Caribou Crossing by Susan Fox Read Free Book Online

book on making Christmas ornaments.”
    â€œThey’re amazing. You’re a talented boy.”
    He shrugged. “I know.”
    Wade choked back a snort. The comment was typical, and it was one reason he had trouble warming to the boy. Evan could be arrogant, a know-it-all, and he made no bones about calling Caribou Crossing Hicksville.
    â€œOpen your presents,” Jessica ordered.
    The boy fingered the shiny red bow on one, then meticulously untied it and put the ribbon on the coffee table. Where Jessica ripped into parcels, he was the opposite, peeling off the tape so it didn’t tear the paper. Finally the box was revealed. It was a jigsaw puzzle with a thousand pieces. Miriam did them occasionally, and one day when Evan had stayed at their place for dinner she’d started a puzzle. They bored Jessica, but Evan was fascinated, and clever about finding pieces.
    For herself, Miriam always chose country scenes, but for Evan she’d picked one of Manhattan, all high-rises, giant advertisements, and sparkling lights.
    â€œSanta’s smart,” she said. “He knows you like big cities.”
    â€œWow,” Evan breathed. His blue-green eyes, pretty much his only good feature, widened. “Where is this?”
    â€œNew York City.”
    â€œI’m going there one day,” he announced as if there was no doubt about it. “Maybe I’ll even live there. It sure beats Hicksville.”
    â€œNot me,” Jessica announced. “I’m going to stay right here and breed horses. Here, Ev, open this one.” She handed him another parcel.
    When he saw the navy sweater, Miriam quickly said, “Santa brings sweaters to everyone in Caribou Crossing. He knows how cold it gets here.”
    â€œI got sweaters, too,” Jessica said.
    â€œIt’s really nice. And warm.”
    â€œThere’s one more,” Jessica said, “and it’s heavy!” She passed him the rectangular package.
    When he peeled back the paper to reveal a hardcover dictionary, Jessica said, “Oh gee, it’s a dictionary. That’s no fun.”
    Wade agreed, but Miriam had insisted it was the right gift. The boy had a great vocabulary and liked to use it, and he’d complained that the library wouldn’t let him check out a dictionary. From the expression on the boy’s face, his wife’s judgment was spot on.
    Evan touched the front cover lightly, almost reverently. “My very own dictionary? To keep?”
    â€œSanta said so,” Miriam told him.
    â€œThis is the best present ever.” His tone left no doubt he believed that.
    â€œYou’re weird, Ev,” Jessica said affectionately.
    â€œSays the girl who’s obsessed with horses,” he teased back. But his smile, when he looked at her, lit his face with the same emotion.
    He was a strange-looking boy with a scrawny face and big ears, and his personality was downright odd, but his affection for Jessie was obvious. That was why Miriam liked him, and Wade had agreed to having him around—along with his positive influence on Jessie’s schoolwork.
    Evan turned to Wade and Miriam, his expression serious again. “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Bly.” A quick grin twitched his lips. “I mean, if you run into Santa Claus, would you tell him thanks?”
    â€œWe certainly will,” Miriam said.
    Wade rose to poke the fire and toss another log on. The turkey smelled so good, he was hungry again. “Is it almost time for dinner?”
    Evan didn’t say a word, but turned to Miriam eagerly.
    She rose, tugging her red sweater over her curvy hips. She looked so sexy in those black pants and the bright sweater. “I’ll get the vegetables going. Then I want all three of you in the kitchen in ten minutes to help.”
    Soon they were all working together. One thing Wade would say for Evan: He was always eager to help and he followed instructions precisely. Unlike Jessica, who