Free A Wife by Christmas by Callie Hutton Page A

your aunt orders me around?” He grinned.
    Voices coming from the front door grew louder as they neared the kitchen. Jesse looked up from his work and stood. “Well, hello and welcome.”
    Ellie turned toward the door and dropped the knife. Like an apparition, Max Colbert filled the doorway, holding a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers.
    She blinked several times. “What...what are you doing here?”
    “And hello to you, too, Ellie.” He grinned.
    Max stepped into the room, then handed the wine to Jesse and the flowers to Tori.
    “Thank you, they’re lovely.” Tori blushed.
    Jesse placed the wine on the counter and washed his hands. “Welcome to our home. I’m glad you could make it.” He dried his hands on Tori’s apron and shook hands with Max. “This is my wonderful wife and helpmate, Tori.” He tossed his arm around her shoulders and hugged her close.

    Jesse pointed to his youngest daughter. “I know you see my lovely daughter Priscilla every day, as well as Ellie.” He turned to her. “I invited Max for dinner so I could get to know him better. Right now he’s the top candidate for the Superintendent of Schools job.”
    Ellie continued to stare at Max, the knife forgotten on the table. She’d just wished he could spend some time here to see how her uncle related to his family, and here he stood.
    Jesse leaned across the table and put his index finger on her chin. “Ellie, close your mouth.”
    She snapped her mouth closed, and head down, continued to peel carrots. Jesse gave Tori a brief kiss on the lips. “Darlin,’ I’d love to help you out here in the kitchen, but I think it’s time for man talk.” He winked at her and turned to Max. “It’s important to keep the ladies happy. Shall we go?” He led him down the hallway and soon the sound of his office door closing put an end to the male voices.
    Her mind spun like a child’s top. Max had smiled and grinned. He’d brought flowers for Tori. But the most amazing change was his attire. He wore dark blue casual trousers and a long-sleeve pale blue cotton knit shirt. She’d never seen him without a stiff collar, tie, and jacket.
    The blue of the shirt set off the startling blue of his eyes. She’d also never noticed how his eyes crinkled at the edges when he smiled. A gut-clenching smile. Her heart did the double time thumping again, and her palms grew slippery holding the knife. Ridiculous. Max Colbert was the enemy. Better to remember it, and order her heart to beat normally. It paid no attention.
    The table had been cleared of the dinner dishes, with only coffee cups and three of Tori’s pies left in the center of the table. Tori cut generous slices and passed them around. Jesse and Max had their heads together in deep conversation, and Ellie couldn’t keep her eyes off them.
    Two strong men. One, the man she’d adored most of her life, and the other one she’d thought of as the enemy. After watching him all afternoon, she found it hard to remember that. He was funny, thoughtful, and relaxed. He listened intently when one of the children discussed something, giving them his undivided attention. He’d flattered Tori and showed respect to Jesse. And whenever he looked at her, her stomach dropped to her feet, and her mouth dried up.
    “Mama, may I be excused?” Benjamin, the youngest at eleven, already had his pie stuffed in his mouth and ready to bolt from the chair.
    “Yes. Be sure to start your homework right away.” She nodded at Priscilla, Paul, and Henry. “All of you may be excused. And I want homework finished within an hour.”
    “Darlin’, where’s your pie?” Jesse looked at Tori’s empty place and dug into his pie.
    “I’m not having any. I need to lose some of these pounds.” She sighed and looked pensively at the partial pies left on the table.
    “No, you don’t. You go ahead and have some of that pie. I like those extra pounds. I’ve been telling you that for years.” He turned to Max. “She could