The Valentine Grinch Read Online Free PDF Page A

anti-Valentine’s attitude and
refused to even acknowledge the day.” Grandma released her arm and
turned to stare out the side window. “Valentine’s Day is about
finding love and sharing it with someone special. It’s about not
being alone.”
    Alone. Amanda knew all about being alone.
    She steered the car into the
cemetery parking lot, looked for Dane’s truck, but it was nowhere
in sight. Good, it would give her more time to talk with her
grandma. She shifted on the seat to face the elderly woman. “I
think I understand. When I moved to the city and left all of you
behind, it was a difficult adjustment.”
    “I was married to your Grandpa George for fifty-one
years and then, one day he was gone. I wasn’t prepared and I was
lost for a very long time.”
    “I hope one day I find what you had with
Gramps.”
    Amanda heard her grandma sniffle and realized that
the older woman was lucky she’d found someone to share her life
with, no matter her age. Maybe there was a way to convince Grandpa
to let Grandma go.
    Oh yeah, she could already hear his voice in her
head.
    Traitor .
    By now, Grandpa had worked himself into an angry
knot of frustration and Amanda felt a little heartsick. While he’d
hated Valentine’s Day, he’d loved his wife without question.
    Beside her, Grandma rifled through her purse and
pulled out an envelope yellowed with age. “While we’re waiting, you
can read this.”
    Amanda took the envelope. “What is it?”
    “A love note.”
    “From Gramps?” Amanda pulled a tissue thin piece of
paper out of the envelope, carefully opened it up and frowned in
confusion. It was covered with hand drawn images of smooching lips
and Valentine hearts. Totally un-Gramps-like. She read the note out
loud. “Be My Valentine.”
    Grandma released a blissful sigh. “Morty gave me
that note when we were in the first grade.”
    “Flowers and love notes?” Grandpa roared from the
back seat. “She said those things weren’t important. How could she
have lied to me all these years?”
    Amanda folded the note, slid it into the envelope
and passed it back. “Grandma, I’m confused. Why did you tell Gramps
that love notes and chocolates and Valentine hearts were
unimportant to you?”
    “What woman doesn’t love those things?” She glanced
over at Amanda and smiled. “I’ll bet even you get giddy when
someone special gives you something nice.”
    “Well sure, but why didn’t you tell Grandpa the
truth?”
    “Because George wasn’t the romantic type. He worked
hard and provided for his family. Isn’t that enough to expect from
a man?” Grandma glanced her way again. “We never went without,
Amanda, and we didn’t need the words to know we were loved.”
    A midnight blue half ton truck pulled into the empty
parking space in front of them. Dane climbed out of the cab, gave a
quick wave, then headed around to the passenger side to assist his
grandfather. He looked tall and strong and yummy, and Amanda
recalled the way her heart had thumped when he’d wrapped his arms
around her and given her a welcome-home hug.
    Desire pulsed between her legs.
    She wiggled against the seat and willed her body to
cool down.
    Dane helped his grandfather out of the truck and as
Morty Weatherby set his feet on the pavement, his shoulders
hunched, a cane in his hand to steady his balance, Grandma swooned
like a sixteen year old in the throes of her first crush. “Isn’t he
handsome?”
    In the backseat, Grandpa George snorted. “Morty’s a
wimp. A wussy. A girlie-man.”
    Grandma pulled on the door handle. “Come along,
dear. We don’t want to keep our men waiting.”
    Our men? She shook her head. Dane didn’t belong to
her. They’d never had that kind of relationship. “I’ll be right
there, Grandma. Watch out for the ice.”
    While Grandma climbed out of the vehicle to scurry
across the parking lot to meet her fiancée, Amanda turned toward
the back seat and leaned against the car door. “Are you