Free Sleigh Ride Together with You by Joann Durgin Page A

“You think so, huh? Tell you what. If you eat all that broccoli, I’ll make sure you get an extra cookie for dessert. How’s that?”
    “Yeah, sounds good. You’re cool, Nicole. Hey, I saw your picture on the side of a bus the other day. That was awesome. I told my friend, ‘I know her.’ Not sure he believed me, though. Catch you later.” He grinned. “Oh, and chocolate chip’s my favorite cookie. Remember that.”
    “I’ll see what I can do.”
    Terrence darted off to another part of the dining hall. He plopped into a chair at a table beside another young boy while his mother sat nearby, deep in conversation with an older lady.
    “Can we sit and sup together, or are we still on duty?”
    Nicole turned to face Alex, trying to ignore the fluttering inside her. She was growing more hopeless every time she talked with him. “You’ve got to stop sneaking up on me. Sup?”
    Alex shrugged and a sheepish smile crossed his lips as he rolled down his sleeves. “My new friend Harold used that term a few minutes ago. Short for supper. My grandmother used to say it, too. Makes me nostalgic, I suppose.”
    “I know. I just think it’s cute to hear you say it. As far as sup, I usually grab dinner on the way home.”
    “Want to grab a burger together? Or a salad? Your choice.”
    “Sure, but I’m on clean-up duty, so it might be a little late.” An after-hours activity would seem even more like a date, but they had to eat. Any excuse would do.
    “Count me in.” Alex gave her that infectious smile again. “You’re my ride, after all.”
    “True, but I insist on treating you to that late sup as a way to thank you for helping out tonight.”
    He fumbled with his cufflinks.
    “Here, let me see that wrist.” Taking hold of his arm, she caught a whiff of his cologne, felt his warmth, and noted the fine quality of his dress shirt. “My Grandma Camille always fastened Grandpa Joe’s cufflinks for him. Not that he wore them much. Mainly for weddings. And funerals.” Touched by the intimacy of the moment, Nicole avoided Alex’s gaze. After fastening the cufflink on the second sleeve, she gave his arm a light pat. “There you go. All set.”
    “Thanks. These pesky things are a lot easier to take out. You’re a certified cufflink master. Did your grandmother also tap Grandpa Joe’s arm like you just did?”
    She widened her eyes. “I guess she did. Funny the things we subconsciously pick up on, isn’t it? I don’t know if I’d call it an inherited trait, exactly. Maybe it’s more of a learned behavior.”
    “Here’s one for you,” Alex said. “I whistle at random times, usually when I’m deep in concentration. Just like my dad. I don’t even know I’m doing it until someone mentions it.”
    “I know. I’ve heard you whistle.”
    He raised a brow. “You have? Now you know why I keep my office door closed most of the time.”
    “At least you’re in tune.” Nicole shot him a grin before glancing around the room. “I think everyone’s been served now. If you want, you can help fold the chairs and stack them against the far wall. I’m going to grab a wet cloth and start wiping down the tables.”
    “Sure thing, but first I promised to take Harold upstairs and read a few chapters from his Bible.” Alex’s smile was wide. “Tonight we’ll be reading in Ephesians.”
    “You’d better get moving then. Fair warning. Harold will try to get you to do wheelies. He’s the mission champ, but his methods can sometimes be a little shady.”
    “Oh, he already tried to bribe me.” He winked, and it warmed her down to her boots. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
    After Alex pushed Harold up the ramp leading to the second level, Nicole grabbed a couple of chocolate chip cookies. Placing them on a napkin, she called for Terrence. Even with something as seemingly insignificant as cookies, a promise was a promise. Hopefully, one kid in the mission tonight would see that some adults kept their word and