A Carol for Christmas by Robin Lee Hatcher Read Free Book Online

so sure. Maybe I should’ve been a banker or a schoolteacher or — ”
    “It won’t last forever,” she quoted him. “Proving your- self to your dad won’t last forever.”
    He released a wry laugh. “Seems like it will.” He pulled her closer, resting his chin on the top of her head. “This isn’t how I imagined things would be when we got married.”
    Me either.
    He kissed her forehead, then rolled onto his back, star- ing at the ceiling in the dim light of the basement bedroom. “He isn’t a bad guy, you know. My dad.”
    “I know.”
    “He’s just kind of” — he turned his head on the pillow, looking toward her — “absent from the lives of those who love him.”
    Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes as she reached out and touched his cheek with her fingertips.
    “I’m not going to do that to you, Carol. I’m not going to be emotionally absent from you. So help me, I won’t.”
    “I know,” she said again, hoping it was true.
    “I’ve gotta get through this holiday shopping season. It wouldn’t be right for me to do anything else now. But come January, Dad’s going to have to make changes in my schedule or I’ll leave Burke’s. I’ll find another job.”
    Carol loved him so much in that moment, she thought her heart might burst.
    “Will you hang in there with me until then?”
    “I’ll hang in there with you forever, Johnny Burke. I’m sticking to you like glue.”
    Q

    Jonathan stood on the loading dock, staring into the back of the truck. “These items were supposed to be delivered to our Pocatello store. We’re already overstocked here.”
    “Look, kid.” The truck driver, a man in his late forties with two day’s growth of beard and greasy-looking hair,
    wiped his nose on the sleeve of his coat. “I drive where I’m told, and the orders said to bring this truck to Boise. I’m unloading this stuff, whether you like it or not.”
    “No, sir, you’re not unloading here. The bill of lading clearly states — ”
    “What seems to be the trouble?” Arlen Burke strode toward them.
    Jonathan hoped his dad hadn’t heard the driver calling him a kid. He hated looking ineffective in the old man’s eyes.
    “Well?”
    The driver’s entire countenance changed. He became subservient in Arlen’s presence. “Seems we’ve got a mix-up in the orders, Mr. Burke.”
    “Jonathan,” his dad said. “You’re wanted on the tele- phone. I’ll take care of this situation. You go and take the call.”
    He didn’t want to let his dad handle it. He wanted to do it. He wanted to make the surly driver think twice before calling him a kid. Okay, so he was half the age of most of the guys on the dock, but he was still a manager.
    Yeah, a manager with only one-and-a-half years of col- lege and no degree. The boss’s son, who had inherited his position rather than earning it. No wonder nobody took him seriously.
    He turned on his heel and walked to the back entrance of the department store, frustrated beyond words. The day had started out so good too.
    In his office, he punched the blinking line button and picked up the handset. “This is Jonathan Burke.”
    “Hi, honey. It’s me.” “Carol?”
    “I’m sorry to bother you at work. I know you’re busy.” “It’s okay,” he said, even as he thought how much his dad hated employees taking personal calls during business
    hours.
    “Your mother is hosting a get-together tomorrow night to welcome Travis Thompson. She thought it would be nice if he could meet all of the volunteers and the board of direc- tors for the girls’ home. Anyway, I want you to be there with me. Do you think you can get away from the store earlier than usual? It starts at seven. I know Ruth will want your father to be there too.”
    He heard the wistful desire in her voice. After the fight they had last night, the last thing he wanted was to disap- point her again. “Sure, babe. I’ll be there.” Somehow.
    Q

    Carol smiled as she hung up the telephone.