Yuletide Bride by Danielle Lee Zwissler Read Free Book Online

an X Wing Fighter on his desk made of paperclips and office supplies.
    “Eh, he’s harmless. He likes you, though.”
    “Aw, that’s sweet,” Mary said, thinking of how he described her likeness to Leia, even though she was blonde and certainly not voluptuous.
    James laughed and grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s see if the sharks are biting today.”
    “Very funny.”

    The door opened and the family spilled out of the living room and onto the front porch. Greetings were made, hugs were given, and photo books were thrust into hands. It was a fun time at the Rochester home, and Mary could tell that there was a lot of love in the household.
    “Uncle James, are you going to marry her?” Little Jessica asked as she jumped on his lap, her curly blonde hair in pigtails.
    James smiled and looked at Mary. “Yep.”
    Mary felt stunned. Her heart thumped in her chest and she froze in place.
    “Mary, I hear you are writing the Magic of Christmas article?” James’s mom asked.
    Mary turned, cutting off James’s eye contact. “Yes, ma’am, I am. I’m nearly finished with it.”
    “Oh, how did the interviewing go? I talked to Christine the other day, and she said that you helped her out with something.”
    Mary was surprised Christine talked so candidly about it.
    “What was that?” James asked, interrupting Mary.
    “Oh, she said that she…well, I can’t really say, she didn’t go into it, other than she said it was a close call and that Mary helped her with something. She said Mary’s a good person.”
    Mary looked down at the floor.  
    “So, you ready to go ice skating, James?” Mary asked, hoping to change the subject into a more comfortable one.
    “Yeah!” James’s nephew and niece chorused.
    James smiled. “Kids, stay away from Mary, she likes to bowl over children.”
    Mary’s eyes widened and James laughed. “What?”
    “I didn’t tell you what happens to adults on the ice with me.”

Chapter Six
    “I had a great time tonight, James,” Mary said at her door. James walked her up the drive and she’d stopped him there. “Thank you for taking me. You have a lovely family.”
    “They like you, too. I’m glad you had a great time.”
    “I did.”
    James leaned forward and pressed his lips to Mary’s. Mary closed her eyes and opened her mouth; the kiss deepened and James groaned. “Can I come in?”
    “I want you to, James, believe me, I do.”
    “But?”
    “But it’s not right.”
    James looked down at his shoes and controlled his breathing. “Do you want a husband?” he asked softly, and then he looked up into her eyes. Mary’s were barely open, hooded. Her breath caught and he could feel her tremble.
    “Wh-what?”
    “Do you want a husband?”
    “Well, I…”
    “Because if you do, then I would love to be that particular guy for you.”
    Mary’s lip trembled and she stood there, her hands held by his and watched him as he spoke.
    “I’ve always wondered why I wasn’t married yet, why I wasn’t completely happy with my life, and then I go to my grandparent’s retirement home and there you are, putting your makeup on in your car.”
    Mary gasped and then laughed. “You saw that?”
    “I saw,” James said. A few tears escaped Mary’s eyes and James caught them on his finger. “You were adorable. Sexy. You looked at me and I winked at you. You turned around. It was so cute, and at the time I didn’t think much of it, other than I probably would never see you again. Because that was how my life was, Mary, before you. Before you, I was busy all the time with work, always seeing unhappy couples, always seeing dreams end way too early. But since I met you, I’ve seen beauty…love…fate.”
    Mary looked up at the word fate and grimaced.
    “So, how ’bout it?”
    “How ’bout it?”
    “You, me—all of that?”
    Mary laughed. “You’re serious?”
    “Definitely.”
    “But, it’s too soon,” she protested
    “Not nearly soon enough for me,” James replied,