SEALed at Midnight Read Online Free PDF

to admit, though begrudgingly, that it really was getting pretty outside. Snow totally covered the ground and the thick wet flakes stuck to every tree limb and surface.
    If she had nowhere else to be, it would be perfect. Quite the makings for a picturesque scene . . . then the lights flickered.
    “Uh, oh.” Ginny eyed the table lamp, waiting for the worst to happen, but the bulb stayed illuminated. For the time being anyway.
    “What’s wrong?” Molly asked.
    “I’m worried I’m going to lose electricity.” And along with it, the heat and hot water.
      Then what would she do?
    She was all for women’s equality and independence but at times like this she regretted not having a man around. If not a boyfriend, then at least a hired handyman to build a fire and bring over a generator.
    Ginny needed to face it. She was, and always should be, an apartment dweller. Then she could make a single phone call and pass problems such as no electric to somebody else—like a nice twenty-four hour on-call building superintendent.
    But when she’d taken this job as a house sitter, she supposed she'd become the twenty-four hour handyman.
    She probably should have thought this over better before taking on the responsibility of a whole house, five acres and a barn in Massachusetts in winter.
    Hindsight always had been Ginny’s strength. She sighed and turned her mind to brighter thoughts. As long as the lights stayed on, everything would be okay.
    “So what are you doing for Christmas Day?”
    “Marco is taking me to the city to see the tree at Rockefeller Center and look at the window decorations, then back to his place for a romantic dinner.”
    It was Ginny's turn to be jealous.
    Her friend not only had a great job, a fabulous condo, and parents who supported everything she did, but also a hot new boyfriend with an Italian accent to go along with his expensive Italian sports car.
    “That sounds perfect. You better text and tell me what he bought you for Christmas the minute you open it.” Ginny might as well be completely green with envy and get it all over with at once.
    “I will. Promise. Are you going to be all right up there by yourself if you get snowed in and can't drive home tomorrow?”
    “Sure. There's food in the fridge.”
    “But what if the power does go out?”
    “There’s firewood on the porch and plenty of candles in the house. I’ll be fine even if the power goes out.” Ginny dismissed Molly’s concern, sounding more confident than she felt.
    “Okay, but I'll make sure I keep my cell phone on in case you need anything.”
    “Thanks.” Ginny didn't know what Molly and Marco were going to be able to do for her. If the roads proved so bad she couldn't drive south to Stamford, they wouldn't be able to drive north to Springfield either, but she did appreciate the offer.
    The lights flickered again and she stifled a groan. She didn’t need Molly, in an attempt to help, reporting back to her mother that she was sitting alone in the dark. Her mom’s I-told-you-so would be more than Ginny could stand.
    “I’m going to go. I think I’ll bring in some wood and make a fire.”
    Even if the power didn’t go out, a cozy snowy Christmas Eve spent in front of a roaring fireplace seemed slightly less sad.
    “That sounds nice. You should open a bottle of wine and enjoy your night alone.”
    Spoken like a woman who had a boyfriend and didn’t have to spend any night alone if she didn’t want to. “Will do. Good night, Mol.”
    “Good night and happy Christmas Eve.”
    “Happy Christmas Eve to you too.” She disconnected before Molly could dispense any more holiday cheer Ginny wasn’t in the mood for.
    After putting the cell down, Ginny stared at the lamp for a few seconds. The light bulb glowed steadily, with no more visible flickers.
    That was a good sign. Maybe it had been a false alarm, though she should probably locate some provisions in case the electricity did go out.
    Even at only four in the