The Christmas Inn Read Online Free PDF Page A

estimates for cleaning up
the flood damage in the basement.”
    Marnie and Julie had clothes and personal belongings destroyed
by water damage a couple of weeks ago when a pipe broke in the basement of the
house they rented. “That’s great. We can shop for new shoes and purses now.”
    “Guess so.” Julie tucked one booted leg under her as she
settled back on the bed.
    Marnie pulled her one black dress out of the closet. “Darn!
That reminds me. I don’t have a decent pair of heels to take with me.”
    “You’re telling me you don’t have one pair of high heels you
could wear with a black dress?”
    “None. Remember, I’d been reorganizing the closets when the
flood happened—all my shoes were on the floor in the basement, along with boxes
of my winter clothes.” She stuck her head into the bottom of the closet and
reappeared with a pair of three-inch heels. “All I have is this pair of
canary-yellow ones, and I don’t have time to shop for a new pair.”
    “Not given your inability to make a decision where clothes are
concerned. Now, if it were me, I could buy ten pairs in an afternoon. Guess
you’ll have to make a fashion statement with your yellow ones. I wonder if
you’ll have to dress up for dinner?”
    “I went on the internet to see how formal this place is. There
was no mention of a dress code, but the photos of the dining room are pretty
classy,” she said, worrying that she might not have the right clothes. So much
of her wardrobe involved casual pants and tops for work, or jeans.
    “You’ll be fine.”
    “I want to look good, but not draw attention to myself. It
would make my job a whole lot more difficult if people began to notice me. If
they started paying attention to me they might wonder why I was checking things
out.”
    “You wouldn’t be that obvious.” Julie got up again and
sauntered over to the chair next to the window. “So, how does this mystery-guest
thing work?”
    “Scott made the reservation for me and guaranteed it with his
credit card. All I have to do is show up, enjoy every service the inn has to
offer and fill out a bunch of questionnaires. That’s it.”
    “Sounds simple enough. Hope it doesn’t snow too much while
you’re there. You might not make it home for Christmas.”
    “Christmas is the last thing on my mind.” Marnie bundled her
curling iron, makeup and hair products into a bag and packed them in her
suitcase. She gave the room a quick once-over. “Well, I guess that pretty well
does it.”
    Julie peered over the edge of the suitcase. “Underwear?”
    “Oh, yeah.” Marnie scooped her undergarments out of her dresser
drawers, dropping her pink bustier onto the floor in her haste.
    “Wow! Are you up to something on the man front without telling
me? Planning on meeting a hunky skier, perhaps?”
    “You never know. I’m going to pamper myself, and if there’s an
available male, you just never know what might happen. I haven’t had a decent
date in months, and now that I won’t be logging tons of time at the salon, a
decent date just went to number one on my list of priorities.” She stuffed the
bustier and the rest of her underwear in her suitcase and closed the zipper.
    “Well, here’s hoping that none of the guys you meet up there in
the Berkshires bear the faintest resemblance to Mario.” Julie arched her
eyebrows in warning.
    “So I’m lousy at picking men.”
    “No, you’ve got to stop letting them pick you. There’s a
difference. As I’ve said before you’ve got to be assertive and pick the best
apple from the dating tree, not the duds.”
    Marnie smiled out of the corner of her mouth and reached her
arms out to her friend. “Wish me luck on all fronts.”
    “Absolutely.” Julie jumped up, towering over Marnie as she
hugged her. “Call me as soon as you have a free minute and let me know what the
man situation is like. I might take a couple of days off from the delightful
repartee with Gina the Hun and join you so I can look