The Christmas Wedding Swap. Allyson Charles

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      If he messed around with her waitresses, too, he was done.

      The bell above the door tinkled, and a blast of cold air swept in with two older women. Allison groaned. The one thing she didn’t need right now were the Tree Twins. Miss Eugenie Shaw and Mrs. Deborah Garcia had been denied the privilege of decorating the town’s Christmas tree for a second year in a row, and they hadn’t taken the news well.

      Straightening her cloche hat, Miss Eugenie headed straight for Allison, with Debbie a step behind. “Allison, I wanted to talk to you about Shep. It’s getting cold—”

      “No,” Allison said, her voice firm.

      “But, he’s no trouble and—”

      “Can’t do it.” Allison gripped her mug, the tips of her fingers going white. The women had that effect on her.

      “Who’s Shep?” Luke asked, standing. “And who are these two lovely ladies?”

      Sighing, Allison made the introductions. “And Shep is Eugenie’s dog, who cannot come inside. I don’t want a health code violation.”

      Miss Eugenie sniffed. “I wash him every week. He’s a very clean dog, cleaner than a lot of people.”

      Leaning over the table, Luke peered out the window. “That’s a good-looking dog.”

      His t-shirt hung away from his jeans, and Allison caught a glimmer of golden skin bisected by a thin line of hair. She dragged her gaze away from the crotch of his pants and gulped her coffee. Luke Hamilton looked good enough to eat, and it was almost enough to distract her from the drivel coming out of his mouth.

      “Shep is not a good-look—”

      Eugenie glared, and Allison snapped her mouth shut. She took another sip of coffee, and tried again. “While Shep might be distinguished looking, he is also nine-tenths hair. And he sheds—a lot.” She pinned the older woman with a look. “Not in my restaurant.”

      “Fine.” With a huff, Miss Eugenie slid into the opposite side of Allison’s booth. Deborah wedged herself in next to her friend. They stared at Allison expectantly. “Aren’t you going to ask us for our beverage order?” Eugenie asked.

      Allison rolled her neck. Her break was over. “What would you two like to drink?”

      “Hot tea,” Deborah said.

      “Make that two.” Eugenie plucked two menus from behind the napkin dispenser and handed one to her friend.

      Luke followed Allison behind the counter and slipped into the kitchen. There were two women the cook didn’t want to spend time with? Allison was shocked.

      She made the tea and brought the steaming mugs to the corner booth. “What can I get you two?”

      “Before you order, I have a question.” Luke stepped next to Allison, his arm brushing her shoulder. He held a bowl in one hand. “Is Shep allergic to anything? I have a little treat for him but wanted to ask first.”

      “Isn’t that sweet,” Miss Eugenie cooed.

      Allison’s jaw dropped. She’d never heard a grown woman coo before, and she wouldn’t have expected it from one of the Tree Twins. Both women had been known to make men cry with their sharp tongues. Allison had heard the rumors, of course. The theory that Miss Eugenie’s new and improved mood was all down to one certain someone. But Allison hadn’t given the gossip much credence. The man involved seemed entirely too sensible to link himself to someone like Miss Eugenie. But maybe Allison had been wrong. Could Miss Eugenie be dating Judge Nichols?

      If that were the case, Allison would have to tell her sister. Judge Nichols wasn’t single, so she hadn’t violated any clause of their contract by not flirting with the man.

      Deborah tugged at the collar to her blouse and simpered. “You can always tell a good man by how he treats animals.”

      Nope. It wasn’t the Judge Nichols effect, not if Deborah was turning into a simpering Scarlett O’Hara, too. It was Luke. He had the tongue of the devil.

      “I’ll be right back.” Luke sauntered from the restaurant, not bothering with a coat.

      The women watched as he scratched Shep behind the ears and offered up the snack. The dog inhaled it in two bites and licked Luke’s chin in thanks.

      “I like your new employee.” Deborah turned to face the table and slid off her knees and onto her butt. “Much better than those tattooed kids you have back in the kitchen.”

      Allison cocked a hip. “Luke might have a tattoo. I don’t perform body searches when I hire.”

      Luke strode back into the restaurant and stomped his boots on the runner, knocking off loose snow. Those boots put all sorts of inappropriate thoughts in Allison’s head. Like maybe instituting an employee strip-down wasn’t such a bad idea.

      Deborah stirred sugar into her mug, the spoon clanging on the porcelain. “Allison, I wanted to ask you about the Tinder family? Are they local? Did they just move in?”

      Allison blinked. “The Tinder family?”

      “Yes. Joaquin Tinder. Max Tinder. Joshua Tinder. They’re listed in your contacts, but I don’t know the name.” Deborah stared at her with wide, unblinking eyes.

      Allison’s stomach turned to ice. She looked at the phone she’d left on the table. “You went through my contacts?”

      Miss Eugenie pressed her lips together in a flat line. “Well, the phone was lying here. We didn’t know who it belonged to at first. We were trying to find the owner.”

      Luke joined them, the bowl dangling at his side. “Sweet dog.”

      “Thanks,” Miss Eugenie said. “Now about the Tinders? And who’s Brian Bumble? That’s a strange name.”

      “Tinder and Bumble?” Luke arched an eyebrow. “That’s how you list them in your phone?”

      Allison snatched her cell off the table. “They don’t give out last names. It helps me remember…”

      “Who you hooked up with?” Luke crossed his arms.

      “I’ll have you know that, for my age bracket, Tinder isn’t a hookup site.” Shoving the phone in her pocket, Allison tried to will away her embarrassment. But she knew her face was as red as her marinara sauce. “I’m looking for a serious relationship.”

      “Serious?” Luke rocked back onto his heels. “With online dating?”

      “More marriages happen now that started with online dating,” Allison said. “I’m playing the odds.”

      Miss Eugenie’s face cleared. “Oh, those are the dating-site names.” She elbowed Deborah. “I showed you that site I’d thought about joining before, well, you know.”

      Deborah exhaled loudly through her nose. The buttons at the front of her blouse hung on for dear life. “Yes. I know.” СКАЧАТЬ