The Christmas Wish by Maggie Marr Read Free Book Online Page A

of practice though; perhaps a flush with a hair-toss and a giggle didn’t mean what it once had.
    Her gaze darted toward the floor and back up to him. “I’d love to.”
    There. His heart spun with joy. That undeniable look that a woman gave a man when there was, at the very last, interest.
    “Afraid you’ll be stuck with me in my checkered pants and kitchen whites.” Brinn scrunched her nose.
    “Are you kidding? So worth it. We get to dine with the woman who’s building the Christmas castle.”
     
    *
     
    “Brinn, will the castle have pink when you decorate it?”
    Brinn sat beside Tyler and across from Charlotte. Her little face had crumpled with disappointment when Tyler had led her behind the blackout drapes and showed her the Christmas castle. The structure was only big brown squares of gingerbread held together by sewing pins. Charlotte hadn’t thought that spot a fit place for any princess.
    “Beautiful pink pearls on every single seam.” Brinn clasped her hands together on the table in front of her. “I have pictures of what the castle is supposed to look like. How about you come and see them? Then you’ll be the only person other than Chef Hans and me who knows what the castle will look like when it’s finished.”
    Charlotte’s smile widened across her face. Brinn’s heart melted like warm butter. “Plus, if you come back next week, the drapes will be down and you’ll be able to see what the castle is really going to look like.”
    “Can we, Daddy?”
    “Yes, we can.” Tyler looked from Charlotte to Brinn, then glanced at his mother.
    “Brinn, how’s the bakery? This the busiest time of the year?”
    “It is. We’re looking for a new assistant. I think Tom at the food bank may have someone. I’m going to check in with him later today.”
    “I love the way Bea & Barbara have always supported the food bank. Does your mom still overbake just to make sure you have enough to donate?”
    Brinn’s eyes widened. “How did you know that?”
    Carol settled her napkin on her lap and smiled.” I used to be the volunteer in charge of inventory at the food bank. Did that job for a very long time. No matter what, every night Barbara had things to donate. And it was always right around the same amount. I kept track and realized that to keep that kind of continuity, your mom had to be planning to donate every night.”
    “I always suspected that, but Ma would never admit it. Even if I asked her.”
    “Your mother? Oh no, she would never admit to something like that. She loves people, but Barbara is a very private person.”
    “Yeah, Ma can be pretty tight-lipped when she wants.”
    Did Carol know something more about Ma? Something that Ma hadn’t told Brinn? Carol and Barbara were friends who lunched and sometimes shopped together. Before Brinn could form a question, their server appeared and set down Brinn’s salad and a plate with grilled beef.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t order this.”
    “Oh right.” The girl with red hair set a salad in front of Carol and then Tyler. She gave them each a plate of the beef too. “Chef Edgar wanted me to bring it to you.” The server placed a bowl of mac and cheese in front of Charlotte.
    “Tell Edgar thank you, because really this is the best beef I’ve ever tasted.”
    “I know, right?” the server whispered. “We’re only serving it on Christmas Eve. He gave me a tiny piece. I’m thinking of picking up the shift just to get a meal.”
    Tyler tasted the beef. “Wow. I guess it pays to know someone who’s in good with the chef.”
    “If you work in a kitchen, you’ll never starve.”
    “How did your meeting with Annalise go?” Carol asked.
    “She just closed on three hundred acres of Billings land that borders the Grande’s property line. The job just went from a remodel to the biggest expansion project in the Rocky Mountains.”
    Carol’s jaw dropped open and Brinn, even with her limited knowledge of architecture and real estate, knew that