Krystal's Christmas: A Colorado Billionaires Story by Regina Duke

Author:Regina Duke [Duke, Regina]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Contemporary romance
Published: 2014-11-28T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

BY THE TIME KRYSTAL FINISHED ARRANGING for Maria’s sister and six kids to be picked up by Brady Felton’s special Christmas Express bus, it was nearly suppertime. She still hadn’t had a private moment with Zach. She wandered into the kitchen, feeling lonely in her own house. Cookie was seated at the kitchen table, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate and reading a magazine.

“Oh, Mrs. Krystal, you startled me. Can I get you something?”

“No, thank you, I’m fine. Just at loose ends.” Krystal sighed heavily and glanced at the rooster clock on the wall. “Kevin is still in Eagle’s Toe?”

“As far as I know, ma’am.”

Krystal tilted her head to one side. “The house is suspiciously quiet. Where are the children?”

Cookie smiled. “Megan took Kissie upstairs. Keegan is playing with the Garcia boys. And I haven’t heard a peep out of Karla since she came down for supplies.”

Krystal longed to head for the barn. After encouraging Kevin to spend $300,000 on an indoor arena large enough to use for official equestrian events, she’d had little opportunity to use it herself. And besides, chances were very good that Zachary King would be there.

But her mother’s heart insisted she check on Karla. After all, losing her best friend to an unexpected relocation was more than enough to set Karla back months in her social progress.

“I think I’ll go see if Karla is all right,” said Krystal. “With all the cookie consumption today, let’s just do soup for dinner, shall we? Say, seven?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Then Krystal thought better of it. “You’ve already put in a full day, Cookie. If you’ll leave the soup on the warmer, Megan and I will handle dinner and the cleanup.”

“Oh, Mrs. Krystal, that is so sweet of you. Thank you. I was hoping to run into town before that snow moves our way.”

Krystal smiled at Cookie. What good did it do to give someone a Christmas bonus if they didn’t have a chance to enjoy it?

With that, she headed for the front staircase. Before she reached it, someone knocked on the front door. Maria was nowhere in sight, so Krystal opened it.

“Yes?”

The man at the door was wearing a down jacket, but he was hatless and gloveless. His nose and cheeks were red with cold, and his bony hands were curled into fists. His breath hung in the air.

“I’m Mindy’s father.” As he spoke, a tall skinny woman rushed to his side. She was not dressed for the cold, wearing only a sweater.

Krystal recognized Mindy’s mother at once. They’d met many times at school events. She was an older version of her daughter. “Vivian, so good to see you. Won’t you come in?”

“Thank you, Krystal.” Without waiting for her husband, Vivian stepped inside. “We can’t find Mindy. We’re hoping she’s here. This is my husband, Walter.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Krystal, closing the door behind them. “Please, come in. May I offer you something warm to drink?”

“No,” barked Walter. “Just my daughter.”

Krystal was taken aback. Walter’s mood was in stark contrast to the Christmas cheer of the front room.

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