Santa Reads Romance Read Free

praised the nurse's ingenuity.
    She smiled broadly. “I'll be right back.”
    “I can hardly wait,” Hunter muttered under his breath.
    Hunter started to put the mangy outfit on over his Armani suit, came to his senses, and headed for the cubicle bathroom. When he exited all in red, his business suit was draped carefully over his arm.
    “I never realized how fine I look in that suit.” The old-timer on the bed grinned wickedly at him. He was really enjoying this.
    Hunter narrowed his silver eyes. The daunting effect was somewhat spoiled when the pom-pom at the end of the hat smacked into his nose.
    “Here we go!” Nurse Rudy raced back into the room with a fluffy wad of cotton attached to a string. “Bend down and I'll tie it on for you.”
    Hunter knelt his tall frame so she could tie it behind his ears. She began stuffing his wavy dark brown hair under the rim of the hat. “Can't let the kids see this. You know, I have some scissors in my pocket; I could trim it off… ”
    “No!” Hunter abruptly stood.
    Walking over to a small square mirror on the wall, he peered at his new high-powered image. “I look like a cross between a sheep's butt and a horse's behind.”
    The nurses giggled.
    Santa stroked his beard. “I will admit ya don't carry it off with quite the same flair I do.”
    Hunter faced him. “You can have the job back any time, pop.”
    The man's eyes twinkled. “Right ya are, sonny! Now, here's the directions to the place; I wrote them down for ya.” He handed him a heavily scrawled piece of paper.
    Hunter scanned it. “Are you sure this is close by; it seems—”
    “Country roads. Don't worry about that none, just follow those directions exactly and ya won't have no problem.”
    Hunter stuffed the note in his pocket. Then he hoisted the heavy sack over his broad shoulder. “Well, see ya later, Santa. It's been… interesting.”
    “Wait a minute!” Hunter turned around. The codger held the puppy out to him. “Ya forgot Benny.”
    Hunter sighed resignedly, putting out his hand for the dog.
    “He don't like the cold much!” Santa yelled after him.
    Hunter waved acknowledgment without turning around.
    Before he left the hospital he scooted the dog safely inside his shirt.

Chapter Four
     
     
    T urkeyfoote Road.
    Where in the hell was Turkeyfoote Road?
    It seemed as if he'd been driving for hours, although his watch claimed it was only about thirty minutes.
    He had left the outskirts of the village twenty minutes ago. The snowfall had picked up considerably; his wipers were just keeping up with it. If he didn't find the turn-off soon, he was going to turn back, drop off the gifts and Benny. The small dog was still nestled next to his chest, refusing to leave the warmth of his shirt.
    At this pace, he might miss his plane. And he still had to drive to Bangor. These dark country roads were—
    A small wooden sign staked to the ground seesawed in the wind to his left. It was placed next to— not a road exactly, more a trail.
    On the front of the wooden sign someone had drawn in red paint what one might assume was a turkey foot.
    It was a good enough indication for him.
    He swung the car to the left and followed the narrow rutted pathway. After ten minutes of bouncing and sliding on the dirt track, he wondered what had possessed him to take that turn.
    The snow was falling fast and furious now.
    He had just decided to turn back when he rounded a bend and spotted some lights in the distance. About 300 yards up the road a house sat on a hill. It was too dark and snowy to see much of its shape, but Hunter had no doubt that it was the children's home. He had followed the directions exactly.
    Unfortunately, at that point the road became steeper and rougher. In this snow, without four-wheel drive, he didn't think he'd be able to drive much further. The surface was slick and pitted with ice.
    Deciding it was best to walk the remaining distance— he wasn't going to take any chances of getting stuck