Harlequin Love Inspired December 2016, Box Set 1 of 2 by Lee Tobin McClain

Author:Lee Tobin McClain
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488027161
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

“I feel sorry for him.” Two evenings later Ellie felt like she’d lost her Christmas spirit.

Wyatt sat at his kitchen table beside Gracie who was cutting out Christmas cookies for her gifts. It had been so decent of him to offer her his kitchen with its double ovens to work in. Ellie knew she should be happy that Gracie’s cookie list was getting finished and yet…

“You feel sorry for who?”

“Albert. He didn’t look much better today, did he?” Ellie plopped three silver candy beads down the front of a gingerbread boy. “I wonder if it’s my fault.”

“Did you do something bad, Mommy?” Gracie frowned at the star she’d mashed.

“I’m not sure yet.” Ellie wished she hadn’t mentioned it with little ears listening. “Can I help you, honey?” When her daughter nodded, Ellie took the cutter from her hand, reformed the last bits of dough and quickly pressed out the star.

“It will look pretty with this blue sugar on it,” Gracie said.

“Very nice,” Ellie approved. “Now we’re finished for tonight, so you go wash up. Quietly because, remember, Cade’s sleeping. As soon as these are baked, we need to get you home to bed, too.”

Gracie did an exaggerated tiptoe to the bathroom, making Wyatt smile.

“She didn’t argue. She must be tired.” Ellie moved quickly to clean up and then started the dishwasher. “Thank you so much for letting Gracie help you with the animals and for allowing me to use your house as my workshop,” she said over one shoulder as she removed two more cookie sheets from the oven. “This baking is going a lot faster than I ever imagined.”

“How many more batches do you need?” Wyatt asked, snitching one of the cookies for a taste test.

“Maybe three more.” She grinned at his surprised face. “Gracie’s list is huge.”

“But—”

“I know it’s overkill,” Ellie defended. “But I want to encourage her giving spirit. I like that she’s thought about these kids, thought about how many of them might not receive much for Christmas, especially something homemade. She’s trying, in her way, to make it special for them. I don’t want to crush that.”

“And Albert?” Wyatt arched one eyebrow when she didn’t immediately respond.

“I’m wondering if my speaking up made his life worse.” She took a sip of the coffee she’d made earlier. “I’m going to visit his home.”

“Ellie, I don’t think—” Wyatt stopped speaking when Gracie returned. A muscle in his jaw flickered, but all he said was, “When?”

“Maybe on the weekend.” She slid the cooled cookies into a big tin she’d brought and snapped on the lid. “Sweetheart, do you think you can put this tin inside the cooler I left on the doorstep?”

“Sure.” Holding the tin as if it was pure gold, Gracie walked out of the room.

“I’m not keen on kids who’ve been in trouble with the law spending time at Wranglers,” Wyatt muttered. “Seems like they get off too easily.”

“Tanner’s programs are for troubled kids, not necessarily those mandated to attend by the courts.” Ellie frowned.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.