Maybe This Christmas

by Jennifer Snow

  Dani shrugged away.

  Her arm fell to her side. She knew none of this was easy on her daughter. Dani was close with her father, despite his frequent long absences, and she was more like him, which made common ground for bonding with her a challenge. Her daughter was too young to understand everything going on, but Abigail had done her best to explain the situation to her. She didn’t want her to rely on the tabloids for information. However, she sensed Dani blamed her, at least for the move, and she was determined to make things right with her. “She said I can start next week…whenever they need a substitute.” She glanced toward Jackson. Why was he still standing there—listening? “Isn’t that wonderful?”

  Dani shrugged.

  Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she forced herself not to look at Jackson. Moving her daughter farther away, she knelt in front of her. “I’m sorry you’re upset, and I know this move is hard on you,” she said. “But, I promise things are going to get better now.” How often had she said those words to Dani in the last three days? She wondered if it was only her daughter she was trying to convince. “Soon we’ll move into our own place, and before long this will start to feel like home.” She brushed her daughter’s whip-straight dark hair—her father’s hair—away from her face and searched her expression for any sign of understanding.

  Dani didn’t look convinced, but finally, she nodded. “Fine. Whatever,” she said simply.

  She’d take any agreement she could get at that moment. “Come on. We’ll go to the diner on Main Street for lunch.” The cafeteria food sucked. Soon enough they would both have to get used to it. But not today.

  And she suspected soon enough she would have to get used to seeing Jackson Westmore. But that, too, was something she was more than willing to postpone for as long as possible.

  * * *

  “Keep your hands away from your body…that’s it. You don’t want to be looking down at the puck, or you won’t have it for long,” Jackson said as he skated backward, watching Taylor move across the ice toward the net with the puck.

  Tryouts were the following week, and he wanted to make sure his niece would be ready. Darryl’s warning about the other dads still troubled him, but what had him off his game was his brief—yet far too long—glimpse of Abby Jansen earlier that day.

  She was going to be teaching at the school. Fan-freaking-tastic.

  He shook his head, banishing the image of her in her expensive suit, looking more beautiful than ever. He didn’t need any new memories of her competing with the old ones.

  He moved closer to his niece to steal the puck, but she moved her body between him and the biscuit the way he’d taught her. He smiled. The kid was a natural. “That’s good. Where did you learn that?”

  “From Uncle Ben,” she teased.

  “Ha! I taught both of your uncles everything they know.” Ironically, that was true. He’d been the first of the three of them to develop an interest in the sport at age four. His older brother, Ben, and his younger brother, Asher, hadn’t started playing until several years later.

  But, as it turned out, they were both better than he was. That’s why they were playing on major league hockey teams and he was still coaching in Glenwood Falls.

  Taylor skated faster and shot the puck. It hit the right post.

  “You released it too soon,” he said, skating up to her and patting her helmet. “Just hold on to it a little longer. You’re overeager to score without an assist—maybe you have been learning a thing or two from your Uncle Ben.” Ben played for the Colorado Avalanche. He was the top scorer for the team for the last three years, but he didn’t know how to share the puck.

  Jackson skated by it and scooped it up. Checking his watch, he saw it was after five. They’d been practicing for almost two hours. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat.”

  “Can we go to Slope and Hatch?”

  “Craving a Big Valley Mac?” he asked as they sat on the bench to remove their skates.

  She took off her helmet and shook her short dark hair. “Is there any other hot dog worth eating?”

  He laughed. “You make a good point, kid. Go grab your stuff.” As she rushed off toward the locker rooms, he stood, staring out at the ice. Above the blue line hung the local team’s championship flags and across from him on the wall was the banner that read WELCOME TO THE HOME OF THE WESTMORE BROTHERS!

  Ben and Asher—the source of community pride.

  They were the stars of Glenwood Falls—he was just everyone’s favorite coach.

  About the Author

  Jennifer Snow lives in Edmonton, Alberta, with her husband and son. She writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance stories set everywhere from small towns to big cities. After stating in her high school yearbook bio that she wanted to be an author, she set off on the winding, twisting road to make her dream a reality. She is a member of RWA, the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, the Canadian Authors Association, and the Film and Visual Arts Association in Edmonton. She has published more than a dozen novels and novellas with many more on the way.

  You can learn more at:

  JenniferSnowAuthor.com

  Twitter @jennifersnow18

  Facebook.com/JenniferSnowBooks

  Also by Jennifer Snow

  Maybe This Kiss (novella)

  Maybe This Time

  Maybe This Love

  Maybe This Summer (novella)

  Acclaim for Jennifer Snow’s Novels

  Maybe This Love

  “Wonderfully tender and soulful.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “4 Stars! A riveting romance with believable characters and plenty of cinematic quality drama; plus Jennifer Snow is one clever writer.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “I am charmed by this book—this adorable, sweet & spicy, and jolly good fun story. I flew through reading it the first time, and I have plans to reread this one ASAP. I loved, loved, loved this book!”

  —AlphaBookClub.org

  Maybe This Time

  “With the perfect blend of hockey, heart, and heat, Maybe This Time is a winner!”

  —Debbie Mason, USA Today bestselling author

  “Quietly humorous, profoundly moving, and captivatingly seductive, this novel is sure to enthrall fans and newcomers to this series.”

  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “The perfect winter read that will warm your heart.”

  —BeccatheBibliophile.com

  “Enjoyable characters, low on angst, and high on romance. A recommended read for a cozy afternoon.”

  —ILoveBookLove.com

  Maybe This Kiss

  “I loved this book and I know this is one I will most likely be reading again in the future.”

  —CanadianBookAddict.blogspot.com

  “Great setup to the series! Can’t wait to read more of the Westmores!”

  —ThoughtsofaBlonde.com

  “An excellent start to this series. Maybe This Kiss was a sexy, sweet, fun, and heartwarming story and I can’t wait to read the next book in the Colorado Ice Series.”

  —JoJoTheBookaholic.blogspot.com

  Fall in Love with Forever Romance

  LONG, TALL COWBOY CHRISTMAS

  By Carolyn Brown

  A heartwarming holiday read from USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown. Nash Lamont is a man about as solitary as they come. So what the heck is he doing letting a beautiful widow and her three rambunctious children temporarily move in at Christmas?

  Kasey Dawson thought she’d never get over the death of her husband. But her kids have a plan of their own: Nothing will keep them from having a real family again—even if it takes a little help from Santa himself.

  THE TROUBLE WITH CHRISTMAS

  By Debbie Mason

  The Trouble with Christmas is the first book in the USA Today bestselling Christmas, Colorado series by Debbie Mason. This special reissue edition will feature bonus content never before in print! Resort developer Madison Lane is trying to tu
rn Christmas, Colorado, into a tourist’s winter wonderland. But Sheriff Gage McBride is tasked with stopping her from destroying his town. After meeting Madison, he can’t decide if she’s naughty or nice, but one thing is for certain—Christmas will never be the same again.

  MAYBE THIS CHRISTMAS

  By Jennifer Snow

  One more game is all that stands between hockey star Asher Westmore and a major career milestone. But when an injury sidelines him for months, the only bright spot is his best friend and physical therapist, Emma Callaway, whose workouts improve his body and his spirit…Fans of Lori Wilde will love the latest from Jennifer Snow!

  TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK

  By Tessa Bailey

  Losing Sage Alexander is not an option for Belmont Clarkson. His heart is hers, has always been hers. He knows she’s hiding something from him, but nothing will stand in his way of telling her just how much she means to him—even if saving her from her past ends up costing him everything. Don’t miss the final book in Tessa Bailey’s Romancing the Clarksons series!

  THE CORNER OF FOREVER AND ALWAYS

  By Lia Riley

  Perfect for readers of Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, and Marina Adair. When princess impersonator Tuesday Knight faces off against Everland mayor Beau Marino to save her theme park from demolition, sparks fly. Will she save Happily Ever After Land only to lose her own happy ever after?

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