His For Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page A

his neck.
    “You know, this could all work out in our
favor.” She tapped her mouth in thought.
    “How do you figure?”
    “Planning a wedding normally takes months and
y’all are trying to pull this off in days. You need all the help
you can get. Think about it, boys. Supplies, flowers, food,
décor?”
    Derek assumed from her drawn out sigh, He and
Joe wore similar looking clueless expressions. “You’re in luck,
boys. Follow my lead and we’ll give Anabelle a romantic Christmas
wedding courtesy of the folks of Sugar Bay.”
    Joe looked at Derek. “Man, all I planned was
to clean up the barn. Dani and the girls may have other ideas.”
    “Dani!” Derek yelled.
    He didn’t have to wait long since his sister
had probably parked her nosy butt around the corner and listened
the entire time.
    “You bellowed.”
    “Yes. Anabelle’s mom wants to help with the
planning, so work with her, okay?”
    “I can do that.”
    He didn’t know how his sister kept a straight
face because Joe was acting like he was being hung behind Claire’s
back, but she did.
    He popped Joe in the stomach. “Cut it out.
She’s my future mother-in-law.”
    “May God have mercy on your soul.”
    “I heard that.”
    “Apologies, ma’am.”
    Claire gave a regal nod seemingly pleased her
troops were in order and they were ready and willing to follow her
blindly into the battle of wedding planning.
    “Shall we, Dani?” The ladies walked away and
Derek heard them discuss the kind of flowers that could be found on
short notice. At the door she turned back. “I expect the barn to be
ready in two days. I trust that’s enough time, boys?”
    “Yes, ma’am.” They chorused then slumped in
relief when she left the room.
    “Whose bright idea was this?” Joe
grumbled.
    Derek shrugged. He focused on the fact in a
few short days, Anabelle would be his for Christmas. All grooms had
to suffer through wedding planning and thankfully his would be
relatively short. He could endure.
    Weddings were for women.
    Wedding nights were for the groom.
    That thought alone put a shit-eating grin on
his face.
    How bad could all this wedding planning
get?

Chapter 5

    Who knew Florida was so stinking hot in
December? Christmas in Seattle had been wet but at least it had
been cold. It seemed Florida hadn’t gotten the white Christmas memo
or it was in rebellion. Derek wiped his brow and flapped his
T-shirt for circulation. Except for the fact Anabelle’s mom darted
in and out like a sugar plum fairy on crack with sharp fangs,
ordering grown men to do her bidding, he’d take of his shirt in a
heartbeat.
    Like a smart man, Joe kept himself under her
radar. Joe hated when his father’s name came up in conversation.
Other than the mention of a scandal, Joe had been tight lipped
about the whole thing. Anabelle probably knew, she’d complained
often enough about the small town rumor mill. But as far as Derek
could see, there was a decided bonus in small town living.
    People had dropped off food, flowers and
miscellaneous wedding items on Claire’s never ending list. The
effect was a little on the mismatched side, but Claire seemed
pleased, mentioning something about rustic elegance, whatever the
hell that meant. Derek had to admit it was pretty. The lanterns
were hung at various heights and he could imagine the glow in the
evening dusk would lend itself to a magical feeling.
    According to Alex,
of-the-constantly-checking-weather-app, Mother Nature may even
provide an assist because a cold front was on its way in. Perfect,
because nothing would be more unattractive than the groom keeling
over in a sweaty mess surrounded by a shitload of candles and
lanterns.
    Alex had taken to Claire and her drill
sergeant ways. Derek shuddered, fearing the result of Alex as a
miniature Claire.
    Over his dead body.
    Janie willingly followed Claire’s lead as
well. With everyone, Claire was brisk and business like but
something about Esme and her cuteness factor had brought a