“She hasn’t,” said her dad sternly.
“You said I needed a hobby, Mom,” said Zoe. “And after finding the wood carving tools in the shed… well, what can I say? I love my new hobby.”
“And, so you should,” said her dad with a smile. “This is great.”
“I think this is awesome, and you’ve come along so quickly,” said Kate holding up a set of small spoons.
“Hang on, sounds like you knew about this,” Max said to Kate.
“I… um… well, yes.”
Zoe wasn’t sure if the look of surprise on Max’s face was good or not.
Max sighed.
“I think you could sell these,” said Helen.
“Thanks, I hope to get good enough to sell them online. And, when I’m ready, Elly at Bits and Bobs said I can sell some in the café in Burra.”
“That’s great,” praised her dad.
“It won’t be a high income, but I hope it will be something given time,” said Zoe. She twisted her hands together, not liking that Max hadn’t said anything.
“Do you like it?” she asked softly, unsure if she really wanted to hear his answer.
“No.”
Her heart tightened.
He took her hand in his and squeezed. “I love it. Like I love you.”
Her eyes misted. “Cheeky bastard.” She giggled, the emotion bubbling inside of her.
Max picked up the wooden item which was the hardest thing she’d made. A cut out of a Christmas tree, sanded and polished in jarrah wood. It was a stencil she’d found in the shed that his grandma must have made, that she’d used as a guide.
“Our first real ornament,” he added.
“Yes.”
“The first of many.”
She nodded. “I hope so.”
“I know so.” He stood up and went over and hung it on the Christmas tree. “It’s perfect.”
“You don’t mind that I’ve used the tools in the shed?” she asked as he came back over to her.
“I mind that my sister was in on this.”
“You’ll get over it, bro,” said Kate.
“Hmmm…” He gave her a mock stare, before turning to look at Zoe. “I want my home to be your home.”
“Our home,” corrected Zoe.
“Our home,” echoed Max. “And you’ve done just that.”
“So, you’re okay with this?”
“I’ve just got one thing to say.”
Zoe held her breath.
Good or bad? She wasn’t sure.
The baby fluttered in her belly.
Max put his hand on her stomach and looked in Zoe’s eyes. She shivered, feeling the connection strong between them.
“I love you.”
Zoe blushed, leaned in, and kissed him. “I love you, too.”
“I can’t wait to have Christmas with you and our little girl next year. And to see what else you create in the year to come.”
“Me, too.” Zoe smiled then rested her head on his chest.
“I hope you enjoy your first country Christmas,” said Max.
She looked at him in the eyes, the connection strengthening between them. “It’s perfect.”
If you enjoyed A Country Christmas, check more similar books by Lilliana Rose
Chasing Dust Clouds
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A Dusty Christmas
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The Royal Show Affair
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A Farmer’s Christmas
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Best in Show
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Thank you, Kaylene, for editing and formatting, and always having time to offer support and advice.
Thanks to Kelly Dennis for a sexy, hot cover design.
Thanks to my sisters for supporting their crazy sister who is a writer, and my toddler boy for being well-behaved so I can still have time to write and nurture my soul.
Thanks to my dog, Kimba, for reminding me when it’s time to eat and go to bed, and for simply just lying there next to me or at my feet, being that extra life in the room, so the writing journey isn’t so lonely.
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Lilliana Rose is an Amazon Bestselling author, who writes romance in the subgenres of contemporary, paranormal, steampunk, and rural. She enjoys helping characters overcome problems, or issues, and the misunderstandings that often plague relationships, to help them fall in love. Whether it city heels being replaced with country work boots, or some magic beyond this world, or cogs and gears and corsets, each story shows how love can prevail. She has over fifteen years’ experience in various education systems as a teacher, a skip and a jump from starting out in genetics research. It is all helpful for inspiring her writing. She has poetry, middle grade, picture book, novellas and novels published under various pen names.
Check out more of her work at www.lillianarose.com and as an Amazon Author and her blog on inspirational creativity and wellness, Café Pondering www.cafepondering.com and Cultivating Creativity Workshops.
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