Mistletoe Bay Read Online Free PDF Page B

upstairs.”
    Tucker grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at his younger brother as he handed over the candy.
    Corey started to cry. “He’ll eat it all.”
    â€œHe will not.” She gave Tucker her sternest look. “You will not touch either one of your brothers’ candy. Got it?”
    â€œYeah, but I just wanted to trade.”
    â€œNo trading.” She rolled her eyes. Tucker was either going to be a gangster or a politician. “Where’s your bag?”
    â€œIn the kitchen with Grandmom.” Tucker started to head for the kitchen.
    â€œYou and Corey head on upstairs and get ready for your baths. I’ll be up in a few minutes.” She gave her youngest son a hug and dried his tears. “I won’t let Tucker get any. But you guys have had enough for tonight. We’ll save some for the month of tomorrows to come.”
    Corey sniffled. “Promise?”
    She gave him another hug and a kiss. “Promise.” She turned him toward the stairs and lightly patted his bottom. “Now get going.”
    Both boys dashed upstairs with pounding feet and shouts of who would be first.
    Jenni took off her coat and scarf and added them to the pile of clothes on an overstuffed chair.
    Coop chuckled and then cringed as a door slammed upstairs and one of the boys started shouting. The ornate chandelier hanging in the foyer area, at the bottom of the steps, shook above his head. He stepped to his right. “Is it always like this, or is Halloween a special occasion?”
    â€œI would love to blame all the candy, but the sad truth is I can’t. They are always like this.” She headed for the kitchen. “Come on back.”
    Coop followed while taking in everything. The living room had recently been painted a khaki color, all but the wall on which the stairs were located. That wall still had torn and faded wallpaper from the sixties on it. It would take scaffolding to do that wall because it went clear to the third floor. The furniture looked comfortable and there seemed to be plenty of it. A brick fireplace was against the outside wall, and it looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Hopefully Jenni would know to have it checked out before trying to light a fire in it. Ten to one the chimney needed some work, or at least a major cleaning.
    Below his feet he could detect the rumbling of a furnace. At least the house was warm.
    An orange cat came barreling down from upstairs and into the dining room. He had no idea if it had been Dumb or Dumber. By the noise the boys were making upstairs he would guess that hardwood floors were throughout the house. Jenni might consider looking into carpeting to lessen the noise.
    â€œWho named the cats?” He knew of the movie, but Jenni didn’t look like a Dumb & Dumber type person, and the boys were too young to have seen the movie.
    â€œThey’re Felicity’s. She’s had them for about two years now.”
    â€œShe’s a movie fan?” That made sense. Their names sounded like something a teenager would give them.
    â€œNo, let’s just say they weren’t the sharpest kitties in the litter.” Jenni placed Corey’s candy bag on the kitchen table.
    Although the rest of the house looked questionable, the kitchen was in top shape. White cabinets, some with glass front doors, new countertops, and top-of-the-line stainless-steel appliances filled the room. Baking ingredients were neatly lined up on counters, and there seemed to be quite a collection of small appliances. Someone took her cooking seriously, and her name was Dorothy Wright.
    He looked at Dorothy and knew she commanded the kitchen like a captain would his vessel. Everything had to be shipshape and in top working order. By the smell, whatever she was doing, she was doing it right. He counted five loaves of some type of bread cooling on racks, and she was busy icing leaf-shaped cookies.
    â€œAll done, Coop?” Dorothy wielded