One Winter's Night: The Twelve Dates of Christmas / Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss / A Cadence Creek Christmas. SUSAN MEIER

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ a guy who likes to have a good time.” She straightened his bow tie, smoothed her hands down his top coat collar. “Maybe we should work a little harder to have some fun?”

      He studied her face, her pretty blue eyes, warm pink mouth and sweet smile. She was serious. She wanted him to have fun.

      Syrupy warmth flooded his blood. A strange feeling tightened his chest, and although it took him a few seconds, he realized it was affection.

      He wasn’t just attracted to her. He was beginning to like her.

      But he knew that was wrong.

      He stepped back. “Or maybe we should just put in an appearance at these things and leave early all the time?”

      He turned and started down the stairs without waiting for Eloise to answer. No matter what happened at the rest of the parties, he wouldn’t kiss her again.

      * * *

      The next morning, he called to tell Eloise she only needed to wear jeans and a sweater to that night’s party, his fraternity reunion. The lilt of her voice tiptoed though him, reminding him of the kiss the day before, and he hung up as quickly as he could and lost himself in work.

      That was the best way to deal with feelings—remorse over Blake, unwanted curiosity about Eloise. Work was the way to forget and give himself some peace.

      When his phone rang a few hours later, he answered absently. “Yes?”

      Tucker Engle laughed. “Is that any way to greet a friend?”

      Tossing his pen to his desk, Ricky leaned back. “No.” He laughed. “Sorry. How’s Kentucky?”

      “We’re knee-deep in sledding and hot cocoa.”

      Ricky smirked. It was hard to imagine workaholic Tucker spending five or six weeks in the country. “Bored?”

      “No. Actually, I’m enjoying it so much that I don’t want to leave, but I’ve had an emergency crop up and I need your help.”

      Ricky sat up. After everything Tucker had done for him, he’d love a chance to do a favor in return. “What can I do?”

      “I need to put in an appearance at a meeting for one of the companies I’m heavily invested in. I just need a presence. Somebody who can give my opinion.”

      “I’ll be happy to go. Tell me the address and the date.”

      “It’s today. I know it’s Saturday, so if you can’t go, it’s okay.”

      “No. I’m happy to do it.”

      Tucker covered the details with Ricky, who made a few notes, but only a few, because there wasn’t much for Ricky to do except make one brief statement.

      Still, Tucker’s reply showed he was grateful. “Thanks again.”

      “You’re welcome. It’s not a big deal. If it runs long, I’ll just call Eloise and tell her we’ll be late for my frat reunion.”

      Even as he said it, Ricky realized his mistake.

      Tucker pounced. “So, you and Eloise hit it off on that ride home after the party?”

      He winced. “You could say that.”

      “Good. You’ve been down too long, and Eloise could use a little pick-me-up, too. She’s had some rough patches.”

      Ricky’s eyes narrowed. Pretty, sweet Eloise had had some rough patches? Just from the tone of Tucker’s voice, he could tell this was about more than her inability to get a job. He remembered the expression that flitted over her face when they’d talked about college. Obviously Tucker knew something Ricky didn’t.

      He opened his mouth to ask but couldn’t. It didn’t seem right or fair to ask questions about a woman who was only attending a few parties with him.

      He wasn’t supposed to care.

      He didn’t care.

      He didn’t need to know.

      But even an hour after Ricky hung up the phone, as he dressed to go to Tucker’s meeting, he couldn’t get that odd look in Eloise’s eyes out of his head. Curiosity overwhelmed him, so he typed her name into his computer’s search engine.

      * * *

      Late Saturday afternoon, Eloise began getting dressed. That evening’s party was Ricky’s informal fraternity reunion, held in a pub in midtown. When he’d called that morning, he’d told her to just wear jeans and a sweater.

      Still, knowing how men were about pride in front of fraternity brothers, and back to her mission of making sure he had a good time, Eloise dressed with care. She slid into an emerald green cashmere sweater that she’d been saving for a special occasion, fixed her hair in a long ponytail and applied just the right amount of makeup to look cheerful and festive.

      She would get this guy out of his misery if it killed her.

      He arrived, helped her into her parka and led her down the stairs.

      “This might be like hell week.”

      She laughed. The fact that he hadn’t mentioned putting in an appearance and leaving early encouraged her. “You think I can’t handle a roomful of men and their dates?”

      He paused at the door and looked back at her. “Some won’t have dates.”

      “Oh.”

      He started walking again, and she stood rooted to her spot. He had to be in his midthirties. The people he went to school with would be about the same age, but they wouldn’t have dates?

      What did that mean?

      When he reached the limo, Norman opened the door. Realizing she was standing in the lobby like a ninny, she scrambled to catch up. As soon as they were settled, Norman took off.

      “So you’re married.”

      Surprise kicked the air out of her lungs and made her forget all about the fact that some of his fraternity buddies wouldn’t have dates. “What?”

      He faced her, his eyes cool and direct. “You’re married. I found your marriage license through a quick internet search and didn’t find a divorce decree. Ergo, you’re married.”

      Her heart galloped. Her nerve endings jumped. Every ounce of blood fell to her feet as every possible answer she could give him winged through her brain. But none of them would work. Shock and anger collided to create a horrible sourness in the pit of her stomach.

      “For a guy who has his fair share of secrets, you’re certainly not shy about uncovering mine.”

      “Believe it or not, I searched your name because I felt bad for you. I could tell from how you avoided the topic of college that something had happened and I wanted to know what.”

      His voice was soft, honest, СКАЧАТЬ