Two is Twice as Nice by Emily Cale

 

     
    Two is Twice

As Nice by Emily Cale
     
    Breathless Press
    Calgary, Alberta
    www.breathlesspress.com
     
    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or
    persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

    Two is Twice as Nice
    Copyright© 2010 Emily Cale
    ISBN: 978-1-926930-19-0
    Cover Artist: Victoria Miller
    Editor: Clarissa Yip
    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in reviews.
     
    Breathless Press
    www.breathlesspress.com
     
    To my mom, who always believed in the magic of Christmas.
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter One
     

     
    Just one more store.
    If Cara McCourt could survive just a few more minutes of being jostled around by strangers wielding bags full of Christmas goodies, then she could get the hell out of this crazy place. Normally, shopping was one of her favorite activities, but this close to holidays—forget it. Every inch of the mall was packed with people trying to finish all their last minute errands, having completely forgotten the spirit of the season. No wishing one another a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. Just animosity for other patrons to get out of the way.
    A quick glance down at the bags she carried told her she had already spent more than she’d planned. She couldn’t help it though. Something about the season sucked her in and turned her into a gift-giving machine. Growing up, there hadn’t been a lot of money for presents, but every Christmas morning, she would race down the stairs and dive under the tree, searching for the treasures that had her name on them. No matter how bad their financial situation, there was always something for her. Now that she was older, she understood the hardships her parents had gone through to make sure she and her brother, Isaac, had those magical memories.
    Sighing, she turned around, praying to find a window display that might inspire the last thing on her list—the perfect gift for her mother. Her stomach gurgled, and she placed her palm over her belly, hoping it might muffle the noise. For a brief moment, she actually considered heading to the food court. In addition to being starved, her back and knees were killing her. Probably bad idea. Not even the perfect gift for Mom was worth dealing with the long lines and greasy food.
    A glint in a window caught her eye, and she walked toward it, drawn to display. Everything she loved about winter was contained within the scene of a beautiful snow globe. Children danced through snow-covered streets, arms filled with the makings of an exquisite snowman, the smallest of the children on tippy toes, placing the top hat. She thought about getting it for her mom, but then images of the storage room with the shelves filled with similar items clouded her mind.
    Pivoting on the balls of her feet, she smacked into something, knocking her backwards. Her bags skidded across the floor. As her head stopped spinning, she looked up. In front of her, a dark haired man reached out toward her, a worried expression on his face. His hand grabbed hers, providing her stability.
    “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” He released her and bent down, gathering her purchases together, shoving fallen items back into the sacks.
    “No, I was looking at something else.” She knelt down to help. She needed to get out of here before the crowd drove her nuts. Now she was walking into people. Maybe her mother’s gift could wait.
    “Shall we share the blame? Perhaps sixty-forty?” He grinned, dimples forming on either side of his mouth. “I’m Anthony.”
    “Cara, and it depends on which one of us is taking the higher percent.” She smiled back nervously then hoisted the bags off