The December Deception by Dana Volney

Author:Dana Volney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Published: 2017-10-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

“This is perfect.” Lorelei held a first edition Hardy Boys book in her hand.

She’d relaxed, read a book, caught up with emails to friends about the holidays, and then started to miss being at Henry’s for his random family holiday activities. She’d run out of laundry to wash, closets to organize, and dishes to do, so going to the mall and getting her boss a Christmas gift other than the baked goods she’d made him presented a sound reason to leave the house.

“Those books are out there, but this is the only one I’ve had come across my desk in a while.” Milfred looked over his wire-framed glasses and put his hands on the counter of his antique store. “The original volumes were all published in a cloth hardcover format with a color dust jacket. With the later ones, the pictures were all published on the cover itself.”

“This is definitely like the other ones he owns.” She was unreasonably proud of herself for finding Henry such a perfect Christmas gift. They’d never exchanged presents before; no one in the office had. But this year felt different, like a gift was warranted. The books weren’t necessarily hard to find, but she’d felt a brush of luck when she’d learned Milfred had one in stock.

“He’s a special young man to you?”

She snapped her head up to look into the eyes of their long-time family friend. “He’s my boss. I noticed his collection the other day and figured this would be a great gift and a way to garner some favor.” It was half true.

Milfred knew her family, so he’d believe she was calculating how to shift the odds in her favor. And she’d even told herself that the entire way over. She’d called Milfred for an idea of where to get the books because it would help her career. Not her personal life and not her love life. She seriously needed to tattoo her primary goal on her hand or something, because every time she laid eyes on Henry, him being her boss was not the first thing that came to mind any longer.

He was different this week. Different than the automaton she’d seen at the office for the last two years. Certainly, he was more fun to be around. They’d not gone out many times with Silver and Fisher, but Henry had been fairly buttoned-up when they had. The most emotional she’d ever seen him was when they’d been at the hospital when Fisher’s heart was failing. Henry had tried to hold it together, but there’d been fear in his gaze and his knuckles were white at his sides when he paced.

“Let me wrap that up for you.” Milfred took the old book in the back, came out with it wrapped in cloth, and then wrapped it again in brown paper, even tying it with a string bow.

“Thanks, Milfred. You’re the best.”

“Tell your parents Merry Christmas.”

“I will.” She waved and headed out into the main mall area. She didn’t need anything else.

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