by Box Set
Preston walked her down a long hallway, his boots making the wood floors squeak. Stopping outside the last door on the right, he swung it open and stepped inside to turn on the light. “This will be your room for the next three weeks.” Setting her luggage down on the floor just inside the door, he waited for her to respond.
Holly walked into the room. It was the one she was hoping for with the blue quilt and a lovely stone fireplace. She inhaled deeply and smelled the pine from the beautiful centerpiece on the table next to the fireplace. “This is perfect.”
He lifted a brow. “Um, you have a bathroom through that door there, and your closet is on that wall.” He strode to the window and pulled back the curtains. “Ma chose this room because it has the best view of the mountains.”
Holly followed him and moved to look out the window, leaning forward to take it all in. “Absolutely gorgeous. You’re so lucky to live here.”
“Yeah, we are. Place has been in the family for years.”
Holly jumped as his warm breath caressed her neck, and his deep voice rumbled in her ear. She hadn’t realized how close he was standing to her until he spoke. Backing up quickly, she darted around him to get one of her bags.
“You can wait to unpack if you want. Ma said to bring you to the kitchen after I showed you your room so we can eat. I’m sure she’s waiting, probably wondering where we are.”
Nodding, she left her suitcase and followed him back downstairs, glancing at the pictures hung here and there down the hallway. She’d always loved how pictures told the story of the families that lived in the home. She caught a glimpse of a little girl with a fishing pole, a boy who looked a lot like Preston but shorter; there was one of a woman and a handsome, older version of Preston looking at each other with expressions of love. “Is that your mom and dad?”
He stopped and nodded his head, his smile slipping from his mouth. “The kitchen is through here. It’s where you’ll usually find her.” He pushed open the door and motioned for her to pass through. A curvy woman with beautiful, silver hair turned from the stove, her face lit up with a smile. “Ma, this is Holly. Her things are in her room.” He hugged his mother before leaning over the stove. “Smells good, what are you making?”
Tamra playfully swatted his arm. “Set the table and you’ll see. Welcome to our home, Holly. I hope you like the room.” Her blue-grey eyes twinkled as a smile spread over her face. “Please, make yourself at home while you’re here.”
“I love the room and your home is beautiful. It’s very warm and inviting.”
“Thank you. I hope you’ll join us after dinner in the great room for some eggnog and Christmas carols. My daughter has a Christmas recital soon, and she has to practice.”
“Ma, I’m sure Holly didn’t come all this way to listen to some young girl practice her songs for her silly recital.”
Holly watched the exchange between mother and son as a range of emotions ran over both of their faces. Clearing her throat, she nodded at his mother. “I would love to join you this evening, if you don’t mind. I love everything Christmas, it’s my favorite holiday.”
“That’s wonderful. We’ve already done our trees and decorated, but there are still so many wonderful things to do this time of year. Christmas is my favorite as well.”
Preston mumbled something under his breath as he set plates on the long, worn farm table sitting near windows that overlooked a barn and pasture.
“Do you have something to say, young man?”
“No, ma’am. Do y’all want some wine with dinner?” His expression appeared closed and guarded when she glanced his way.
“That would be lovely. Do you mind getting a bottle from the cellar?”
“No, ma’am. I’ll be right back.” He turned and disappeared through a door off to the right of the stove.
“Don’t mind him, Holly. He turns into a grump this time of the year. Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll start getting everything on the table.”
“Let me help you.” She picked up a large bowl of mashed potatoes and carried it to the table. “Anywhere particular you’d like me to set these?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
“Just put it wherever you like. The only thing that needs to go on the end is the roast, so he can carve it.”
“Yes ma’am.” Her stomach growled when Tamra opened the oven and the tantalizing smell of roast beef wafted through the kitchen. She loved the old wood stove, and the fact that Tamra was actually cooking in it, made this meal a little more special.
“Have you ever been on a sleigh ride?”
“No, I haven’t, but I was hoping to go on one while I was here. I’ve always dreamed of a horse-drawn sleigh ride.”
“Wonderful, we do ours this coming weekend. If the weather holds, we like to drive it into town for the Winter Festival. I usually pick up some last minute gifts.”
Holly froze. Gifts? She hadn’t thought about gifts. How do you buy things for the family you’re staying with? The weekend was only a few short days away, and she certainly couldn’t ask anyone what was expected of her or if she was even invited to Christmas morning. She got the impression she was.
Before she could respond, Preston returned from the cellar with a bottle of wine, just as a beautiful teenager with long blonde hair came bounding through the kitchen door. “Mom! You aren’t going to believe this!” She stopped when she noticed Holly standing by the table. “Oh, I’m sorry. My name is Clare. I didn’t realize you were here already.” A smile spread over her face as she moved to shake Holly’s hand.
“I’m Holly. It’s nice to meet you.”
Clare smiled warmly at Holly before she turned to her mom. “I got the lead song in the recital!”
“I’m so proud of you.” Tamra hugged her close. “All your hard work paid off. I guess that means we’ll be singing again tonight?”
“Of course it does! I got the lead song so I want to get it perfect.”
Preston was pissed when his mother told him she was renting rooms over their Christmas holiday. He hated strangers in his home. Damn it, he knew things were tough since dad died last year, but he didn’t think they were that hard up. Now, he opens the door and finds the most desirable woman standing there, looking at him with her big, brown eyes, her face flushed from the cold, and his damn heart skips a beat and his dick starts twitching in his jeans. Yeah, back the hell off. Not going there.
Doing everything he could to avoid actually acting a fool, he tried to play it cool, but the way she was looking at him scorched him. He invited Trip in, hoping for a buffer until he could get his thoughts reined in, but he struck out there. Grabbing her suitcases, he glanced at her. “If you follow me, I’ll show you to your room.” He was almost to the top when he heard her sigh, glanced over his shoulder, and saw she was checking out his ass. He couldn’t help but chuckle as her face turned red when she realized he’d caught her. Man, this one could be trouble if he didn’t watch out, and trouble was not something he needed right now.
When he walked her into the room, he saw the excitement in her eyes. He pulled the curtains back so she could look out. She stepped to the window so quickly; he didn’t have time to move. Oh shit, she smells so fucking good. He leaned a little closer, breathing deeply; she smelled of orchids and vanilla.
He barely registered her response, so lost in her scent. Shit. “Yeah, we are. Place has been in the family for years,” he said, causing her to jump. Her eyes were wide like a deer’s caught in the headlights when she turned to find him so close.
Trying to recover and get his mind back where it needed to be, he continued before she could get unpacked, “You can wait to unpack if you want. Ma said to bring you to the kitchen after I showed you your room so we can eat. I’m sure she’s waiting, probably wondering where we are.”
“Is that your mom and dad?” She was standing in front of the picture of them not too long after they’d gotten married.
He stopped and nodded his head. “The kitchen is through
here.” He motioned for her to follow him. The pain of losing his dad was still too fresh; he couldn’t talk about it just yet.
He watched Holly out of the corner of his eye while he set the table. Ma doted over their first guest, and damn, if she wasn’t warming up to Holly quickly, as if she was more a family friend than a stranger invading their home.
This was going to be a long three weeks, and it looked like Ma was going to include her in everything. He turned on the light to the wine cellar and walked along the rows, trying to decide which wine he should pair with the roast beef. He decided on one of Ma’s favorites, Cabernet Sauvignon. Making his way back upstairs, he heard his mother inviting her on their sleigh ride. Shaking his head, he walked into the kitchen just as Clare ran into the room in her usual frantic appearance.
He snickered at her excitement and wondered what trivial thing had her bouncing off the walls today. He leaned back against the table as she suddenly realized they had company. Ma was frowning at her for not minding her manners.
He knew he was making a bad first impression, standing here looking grumpy for no apparent reason, but everything about the holiday just brought up bad memories for him. His dad had loved Christmas, and it didn’t seem right that they were carrying on like he wasn’t gone, especially after what happened. Sometimes, he wished he could be like his brother. Pack up and leave it behind, but he loved this place and his family too damn much to be that selfish. He’d just have to suck it up and make the best of their situation. Maybe he could sell off enough of the cattle this spring for them to get enough money in the bank so Ma would stop worrying.
Once everything was on the table, he sat in Dad’s seat and let the women sit closer together. He sat quietly and listened to the conversations. Every once in a while, he would notice a touch sadness clouding Holly’s face. It made him wonder what she was thinking about. Whatever it was, it seemed to make her very sad.
As he ate, his thoughts went back to their last Christmas when his father made the decision to go out to the hunting lodge, saying he wanted some time alone to hunt and make peace with some things he’d been thinking about. No one had wanted him to go alone, especially when the storms were unpredictable during that time of year in the mountains. He had gone anyway, telling them he would be fine. Of course, he wasn’t. Not only had the damn fool gotten himself snowed in, but he had gotten snowed in with his fucking mistress. Thank god, Preston and Cameron had found them and not his mother. She would have been more devastated than she already was.
They hadn’t been able to keep it quiet; the sheriff had to be called. Their deaths had been ruled accidental, but the entire town knew he had betrayed his wife. Ma went on holding her head up high, refusing to listen to the comments and stares from the town’s people. Sometimes he hated people. Most of all, he hated what his father had done to his ma.
Shaking his head, he brought himself back to the present, happy Ma hadn’t noticed he was lost in thought again. He sat forward as Holly started talking about her family.
“I have two children, a boy and a girl. Sam and Suzy. Sam’s wife is expecting, and Suzy’s little boy is turning one next month.” She sighed. “They didn’t come home last Christmas and decided they didn’t want to make the trip again this year. They’re spending it with their in-laws.” Her face turned red, and she lowered her eyes. “I hope that didn’t come out sounding nasty. It’s just, I was looking forward to them coming home. This is the second Christmas since I lost my husband, and I thought they would make an effort.”
Preston glanced at Ma and saw her wince. Damn, he couldn’t imagine how she’d feel if he and Clare just decided they didn’t want to be with her on Christmas. He was acting like a huge ass when she was only trying to make the holidays special for them just as she had every year since they were little kids. Cameron was more selfish than he’d thought. Hearing the pain in this woman’s voice struck a chord in him. He sat up straighter and made up his mind; he’d at least quit being a downer for Ma.
Chapter 3
Angels We Have Heard on High
Tamra and Clare talked through dinner about all the upcoming events going on and what they did at home to celebrate the holidays. Dinner went by quickly as Holly found herself wrapped up in their excitement. A pang of regret reared its ugly head every once in a while when something reminded her of her own Christmas at home when the children were little, but she’d shake it off and bring herself back to this wonderful, selfish vacation.
After dinner, Holly insisted on helping them clean up and put everything away, thinking how much she wished she could have grown up in a family like this. She had done everything for her kids, and now they were off on their own, acting like they didn’t want to be bothered with her.
Preston moved to pick up the platter just as she turned and ran smack into his rock hard chest. He reached out and grabbed her arm to steady her. Holly looked up and her eyes locked with his, the heat of his touch scorching her while sending shivers down her spine at the same time.
Pulling away, she mumbled, “Sorry.”
He cocked his head, eyes narrowed as he dropped his hand. “I didn’t mean to run into ma’am. Are you all right?”
Not trusting her voice, Holly nodded.
“Looks like we’re just about finished. Let’s get everyone in the great room, and we can let Clare sing her songs for us. I can’t wait to hear what her solo is going to be.” Tamra smiled as she folded her dishtowel and hung it on the hanger by the farmhouse sink. “Come on you two, she’s already in there warming up the piano.” Hooking her arm through Holly’s, she gave her a little tug. “You’re in for a treat. Clare has the most beautiful voice you’ll ever hear. She sounds like an angel when she sings.”
Preston glanced at the ceiling, mumbling.
“I can hear you. Stop being jealous of your sister.” She giggled as his face blazed crimson.
He pushed past them and stormed out of the kitchen.
Holly glanced at her, brow raised. “Is he really jealous of her?”
“Oh ,goodness no! I sometimes feel like I have to lighten things up once in a while. I’m glad you’re here with us for the holidays. I’m hoping it cheers everyone up.” Her expression closed up for a few seconds before she plastered a smile on her face.
Holly’s breath caught as they made their way into the great room. A large fireplace made of river rock stood in the center of the inside wall, while floor to ceiling windows showcased the beautiful mountains on her left. Centered in the windows, a majestic blue spruce stood with lights twinkling amongst the hundreds of lavish ornaments. The saddle tan, leather furniture and rustic tables complimented the log interior. Clare sat at a baby grand piano in the far corner, it’s sleek, polished surface reflecting the lights from the tree.
“Tamra, this is the most beautiful room I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“Thank you. My husband and I loved this room. It’s my favorite room in the house other than the kitchen. Tom liked to eat in the big dining room, but I prefer the kitchen.” She pulled Holly to the sofa. “Sit here with me.”
“Of course.” She sat as the first notes of “Silent Night” flowed from the piano, and Clare started singing in the sweetest voice she’d ever heard. Holly closed her eyes for a moment, listening to the song, when she heard a deep baritone voice join in. Her eyes opened to see Preston sitting beside his sister, his eyes closed as he belted out the song along with her. Holly felt feelings racing through her body that had been gone since Dan passed away. Good grief, she had to get a hold of herself. He had to be at least ten years younger than her. She was here for a vacation, not a fling.
“Come on everyone, sing with me on this next song.” Clare’s face beamed as she started the chords of “Jingle Bells.”
Holly sang along, enjoying the family caroling, her voice blending well with theirs. When the song ended, she saw them all staring at her—Clare beaming, her smile showing dimples on both cheeks, Tamra’s eyes twinkling. Preston, on the other han
d, seemed to be glaring at her.
“You have a beautiful voice! You fit right in. You have to come caroling with us tomorrow evening.” The corners of Tamra’s eyes crinkled as a huge smile lit up her face. “Every year, we have this sing off. Everyone has their groups that sing together. Lately, it has just been the three of us, and although we’re good, we just can’t get the sound we need to get the blue ribbon. I think if you sing with us, we just might win this year. Would you do us the honor?”
Clare bounced off the piano bench, hands clenched in front of her just under her chin. “Please say yes, Holly, please!” She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout as she batted her lashes. “Preston, make her say yes, pleeeeeease!” She glanced at him, batting her lashes.
“Clare, I can’t make our company do any such thing. It’s completely up to her.” He turned and looked at Holly. “You do sound pretty incredible. You’d be doing us a favor.”
“Well, okay, if you guys insist. I guess I could practice some songs with you for tomorrow. I do know pretty much every Christmas carol ever written.” When she saw the look on their faces, she couldn’t help but giggle. “My friend, April, says I should have been born in the North Pole because of how much I love Christmas.”
Clare ran up to her and pulled her into a big hug. “Thank you so much, Holly.” She turned to Preston and stuck out her tongue. “Guess we have to practice some more songs. Maybe we should do ‘Away in the Manger.’ What do you think, Mom?”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea. Is that song all right with you two?” Tamra nodded to Preston and then to her.
“It’s fine with me.” She grinned, feeling a bit more at ease.
“Sure Ma, no problem.”
Tamra stood and walked over to one of the end tables and pulled out a paper and pen. “Holly, what’s your full name so I can call and add you to our group in the morning?”
“Holly Candi Kane.” Sighing she continued, “My late husband’s last name of course, it comes with a lot of comments and snickers, especially around the holidays. With my maiden name, not so much.” She shrugged her shoulders.
