Holiday Sparks Read Online Free Page A

the beef stew special, but this way we both get warm, we both get fed, and you’re kinda sorta not really lying to your mom.”
    While he kept his body language deliberately casual, on the inside he was willing her to say yes. He wanted to sit down with her, away from what was—for him—work, and share a meal with her.
    “What about Kojak?”
    “He usually stays in the truck and naps.”
    “In the winter?”
    “He’s a German shepherd, not a poodle. And if the weather’s too nasty, I either leave him home if I know I’m going to be somewhere I can’t take him for a while, or I leave the truck running.”
    “Beef stew sounds great. And, like you said, I really shouldn’t lie to my mother.”
    They took separate vehicles, at Chloe’s suggestion, but it wasn’t long before he slid into a booth across from her, as far from the coffee counter as they could get. With any luck, they’d get to eat in relative peace and quiet. Especially if Freddy went to his parents’ for spaghetti night like usual.
    “So tell me about life in the big city of Boston,” he said when their coffees were poured and orders taken.
    “It’s not really that exciting. I’ve got a small condo I picked up on the cheap. Luck, timing and a distressed seller. I spend most of my time there, working, but I get out and about with friends a lot. I didn’t realize until I came home how loud and bright the city is, though.”
    He wondered if she was even aware she’d said home . Maybe, even as adults, people often called the houses they grew up in home , but the way she said it piqued his curiosity. “Guess things seem a little slow here.”
    “A little. But it’s a nice break from the norm. Hoping to get caught up with some work.”
    A break. A temporary break, which was something he needed to remember. By the time John and Anna got home, she’d be bored and restless and ready to hit the southbound fast lane.
    “So what do you do for fun around here?” she asked. “Hopefully not the same thing we did back in high school.”
    He’d spent his spare time back then at Freddy’s house, playing video games, but he didn’t think that was what she meant. The cool kids, which she’d been, had driven the back roads looking for private spots to drink beer and make out in the backseat of their parents’ cars.
    “I watch television. Hit the snowmobile trails. Play catch with my dog.” No sense in sugarcoating it—he was either working or relaxing. Not a lot of in between. “If there’s something good playing at the theater, I’ll tag along with Freddy and his girlfriend.”
    “Freddy Baker? He has a girlfriend?”
    “Yes, he’s got a girlfriend. Met her at the video store. So how come you remember him and not me?” Not that he was jealous. Much.
    “You were quiet. He wasn’t. And we had gym class together.”
    Scott had to laugh. “I guess that would be unforgettable.”
    “So what about you?” she asked, fiddling with her napkin. “No girlfriend?”
    “Not at the moment.” He shrugged. “I’ve dated on and off, but nothing serious for a while. Your mom probably told you I’m single.”
    “You know she did, as well as letting me know you’re a nice guy with a good job.”
    So Anna was on his side. Not that there really were sides, but it was nice to know she wasn’t totally opposed to the idea of him hooking up with her daughter.
    Except she probably wasn’t thinking in terms of a hook-up for her daughter. She wanted to pick out a mother-of-the-bride dress and cry at the wedding, and then rock grandbabies like most of her friends.
    “What about you? Nobody serious?”
    Chloe shook her head. “Haven’t found the right guy yet, I guess. Was in a relationship for a long time, but it dead-ended. I tried internet dating for a while—and don’t you dare tell my mother that—but I gave up when my last perfect match showed up with his twin brother. Promised to double my pleasure—wink wink, nudge nudge.”
    He laughed, but