Home for Christmas Read Free Page B

you’re all ready to go.”
    Warren and Viv were planning to go to the Children’s Program. He wasn’t ready to let Miranda see Warren and Viv, wasn’t ready to let her remember the past, didn’t want to lose his chances with her before he’d even gotten started. That was why he hoped she’d walk with him.
    Miranda took the baby and did her best to calm him.
    Two more sisters rushed past on their way out to the sleigh. Mary Beth clattered down the stairs, scooped up her baby and headed out. “Come on, you two. We’re going to be late.”
    “We can find room for one more in the sleigh.” Miranda buttoned her coat and headed out to the porch. She wrapped her long scarf twice around her neck, covering her lower face against the chill. Pulled plump woolen mittens onto her hands.
    Hunter followed, not sure how to broach the subject of a walk, when she clearly wanted to attend the program. Was it fair to ask her to change her plans?
    Dallas picked up the snowshoes Hunter had brought for Miranda. “I want to walk over with you. I don’t want to sit on Billy’s lap.”
    “You’re walking?” Miranda had seen the second pair of snowshoes. “You’ll be late. Come pile into the sleigh. There’s room enough.”
    “I hadn’t planned to go.” His pulse bounded against his veins and his coat felt suddenly too warm. His shirt stuck to his back. He felt like a youth again, craving a bit of attention from Miranda, hoping she’d notice him, and just maybe, see him for who he was.
    Miranda’s oldest brother, Del, extinguished the last lamp inside the house and shut the front door behind him. “Come on, you two, Jessie’s first on the program and we’ll miss her solo if we don’t hurry.”
    “You didn’t plan to go?” By light of the rising moon, Miranda’s eyes seemed clouded. “Why’d you come by? Is there a problem?”
    Miranda’s dad took the porch steps two at a time and offered her a hand. “The yard’s slippery. Take my hand, dear.”
    Hunter saw the others had loaded up. He ought to go along and pretend it didn’t matter one way or the other that she’d see Warren.
    The mere thought made his stomach burn with indigestion. He couldn’t risk it. Not yet. He reached for her arm. “I came to ask you to walk out with me. I brought the snowshoes.”
    Her brows drew together, ever so slightly. “You always go to the Christmas program. Your family’s there every year.”
    “I know.” He glanced toward the sleigh, finding her parents watching them.
    The children started to bicker. One of the adults shushed them. Hunter turned his back on Miranda’s nosy family, fighting to keep his thoughts together, wanting to sound coherent and not too hopeful or desperate. “We won’t go far.”
    She fell silent. The kind of silence that spoke of too many thoughts and emotions--not the good kind.
    He should have kept quiet. Should’ve climbed into the sleigh and gone along with the Finlays. Now, he’d blown it.
    Miranda stepped closer, looked up to meet his gaze. “You’re very kind to come rescue me.”
    “I didn’t think you needed rescuing. . . . I only meant--”
    She laughed softly. “It’s taken me awhile, but I’m ready to face everyone. I’m ready to move on.”
    The notions sounded good, really good, but--she wasn’t going there looking to see Warren, was she? His brows drew together with the possibility Miranda might still be in love with Warren. A most aggravating thought, that.
    With his chest aching, his shirt sticking to his skin and knowing the Finlays collectively listened in, he took a step closer still to Miranda and whispered in her ear. “You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Especially to me.”
    She giggled. The sound, rich and melodic, drained the tension from him.
    “Miranda?” Her dad sounded impatient. “Are you coming?”
    “Go on without me. I’m going to take a walk with Hunter,” her gaze met his, seeming to glitter like emeralds with an inner light, “and