definitely wrong…” She spun around. “Where did Dolores
go? I really need to talk to…”
“Dolores has left
the building,” another nearby volunteer informed.
Kellie emitted a
haggard sigh when she spotted a small envelope in the volunteer’s hand. She
considered asking to trade. Apparently the woman noticed the hopeful gleam in
her eye, since she scurried off.
She took a step
toward her, but Jill took hold of her arm. “Don’t bother. Would you trade?”
Kellie sighed
resignedly. “No.”
“Are you free for
dinner?” Miles spoke up. “Tonight? We can talk about the disparity in the
sizes of these envelopes,” he offered.
Jill smiled and
bid them goodbye. “See you tomorrow.”
Miles turned to Kellie
again. “Come on. Let’s get dinner. We didn’t get to go out last night.” He
grinned persuasively. “You look hungry.”
“Oh? Is that how
I look?” She pinned him with a look.
Chapter Nine
Kellie pulled
another sheet of paper from the envelope on the tabletop in front of her.
“Miles, look at this!” She thrust it at him.
He carefully wiped
his hands with a napkin, before holding the paper over his plate to study it.
It was a list of items needing to be picked up from a nearby retail chain and
then stored in readiness for Santa’s Posse deliveries.
As he read over
the information, Kellie had a pique of conscience over her earlier behavior.
She was typically calm and collected, but some inner voice had told her that
her involvement in Santa’s Posse was destined to expand exponentially. She
simply didn’t have the free time to do everything Dolores expected from her.
“Miles, I’m sorry
I called you a big mouth,” she said suddenly, sighing. “I know if wasn’t your
fault Dolores drafted me for this job, but I’m just feeling overwhelmed.”
“You and me both,”
he said.
She groaned and
pointed to the sheet of paper still in his hands. “How am I going to transport
all that stuff? I have a small economy car—not a pickup!”
He only smiled
reassuringly in return, and then rose up slightly to retrieve the envelope from
her. He stuffed the single sheet back inside, and then stowed the packet
beside him on the booth seat, out of her reach.
She watched him,
mouth agape. “There’s so much to do!” she cried. “And how am I going to
manage it with Black Friday just around the corner?”
He only smiled
again, and then reached over to install her uneaten plate of food squarely in
front of her. “Let’s forget all about Santa’s Posse for now and enjoy a nice
dinner out.”
She was about to
protest, but he looked so earnest and hopeful, she managed to take a deep
breath and acquiesce. “Okay, you’re right. I’m starving.” She eyed the prime
rib on her plate and found her mouth watering for the tender meat. “Wow, I am
hungry.”
“Good,” he said,
and the two finally began to enjoy their meals. After a moment, he asked, “So,
are you finally unpacked?”
She nodded. “And
it’s a good thing, too,” she grumbled. “With this Santa’s Posse business,
there’s no telling when I would have…”
He cleared his
throat and she closed her lips. “Sorry,” she murmured contritely.
He laughed. “I
promise I’ll be at your disposal. We’ll get it done.”
“You’re as busy as
me!” she cried. “Busier!”
He conceded the
point with a nod. “It’s all for a good cause. Like I said, we’ll get it
done. No worries.” He appeared thoughtful for a moment. “You’re right. Black
Friday is just around the corner. Do you have any Thanksgiving plans?”
She sighed
heavily. “I promised my folks I’d come home for the day.”
“Where do they
live?”
“A couple hours
north of here.” She sighed again. “Mom wants me to stay for the holiday
weekend, but I just can’t miss the biggest shopping day of the year.”
“Do you
go? I really need to talk to…”
“Dolores has left
the building,” another nearby volunteer informed.
Kellie emitted a
haggard sigh when she spotted a small envelope in the volunteer’s hand. She
considered asking to trade. Apparently the woman noticed the hopeful gleam in
her eye, since she scurried off.
She took a step
toward her, but Jill took hold of her arm. “Don’t bother. Would you trade?”
Kellie sighed
resignedly. “No.”
“Are you free for
dinner?” Miles spoke up. “Tonight? We can talk about the disparity in the
sizes of these envelopes,” he offered.
Jill smiled and
bid them goodbye. “See you tomorrow.”
Miles turned to Kellie
again. “Come on. Let’s get dinner. We didn’t get to go out last night.” He
grinned persuasively. “You look hungry.”
“Oh? Is that how
I look?” She pinned him with a look.
Chapter Nine
Kellie pulled
another sheet of paper from the envelope on the tabletop in front of her.
“Miles, look at this!” She thrust it at him.
He carefully wiped
his hands with a napkin, before holding the paper over his plate to study it.
It was a list of items needing to be picked up from a nearby retail chain and
then stored in readiness for Santa’s Posse deliveries.
As he read over
the information, Kellie had a pique of conscience over her earlier behavior.
She was typically calm and collected, but some inner voice had told her that
her involvement in Santa’s Posse was destined to expand exponentially. She
simply didn’t have the free time to do everything Dolores expected from her.
“Miles, I’m sorry
I called you a big mouth,” she said suddenly, sighing. “I know if wasn’t your
fault Dolores drafted me for this job, but I’m just feeling overwhelmed.”
“You and me both,”
he said.
She groaned and
pointed to the sheet of paper still in his hands. “How am I going to transport
all that stuff? I have a small economy car—not a pickup!”
He only smiled
reassuringly in return, and then rose up slightly to retrieve the envelope from
her. He stuffed the single sheet back inside, and then stowed the packet
beside him on the booth seat, out of her reach.
She watched him,
mouth agape. “There’s so much to do!” she cried. “And how am I going to
manage it with Black Friday just around the corner?”
He only smiled
again, and then reached over to install her uneaten plate of food squarely in
front of her. “Let’s forget all about Santa’s Posse for now and enjoy a nice
dinner out.”
She was about to
protest, but he looked so earnest and hopeful, she managed to take a deep
breath and acquiesce. “Okay, you’re right. I’m starving.” She eyed the prime
rib on her plate and found her mouth watering for the tender meat. “Wow, I am
hungry.”
“Good,” he said,
and the two finally began to enjoy their meals. After a moment, he asked, “So,
are you finally unpacked?”
She nodded. “And
it’s a good thing, too,” she grumbled. “With this Santa’s Posse business,
there’s no telling when I would have…”
He cleared his
throat and she closed her lips. “Sorry,” she murmured contritely.
He laughed. “I
promise I’ll be at your disposal. We’ll get it done.”
“You’re as busy as
me!” she cried. “Busier!”
He conceded the
point with a nod. “It’s all for a good cause. Like I said, we’ll get it
done. No worries.” He appeared thoughtful for a moment. “You’re right. Black
Friday is just around the corner. Do you have any Thanksgiving plans?”
She sighed
heavily. “I promised my folks I’d come home for the day.”
“Where do they
live?”
“A couple hours
north of here.” She sighed again. “Mom wants me to stay for the holiday
weekend, but I just can’t miss the biggest shopping day of the year.”
“Do you
Similar Books
