Once Upon a Christmas Eve Read Online Free PDF Page A

please.”
    With a pleasant smile, she turned for him to follow. Itwas only as he did that his preoccupation faded enough to appreciate the surprisingly cozy, urban yet rustic space.
    He’d noticed the framed reviews on the wall by the hostess desk, and been vaguely aware of the constant murmur of the patrons’ conversations. What he noted now were the two huge paintings of wine bottles in reds, burgundies and shades of slate hanging on one of the tall brick walls. Like the mural painted over the boarded-up window in the storefront next door, those same colors slashed across an equally sizeable abstract on the opposite wall of white.
    Conscious of his large frame, he moved along a narrow aisle formed between the occupied tables. As he did, he became even more aware of the mouthwatering aromas that had reminded him when he’d walked in that he needed lunch.
    Since he’d been on the phone with Margie at the time, and knowing he had a 1:30 conference call, he’d already asked his secretary to order him a sandwich to eat at his desk. Noticing a freshly delivered, rather incredible-looking panini in front of a guy at the wine bar and the size of the shrimp on a plate of pasta by his companion, he thought now he should have just ordered to-go from here.
    The blonde waitress held open the right side of a pair of narrow swinging doors.
    Murmuring his thanks, he stepped past her, reached inside his overcoat pocket and walked into the small, efficient space.
    The room behind him offered texture, comfort and warmth. Here, stainless steel seemed to be the surface of choice. Racks, pots, pans, appliances. Much of it bore the patina of wear. Some shone with a glint that spoke of more recent purchase. All of it looked scrupulously organized. What had the bulk of his attention, though, was the uneasein the features of the woman he’d met yesterday as she turned from setting a pan in a long, deep sink.
    The white double-breasted chef’s jacket Tommi Fair child wore over loose black pants was buttoned to her throat. A short white toque covered her head. Even with her hair hidden, he remembered its shine and its color. That rich warm brown held the same shades of gold as the flecks in her dark and wary eyes.
    He had no idea why he remembered those details. Especially since he wasn’t close enough to note much about her eyes other than the caution clouding them when she offered a small smile.
    â€œHi,” she said, walking toward him as she wiped her hands on the apron tied at her waist. Looking as hesitant as she sounded, she stopped ten feet away. “What brings you here?”
    He knew she’d been embarrassed yesterday. Beyond embarrassed, probably, considering how totally she’d misconstrued the reason for his partner’s interest in her. There seemed to be another element to her discomfort now, though.
    From her puzzled question, she clearly hadn’t expected him.
    â€œDidn’t Scott call you?”
    â€œHe called this morning,” she confirmed, looking as if she wasn’t at all sure what that had to do with his presence. “He apologized for not being able to meet yesterday.”
    â€œBut he didn’t say anything about what you’d left at the hotel.”
    He offered the conclusion flatly, burying the exasperation that came with it as he took a step closer. Scott had offered no explanation for yesterday’s misunderstanding with this woman when he’d called on his way to the airport. Not that Max had wanted, or asked for one. Realizing lastnight that he couldn’t give the wallet to Scott to give to this woman himself since Scott wouldn’t be around, all Max had asked was that Scott let her know he had it and that he’d get it to her sometime that day.
    So much for follow-through.
    â€œYou dropped this,” he told her, and held out the small rectangle of hot pink leather he’d pulled from his pocket. “It fell out of your