Holiday in Your Heart Read Online Free PDF

allergies. It’s not a good idea to have an animal in the shop.”
    â€œMaybe he’s hypoallergenic. Some dogs are, aren’t they?”
    â€œYes. Poodles, for one. But even if he is, it’s not the right time for me to be getting a dog. I have other priorities.”
    The dog sniffed Mo’s hand. Mo stroked his head and Caruso accepted the gesture with what looked like tolerance more than enjoyment. Casually, Mo gripped the dog’s collar. “Where’s the animal shelter?” he asked Maribeth.
    â€œOn the other side of town. You’ll have to drive him.”
    â€œI don’t have a car.”
    â€œReally? Okay, we’ll take him in mine. Can you get him into it?” She walked toward her Mini Cooper, taking her key ring from her purse.
    â€œWe’ll see.” He tugged gently on the collar. “Come on, Caruso. Bet you could use some dinner.”
    The dog balked for a long moment and then made the decision to go along.
    Maribeth had the back door open and Mo urged the dog to jump into the small backseat. He and Maribeth were both cautious with the doors when they climbed into the front, but for the moment the dog didn’t seem inclined to escape. Mo had the sense the creature was giving them a chance to prove something to him, though Mo wasn’t sure what that might be.
    â€œHere,” Maribeth said, handing Mo her purse. “I don’t want to put it in the back with Caruso. He might chew on it.”
    Not about to sit there with a big, flower-patterned purse on his lap, Mo put it on the floor by his feet.
    The car was tiny, making him totally aware of Maribeth. Even bundled up as she was, doing something as prosaic as putting a key in the ignition and starting the car, there was no denying the powerful impact of her sheer femininity. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt such a compulsion to touch a woman, to smell her, to even just be close to her. Arousal stirred under his fly and he was tempted to test out how serious she’d been about that flirtation. But she knew Brooke and Evan, and he had to remember his mission.
    He was curious about Maribeth, though. “You own a thrift store?” he asked as she backed her car out of the parking lot—doing it the girlie way, craning over her shoulder rather than using the mirrors. “From the way you dress, I’d have guessed you ran a fancy boutique.”
    â€œMy parents taught me the value of money. Why waste it on new clothes when you can get nice ones secondhand? I like recycling clothes so they go from people who don’t need them anymore to folks who like to dress well on a tight budget. Including me.”
    â€œHuh.” There was more to this woman than met the eye. “Guess that makes sense. Does your business do okay?”
    â€œWell enough.”
    The route she drove took them down the main street of Caribou Crossing. It was after six and most of the businesses were closed now, the storefronts dark. Bare-branched trees were strung with sparkly white lights, and welcoming golden light came from the windows of a few restaurants and bars. The Gold Nugget Saloon was still there, but it had been modernized and didn’t bear much resemblance to the tacky dive where he and Brooke had spent many the drunken night—and afternoon.
    Brooke Kincaid, married to the police commander. He shook his head in wonderment. Seemed like Mo wasn’t the only one who’d stopped being an asshole and got their life sorted out. Interesting that his ex had taken another chance on love and marriage. It was also odd that she’d stayed in Caribou Crossing after all the times she’d bitched about the place being Hicksville. It must have grown on her over the years.
    In the backseat, the dog moved around restlessly, obviously having second thoughts about his decision to enter the car.
    â€œAlmost there, Caruso,” Maribeth murmured soothingly. “Soon