Peggy Jaeger, Author

Since A CHEF’S KISS CHRISTMAS is up for preorder right now, I figured I do another tease from the book.

If you’ve read any of my Dickens Holiday Romance stories, you know FIXING CHRISTMAS is the story of Abracadabra Charles, alias A.B. Cards. Abra’s got a prickly personality burned in snark-speak and wit that underlines a basic inferiority complex due to her being abandoned by her birth mother and left on Amy’s doorstep on Christmas morning.

Abra’s grumpiness is evident through Fixing Christmas, Sasha’s Secret Santa, Don’t Mess with the Mistletoe and now A Chef’s Kiss Christmas.

In this tease, it is New Year’s Day and her interrogation skills are getting a workout on Portia…

“’Morning.” Portia yawned as she came into the kitchen. “Happy New Year.”

Abra, still in pjs, was feeding Amelia a bottle while Colton was busy breaking up a croissant for Stevie.

Colton repeated the sentiment to her.

“Did you guys make it to midnight?” she asked as she poured a cup of coffee from the carafe on the counter.

Abra’s laugh reminded her of a wheezing dog’s bark. “Not even close. We both passed out at nine. Luckily this one,” she kissed the top of the nursing baby’s head, “gave us a respite and didn’t wake us until two-thirty and then six.”

“Longest stretch of uninterrupted sleep I think we’ve gotten in almost 2 years,” Colt said, grinning. “Felt like I slept a week.”

“A week would be nice.” Abra slanted a glare at her agent. “What time did you get in?”

“I don’t even know. Late. Or early, depending on how you look at it.” Portia couldn’t outright lie because the thought Abra might have been awake and heard the car door close was a possibility. Even though she’d been extremely quiet about it.

Finished, Abra began burping Amelia.

“Did you have a good time?” Colt asked.

Phenomenal was on the tip of her tongue, but there was no way she could tell them that and then not explain why. They still thought she’d gone to Antonelli’s for the party.

“It was good.”

“See anyone you know?” Abra asked.

There was a world of suspicion in that question and Portia knew it. If she lied and mentioned a name, she could be assured Abra would find out from the person she’d named, personally.

“Not really. I didn’t stay long. I went out to Grovesnor’s Pond to watch the fireworks from my car.”

This was a lie, but she knew it couldn’t be verified because Amy had been the one to tell her most of the town came out to see the awesome display when it went off at midnight.

“And then?” Abra pressed.

With a shrug, Portia said, “I stayed for a while and just…thought about things.”

“Like what?”

“Abra.” Colton’s voice hadn’t risen a notch and yet Portia could hear the warning in his tone.

“What?” his wife asked, eyes wide, all innocence.

Bless the man. He may not have known his wife as long as Portia had, but he was attuned to all her quirks and traits liked he’d grown up with, and been with her, every day of their lives.

With a crooked pull of his mouth to one side, he shook his head. “Stop with the third degree. Save it for when Stevie and Amelia are teenagers.  You’ll need those C.I.A.-like interrogation skills of yours then. But cut her,” he nodded his head at Portia, “some slack. Okay?”

Abra’s pout rivaled anything her three-year-old could pull off. She nodded, sighed, then said, “What are your plans for today?” as she put the now sleeping baby in her Moses cradle.

With a shrug, Portia sipped her coffee. “Just some client reading. Not yours,” she added with a meaningful glance.

“It’s coming. It’s coming.”

“Speaking of coming, I just heard the paper hit the porch,” Colton said.

“I’ll get it.” Abra rose and when she passed by him, Colt reached out, grabbed one of her hands and with that same sexy crooked grin, kissed her knuckles.

Abra shook her head, then planted a kiss on the top of his head. “It’s a good thing you’re handsome,” she said with a sniff.

Colton’s lips split into a cocky, all-teeth smile.

Intrigued? I hope so, LOL!