Once Upon a Christmas by Lauraine Snelling, Lenora Worth Page A

conversation.
    Her sister finished her story, paused, started to say something, then paused again. “What was that you said? Did you mention the word ‘man’?”
    “Yes.” Blythe rolled her lips together to keep from giggling.
    “And you are seeing this man?”
    “Yes.” And is he ever easy on the eyes.
    “Blythe Marie Stensrude, quit the games and tell all.”Her voice took on a big sister commanding tone. “Where did you meet him and what is his name?”
    “Well, actually, Harley met him first.” She didn’t mentioned the loose dog fiasco.
    “Blythe, if I have to come over there and drag the story out of you, I will.” Suzanne waited. “I know, let’s do a girls’ night out and…”
    “I can’t.”
    “Blythe, honey, this is Sunday, a day of rest. You are not supposed to be working on Sunday.”
    Guilt made Blythe hunch her shoulders. “I know, but I have too much to do. But that isn’t why I can’t join you.”
    “It better be good.”
    “How come when I suggest a girls’ night out, you always have a million excuses and I’m supposed to just understand?” Her sister’s favorite phrase: “you understand, I know.”
    “Sorry, but this is different.”
    “You’ll have to understand this time. Thane said he’d figure something for dinner if he could get away in time.”
    “You mean you’re just sitting there waiting for this guy to call?”
    “Hardly. I need to get back to my friend, the computer.”
    “No way. His full name?”
    “Thane Davidson, I met him at the marina. He was walking his basset named Matty. Harley and I walk with Josie, the dog walker I told you about. She walks Matty. I just hadn’t met Matty’s owner before.” But I have now and I’d rather go out with him than you, sorry, dear sister.
    “Harley likes him?”
    “Yes, he does.”
    “Okay, sweetie, but you better keep me posted. Have you told Mom yet?”
    “Nope and don’t you, either. This man is not ready to pass the Mom quiz. Or the family gathering. So don’t nag at me.”
    “ Moi? Nag?”
    “Bye, Suz.” Blythe hung up and headed for the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Red Zinger sounded good about now.
    But Thane didn’t call that afternoon or that evening.
    “So, he couldn’t get away. We know how that is, huh, dog?”
    Harley whapped her calf with his tail as he spun around, before heading for the back door.
    “All right.” She let him out for a last run and fixed herself another cup of herbal tea. Any caffeine now and she could kiss sleep goodbye, no matter how tired she was. She pulled open the freezer and studied the ice-cream choices—she’d stocked up since her birthday. Six ice-cream pint cartons lined up two deep. Vanilla with chocolate almonds, vanilla bean, jamocha almond fudge, strawberry and chocolate chocolate chip. How to choose? She tested each carton to see which was lightest. Vanilla bean won out so she pulled a jar of fudge sauce from the fridge and set it in the microwave to warm. Nothing like a hot fudge sundae on a Sunday evening. She fixed Harley a small bowl without the fudge. Now if only that phone call would come.
    They settled in the living room for a movie on the Hallmark channel. Harley finished his ice cream and nosed the dish around, licking it until the dishwasher couldn’t have washed it better. She ate hers slowly, savoring every bite. Maybe she should call him just to chat. Maybe not. He didn’t seem the chat-on-the-phone kind of guy. When the movie came on and she saw men riding across the hills with guns to the ready, she switched it off. Even if it had been Sam Elliott.
    She met with clients in the morning, leaving some finished projects and picking up new ones, dropped books off at the library, picked up cleaning at the cleaners and went by the bank to make a deposit. Back at the office, she returned phone calls, accepting one job and turning the next one down.
    “Sorry, I just can’t meet that tight a deadline.” Mentally she patted herself on the