Read Online Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online Page A

of her closet and brought down the box of Christmas essentials. Including the tree stand.
    “Here,” he instructed once she returned. “Hold on to the tree and I’ll get it set up for you.”
    Julia grabbed hold of the center of the tree while he knelt down on the floor and fitted the trunk into the stand.
    “I appreciate the help,” she told him, and she did. It amazed her that the day before she’d been ready—eager, even—to throttle Cain Maddox. The difference in his attitude toward her from one day to the next was shocking.
    “Cain?”
    “What?” he muttered.
    “Why are you helping me?”
    He leaned back on his haunches and looked up at her, frowning. “Would you rather I didn’t?”
    “No. I’m surprised is all.”
    He leaned forward, flattening his hands on his thighs. “If you must know, I decided you don’t have any untoward intentions toward me. I don’t know what this Merry Sunshine act you’ve got going is all about, but I’ve sort of gotten used to it.”
    Julia did her best to hide a smile.
    “You go overboard, but I can live with that.”
    “Big of you,” she muttered.
    He chuckled. “I decided you were right. You couldn’t possibly have known I needed a birthday gift for my grandfather and planted yourself in the Macy’s men’s department.”
    “Nor did I follow you to Manor House.”
    “Right.”
    Returning to setting up the tree, he fiddled with the screws in the stand as he spoke. “You have to admit you have been making a pest of yourself.”
    “You really didn’t say that!” It was agonizingly slow progress with this guy.
    “I’m not being critical, but it seems you’re hard up for a man.”
    Her mouth shot open. “Hard up for a man,” she repeated, as the outrage built until she was afraid she was going to explode.
    “Don’t get me wrong. I’m flattered.”
    Julia let go of the tree and it fell over sideways, hitting her small kitchen table before bouncing to the floor.
    “Hey,” Cain barked. “Why’d you do that? I’ve got three of the four screws in.”
    “Out,” she shouted, and pointed toward the door.
    A look of bafflement came over him. “What’s your problem?”
    “First off, I am not hard up for a man, and if I was, I can assure you that you’d be the last man in Seattle who would interest me.”
    His eyes crinkled with a smile. Something he didn’t do nearly often enough. “Evidence says otherwise.”
    “Thank you, Sherlock.” In thinking about it, Cain must assume she was blatantly flirting with him. It would be hard to convince him otherwise. Seeing how she’d repeatedly made efforts to get his attention, it sort of made sense. She hadn’t considered that when she’d taken on this experiment.
    “Get over yourself, Julia. Do you want me to get this tree in the stand or not? Your choice.”
    Julia weighed her options. She could remain mad and then struggle to get it up on her own or swallow her pride and let him do it. “Okay, fine, finish.”
    Cain straightened the tree and Julia clasped the middle of it while he adjusted the last screw. She remained tight-lipped, unwilling to hand him additional ammunition to use against her.
    Cain broke the silence with a question. “How long have you been playing the piano?”
    “I thought you considered music noisy racket.” He’d made a big scene about it only a few days ago.
    “I had a bad headache that night.”
    “Oh.”
    “I suppose you’re looking for an apology for that, as well as everything else.”
    “Not particularly.”
    “Good, because I wasn’t going to give you one.” He finished and leaned on his haunches again. “Is it straight?”
    Julia stepped back and examined the tree before she nodded. “It is. Thank you.”
    “I’d say it was my pleasure, but it was more a pain in the butt.”
    “Then why did you do it?” He really was the most exasperating person.
    “Well, for one, you needed help, and for two, I’m a bit taken aback to find I don’t dislike you