Ride My Sleigh (Naughty Christmas in July) by Annee Jones EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Annee Jones
- Language: English
- Genre: contemporary romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2.7 MB
- Price: Free
Juniper
My key turned in the lock with a satisfying click, and I pushed open
the door of my Baltimore high-rise apartment. It felt like stepping into
a void—clean, quiet, utterly devoid of the personal touches that made
a place feel like home. The white walls were as stark as they were the
day I moved in, and not a single picture frame or decorative pillow
had found its way onto the bare surfaces in the year since I’d lived
here. I’ve kept telling myself I’ll decorate someday, but that day never
seems to come.
“Home sweet home,” I muttered, dropping my purse, keys, and
the plastic bag holding my takeout dinner on the table in the foyer.
After shrugging out of my coat and kicking off my shoes, I carried the
bag with my takeout to the kitchenette and settled onto a barstool at
my breakfast counter. I’d chosen Thai food for tonight—Pad Kee Mao
with an extra kick of spice to jolt me out of the work exhaustion that
draped over my shoulders like a heavy shawl.
Grabbing the remote, I flicked on the TV mounted on the
opposite wall in the adjacent den. The news was the usual blend of
politics and local happenings, but my attention snagged on the
sparkling lights and tinsel decorating the news studio. A ticker tape
at the bottom of the screen announced, “Five Days ’til Christmas!”
“Christmas?” I whispered, my fork frozen midway to my mouth.
How had it crept up so quickly?
My phone’s shrill ring cut through my daze, and I glanced at the
caller ID—Candi McCall. My mother. My stomach knotted reflexively
as I connected the call.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Junie, sweetheart, I need you,” my mother’s voice came in a
rush, tinged with desperation.
“Mom, what’s wrong?”
“It’s your sister. Ginger’s about to pop any minute, and Brian’s
on call at the hospital over the holidays. The store’s a madhouse and I
can’t leave,” my mother explained in a breathless tirade. “Brayden and
Angela are handfuls, and your sister needs you. Can you come home?”
I felt a tug at my heartstrings—the image of my niece and
nephew’s cherubic faces surfaced in my mind. My resolve wavered.
“Mom, I don’t know. Work is…”
“Please, Juniper. It’s Christmas, and we haven’t had you home
in so long. Springfield isn’t the same without you.” There was an
unmistakable note of guilt woven into her plea.
“Okay,” I relented, a mix of affection and obligation tightening
my chest. “I’ll come.”
“Thank heavens!” my mother exclaimed before launching into
a litany of how much it meant followed by the endless tasks awaiting
my arrival.
“Mom, I gotta go,” I cut across her rambling, my tone gentle yet
firm. “I’ll see you soon.”
“All right, sweetheart. Have safe travels, and don’t forget you’re
my Christmas miracle!”
“Sure, Mom,” I replied, rolling my eyes as I hung up. My gaze
returned to the TV screen, the festive cheer mocking my sudden sense
of duty.
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