Read Christmas in the Rink for Free Online

the tyke was thinking hard. Her dark brows scrunched and her bottom lip disappeared behind tiny teeth.
    She was too precious. How could her mother just leave her in someone else’s care, even if that someone was the girl’s aunt?
    Chaney leaned down to whisper something in Annabelle’s ear.
    The toddler’s face brightened. “Lights!”
    “Well, I think that’s a fabulous idea, Annabelle. Let’s start with the lights.” He scooped up a string of colorful twinklers, and held it out to her. “Can you hold that end for me?”
    Annabelle held her end with a tight grip while Chaney stood right behind her. He dragged it out and tested it.
    “Oh, pretty.” Annabelle clapped her hands.
    “Ready to put them on the tree?”
    They both nodded.
    Somewhere in between hanging the lights and bulbs, Mrs. Mitchum slipped back into the room with a plate of chunky, white marshmallows and chocolate squares. She’d placed some long metal rods behind her along the wall and taken up residence on the couch, smiling as she watched them decorate.
    “Here’s the next one, Annabelle.” Sitting on the floor by the tree, he slipped the hanger through the loop and handed another pinecone ornament to her. “Hang it wherever you’d like.”
    Annabelle inspected the tree and pointed to a bare spot. “Here?”
    “Sure. That looks great.”
    Chaney had helped him with the higher limbs. Had she disappeared and left him to do the work? He glanced around—
    Something pinged him on the nose and dropped to his lap. What was that? He glanced down. A marshmallow?
    His eyes narrowed as he scanned the room for the culprit. There. Cowering on the other end of the sofa, clutching a throw pillow, grinning.
    He shoved off the floor in one lightning-fast move, but she was faster. Something soft and big landed square against his chest. The pillow.
    He scooped it up before it dropped, holding it as a shield in front of Annabelle. “This is war, Annabelle! You’re on my side.” He grabbed Annabelle’s hand and tugged her to duck behind the armchair.
    Reaching around the bulky chair, he snaked out a long arm and grabbed a handful of marshmallows from the plate. Back behind the refuge of the chair, he offered one to Annabelle. “You know what to do with it?”
    Annabelle shook her head.
    “Toss it very gently at your Aunt Chaney,” he whispered, smiling. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun.
    “Won’t I get in trouble?” The little girl’s expression darkened with concern.
    “Not this time.” He hoped. Not if Chaney’s chuckle was any indication. He wasn’t so sure about Mrs. Mitchum. He peeked around the chair, caught the smile on Carole’s face, and then huddled next to Annabelle again. He nodded. “We’re good for launch.”
    “OK,” she whispered back conspiratorially, then stretched to her full height, her head just barely rising above the back of the chair. The toddler aimed and fired. The white chunk of fluff sailed through the air, missing Chaney by a foot. She crouched back down. “I missed. Your turn, Conner.”
    Conner nodded and, armed with his weapon, leaned around the chair—
    Ping. He blinked.
    She didn’t…she’d just beaned him with another marshmallow?
    This time he stretched to his full height, dredging up his few years of baseball practice, his arm extended backwards, aiming—
    Chaney’s eyes widened, and Carole supplied her with another throw pillow for protection. Chaney shielded her face, her muffled chuckles coming from behind the pillow.
    Obviously, she was expecting a marshmallow.
    Instead, he put his index finger to his mouth, signaling silence, and reached for Annabelle’s hand. Their stockinged feet moved silently across the wood floor, but then Annabelle giggled.
    Chaney dropped the pillow, and her mouth gaped. “Ack!” She vaulted from the couch.
    Too late. His arm snaked around her waist, and he tugged her backwards.
    Not as buoyant on the rug as the ice, she spun around, her