One Special Christmas & Home for the Holidays by Irene Hannon Read Free Book Online Page A

sure you’re surprised by the invitation, but to be honest, you’d do me a real favor if you’d accept. Frank is a great guy, but he’s always trying to fix me up and I’d like to avoid that. I’m just not interested in dating, and I can’t seem to convince him of that. I usually turn down his invitations, but I figured if I came to one of his parties with a date, he might decide I could take care of my own social life after all and would lay off.”
    Kate stared at the phone, a frown marring her brow, her refusal dying on her lips. She wasn’t in the dating mode and never would be again. What was the point, when she’d already had the best? That kind of love only came around once in a lifetime. Though Jack might be gone in body, she’d never let him go in her heart. He was her husband. He was Sarah’s father. And no one could take his place. Ever. Period. She’d never even looked at another man since his death, let alone dated one. And she saw no reason to start now.
    But then Eric had added that caveat:
    that she’d be doing him a favor by saving him from the well-meaning-but-unwanted matchmaking efforts of his friend. Then he’d gone on to say that he wasn’t interested in dating, either. His mother had implied the same thing at their first meeting, Kate recalled. And she owed him—big time, after what he’d done to help her resolve her day-care dilemma. So what would be the harm in accepting his invitation? Nothing that she could articulate. Yet somehow it didn’t feel quite right. The notion of spending an evening in Eric’s company made her…uneasy.
    As the silence lengthened, Kate realized she had to say something. And honesty seemed the best approach. “I don’t know, Doctor,” she replied frankly, toying with the phone cord as she spoke. “I try to spend all my freetime with Sarah. And I’d have to find someone to watch her.”
    â€œThat’s where Mom comes in. She’d be happy to look after Sarah.”
    â€œYou mean…you already asked your mother?” She was clearly taken aback.
    â€œUh-huh.” He’d checked with her before he’d called Kate, wanting to remove any potential stumbling blocks in advance.
    â€œOh. Well, wasn’t she…surprised?”
    â€œActually, no.” Which had surprised him. He’d expected to be plied with questions when he’d made the request. Instead, his mother had simply said, “No problem.” And frankly, that had made him a little nervous. It wasn’t like her. But instead of pressing his luck, he’d simply said thanks and ended the conversation as soon as possible, before she slipped back into character and launched into the third degree.
    â€œOh.” Kate was starting to sound like George, who had a tendency to repeat the same words over and over again, she realized. “Well, I do have school the next day.”
    â€œWe can make it an early night.”
    It was getting harder and harder to think of excuses. Eric was being absolutely cooperative and understanding. How could she say no? With a sigh, Kate capitulated. “All right, Doctor. If it will help you out.”
    He closed his eyes and let out a long, slow breath. When he spoke again, she heard the teasing tone in his voice.
    â€œThere’s just one thing.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI don’t think this is going to work too well if youcall me ‘Doctor.’ Frank might smell a rat, don’t you think?”
    Kate found herself smiling. “You could be right.”
    â€œSo…how about if we switch to Eric and Kate?”
    â€œI just hope I don’t forget. I’m used to thinking of you as ‘Doctor.’”
    â€œI may have the same problem. Be sure to elbow me if I call you Mrs. Nolan.”
    But he wouldn’t. Because oddly enough, since the moment she’d walked into his office she’d been