Mrs. Morris and the Ghost of Christmas Past by Traci Wilton

Author:Traci Wilton [Wilton, Traci]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2020-07-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Charlene sat at the bar, too amped up to go home. She had so much to accomplish if she wanted her goals to be met, and time was limited. Where could she ask for the most donations in one spot?

The mall. Once she’d finished her wine and paid her bill, she’d go shopping. Win-win.

She pulled her Christmas list from the side pocket of her purse, along with a pen, as she waited for Kevin to have a moment free to bring her check. She sipped her wine and glanced at the purchases she had on her gift list. So far it included a gift certificate for Minnie and Will to a romantic restaurant in Boston. Also, for Minnie, a cute antique box she’d found at Vintage Treasures.

Charlene put a check mark by their names. A royal blue cashmere sweater for her mother that she could keep for herself, but wouldn’t. An e-book reader for her dad—she wasn’t sure if he would give up his physical books, so she’d wrapped the gift receipt inside. A fruit basket for her old college friend Brynne and her husband. Check, check, check.

She’d bought stockings for her parents and her guests to hang from the fireplace, and now that she’d met the Garcias, she’d like to put a few little things under the tree, especially for the girls. The Chilsons would arrive Friday, so they would need stockings too. It was fun to play Santa. Should she get a stocking for Silva?

She doodled Sam’s name. What about a little something for him, in case he came over Christmas Eve? What would he like? She thought him insanely attractive, but she didn’t really know much about him, so far as likes or dislikes.

A familiar voice inside her mind suggested a date would be a good way to get to know him.

Jared?

Her body broke out in goose bumps and she dropped the pen to her purse. The voice had been so clear, so dear, that she actually looked around the bar’s interior to see if he was there.

Of course not. She took a ten-dollar bill out of her wallet, put it under the wineglass, and headed for the door, waving to Kevin as she fled. Outside she shivered, uncertain if it was from the cold or the shock of the familiar voice she’d heard.

Starting the car, she attempted to make sense of the illogical. Had the voice been her subconscious thoughts? Charlene turned up the radio, blaring Christmas music all the way to the mall.

She battled holiday shoppers, driving down one lane after another until she gave up and settled for a spot at the far end of the shopping center. The plows had cleared the pavement, leaving mounds of snow in random mountains. Charlene cautiously picked her way through the snow and the slush, not wanting to fall.

“You asked for snow,” she reminded herself, putting the hood of her coat over her head to ward off the cold. She entered the mall’s ground-floor main entrance,

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