Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 31777 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31777 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Immy smiled wide and waved at her man who waved back. He grabbed the sled from Cat and started pulling it back up.
“Soo,” the Scot said. “You want to tell me why you guys really wanted to go into town?”
Uh-oh.
How long until Tobias got up here?
Cupcakes, he was taking his time as Cat chatted to him.
Not good.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Cat needs to get some more gifts.”
“No, she doesn’t. Rafael has seen how many gifts Cat has. It’s enough to fill a container. So what did you guys really want to do?” the Scot asked.
Do not panic.
You have this. You will not crumple under interrogation.
“You think I’m the weak link, don’t you?” she said. “Well, I’ll never tell! No matter what you do to me!”
“Easy, Immy,” the Scot soothed as Tobias glanced up at them with a frown. “You keep your secret, doll. I’m certain it will all come out in the end.”
It certainly would.
An hour later, Immy was smiling widely as she raced down the sledding track.
“That was so much fun!” she cried.
Cat smiled at her while leaning against Alejandro. The guys had all come out to watch them. Immy got off and threw herself at Jenner who caught her with a laugh.
“Enjoying it, baby girl?” Jenner asked.
“Yes! So much! Again! Again!”
Maeve had started getting cold so Gray had taken her inside, giving her concerned looks.
Immy didn’t think it would be long until Gray learned the full truth. She couldn’t wait because she hated keeping a secret like this. It hurt her tummy.
Although when she was flying down the slope, she wasn’t really thinking about any of that. All she was doing was having fun.
“I think you’ve had enough,” Jenner told her. “You don’t want to get too tired.”
“I’m not tired,” Immy told him.
Jenner shot her a look. He worried too much, she was fine. She wasn’t tired and she didn’t need to rest.
“Remember, you’re having a nap this afternoon,” Jenner said. “And it’s getting late.”
Unicorn poop.
She’d forgotten about that. What time was it? It was hard to tell since it got dark so early here. “What time is it?”
“Close to three. When is the last time you ate?” Jenner asked.
“I had a sandwich before we came out. See? I’m a good girl, Daddy. No coal in my stocking.”
“Of course not. Although a good girl wouldn’t pretend to be napping while she was wrapping presents, would she?” Jenner said.
“I don’t think we have to keep bringing that up, Daddy,” Immy scolded. “You have got to learn to let things go.”
“Come on, baby, time to go inside and have a nap,” he told her firmly.
“One more go. Please,” she begged. “When will I have the chance to go sledding again?”
“Probably tomorrow,” he said dryly.
“But there could be a storm and there is other stuff going on and the sled is already here, and I have on all of my sledding stuff. Please,” she begged.
“Last go,” he told her, caving.
Yay! This one was gonna be the best!
Jenner pulled the sled up the hill for her and then he even gave her a good shove! Cat, Alejandro, Abe, and Rafael were waiting at the bottom along with Tobias who had headed down as they walked up, stopping to give her a kiss on the way.
Tobias was a great kisser. And hugger. So was Jenner.
She was one lucky girl.
As she flew down the slope, Immy let out a cry of happiness. This was so much fun!
Suddenly, something jumped out ahead of her on the path. It was huge and brown and then it turned to face her.
Reindeer!
With a scream, she tried to turn the sled and it headed off toward the trees.
She was aware of people yelling at her, but it was like she was in a bubble where no sound could penetrate. She pulled on the brakes and came to a shuddering stop.
“Immy! Immy!” Jenner yelled and she turned to see him running toward her from the top of the slope. Tobias and the others were also racing up to her. But she had to check. Had she hit it?
Had she hit the reindeer?
She got out of the sled and ran up the hill to where she’d seen it. There was no sign of it.
Then she saw something half-buried in the snow.
A red nose.
Oh no! She’d hit Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!
12
FAITH AND REUBEN
23rd December
“Are you ready?” Reuben asked as he tucked a blanket around her legs. “You’ve got snacks, a drink, and Colin, Piggy, and Courageous Camel.” He did her seatbelt up before moving around to the driver’s side of their rental SUV and climbing in.
Yep, she was surrounded by her friends.
And she was snug as a bug in a rug.
However, she still felt a bit nervous.
“You really think we’ll be okay driving in this?”
“The storm has passed. We’re not traveling the whole way to Wishingbone today. Tomorrow is going to be a long day, not going to lie. But we should make it by late Christmas Eve.”