, every pore on Tom Brady’s face an inch wide. Ray waved him into a leather recliner with a built-in cup holder, took the other, and kicked out the leg rest. “Let’s give the girls a minute to get you out of their systems.”
“Uh-huh.” Cody tipped back, crossed his boots at the ankle. “They’re a good-looking bunch.”
Ray nodded. “Uh-huh.”
Then both of them groaned. Brady stalked off the field, disgusted. Cody tsked as the camera panned to Gisele. “Ol’ Tom won’t be getting any tonight.”
They watched companionably while the Pats punted and the Giants ran it back to the thirty, then the fifty, then fumbled spectacularly.
Brady had just taken the field again when Amelia appeared in the doorway, hand on her hip. Both men dropped their leg rests in unison.
Ray was first on his feet. “Hi, honey. Just showing Cody the amazing, incredible, wonderful gift my beautiful, thoughtful, generous wife-to-be gave me.” He planted a loud kiss on her cheek.
“Mmm-hmm.” She tapped his chest. “The deal was that you’d DVR the game so we can watch it together.”
“Oh, I am. It’s recording. And I didn’t look at the score. Honest.”
Their affection was written all over them. Cody pushed past his envy. “You’re a lucky man, Ray, marrying a fan.”
“Julie’s a fan too,” Amelia said brightly. “She loves the Pats. She goes to a couple games every season.”
Cody grinned. Himself, he wouldn’t set foot in Gillette Stadium unless the Cowboys were playing, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her.
The kitchen was aswirl, Ellen slicing bread, Julie making salad. Cody popped the cork on the other wine bottle, wishing he’d bought a case. He was completely at ease in this home, with these people. He liked them, and they seemed to like him too. Even Julie must feel how naturally he fit in, because she smiled at him when he topped off her glass. Didn’t pull back when he laid a kiss on her cherry-red lips.
The doorbell chimed. Ellen ran for the door, came back a minute later with a guy who wouldn’t see fifty for another ten years. Blond and built, his arm was locked around her waist.
“Cody, this is Jess. He’s a personal trainer. My personal trainer.” She gave Jess’s biceps a squeeze. Then she paused. “Cody, Julie never mentioned what it is that you do.”
“I’m a doctor,” he said.
It fell like a brick.
Julie kept chopping, but the rest of them froze.
Everyone but Jess, who was oblivious to the chill in the room. “A doctor. Cool. What’s your specialty?”
That brought Ellen to life. “For heaven’s sake, we don’t have to grill the poor man!” She shoved her wineglass into Jess’s hand. “Drink this.” He sipped obediently.
Amelia had gone whiter than chalk. “Oh, Jules,” she said, brokenly. “I’m so sorry—”
“It’s fine,” Julie cut in, her tone closing the subject. She scraped cukes into the salad, set the knife in the sink. “I’m starving. Can we eat?”
Everyone sat down, but nobody ate. They passed the lasagna, then pushed it around with their forks. No one looked up. No one said a word.
Cody
“Don’t use double negatives, dear,” Ellen said, then gave Cody an apologetic smile. “I’m a teacher for thirty years now, and still my children mangle the language.”
Julie slugged the wine. “It’s delicious, okay?” She held out her glass. Cody filled it. She guzzled half of it down.
“Jules,” Amelia laughed, “you should savor that. You won’t be getting it again unless Cody comes back.” She gave Cody a wink that said he was welcome any time.
Ray clapped him on the shoulder. He had to reach up to do it. He couldn’t be more than five foot six. “Amelia got me a new TV,” he said. “My wedding gift. Come check it out.”
They went down a short hall, into a small room that was all flat screen. Cody let out a whistle. “Sixty inches?”
“Sixty-five.” Ray hit the power. The Patriots charged into the room, every pore on Tom Brady’s face an inch wide. Ray waved him into a leather recliner with a built-in cup holder, took the other, and kicked out the leg rest. “Let’s give the girls a minute to get you out of their systems.”
“Uh-huh.” Cody tipped back, crossed his boots at the ankle. “They’re a good-looking bunch.”
Ray nodded. “Uh-huh.”
Then both of them groaned. Brady stalked off the field, disgusted. Cody tsked as the camera panned to Gisele. “Ol’ Tom won’t be getting any tonight.”
They watched companionably while the Pats punted and the Giants ran it back to the thirty, then the fifty, then fumbled spectacularly.
Brady had just taken the field again when Amelia appeared in the doorway, hand on her hip. Both men dropped their leg rests in unison.
Ray was first on his feet. “Hi, honey. Just showing Cody the amazing, incredible, wonderful gift my beautiful, thoughtful, generous wife-to-be gave me.” He planted a loud kiss on her cheek.
“Mmm-hmm.” She tapped his chest. “The deal was that you’d DVR the game so we can watch it together.”
“Oh, I am. It’s recording. And I didn’t look at the score. Honest.”
Their affection was written all over them. Cody pushed past his envy. “You’re a lucky man, Ray, marrying a fan.”
“Julie’s a fan too,” Amelia said brightly. “She loves the Pats. She goes to a couple games every season.”
Cody grinned. Himself, he wouldn’t set foot in Gillette Stadium unless the Cowboys were playing, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her.
The kitchen was aswirl, Ellen slicing bread, Julie making salad. Cody popped the cork on the other wine bottle, wishing he’d bought a case. He was completely at ease in this home, with these people. He liked them, and they seemed to like him too. Even Julie must feel how naturally he fit in, because she smiled at him when he topped off her glass. Didn’t pull back when he laid a kiss on her cherry-red lips.
The doorbell chimed. Ellen ran for the door, came back a minute later with a guy who wouldn’t see fifty for another ten years. Blond and built, his arm was locked around her waist.
“Cody, this is Jess. He’s a personal trainer. My personal trainer.” She gave Jess’s biceps a squeeze. Then she paused. “Cody, Julie never mentioned what it is that you do.”
“I’m a doctor,” he said.
It fell like a brick.
Julie kept chopping, but the rest of them froze.
Everyone but Jess, who was oblivious to the chill in the room. “A doctor. Cool. What’s your specialty?”
That brought Ellen to life. “For heaven’s sake, we don’t have to grill the poor man!” She shoved her wineglass into Jess’s hand. “Drink this.” He sipped obediently.
Amelia had gone whiter than chalk. “Oh, Jules,” she said, brokenly. “I’m so sorry—”
“It’s fine,” Julie cut in, her tone closing the subject. She scraped cukes into the salad, set the knife in the sink. “I’m starving. Can we eat?”
Everyone sat down, but nobody ate. They passed the lasagna, then pushed it around with their forks. No one looked up. No one said a word.
Cody
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