Sleigh Ride (Minnesota Christmas Book 2) by Heidi Cullinan

Author:Heidi Cullinan [Cullinan, Heidi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance, bears, lumberjack, sleigh ride, librarian, holiday
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2014-11-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

The Anderson homestead was south of town, nestled in a stand of trees, dotted with outbuildings. The main house was quite old, with a stone foundation, politely painted wood siding and decorative shutters lining all the windows. A great glass-and-screen porch took up the front of the house, and as Gabriel followed Tom up the steps, he saw the porch doubled as a depository for pies, cookies and sweetbreads. The scent of many delicious things cooking mingled with the sharp bite of cold before Tom opened the front door, but as soon as Gabriel entered the foyer the delicious aromas became a multilayered wall hitting him in the gut, carving out a hunger that had nothing to do with food.

One whiff, one glance around the gateway to the Anderson home, and Gabriel whiplashed fifteen years back to an equally ramshackle foyer full of the same homey, simple scents. Not Alex’s delicately appointed suburban home, not the book-lined halls of the boyfriend he’d had long enough to accept a holiday invitation. Not his own sad kitchen with takeout on the years he managed to escape being dragged to a dinner. This was something he hadn’t experienced since his junior year of college when he’d told his parents he was gay.

This was something he hadn’t known how much he’d missed—until right now.

Tom had removed his coat and set his cane aside as he held out his hand for Gabriel’s. “You’ll want to take off your Sorels here, or the missus will give you hell. If your feet get cold, we can scare up a spare pair of wool socks, I’m sure.”

“Thank you.” Gabriel passed over his coat and toed out of his boots.

Taking it, Tom leaned toward a noisy doorway and hung Gabriel’s parka on a peg. “Cory—we’re back, dear.”

“Perfect timing.” Corrina stuck her head around the corner. Her face was flush with exertion and sweat, and she looked as happy as Gabriel had ever seen her. “Good to see you, Gabriel. Can I get you something to drink? A coffee to warm you up?”

“Coffee would be lovely.” He presented the bottle of wine. “I brought this for you, as a thank you.”

Corrina came into the foyer, oohing and clucking over the bottle as she showed it to Tom. “Land sakes. Look how fancy. How thoughtful of you.” Tucking the bottle into her arm, she pulled Gabriel down to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you for coming, sweetheart. Tom, get him settled in the living room. I’ll send Becky with the coffee.”

Gabriel knew what waited for him in the living room—who, rather—and his heart fluttered with a cocktail of apprehension and excitement as he followed Tom’s shuffling gait through the house. The table was set with antique, faded china, with chairs that didn’t match and an eclectic array of water-stained glasses. Several centerpieces decorated the center—a sagging 1970s cornucopia with faded plastic fruit, a paper pumpkin with one side sagging like a flat tire, and a family of handmade felt-and-pinecone turkeys clustered in the center.

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