Almost a Christmas Bride by Susan Crosby

Author:Susan Crosby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-08-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“I’ve never been away from her overnight,” Shana said to her brother and sister-in-law. Kincaid had a dinner meeting with a client, leaving Shana at loose ends, so she’d gone to visit Gavin and Becca.

“We want to get some practice in,” Becca said, patting her belly. “Besides, wouldn’t you like a whole night to yourself?”

“I can’t imagine what I would do.”

Gavin was on the floor playing train with Emma. “You and Kincaid could—”

“We are not a couple. Honestly, I’m so sick of defending my strictly business relationship with him, Gavin. I was hired. I’m doing a job.”

Three days had passed since the Christmas tree farm fiasco. If there was a pool going, Shana hadn’t gotten wind of it.

Gavin flashed a grin at his wife. “That’s what we all said. Look at Becca and me. And her brother Eric and Marcy. And all three of the Falcon brothers. It started so innocently…?.”

She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. He was right. It had started innocently enough then had escalated. They’d done a good job these past few days, however, of maintaining their distance, except that it had made her more short-tempered and Kincaid oddly quieter.

“Your Christmas tree is gorgeous,” Shana said, taking the conversation down a different path.

“Pretty,” Emma said, her eyes wide.

“I think everyone in town has already brought us an ornament,” Gavin said. “Even those who don’t have appointments drop by the practice and leave a decoration and some kind of edible gift, even turkeys and hams. Becca and I decided to put on a Christmas Eve dinner for those in need. Aggie and Doc are co-chairing. We’ll need lots of volunteers with the set-up, cleanup and food prep.”

“I’ll help. I’m sure Kincaid will, too. I hope Dixie and Joe will be home by then.” Shana smiled as Emma crawled onto Gavin’s back as if he were a horse. He bucked a little and she shrieked a laugh, grabbing his shirt to steady herself, saying, “More, Uncky. More.”

“We were already counting on you,” Becca said with a knowing smile. “Eric and Marcy have volunteered. It’s right up Marcy’s party-planning alley, so we’re letting her figure out the food plan. We’ll have it fairly early, before Christmas Eve services. Do you think it’ll snow?”

“It’s happened before, but it’s rare in December,” Gavin said. “Has to be a pretty big, cold storm to come down to the 2500-foot level. So, how about it, Shana? Can we keep your girl overnight on Saturday?”

“We can give it a try. She’s never spent the night anywhere without me, so I’m not sure how she’ll do.”

“Well, you can’t stay home just in case, okay?” Becca said. “Grab a girlfriend and head to Sacramento. I can give you the names of a few places where you can kick up your heels. If Emma cries, we’ll figure out how to soothe her. She’s been around us enough to know us. Go have fun.”

Grab a girlfriend. Shana turned that idea over in her head. It hadn’t occurred to her before, but she really didn’t have a girlfriend.

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