The Christmas Charm (New Adult Holiday Love Story) by Alexander Bryn Read Free Book Online Page A

of his beautiful neighbor. He had been watching her comings and goings for several months, wondering if he should approach her or not. As he watched her and thought about her, he explored his strong attraction to her. This morning, something was telling him that it was the right time for him to tell her about Santos, her long-lost father.
    When you tell her about Santos, try to forget how attracted you are to her. The important this is that she learns about her father, her heritage and what she is.
    With that, he finished his final cup of coffee, washed his dishes and, before he left, he grabbed a comfortable suede jacket lined with wool and slipped it on. Just as he raised his hand to knock on Allie’s door, she swung it open.

Chapter 2
    “Ms. Remini – Allie – my name is Emilio Alvarez, and I need to talk to you about your father . . .”
    “I’m sorry, but I’m late. I need to leave right now,” Allie said. After she spoke to the tall, dark man, she rushed to her Honda Accord, thumbed the remote key fob to unlock the door and got in. She reversed out of her driveway and took off, in a hurry to get away from this disturbingly handsome new neighbor.
    ***
    Allie felt her hands shaking as she drove west on University Avenue. My father! He left mom while she was pregnant with me, and I never met him afterward. Mom said she never knew his last name. I only know that he’s Mexican and that his first name is Santos – that’s all. Pulling into the parking lot at Lorenzo’s, she locked her car and hurried into the restaurant. She spotted Rena and Meg just inside the entrance and hugged both girls. They were quickly seated at a table. As the server brought their wine, Allie started telling them about her handsome neighbor.
    “He was about to knock at my door when I opened it. Then, he introduced himself as Emilio Alvarez and said he needed to give me some information about my dad – about whom I know very, very little. My heart’s still pounding. I just told him I was running late and needed to go . . . he was still standing on my doorstep when I got in my car to come here,” Allie said, showing her trembling hand to her friends. She noticed Meg looking at her new chain and pendant. Tugging on the chain, she pulled it out of the folds of her neck scarf and showed the chain and pendant to her friends.
    Rena, scooting closer to Allie, slipped her fingers under the chain, remarking on how odd it was for the first man Allie met after putting the necklace on to mention Santos, her father. The three friends enjoyed a sumptuous Italian dinner for Christmas, sharing a bottle of wine among themselves. After they had finished their Christmas dinner with servings of tiramisu, they hugged each other.
    “Are you sure you don’t want to join us?” Meg asked. “My family would love to see you!”
    “You could come with me, Allie – we’d love to have to!” Rena urged.
    “No, thank you, guys. I really need to be alone right now. I miss my nana too much. I’m just going to go home and rest,” Allie said with a slight, sad smile on her beautiful face.
    ***
    She had forgotten the extreme effect that Emilio, her neighbor, had on her. As she drove, her thoughts were full of her nana. Pulling up in her driveway, she unlocked her front door – only to see Emilio Alvarez sitting comfortably in her living room.
    “What! What are you doing here? I locked my door! How’d you get into my house?” Allie yelled. She was livid – well, beyond livid. She was furious at his intrusion into her home. She felt something else, but was too preoccupied to explore that.
    While Allie was at lunch with her friends, Emilio entered her house, passing through the solid wall. Once inside, he sat in the living room, waiting for her to return home. As he waited he thought of his determination to do the right thing by her.
    She needs to meet her father – no matter that I’m struggling with my attraction to her.
    Hearing her key in the lock, he