Christmas Hideout by Susan Sleeman

Author:Susan Sleeman
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Tags: Christian, Clean & Wholesome, Fiction, Romance, Suspense, Thrillers
ISBN: 9781488088315
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-11-01T13:01:37.112000+00:00

* * *

Nicole had heard Matt and his father arguing all the way in the kitchen, where she was cutting out sugar cookies with Emilie. It had felt wrong to join his mother and nana to bake cookies when Grady was trying to end her life, but she had nothing else to do, and she was glad for the opportunity to spend this time with Emilie doing something special for Christmas.

They’d planned a full week of events. They would bake their own cookies. Make cards. A gingerbread house. Watch old Christmas cartoons. Now they were on the run for their lives.

Nicole let out all her frustrations in a long sigh.

Betty looked up from her rolling pin. “You look worried.”

“Matt and his dad,” she said, keeping the focus on them instead of her.

Betty shook her head. “I heard them.”

“Would be hard not to.” Winnie frowned. “I wish I could say it never happens, but Walt’s a real taskmaster when it comes to work. He’s been a good role model for our children, but there are times I wish he would go lighter on them.”

Nicole thought about her own family. “My dad’s like that with my brothers, but I have to say he spoils me and my sister.”

Emilie looked up, her nose covered in flour. “And me.”

Nicole smiled at her daughter. “Yes, you, too.”

“Walt does worry about the girls more, though,” Betty said. “I know it drives them both crazy.”

Winnie sighed. “That he does.”

With the stress, Nicole had lost all interest in the cookie baking. “Would you mind if I went to see if it’s more than that and anything else has come up?”

Betty waved her floury hand. “Go ahead.”

“Yeah, Mommy. It’s okay. Nana knows everything about baking.”

“She does, does she?” Nicole ruffled Emilie’s hair. “Sounds like I’m quickly being replaced.”

“I’d never dream of it.” Betty’s eyes twinkled. “But I would dream of having this little one around here on a regular basis.”

Nicole gaped at her.

“What?” She winked. “An old woman without any great-grandchildren can hope, right?”

Nicole didn’t have a clue how to respond, so she slipped out of the room. By the time she reached Walt’s office, Matt was gone, and Walt sat behind his desk.

He looked up. “Help you?”

She didn’t know if she should mention the argument, but she had to know what was going on, so she nodded. “I heard you and Matt.”

“Sorry about that.” He ran his finger over his mustache. “I was a little hard on him.”

“Did he do something wrong?”

“Nothing we can’t overcome.”

She could tell he didn’t plan to explain it to her, and she wouldn’t keep asking. But she did have to wonder if his unwillingness to discuss it was because he was keeping something from her. If so, she had to know what, and Matt might tell her. “Where’d Matt go?”

“For a ride. You’ll likely find him down at the corral saddling up Ranger.”

“Thanks,” she said and headed for the front door. She grabbed her jacket and stepped outside. She tried to shrug into her coat, but the wind caught it, dragging her across the porch.

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