Christmas Comes to Main Street Read Online Free Page B

over her cheeks. “It’s something I—Oh, never mind.”
    Frustration coursed through him, and, finally, he shoved the cash back into his wallet. No doubt a special order, and probably a Christmas gift. “I didn’t mean to crash into you. I’m genuinely sorry.”
    The girl nodded miserably, staring down at the box, her lashes fluttering as she blinked away the tears. Nate sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets, his mind racing.
    â€œLet me make it up to you,” he tried again, and she slid her eyes slowly up to his, shaking her head.
    â€œNext time watch where you’re going,” she said suddenly. “You could have knocked me over. Or one of these kids.” She motioned to the group of youngsters near the toy store window who had barely noticed the exchange; they were too busy mentally adding to their lists for Santa.
    Nate took a step back, surprised at her sudden burst of anger.
    She was clearly upset by whatever was broken, and maybe he was to blame. “Tell me what I can do to fix this.”
    The girl pinched her lips and, to his surprise, dropped the white box into the nearest trash can. “You’ve done enough,” she said, and, swooping up her remaining shopping bags, hurried away, her red knit scarf trailing behind her.
    Nate watched her for a few blocks and then turned, shaking his head. And people wondered why he hated Christmas.

    Kara knew that crying over broken cookies was right up there with crying over spilled milk, but she couldn’t help it. She was
exhausted
, and the thought of making another three dozen snowflake cookies for the inn—before tea time!—was enough to make her march back to the bakery and hang the CLOSED sign on the door. For good.
    Bells jingled as she pushed open the door of Main Street Books. She stomped the snow off her boots on the mat as her sister-in-law finished ringing up a customer. Sweet cinnamon bread and fresh coffee wafted from the adjacent café, but it did little to lift her spirits.
    â€œWhy so glum?” Grace asked as she came around the counter.
    â€œSome tourist just crashed into me on my way here and he… he broke my cookies.”
Not just some tourist, though
, she thought.
More like a really hot tourist.
A face she’d certainly never seen before. Her heart sped up when she thought of that square jaw, the crinkle of concern at the corners of his deep-set eyes. That mouth.
    Then she thought of the cookies. Crumbled and cracked, after she’d worked so hard on making them just so. God knew Mrs. Griffin inspected each and every one. Fresh tears sprung to her eyes, but any concern she had that she was being wholly ridiculous vanished when Grace’s expression crumbled and she pulled Kara in for a much needed hug.
    â€œWere they for a delivery?” Grace asked when she let her go.
    Kara nodded slowly. “For Main Street Bed and Breakfast. Mrs. Griffin is going to kill me!”
    Grace didn’t argue with that. Mrs. Griffin was a strong-minded businesswoman and a difficult person to please. She had high standards, ones Kara clearly wasn’t going to live up to today. She could just imagine the passing comment to her mother…
    â€œHave you told her yet?”
    â€œNo.” Kara sighed and set the bag of—fortunately undamaged—gingerbread house kits on the counter. “But I have to tell her. She expected those for tea today.”
    â€œYou go call her while I set up these adorable kits. I’ve decided to place them on some of the higher shelves in the children’s corner, lest little hands get curious.” She winked, and taking the bag, she disappeared to the back of the store.
    Kara pulled her phone from her pocket and stared at the screen, thinking of the way she’d behaved on the sidewalk. Normally around a guy who looked like that she’d be all flush-faced and flustered. Instead, she’d been so upset that she could only