Olivia Miles – 'Twas the Week Before Christmas (страница 10)
“He’s too cool for it.” Lucy pursed her lips. “He used to help out here, but then his buddy got him that job at the sports place. It’s a chance for them to hang out and earn some money at the same time. I can’t complain since it keeps him out of trouble, but it would be nice to have the family help at the diner. Instead we’re paying another classmate of his to help out on weekends.”
Holly shook her head and heaved a sigh. Lucy often confided in her about her aggravation with her son’s behavior. Bobby wasn’t a bad kid. He was just a kid with dreams that extended beyond Maple Woods. “Kids these days.”
Lucy tightened the apron strings at her waist. “Who knows? Maybe he’ll grow up one day and take over this place. Hope springs.”
Lucy left them to tend to another customer and Holly turned to Max. She patted the pie boxes gingerly, so as to not crush the delicate contents. “I should probably get going.”
A wave of possible disappointment shadowed Max’s chiseled face and Holly instantly regretted her words. It wouldn’t kill her to stick around for a little longer. But then, why bother getting cozier with Max when he was just going to vanish from her life tomorrow?
“You’re really going to leave me sitting here all by myself? Why not stay and have another cup of coffee with me? ”
She hesitated. “I should probably get back and see if Abby needs any help...”
“Fine, fine, go. But on one condition,” Max insisted.
Holly’s pulse skipped a beat. She carefully wrapped her scarf around her neck and gathered her stack of pie boxes. “What’s that?”
“Give me a rain check?” He regarded her hopefully.
Like she’d even consider saying no.
Chapter Four
After returning to the inn, Holly continued with her normal routine, helping where needed with the lunch service and overseeing any other guest requests. She spotted Max at lunch, sitting at the same table as breakfast, under the heated gaze of Evelyn Adler from across the room. It seemed dear Evelyn’s interest hadn’t faded through the morning hours, but if Max was aware of her unabashed stare, he’d done a good job of feigning oblivion. Holly had hoped to be able to chat with him before he was through with his meal, but the phone hadn’t stopped ringing. Guests slated to arrive in the coming days were inquiring about the weather conditions and yet another had already cancelled their weekend reservation. By the time she made it back to the dining area, Max was already gone.
Holly smiled to herself as she set down the wicker laundry basket outside the linen closet. She folded a soft ivory hand towel and placed it on its appropriate shelf, her mind firmly on Max instead of the task. She had thought her heart would nearly stop when she saw his tall, muscular frame standing in the doorway of Lucy’s Place that morning—it was her usual morning stop, and his presence had shaken her routine...in a good way. She had always enjoyed her quick trip into town to pick up a stack of fresh pies and have a cup of coffee with Lucy, but something told her from now on she would always have one eye on that diner door, half expecting him to walk through, looking every bit the strapping, rugged man that had so unexpectedly appeared this morning.
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