Romancing the Holidays: Twelve Christmas Romances - Benefits Breast Cancer Research Read online

  Romancing the Holidays

  Published by Top Ten Press

  Seattle. Maui

  Romancing the Holidays, Copyright 2017, Top Ten Press

  All Rights Reserved

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design by Novak Illustrations

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  READERS: This is a compilation of many works, writing styles, and subject matter. All have the Holiday Theme, all have a romance, and we hope you enjoy them each and every one of them in their diversity.

  Information about each author is at the end, as well as Holiday Recipes!

  Thank you for being part of our holiday excitement this year.

  ~The Thirteen Authors of Romancing the Holidays~

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Title Page

  LET YOUR HEART BE LIGHT

  LYHBL_Chapter 1

  LYHBL_Chapter 2

  LYHBL_Chapter 3

  LYHBL_Chapter 4

  LYHBL_Chapter 5

  LYHBL_Chapter 6

  LYHBL_Chapter 7

  LYHBL_Chapter 8

  LYHBL_Chapter 9

  LYHBL_Chapter 10

  LYHBL_Chapter 11

  LYHBL_Chapter 12

  LYHBL_Chapter 13

  LYHBL_Chapter 14

  LYHBL_Chapter 15

  LOVE AT FIRST SNOW

  LAFS_Chapter 1

  LAFS_Chapter 2

  LAFS_Chapter 3

  LAFS_Chapter 4

  LAFS_Chapter 5

  LAFS_Chapter 6

  THE CAT OF CHRISTMAS PAST

  TCOCP_Chapter 1

  TCOCP_Chapter 2

  TCOCP_Chapter 3

  TCOCP_Chapter 4

  TCOCP_Chapter 5

  TCOCP_Chapter 6

  TCOCP_Chapter 7

  TCOCP_Chapter 8

  TCOCP_Chapter 9

  TCOCP_Chapter 10

  TCOCP_Chapter 11

  TCOCP_Chapter 12

  TCOCP_Chapter 13

  TCOCP_Chapter 14

  TCOCP_Chapter 15

  TCOCP_Chapter 16

  HOLIDAY JUSTICE

  HJ_Chapter 1

  HJ_Chapter 2

  HJ_Chapter 3

  HJ_Chapter 4

  MIRACLE OF LOVE

  MOL_Chapter 1

  MOL_Chapter 2

  MOL_Chapter 3

  MOL_Chapter 4

  MOL_Chapter 5

  MOL_Chapter 6

  MOL_Chapter 7

  MOL_Chapter 8

  MOL_Chapter 9

  MOL_Chapter 10

  MOL_Chapter 11

  MOL_Chapter 12

  CHRISTMAS IN STILETTOS

  CIS_Chapter 1

  CIS_Chapter 2

  CIS_Chapter 3

  CIS_Chapter 4

  CIS_Chapter 5

  CIS_Chapter 6

  CIS_Chapter 7

  CIS_Epilogue

  MAUI KALIKIMAKA

  MK_Chapter 1

  MK_Chapter 2

  MK_Chapter 3

  MK_Chapter 4

  MK_Chapter 5

  MK_Chapter 6

  MK_Chapter 7

  MK_Chapter 8

  THE SANTA TRIAL

  TST_Part 1

  TST_Part 2

  TST_Part 3

  TST_Part 4

  TST_Part 5

  PICTURE PERFECT HOLIDAY

  PPH_Chapter 1

  PPH_Chapter 2

  PPH_Chapter 3

  PPH_Chapter 4

  PPH_Chapter 5

  PPH_Chapter 6

  PPH_Chapter 7

  PPH_Chapter 8

  PPH_Chapter 9

  TINSELED UP IN TEXAS

  TUIT_Prologue

  TUIT_Chapter 1

  TUIT_Chapter 2

  TUIT_Chapter 3

  TUIT_Chapter 4

  TUIT_Chapter 5

  TUIT_Chapter 6

  A MARINE’S CHRISTMAS WEDDING

  AMCW_Prologue

  AMCW_Chapter 1

  AMCW_Chapter 2

  AMCW_Chapter 3

  AMCW_Chapter 4

  AMCW_Chapter 5

  AMCW_Chapter 6

  AMCW_Chapter 7

  AMCW_Chapter 8

  AMCW_Chapter 9

  AMCW_Chapter 10

  ONE STEP OVER THE MISTLETOE LINE

  OSOTML_Chapter 1

  OSOTML_Chapter 2

  OSOTML_Chapter 3

  OSOTML_Chapter 4

  OSOTML_Chapter 5

  OSOTML_Chapter 6

  OSOTML_Chapter 7

  OSOTML_Chapter 8

  About The Authors

  HOLIDAY RECIPES

  Cheese and Mushroom Puff Squares

  Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Poppers

  Greek Beef Kabobs with Tzatziki Dip

  The Tzatziki Dip

  Spicy Crab Dip

  Blue Cheese Cocktail Biscuits

  Four Hour Perfect Christmas Turkey!

  Super Easy Cranberry Sauce

  Nilla Wafers Christmas Cookies

  Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt Thumbprints

  Coconut Chocolate Macaroons

  Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crackers

  Chocolate Chip/Toffee Cookies

  Easy ‘Light as Angel Wings’ Sugar Cookies

  Classic Divinity

  Peppermint Meringue Treats

  Chocolate Lace Cookies

  Christmas Holly

  Buttery Christmas Trees

  Pecan Crescent Cookies

  Fun Fudge

  Sugar Cookies

  Pecan Pralines

  Hot Fudge Sauce

  Chocolate Macaroons

  Mini Lemon Tarts

  Pumpkin Muffins

  Cherry Pie with Never-Fails Pie Crust

  Sour Cream Apple Pie

  BOOK 1

  Let Your Heart Be Light

  A Kelly Brothers Novella

  (Kelly Brothers, Book 8)

  by

  Crista McHugh

  All Maureen Kelly wants for Christmas is a full house. Unfortunately, now that her seven sons have all found the women of their dreams, they’re too busy to come home for the holidays. If it wasn’t for the attention of a good family friend, she would’ve completely given up on the joy of the season.

  Rupert Bates has been in love with Maureen for nearly twenty years, before he had any right to have such feelings for her. He’s given her five years to grieve her late husband, all the while gathering the courage to confess his feelings to her. Bit by bit, the magic of the holidays draws them closer, and she begins to return his affection. But will falling in love with his boss lead to delight or heartache?

  Chapter 1

  Rupert Bates adjusted his tie and took a deep breath.

  Remain focused, calm, and collected.

  Unfortunately, his sweaty palms betrayed him and revealed that he was anything but calm and collected. At least he still had his focus, even though he questioned his conviction.

  He curled his fingers into a fist and gave the
door in front of him three efficient knocks.

  Steady.

  Then a dazzling smile shattered his resolve.

  Maureen Kelly had to be the perfection of womanhood personified. Intelligent. Confident. Kind. Gorgeous enough to steal his breath away every time he saw her.

  And today was no exception.

  “Rupert,” she said, the slight rise in her voice demonstrating her genuine pleasure at finding him at her door, “what a surprise.”

  His tie seemed to draw up around his throat like a hangman’s noose, choking all the things he wanted to say to her.

  She opened the door all the way. “Come inside before the wind blows you away.”

  Somehow, over the course of a few steps, he managed to regain his voice. Talking about the weather always served as a good icebreaker. “This is hardly a gale.”

  “No, but it has a definite nip to it.” She peered up at the cloudy sky. “I suspect we’ll get a few inches of snow overnight.”

  “Typical for this time of year.” He came inside the warm, cheery home in Highland Park he’d visited hundreds of times over the twenty years he’d worked for the Kelly family. And just like every recent visit, a hundred pounds of white fur pounced on him.

  “Jasper!” Maureen scolded, pulling her Great Pyrenees away by the collar. “Bad dog! How many times do I have to tell you not to jump on people?”

  The dog simply wagged his tail and looked up at her with what appeared to be complete adoration, his tongue flopping out the side of his open mouth.

  Rupert felt a twinge of envy toward Jasper. He’d probably wear a matching expression of adoration if he hadn’t had years of maintaining the proper British stiff upper lip of emotional repression that had been drilled into him since he was a boy at Exeter. Instead, he shed his thick woolen coat and draped it over his arm.

  “Can you stay long enough for a cup of tea?” Before he could answer, Maureen had taken his coat and was hanging it in the coat closet by the door. “I just bought a fresh tin of Assam.”

  His favorite tea. Of course, she knew that, just as she knew the way he liked it prepared—with a simple splash of milk. “I really don’t want to be a bother—”

  “Nonsense.” She was already on her way to the kitchen. “I enjoy a bit of good company.”

  He followed her to the massive chef’s kitchen. A decade ago, it had been the hub of a large family with seven active boys. Now, it seemed cavernous and empty, belonging only to the woman who lived here alone. No wonder she welcomed company.

  Maureen poured hot water into a teapot from the special spigot by the sink and measured out the loose tea leaves before adding them to the pot. “While that’s brewing, what brings you all the way out here?”

  If he had the courage, he would’ve happily replied that it was a purely social visit, but thankfully, he had the guise of work to shield him. He grabbed the file from his briefcase and placed it on the granite-topped island. “I wanted to discuss the greystone in Humboldt Park.”

  “We still have that property?” Maureen fetched a pair of reading glasses from the next room and perused the documents he’d laid out for her.

  “Yes, and that was why I wanted to speak to you about it. Adam has plans for it.”

  “What are they?” She paused from reading long enough to pour two cups of tea, adding a splash of milk to his before the tea.

  “He wants to tear it down and build condominiums.”

  Maureen choked on her tea. “He what?”

  He pretended not to notice the slip in her usual poise and showed her the architect’s drawing of an ultramodern structure that would house six upscale units. “The area has shown remarkable gentrification over the last few years, and he thinks we should capitalize on it.”

  “A condo would make sense in the city, but not there.” She shuffled through the papers until she found the one she was looking for. “This home was built in 1893. It should be on the historic homes register.”

  “Agreed.” He took a sip of the tea, savoring how she’d managed to create the level of perfection in the cup. “But the last tenants left the property in need of serious repair, and Adam thinks it would be easier to level the home and start over from scratch.”

  “But I love this home. It has so much character.” She pulled out a photo of the exterior and pointed to the details. “Look at the masonry on the portico.”

  “Yes, but look at the interior.” He pulled out the photos of the disaster left by the tenants. Gouged floors. Rat droppings. Grime-covered surfaces in the kitchen and bathrooms. Broken moldings and shattered windows. Water stains on the ceiling. “We’d have to gut the entire building to make it habitable.”

  “Then that’s what we should do,” she replied in a tone that offered no argument.

  “But,” he countered, pulling out a map of the community, “we’ve seen a growth in commercial properties on that street, and with the corner lot location—”

  “I said no. I refuse to allow Adam to destroy a historic home.”

  He suspected as much, which was why he’d chosen today to go over Adam’s head and approach the true owner of the property. When Michael Kelly had died five years ago, he’d left everything to his wife, Maureen. Adam may have been the face of Kelly Properties, but his mother still had the final say in any decision involving the real estate holdings.

  She drummed her fingers on the counter. “Is the building still structurally sound?”

  “Yes. We replaced the roof with fifty-year architectural shingles less than eight years ago. The plumbing and wiring are still operational and up to code. No evidence of any termite damage, although, as you can see from the pictures, there is a rodent presence.”

  “Then it’s in no danger of being condemned.”

  “Correct, but Adam fears the next tenants could be just as destructive.” Jasper wedged in between them, prompting Rupert to rub the dog’s head in acknowledgment. “A new condominium complex would command higher prices and attract those with a higher income.”

  “Why doesn’t he just sell the place to someone who wants to restore it?”

  “There’s minimal profit in that.”

  She sipped her tea and studied the map. “The area is still considered at risk?”

  “Yes, and no. West Town has shown significant growth in the housing and restaurant scenes over the last decade, and it’s pushing into Humboldt Park.”

  “Displacing the lower-income residents in the process.” She set her cup aside and rested her chin on her fist, the way she always did when lost in thought. “If a home is on the historic register’s list and in sound condition, it would be very difficult to tear down, wouldn’t it?”

  “There would be considerable red tape to go through to obtain the necessary permits.”

  “Thus slowing down Adam’s modern condos.” She tapped one elegantly manicured finger on her cheek. “Perhaps it’s time I add a few speed bumps to his plans.”

  Rupert grinned behind his teacup. Just as he’d suspected she would, which was why he’d chosen to pay her a visit. They both shared the same love for historic homes. “Shall I inform him of your decision?”

  “Not yet,” she said with a conspiratorial grin that matched his. “Let’s act before he has a chance to protest.”

  “Very good.” He gathered up the documents and placed them back in the file folder. Now that he’d gotten the necessary business behind him, his heart pounded even harder. Decorum would suggest he should return to the office and attend to the never-ending list of tasks he needed to complete. His heart, however, wished he could linger in the kitchen with her.

  “Rupert?”

  Her question caught him off guard, and he stammered out, “Yes?”

  “I sincerely appreciate you going out of your way to bring this to my attention.”

  “It wasn’t out of my way at all.”

  “Liar. Highland Park is a considerable drive from downtown.”

  “It’s a reverse commute at this hour,” h
e argued before reaching into the pocket of his Savile Row suit jacket. “Besides, I stumbled across this bridge strategy and thought you might appreciate it.”

  She took the slip of paper with the same eagerness of a small child receiving a gift from Father Christmas. “This is wonderful! Thank you so much, Rupert.”

  The peck on his cheek caught him by surprise. His heart pitter-pattered with renewed intensity, and his mouth went dry. “It was nothing, I assure you.”

  “But you’re always doing little thoughtful things like this for me.”

  He wanted to say it was because he secretly loved her, but once again, fear got the better of him. She was his employer, after all. “I know how much you love the game.”

  “This couldn’t come at a better time. Emilia and I have a holiday tournament coming up this weekend and—” She stopped and stared at him, her expression drifting from puzzlement to curiosity to something he couldn’t entirely read. Whatever she was feeling, it was enough to make him hope she was seeing him as something more than a friend. “Thank you again,” she said softly.

  “Of course,” he replied, his voice still strained by fear.

  He jumped back to his realm of comfort. “Shall I make an appointment for you to view the property for yourself?”

  “That would lovely.”

  “When are you available?”

  “Anytime this week.” She looked around her empty kitchen. “It’s not like I have to drive anyone to football practice anymore.”

  He pulled out his phone in an attempt to keep from pulling her into his arms and comforting her. “I have an opening in my calendar on Thursday morning at ten.”

  “That should work for me. This storm should blow over by then.”

  “But they’re predicting an even stronger one this weekend.” The comfortable weather talk once again washed away his insecurities. “You might want to reconsider your tournament if the roads are bad.”

  She responded with a disdainful snort. “A blizzard wouldn’t keep me from it.”

  He chuckled as he added the appointment to the calendar. Maureen’s love for bridge was practically legend. “Then I hope that little tidbit will be useful.”

  “I’m sure it will be.” She pointed to the teapot. “Care for a refill for the road?”