Page 65 of Wounded Christmas Wolf
“That’s more than I have for the sewing. Actually ...” Jace pulled the book toward himself. “Is that just knitting, or does it have anything on sewing in there?”
Jace flipped through the book, finding sections ondifferent sorts of needlecraft—cross stitch, crochet, knitting, and yes, sewing.
“Holly’s not gonna be up at the tree farm tonight,” the Colonel remarked casually. “You want to take that book with you, she won’t know.”
Jace gave him a swift glance.
“She won’t know if you have your knitting with you either, sir.”
“I was thinking that.” The Colonel jammed the wad of yarn and knitting needles into his pocket. “Still got two evenings ‘til Christmas. We can get it done.”
We. Jace swallowed.
“I appreciate you trusting me enough to show this to me, sir,” he said quietly.
“Yeah, well, it’s just about done and Christmas is the day after tomorrow, so there’s not much of a surprise to spoil,” the Colonel said gruffly. “Anyway, seems like you know how to keep a secret.”
Jace looked at him sharply, but the Colonel’s face was perfectly deadpan.
“Guess we’d better get back up to the tree farm and hold down the fort.”
Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. As they stepped out into the crystalline winter evening, Jace took a bracing inhale of the sharp, cold air. He’d have to work all night once the glue dried, but he thought he could get the doll done in time. And Holly’s face would be worth it.
“Feels like it might snow again before Christmas,” the Colonel remarked, looking up at the sky.
“I hope so, sir.” And he meant it. Snow would have been nothing but inconvenience and misery if he’d left, but it was starting to look like he was truly going to have a white Christmas on the farm, if nothing happened to ruin it.
He still had trouble believing everything could work out. But he was starting to convince himself that some things might.
HOLLY
“It’s all here,”Holly said as she placed the check in the hand of the bank’s loan officer.
There were a few little formalities, a confirmation that it was going to be credited to their account, and she left with Jace at her side.
She still couldn’t believe the community had come through like they had. But it was done; she had the amount to pay in full, and she had been able to hand it over before the bank closed in early afternoon on Christmas Eve. The insurance arrears had been handled online by Noelle that morning. It had been a close call, but the tree farm was out of the red and fully back in business.
Her dad had been forecasting snow for the last two days, even though the weather report didn’t agree with him. But he was rarely wrong, and as she stepped out of the bank into a leaden gray afternoon, the first flake swirled past her nose.
Back home on the farm, her dad and Noelle would be handling the last of the customers while a snowsuit-clad Kaden rolled around in the snow. Holly had been tasked with delivering the all-important loan payment.
Jace had asked to come with her, and Holly couldn’t say no. Holly was aware that he was coming along as a sort of personal bodyguard, but she didn’t have any problem with that. If Rob decided to hassle her, then he could have the joy of dealing with Jace once again at Jace’s most protective.
There was no sign of Rob, but as they came out of the bank, she saw someone else familiar.
“What?” Jace murmured, noticing she’d gone tense. There was no one in sight except an older, paunchy gentleman in a business suit and expensive wool coat, coming toward them on the sidewalk.
“That’s Rob’s dad,” Holly muttered back. “Rob Ingram Sr.”
She had always gotten along well with Rob Sr. when she was dating his son. At the time, she could have imagined having him for a father-in-law. Now, of course, it was out of the question, especially after the attempt to ruin the tree farm. But she had never had any hard feelings toward him.
He saw her, and she could tell the moment when he recognized her, then avoided her gaze as he approached the door of the bank.
“Mr. Ingram,” Holly said. She stepped forward so he couldn’t pretend he hadn’t noticed her. “Do you remember me? Colonel Porter’s daughter Holly? I used to date your son.”
Mr. Ingram coughed into his fist. “Right. Nice to see you again, miss. If you’ll excuse me?—”
“No, I think we need to talk,” Jace said, stepping up to block Mr. Ingram from the door.
