Her Wish Before Christmas (Holiday Hearts) Read Free Page B

stood on a chair to peel the alarm from the ceiling, quieting the noise.
    “Oh, Dr. O’Rourke. I’m so sorry. I burned the chicken.” She scraped the pan into the garbage can.
    “That’s okay, Ellen. We’re fine with a sandwich.”
    “Is peanut butter and jelly okay? I didn’t make it to the store.”
    “I think we can manage. Did you pick up the dry cleaning and mail that package today?”
    At her cringe, he knew she had forgotten. She was a sweet woman, and Jake adored her, but he needed real help.
    “I need to go. My daughter’s picking me up, and we’re going to see my grandson perform in A Christmas Carol . I bought tickets for every showing this week.”
    “Tell Richard to break a leg for me. Wait. Not every night this week. I need you tomorrow night. I have an important meeting at the hospital.
    “Oh no. I’m sorry. I will see if my niece can babysit.” She grabbed her coat out of the hall closet.
    At Jake’s look of panic, he declined Ellen’s offer to have her niece Matilda sit for him and assisted her with her coat.
    “I’ll handle it. Good night, Ellen.”
    “Let me know if you change your mind,” she said on her way out.
    Connor walked back into the kitchen, a little less smoky and a lot chillier with the door open.
    “If I can’t find anyone else, I’ll have to ask Matilda.”
    “She’s mean. I don’t like her, and she just watches TV all night. I want a fun babysitter.”
    “I bet.” Connor took off his suit jacket and laid it over a chair. “Well, buddy, I guess dinner’s PB and J for us tonight.”
    “I want cereal.”
    “How much did Ellen let you have today already?”
    “One bowl, I promise.”
    “Okay.”
    “Yay, cereal.” Jake skipped to the pantry and returned with a box of his favorite cinnamon squares. “Are we going Christmas-tree shopping tomorrow?” Jake followed Connor to the fridge for the milk and back to the counter. “You promised we’d get a real tree this year.”
    “Yes, and I’m glad I have you to make sure I remember saying that.” Connor picked him up and sat him on the counter while he prepared their food.
    “I’m your right-hand man. Right, Dad?”
    “Right. I’d never keep everything straight without you.” Duplicates of his hazel eyes stared up at him with such an earnest expression. Ever since they decided to return to Laurel Cove, there’d been a subtle change in Jake. A quiet confidence he hadn’t seen while living in Boston.
    Connor’s cell chimed in his jacket.
    “I’ll get it for you, Daddy.” Jake jumped down and fished through the pockets for the phone.
    “Thank you.” He finished prepping dinner with one hand while responding to a text with the other.
    “Good news, bud. We don’t need Matilda or any sitter for tomorrow night. Meeting’s been moved to the afternoon. We’ll have just enough time to pick a tree before dark.”
    “What’s this, Daddy?” Jake held up a leather necklace holding a small rose-colored glass vial.
    “Hmmm, that’s not mine. Must have fallen in my pocket by accident.”
    Jake passed him the necklace. “Looks like a girl toy. But there’s something inside.”
    Connor tried to pop the top off but the stopper held tight. Close to the light, he could just make out the edge of a tightly rolled piece of paper.
    “I know who can tell me what this is. She’s also the person this belongs to, so put it back and I’ll return it tomorrow.”
    Jake shrugged, dropped the necklace in the coat pocket, and dug into the cereal waiting for him.
    “Have you decided on your Christmas wish yet?” Jake asked between bites.
    “Not yet. What’s yours?”
    “I can’t tell you, and you can’t tell me, but you have to have one. It’s a rule.”
    “Yes, definitely. I promise to have a Christmas wish ready to go Christmas Eve right on time. And what about your list for Santa? Add anything today?” He sat down at the table with Jake.
    “Uh-huh, Ellen took me to the toy store, and I picked out a lot