Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Please, please, please! Being around him is hard.
His grin added a sparkle to his gaze. “Nope. That’s fine, I’m happy to have you do it.” He grasped her upper arm and gave it a friendly squeeze. “I’m glad you’re here with us, Rayla. Thanks for helping make our Christmas in July a huge success.”
“It’s been a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the rest of the time.”
He released her and walked away, chatting with everyone he moved by.
Rayla walked to the large doors, that would stay closed until they were ready to invite in the children and angled to the left a tiny bit where a smaller door led outside. She pushed through that, immediately shaking her head against the change in temperature.
Early in the morning and it was already hot and muggy outside. Inside, cold and far closer to Christmas time feeling than summer in the south. She didn’t mind the heat, honestly. Digging in her pocket for her phone, she pulled up her email and scowled at the message that had been sitting in her inbox for a day now.
From her father’s secretary. She gave a rough snort.
Old man can’t even be bothered to reach out to me himself. I’m merely something else he delegates people to deal with. It’s like he thinks I am going to answer the phone because I don’t recognize the number.
Problem was, she knew them. Knew the area code. He’d never given her enough credit. Or any, really.
Scrolling past it, she frowned when she still didn’t find anything from Grant. She sighed and tipped her head back to gaze upward as a prayer left her thoughts.
“Morning darlin’.”
Deep and potent, that voice pushed through her and settled low in her body, reminding her yet again how long it had been for her.
Her lips turned up in a smile even before she opened her eyes to take a look at the handsome and devilishly sexy bartender.
“Morning, Cole.”
His blue-green eyes waited and he winked when their gazes met. She tipped her head to the side. He gestured for her to come back inside and as she didn’t need to be a melted elf, she accompanied him.
“What exactly are you doing here?”
“Came to find you, beautiful. Why else would I be here?”
She glared at him. “Is this a trick? Someone put you up to this?”
“God no!” He sighed and brushed a curl back from her face. “I would love for five minutes with the asshole who made you doubt yourself.” His flattened lips smoothed out. “I wanted to know if you’d like to come hiking with me after you’re done here?”
“Is this some ploy to get me alone and kill me?”
He tipped his head back, a loud laugh pouring free. “No. It’s two friends taking a hike. Nothing else.” Cole grinned and leaned a tiny bit closer, eyes shifting left and right as if he were about to part with a huge secret. “Although, if you would like to change that, I wouldn’t be adverse.”
She rolled her eyes and waved away his comment. “Sure. I’m here until six.”
A winning grin flashed. “Perfect. We’ll have dinner and a walk after.” He tapped her on the tip of her nose. “See you in a few hours.”
Moving back through the well organized chaotic throng of workers, she nearly tripped over her feet when she heard someone say, “Grant was supposed to be here for it. I haven’t seen him though. Not since he was in town a week before this entire thing started.”
She whipped around, desperate to locate the one who had spoken that sentence. Frustration welled up as she realized the people around her were all too loud and moving so she wasn’t sure who had said it.
Calm down, Rayla. He was here. Sounds like he had plans on coming back.
Her pep talk didn’t quite have the desired effect. Not only was he the only Grant in the world, but a myriad of other reasons. Because if he’d been planning on coming back but now he wasn’t able to, was it because he had been hurt? Killed? Worse?
What’s worse than being killed?
It confirmed it, no more thriller novels for her.
“Ten minutes!”
Pushing all thoughts of Grant to the back of her mind, she paused to make sure her outfit wasn’t going to ride up during the day or look like she was trying out to be one of Santa’s whores.
Must be wholesome and family friendly for this.
“Ready?”
Nick stood beside her, a fatherly grin on his face.
“I guess so.”
He rubbed her shoulder and nudged her toward the podium that had the large ornate chair that Santa would be sitting in all day.
“Go get him, tiger.”
Before she could question his statement, he was gone leaving her moving toward the chair and the large man seated there. Ryker Owens.
His blue eyes pierced her and when they roved all over her costume, she fought the urge to shift and tug on the clothing. One to make sure she still wore any and two, to ensure it wasn’t showing off anything it shouldn’t.