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)
“I can’t be. I always use birth control.”
“I mean sometimes people get pregnant on birth control, right?” Immy asked.
“And weren’t you on antibiotics a while ago?” Cat asked.
“But we didn’t have sex until a few days after I finished the antibiotics . . . do you think . . .”
“Maybe?” Cat shrugged. “Worth taking a pregnancy test to find out, right?”
“I suppose,” Maeve said as the color started to return to her face. “But how will we get the test?”
“Hmm. That is an issue.” Cat tapped her finger against her chin. “We could order one, not sure how quickly they’d deliver at this time of year, though.”
Hmm, yeah, it wouldn’t get there today.
“We’re going to have to go into town and get one,” she said.
“How?” Maeve asked. “We’d need an excuse to leave and at least one guy is going to come with us and ask why we’re going to the pharmacy.”
“What if we take Rafael and the Scot,” Cat suggested. “We’ll tell the guys that one of us forgot a gift. Who shall we say forgot?”
“You,” Maeve and Immy told her.
“Rude, but accurate. And we’ll go to the pharmacy, I’ll create a diversion, the Scot and Rafael will look at me and Immy will grab the pregnancy test. There, it’s a full-proof plan.”
“But how will we keep our guys from coming with us?” Immy asked. “I mean, whose present are you going to say you forgot to buy?”
“Um, all of them?” Cat said.
Immy and Maeve shot her looks.
“Oh, I know! Alejandro was talking about a poker game. I just have to get him to start it early. Then they’ll all be too busy.”
There! That was definitely foolproof. She glanced around suspiciously.
“What are you looking for?” Immy asked, peering around as well.
“Evil Elfie.”
“Wait, you said that before,” Immy said with alarm. “You really have an evil elf?”
“Uh-huh and I’m just making sure he’s not spying on me. That’s why we were meeting in the closet before. So he couldn’t listen in on our conversations. He sends everything back to Santa, you know. Papi thinks I might get coal in my stocking this year.” Cat sniffled. That was so mean. Surely Santa wouldn’t do that?
“Have you been that naughty?” Immy asked with alarm.
“Of course not! And none of it was my fault.”
“Of course not,” Maeve agreed. “And we have to be careful that Santa doesn’t hear what we’re up to. None of us want coal in our stockings. I’m glad I don’t have an evil elf.”
“That would be terrible,” Immy said. “I asked Santa for a unicorn. I hope he brings it.”
“I asked for some new shoes,” Maeve said.
“I asked him for a jet pack and a ticket on a rocket ship to the moon,” Cat told them.
They both gaped at her.
“It’s gonna happen.”
She had faith in the jolly old, white-bearded man.
9
FAITH AND REUBEN
23rd December
Faith woke up and looked around the strange room, feeling disorientated. Where was she? Where was Daddy?
“Reuben?” she called out in alarm.
Then he stepped out of the bathroom. He had his phone to his ear and spoke into it while giving her a concerned look.
“Faith is awake now and I need to check on her. Yeah. Yep. I don’t know if we’re going to make it back out of here. The storm dumped an unprecedented amount of snow on Minneapolis last night.”
Oh, that’s where they were.
Now it was coming back to her. They’d hit a storm in the plane and Ralph had decided to land in Minneapolis. She’d worked herself up into such a state that she’d actually fainted.
What an idiot.
Well, you’re the one that said you wanted the plane to land. Now look what you’ve done.
Oh no!
Look at what she’d done! They were stuck in Minneapolis when they were meant to be headed to Wishingbone to spend time with Juliet and her men.
“Thanks, Alejandro. Yes, I’ll keep in touch.” Reuben ended the call and headed toward her. “Hey, Little Blossom.”
“I’m so sorry!” she cried.
He gave her a surprised look. “Why are you sorry?”
“Because we should be in Wishingbone right now with Juliet, Brick, and Xavier. And instead we’re stuck here.”
He tilted his head to the side. “I know. But that’s not your fault. You don’t control the weather. We’ll get to Wishingbone, even if we have to hire a car and drive. As soon as this storm passes, that is.”
Jumping up, Faith rushed to the window.
Oh no.
Oh no, oh no!
“It’s snowing.”
“Yes, it is,” he said cautiously.
This was the worst!
“This is all my fault!” she cried.
All right. Maybe she was being slightly dramatic, but she knew that Reuben had been looking forward to going to that crazy town to visit his sister and her men. Then after they were supposed to head to Missouri to spend New Years with her family.
What were they going to do?
“How is this all your fault?” he asked.