Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 122216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“We totally won.” She gives a sassy grin.
“We did,” I agree. “We definitely won.”
“It’s not a competition,” Brendan says as he swoops me up into his arms.
“Daddy put her down, we have presents to open.” Holly runs over to the tree and stops dead at the sight of the giant dollhouse Brendan built by hand for her. It truly is magnificent. No wonder he could give me such a run for my money every year with his Christmas decorations. Luckily, he is now on my side where I know he’ll forever be.
“It’s beautiful,” she says. She turns to look at us with her eyes wide. “It needs to be decorated!”
I shake my head. “How could you get her a doll house and not decorate it?”
“Aunt Laura!” Holly runs and jumps into Laura’s arms for a hug. “Will you help me decorate it?”
“Of course I will, sweetheart.” She kisses her cheeks before putting her down. Holly holds her hand out to Laura’s husband, who gives her a high five, and then she runs back to start ripping open the rest of her presents.
“I didn’t know you were coming.” I give my best friend a hug.
“I’m always coming.” She gives me a devilish smile.
I smack her arm. My eyes flick to her husband who shrugs, knowing he’s the one always making her do it.
“Look what I made.” I walk over to the sofa and pick up the knitted hat.
“You finally did it.” Laura nods appreciatively.
“Yep. I was going to save it for when we have another baby, but maybe you could use it.”
She blushes. Actually blushes! Her husband wraps an arm around her. Maybe Christmas miracles are true. I know I had my own, but Laura looks to be having one too.
I spend the rest of the day sitting by the fire, surrounded by the people that are nearest and dearest to me. There’s wrapping paper strewn all over, lots of food, and the sound of laughter. When it’s late, Brendan sits on the couch with Holly reading her favorite book, The Night Before Christmas. After all the excitement, she snuggles into Brendan, a little yawn coming from her as she strokes Charlie.
Her eyes grow heavy with sleep, but she fights it so she can hear the last few pages.
Brendan lowers his voice to a whisper, his eyes full of love for our little family. “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.”
Want Heath’s story? Read Hitman’s Prey!
She’s a nosy neighbor. He’s a hitman. Will they end up together when the bullets start flying?
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CHRISTMAS CRUSH
CHRISTMAS CRUSH
MINK
Watching Ruby build a life away from Reindeer Valley hasn’t been easy, but I had to let her spread her wings and find out what she really wants. I’ve known what I wanted from the moment I saw her in high school. But I was a jerk then, someone who didn’t understand what love truly meant. Now I do.
And now it’s time for Ruby to come home. Her grandmother’s bakery has (quite mysteriously) been overwhelmed with holiday orders over the past week, and Grams needs help. There’s only one person she can call to help, one person with the know-how to help make the mountain of Christmas cakes and cookies.
Ruby.
When she comes home, I’m going to show her how I’ve changed and how much she means to me. I only hope that will be enough to convince her to stay here with me in Reindeer Valley forever.
1
KNOX
“Thanks for all the help.” Mrs. Lane gives me a warm smile.
“Anytime.” I adjust a few of the thermostat controls on the back of her convection oven before rolling it against the wall again.
Her bakery smells like cinnamon and vanilla, Christmas baking in full swing.
“There’s simply no way I can fill all my orders without that oven working. I need both full-time.” She wipes the back of her hand across her forehead, smearing some flour into her already-white hair. “And if I’m being honest, I still don’t know if I can get it all done before Christmas. The orders just won’t stop.”
“That’s not a bad thing.” I test the controls. They’re working fine. “Let’s see if it heats.”
“It’s not a bad thing.” She turns and looks at the stainless steel table in the middle of her bakery, every inch of it filled with cakes and cookies in various states of construction or icing. “But I think it’s finally time I hired someone on to help. The only problem is nobody has the skills I need. So much of this is taught.” She wrings her hands. “If I tried to train a new person, it would take me even longer to get everything finished.”
“Orders have picked up that much?”
“Knox.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know how, but I’m suddenly the busiest bakery in the world, it seems like. I’ve already filled 30 orders this morning alone. Cakes, cookie, pastries—you name it.”