A Cliché Christmas by Nicole Deese Read Free Book Online Page B

could almost hear his voice as I read the passage:
     
    “You both got into your right places, and I felt sure that it was well off with the old love before it was on with the new, that I could honestly share my heart between sister Jo and wife Amy, and love them dearly. Will you believe it, and go back to the happy old times when we first knew one another?”
    “I’ll believe it, with all my heart, but, Teddy, we never can be boy and girl again. The happy old times can’t come back, and we mustn’t expect it. We are man and woman now, with sober work to do, for playtime is over, and we must give up frolicking.”
     
    “I never could get over that ending.”
    I jumped at the sound of Violet’s voice.
    Dreamily, I sighed, picturing the scene at the end where Friedrich comes to find Jo and mistakes her as the March sister who has recently married. Jo chases after him in the rain, and he says, “But I have nothing to give you. My hands are empty.”Jo intertwines her fingers with his and says, “Not empty now.”
    “Yes, that’s a great scene,” I agreed.
    “No, it’s not. It’s torturous!”
    I took a step back and turned to face her. “What do you mean?”
    “I think Louisa May Alcott got it wrong. I wanted Teddy to marry Jo. They were meant for each other.”
    I gaped at her bold words. This was pure sacrilege—and in a bookstore no less! I took another step back in case a bolt of lightning came down to strike her where she stood.
    “But Teddy couldn’t marry Jo! There was too much history between them, too many childish memories and—” Calm down, Georgia.
    Violet beamed. “I can get pretty passionate about books, too. It’s why I wanted to buy this place from mean old Mr. Sullivan.”
    I studied the old leather book in my hand. “How much is this?”
    She looked at the book and then back at me. “It was appraised at five hundred. It’s a first edition, printed in 1911.”
    I had spent more than that on Nan for vacations, but a single book for five hundred dollars? Nan would lock me out of the house if she knew I’d spent that kind of cash on a gift. Anyway, she didn’t do gifts. She believed we should bless one another all year round with acts of service instead of some onetime piece of garbage (her words, not mine). That being said, the woman had more books than anyone I knew—and she cherished them like no one else I knew.
    “Okay. I’d like to get it.”
    Violet’s eyebrows shot up as she took the book from me and placed it on the counter. She didn’t move as she stared at me. “I’ll tell you wha t . . . I’ll give you twenty percent off if you’ll come back and tell me all the reasons you think Jo and Teddy weren’t right for each other.”
    My eyes widened. “Really?”
    “Yep. I found this at an estate sale and got it for dirt cheap. I’ll still be making a profit, I promise you.”
    I was intrigued. Definitely intrigued.
    “Okay. Deal.”
    “Great. I love a good literary debate—especially over a classic like Little Women .”
    She rang it up and wrapped the book, so I could stick it into my satchel and hide it when I got home.
    “Thank you, Violet.”
    “You’re welcome. Now, don’t forget to stop by, okay?”
    I nodded as the bells on the door announced my departure.

C HAPTER S IX
    J ust as I predicted, Mrs. Harper lectured me quite extensively before handing over the theater key. I wanted to fire back with a little speech of my own, starting with, “Listen, lady, I didn’t ask to direct a Christmas play during my vacation,” and ending with, “Perhaps you should go make a few copies down at Ernie’s Hardware if you’re that concerned about losing the key.” But I simply smiled and kept my mouth shut.
    As I walked out of the school office and slipped the treasured key into my coat pocket, a throat cleared behind me. I knew before turning around exactly whom that throat belonged to.
    “You just can’t stay away from me, can you?”
    “I actually forgot