One Kiss for Christmas (The Happy Holidays Series Book 4) by Michele Brouder

Author:Michele Brouder [Brouder, Michele]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Donna sat in her office with Tim and Dottie Fields. This was one of those days that reminded Donna how much she loved her job. Tim and Dottie had been loyal customers almost as long as Donna had been with the bank. They hadn’t always had it easy. In the past, Tim had been laid off from the plant and there were many years of unemployment, and Dottie had only a high-school education, but they’d managed to scrimp and save, raise four children, and send them all to college.

Out of the blue, they’d received a large and unexpected windfall. A distant relative of Dottie’s had passed away and left Dottie her entire estate. Nobody had been more shocked than Dottie. And no one deserved it more, thought Donna. They were good people. Over the decades, Donna had been behind Dottie in line more than once at the grocery store and it was always the same thing: lots of coupons and generic-brand items. They had one old car that they shared, and there was nothing flashy about them. Donna didn’t think much would change, despite the huge windfall. Frugality born of necessity sometimes became an ingrained habit.

“As excited as we are about this money, we want to be careful with it,” Dottie said. “We’re not going to go out and buy a new car or anything like that. But we are going to treat ourselves to a dishwasher.” Her husband smiled at her.

They’d all gone to high school together. Dottie and Tim had also been high-school sweethearts. But unlike them, Tim hadn’t left town, and there was no lost letter to upend their lives. As Donna listened to their chatter, she thought that this was what it would be like to have spent decades with the man you loved, and to finally be getting to the good times. To have all that common history and time together, behind you and a part of you. A lump formed in her throat.

Her thoughts drifted toward Jim, as they always seemed to be doing lately. She was glad he’d come for dinner. She was happy about their agreement but at the same time, she wanted to keep it to herself. It felt special to her.

Once she went over in detail some proper investment vehicles for the Fieldses, she gave them some literature to look over and penned in a follow-up appointment in her diary.

They’d no sooner left than her cell phone rang.

“Hi, honey,” she answered when Brent’s name flashed across the screen.

“Hey, Mom, I’m just calling to let you know that I won’t be able to make dinner tonight,” he explained.

“Are you working late again?” she asked, trying to keep the worry out of her voice.

Brent laughed. “Actually, I have a date.”

Donna perked up and hope filled her. “You do? That’s wonderful! With who?”

“With Leah O’Hara, your neighbor’s daughter,” Brent said. “You know, the one whose cat got run over the other night.”

Donna sank back in her executive chair. “I know who you mean.

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