Low Country Christmas--A Clean & Wholesome Romance by Lee Tobin McClain

Author:Lee Tobin McClain
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2019-07-15T15:29:02+00:00

* * *

RITA WAS ANNOYED, tremendously so, way more than the occasion warranted. And a lot of it had to do with the handsome, infuriating man who’d just driven her and Taffy out to Pudge LeFrost’s place.

It was a cool day, overcast and in the fifties. Jimmy wore a heavy winter coat; Rita wore a sweater. And she knew he was about to make another comment about it.

“You sure you’ll be warm enough?” he said right on cue, turning off the truck.

Taffy leaped out of her arms and flung herself on Jimmy, trying to lick his face. Apparently, she’d figured out the person who liked her the least and was determined to grovel until she changed his mind.

Rita wasn’t groveling. “I told you this wasn’t necessary,” she said as Jimmy attempted to block the excited dog with his arms and turn his face away. “I could just as well have trained her myself, at home. You wouldn’t have even had to be involved.”

“I want to be involved. I just wish you’d involved me before you made the decision to get a dog.”

Rita blew out a breath, reeled the dog back toward her and opened the truck door to climb out.

A truck loaded with building supplies was parked on the other side of the driveway. Great. She was pretty sure it meant her least enthusiastic son, Cash, was here. They’d seen Liam and Sean driving away just as they’d turned onto the road that led out here; she hadn’t figured on Cash still being here as a visitor.

The moment she climbed out, sure enough, there was her middle son, looking out the door. He walked over, giving her a slight wave.

He shook Jimmy’s hand in a way that was distinctly warmer. Of course.

Ma Dixie came out onto the porch, and her broad face broke into a smile. “More of my favorite people,” she said. “And who’s that precious creature? I didn’t know you had a new pup.”

That was Ma; she saw the best in everyone, even Taffy, who was straining at her leash and barking frantically, practically ripping Rita’s arm from the socket. “This is Taffy,” she said, kneeling down to gently restrain the dog. “Hey, okay, it’s okay, settle,” she crooned. It was gratifying when Taffy at least stopped barking long enough to lick her face a couple of times.

“Bring her inside,” Ma said, and when Rita protested that the dog wasn’t perfectly house-trained, she waved a dismissive hand. “Honey, there’s been more dogs and boys in this house than you have fingers and toes. If it’s not been destroyed yet, it’ll stand for a little dog like that.”

“Thanks, Ma.” Rita couldn’t help flashing a glance at Jimmy. If only he could be as welcoming as Ma was.

But, of course, Ma was a saint among women, and most people—Rita included—couldn’t live up to her sense of hospitality and generosity.

She urged Taffy up the steps, Jimmy and Cash following behind, talking about carpentry or some such manly thing. When she reached the porch, she realized that Holly was there, too.

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