The Christmas Baby. Lisa Carter
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу The Christmas Baby - Lisa Carter страница 13
Название: The Christmas Baby
Автор: Lisa Carter
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
Серия: Mills & Boon Love Inspired
isbn: 9781474080200
isbn:
Margaret fidgeted. “Would you consider playing the mother of Jesus in the Living Nativity...?” Her voice trailed away.
He’d never seen Margaret so...un-Margaretlike.
Eyes lowered to the ground, Margaret backpedaled. “Never mind, dear. I shouldn’t have—” Her voice choked. “It’s not as though this is your home anymore or—”
“Of course I’ll do it.”
Margaret halted, midstep.
“Kiptohanock will be my home from now on.” Anna rested her hand atop her belly. “I’d love to play Mary in the nativity, Margaret.”
He frowned. “Anna...”
She raised her gaze. “Just tell me when and where.”
Margaret blinked twice before recovering her usual aplomb. “There will be costume fittings. And the one night performance during Christmas week in the gazebo on the square.” She tapped her finger on her chin. “I still need to find a Joseph, of course.”
As if one entity, Anna and Margaret cut their eyes at him. He shuffled his feet. But surrounded and outnumbered, nothing less than unconditional surrender would suffice.
Besides, how could he resist the opportunity to play Anna’s husband, even if it was just pretend?
“Okay. My arm’s twisted. I’m in.”
Margaret clasped her hands together. “I can’t wait to tell the other ladies.” She moved away. “I’ll send you both the details. This is going to be the best Kiptohanock Christmas ever.”
He groaned. “Where have I heard that before?”
Anna poked him in his biceps. “Your famous last words, I believe. And your arm doesn’t look too twisted to me.” She laughed. “Where’s your Christmas spirit, Ryan Savage? It’ll be fun.”
He grunted. “This is Margaret we’re talking about.”
She stared after the older woman’s retreating figure. “She’s changed. The town has, too.” She heaved a sigh. “Or maybe it’s me that changed.”
He crinkled his eyes. “The more things change, the more they remain the same. I hate to end the fun, but we better get going if we’re going to buy Oscar a Happy Meal.”
Anna’s face shadowed. “I don’t want to take him back to the motel.”
He sighed. “Me, either, but she’s his mother.”
“Something needs to be done about his situation.”
Ryan’s life had suddenly gotten so much more complicated. He was supposed to be wrapping up his teaching career, not getting more involved.
“Does his mother work there every night? Is that why he can’t get a good night’s rest?”
He scrubbed his jaw. “I should make a home visit when she’s not at work. See what the school could do to connect them to one of the county programs.”
“You always know the right thing to do.”
He made a face. “That’s me. Mr. Dependability. Mr. Reliable. Mr. Boring.” He called to Oscar. Maria’s father and mother hugged Oscar goodbye and waved them off.
Strolling toward the parking lot, Anna took hold of Oscar’s hand. “You’re not boring, Ryan. You’re nice.”
“Nice...” Ryan clutched his heart. “Kill me now and be done with it, Anna Banana.”
Oscar ran over to the car.
“Nice is nothing to be ashamed of.” She tucked her hands into her coat pockets. “And that’s not how I see you. You’re also—” Her cheeks reddened.
Good-looking? That’s what she’d said earlier. And feeling as carefree as he’d felt in years, he opened the door for Oscar.
Oscar jumped inside. “It’s beginning to look like Christmas, Mister Sabbage.”
An unfamiliar excitement began to build inside Ryan. Yes, it certainly was.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.