Merry Christmas, My Love

“You have a first floor bedroom. We’re going to hoist you through the window.”

Ellie cast him a glance, eyes narrowed.

He grinned. “What? You’ve done it before. On a ladder, no less.”

They quietly crept along the side of the house until they stood underneath her window. Max turned to her. “Take off your coat and pull your skirt between your legs and tuck it into the waistband.”

That accomplished, he stood behind her and wrapped his hands around her waist. He lifted her, then ducked his head and settled her on his shoulders. “Slide the window up.”

One shove and the window rose. She climbed off his shoulders onto the sill and put each foot gently on the floor.

“Your coat,” he whispered from under the window.

She took it from his hands, her fingers numb.

“Don’t forget the School Board Christmas party tonight. I’ll be by at seven.” He smiled warmly at her and left.

Ellie closed the window and rubbed her arms. What was she going to do? She may even be pregnant. That brought a smile. Then they’d have to marry. No. He’d resent her for the rest of his life. She dropped to the mattress and stared at the wall.

Max returned to the Oldsmobile and pulled away. He pounded his fist on the steering wheel. “Dammit.”

Oh, not at all sorry he’d made love to Ellie, it would’ve happened anyway, the attraction was too strong. It was just a matter of time. But it confirmed what he’d been deathly afraid of for days.

He’d fallen madly, completely, and forever in love with Ellie Henderson. His mother’s duplicate. God help him.

Chapter 10

Ellie opened the front door at Max’s knock, and her heart dropped to her stomach. There was no doubt. She loved him. But love should make her feel good, not this misery that enveloped her.

His startling blue eyes, hair falling over his forehead—When did that start happening all the time?—his strong features. They were all burned into her memory with the words “life plan” right in front, as if he were holding a sign.

He smiled, bent, and kissed her cheek. With the other ladies in the parlor reading, sewing, and talking, it was probably best he didn’t do more than that. But what did it mean? Were they now good friends, sort of “a kiss on the cheek” friends?

Max reached for her coat on the hook, helped her into it, and escorted her out the door and into the motorcar. “Did you get a lot done today, with school being closed for the Christmas holiday?” he asked as he snapped on his goggles and cranked the engine.

“I redid the basket for the Mallard family that we ate. Mr. Jenkins from the mercantile offered to deliver it for me.”

“That was nice of him.”

“Yes.”

Awkwardness hung heavy in the air. Ellie took a deep breath and stared out the window. I should have told him I had a headache and couldn’t attend tonight.

“Ellie?” He spoke in an odd, yet gentle tone.

She turned to him, eyebrows raised.

“Are you never going to speak to me again?” He gave her a lopsided grin, and her gut clenched.

She gazed at her gloved hands in her lap. “Yes, of course I will.”

“Sometime soon we have to talk about what happened last night.” He kept his eyes on the road, his jaw twitched.

“Why?”

He reached over and took her hand. “Because it meant a great deal to me.” He glanced at her. “As I hope it did to you, too.”

She pulled her hand away. “I’m still wondering what it meant.” Her heart ached when she thought of all she wouldn’t have because of Max’s “life plan.” Her own life plan seemed like so much dust in her mouth now that she’d tasted the side of life that once held no appeal.