Be Mine for Christmas Read Online Free Page B

an open workshop every Saturday for kids to make Christmas decorations. Between that and Santa’s visits and the Santa train that buzzed around the farm, he hoped there would be enough to amuse Brandon while Ellie worked the day in the gift shop.
    He introduced Ellie to his sister Claire, and the two women discussed things like scissor safety and what hour Brandon would eat lunch. But Reece noticed his sister sizing up Ellie. Yesterday she’d told him he had that ‘you’ve met someone’ look.
    Was she right? Was this meant to be? Was that why he’d seen Ellie’s face when he nearly died?
    He sure wouldn’t find it difficult to fall in love with Ellie. A good part of him was already halfway there. But he could tell she didn’t really trust him. Reece took a deep breath and tried to let go of that strange, insistent longing that had taken hold of him since he met her.
    But as he walked her back to the Christmas shop, he couldn’t stop himself from taking Ellie’s hand. She didn’t pull away. Or tense up. Or say, “Let’s not do this.”
    No, she wrapped her gloveless fingers around his hand, returning the gentle squeeze he gave hers.
    And it felt so darn right.
     
    **
     
    Ellie chatted with a customer as she rang up his purchase. A set of reindeer bells on a red leather strap and a Frosty the Snowman music box. She’d just completed her second full week working at Reece Madsen’s Christmas shop and could hardly believe how much she loved being here.
    Most of the time she felt like she was playing in Santa’s workshop. Aside from an occasional rush on the weekends, she had time to talk and be friendly with customers. The paper work was easy, unloading stock fed her need to handle the pretty objects in the store, and making hot chocolate and coffee was fun when she saw how delighted people were to find it.
    Of course, if she ever wanted to move out of the apartment over Mr. Felsky’s garage she needed a “real” job, and so far none of the interviews she’d gone to had produced an offer. But secretly, she couldn’t help wishing this weren’t just a holiday stint.
    Would she see Reece once she left here? He’d taken her out to lunch a couple times. Were they dates? He’d also taken her and Brandon ice skating. So maybe whatever was going on between them was just friendship. Wasn’t that what she preferred anyway?
    The answer came with the little jump her heart did as he walked in the door of the shop. It was a Saturday, so Brandon pattered along next to him, his cheeks rosy from the cold, his expression elated from the company of the man he so clearly adored.
    Reece stepped close to her, smelling of evergreen and fresh, icy winter. A shudder went through her when she looked up into his sea-blue eyes.
    “Time to close up shop, Ellie-belle.”
    Brandon burst out in a high-pitched giggle. “Ellie-belle. That’s a funny one, Mom.”
    Hand on her hip, she said, “Okay, Fleecey-Reece.” Which sent Brandon into another round of laughter.
    “Guess what, Mom? Reece showed me the tree. It’s really, really big.” At dusk Reece would hold his annual Christmas tree lighting celebration with the public invited to join. “And I’m gonna be the one who gives the signal for the lights to go on.”
    “Woo-hoo.” Ellie tapped knuckles with her son in congratulations.
    “And you know that star I made and gave to Reece? Well, it’s hanging right on the front of the tree for everybody to see!”
    Ellie gasped in wonder and gave Brandon a hug. He squirmed away, too big for that mushy mom stuff these days. She cut a grateful look at Reece, but he turned away quickly. She guessed she ought to know by now that he would never openly acknowledge the things he did for her and Brandon. 
    Outside, the air had that nippy winter bite but was shot through with a festive energy. People greeted them as they walked to a clearing on a hill. Ellie knew her share of the tree farm’s staff by now. Of course, there was Santa, a