Noelle's Christmas Crush (13 page)

Authors: Angela Darling

BOOK: Noelle's Christmas Crush

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“Robbie!” Rachel yelled. “You
know
you're not supposed to put food in your ears!”

Robbie's eyes widened.

Then, in a flash, he popped both broccoli bites into his mouth. Rachel blinked in surprise. She'd never seen Robbie eat his most hated food so fast.

“Tweat?” Robbie asked with his mouth full, spraying bits of broccoli onto the table.

“Okay, but chew with your mouth closed,” Rachel replied as she ducked back into the kitchen. She stared into the pantry, knowing that her dad didn't like Robbie to eat a lot of sweets. It was the first time that Rachel had been responsible for Robbie's dinner and bedtime all by herself, and she really didn't want to mess it up.

Then again, sometimes Grandma Nellie gave Robbie a treat after dinner. Maybe she would've given him a little dessert tonight if she hadn't been at her Scrapbooking for Seniors meeting. So Rachel plucked three chocolate chips from a half-empty bag and brought them to Robbie.

“Here you go, buddy,” she said. “Three chocolate chips for a three-year-old.”

Robbie's whole face lit up as he shoved the chocolate chips into his mouth. “My chocolate yums!” he cried. “More, please!”

But Rachel had already whisked his plate off to the dishwasher. She glanced at the clock on the microwave; it read 7:46. She had fourteen minutes to finish the dishes and get Robbie to bed before
The Scoop
came on. Rachel had only watched the gossipy entertainment show once or twice; her dad thought TV shows like that were a giant waste of time. But Rachel hoped that he would make an exception tonight, since she had finished all her homework and her chores before the show started. After all, it wasn't every night that her former classmate, Brody Warner, was interviewed live on national TV!

Angela Darling
was nicknamed “The Love Guru” by her friends in school because she always gave such awesome advice on crushes. And Angela's own first crush worked out pretty wellÂ .Â .Â . they have been married for almost ten years now!

When Angela isn't busy reading romance novels, she works as an editor in New York City. She knows deep down that every story can't possibly have a happy ending, but the incurable romantic in her can't help but always look for the silver lining in every cloud.

LOOK FOR MORE CRUSH BOOKS AT YOUR FAVORITE STORE!

SIMON SPOTLIGHT

Simon & Schuster, New York

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.