Christmas at Candlebark Farm Read Online Free PDF

of her lemon and hot water concoction. Her stomach was starting to calm down. ‘Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful. I really think this is working.’
    He set his mug down with a snap. ‘Tammy, my wife, had morning sickness pretty bad with Jason.’
    Of course! She glanced around. ‘Is she away at the moment?’ It would be nice to have another woman to talk to about all this.
    â€˜She’s dead.’
    Keira froze, and then very slowly turned back. She knew exactly how wide her eyes had gone, but for the life of her she couldn’t make them go back to their normal size.
    â€˜She died three years ago.’ The words dropped out of him, curt and emotionless.
    Oh! ‘Oh, Luke, I’m so sorry.’ Idiot! Anyone with eyes in their head could see this place lacked a woman’s touch. Perhaps that explained why there were no Christmas decorations, too.
    â€˜It was three years ago,’ he repeated, his voice flat.
    As if three years meant anything!
    He might not look heartbroken—she suspected Luke Hillier was not the kind of man to wear his heart on his sleeve—but it explained why he looked so worn out, run down…worn down. She promptly forgave him for all his gruffness and shortness to her earlier in the day.
    â€˜I don’t think it matters if it’s been three years, five years or ten years. My mother died ten years ago and I still miss her.’ Especially at this time of year.
    â€˜Tammy and I had already separated before she died. A separation I instigated.’
    Her heart lurched at the pain that momentarily twisted his features. What? Did he think that meant he wasn’t deserving of sympathy? ‘You and Tammy had a child together. That’s a bond that can never be broken.’ And Jason—how he must ache for Jason’s loss.
    â€˜Says you…’ his lips twisted ‘…who’s having a baby on her own.’
    Yes, well, there was a good reason for that. But he didn’tgive her a chance to explain. He shot to his feet and tipped what was left of his tea down the sink. ‘I’m going back to bed.’
    He almost made it to the door before spinning back to the pantry. He grabbed a packet of digestives and shoved them at her. ‘Take these to bed with you, just in case.’
    She stared at them and willed her heart to stop its unaccountable softening.
    â€˜Thank you. For everything,’ she added, but doubted he heard. He’d already disappeared.
    Â 
    Keira pulled up short the next morning when she found Luke seated at the kitchen table, reading the Sunday paper. She’d expected him to be long gone out into those fields of his. It was one of the reasons she’d allowed herself the luxury of a lie-in—knowing she wouldn’t be disturbing anyone. Given the kind of night she’d had, it had seemed a perfectly reasonable proposition. But if Luke had delayed his work to make sure she was okay…
    â€˜Good morning.’ She tried to keep her voice casual, not sure exactly what tone she should be aiming for after last night.
    Luke immediately set the paper aside, leapt to his feet and slotted two slices of her nine-grain bread into the toaster before turning back, hands on hips, to examine her. ‘Well?’ he demanded. ‘How are you feeling?’
    She couldn’t resist teasing him. ‘If I’m going to get waited on like this, then I’m at death’s door.’
    He frowned.
    â€˜Relax, Luke. I’m fine. I slept like a log when I went back to bed—’ which wasn’t exactly the truth ‘—and I wasn’t sick again.’
    That, though, was. Thankfully. And she didn’t want him feeling responsible for her. She was more than capable of looking after herself and the Munchkin, thank you.
    She really didn’t want her heart lurching at the mere sight of the man either. There was no future in that.
    She sat. ‘I mean it, Luke.