Eggnog and Candy Canes: A Blueberry Springs Christmas Novella Read Online Free PDF

The least I could do was help him out during the giving season. Because despite what you might think, I’m not all evil, Katie.”
    The crackling of a log broke the silence.
    “I wouldn’t be sitting here if I thought you were evil,” Katie said quietly.
    “Thanks. And for making sure I wasn’t alone tonight. Or being pumped by Mary Alice.” He smiled.
    “But what about tomorrow? It’s Christmas. Where will you be?”
    “I’m working.”
    “So am I. Our shifts don’t last all day, unfortunately.”
    “I’m not inviting myself to family events.”
    “You’re at this one.”
    “Hardly family.”   Setting his plate aside, he gestured to the stuffed house.
    “Blueberry Springs is family, and you used to live here, so you don’t get a free pass into spending Christmas alone.”
    He gave her a soft smile and she felt herself getting too comfortable.
    “You and your stupid budgets,” Katie went on. “You know how much crap I got on my fingers when you decided we could save a thousand dollars a year on toilet paper in order to help fund that new MRI machine?” She held up a mittened hand. “Way too freaking much!”
    He was close to her, his eyes a perfect blue. Mesmerizing. Intelligent.
    She sniffed and turned away. Those eyes were part of the man who used to infuriate her, and she was in trouble right now because she couldn’t find that fury. She couldn’t even dig into that anger behind the long-ago TP injustice. All she could think about was how his MRI machine had saved her nephew.
    Nash had edged closer. She didn’t know whether to lean in or stand up.
    “The MRI machine helped save little Benji when he fell off the change table at Benny’s restaurant a few months ago,” she finally said.
    “Beth’s son?”
    “Yeah. My brother’s little guy.”
    Nash kissed her. He leaned in, his lips against hers. And while she loved the warmth of his wet tongue against her cold lips, all she could think was that he wanted to be kissing her best friend, Beth, not her.
    “Are you happy, Katie?” he asked, so close she got lost in the clouds of their warm breaths.
    “Happy?” she squeaked.
    He’d said her name. He knew who he was kissing.
    Her.
    And suddenly that felt important, and so did his question. When had anyone asked if she was happy?
    How about never.
    “What’s happy?” She placed her mitts on either side of his mouth and drew him closer, kissing away the cold freshness on his lips.
    “I used to wonder the same,” he murmured.
    And then he’d found Beth. Lost her. Was likely here to try and get her back.
    Katie needed to distract him. She pulled him close, giving him her best kiss, hoping to steal his mind, his thoughts. Maybe even save her brother and his hard-won marriage.
    When Nash pulled back from her kiss, his blue eyes were clear and dreamy. “Katie Reiter, I had no idea you could kiss like that.” He cozied up to her again and for a second she wondered whether this really was about her and not Beth.
    Was it Katie’s turn? Her competitive edge sharpened like a blade.
    “I think there are a lot of things about me you don’t know, Dr. Leham.”
    “Dr. Leham. Now you’re calling me that.” He shook his head in amusement.
    Again that softer, teasing side she hadn’t expected. Had he really changed? Or was this the side that Beth had always seen and ultimately loved? The same side that had lured her friend into becoming his project—a project to turn Beth, a country gal who wanted nothing more than a family and comfy pair of jeans, into a sophisticated career woman?
    “I think calling me something a little less formal might be more fitting.” He tucked a strand of hair behind Katie’s ear.
    “What game are we playing?”
    “Is this a game?” He drew her chin up so he could match his lips to hers.
    Katie gently pushed him away. “I don’t know. I’m on the rebound and you’re…”
    “What?”
    “You’re you.” Divorced. Jilted groom. Former know-it-all jerk,