Winter Woods (Heartwarming Holidays Sweet Romance Book 3)

by ID Johnson

  “Oh, goody. Mr. Gregory will be in hog heaven tonight.” She took the package from Valerie and then returned her gaze to Olivia. “If you ever want to chat, you come over any time, okay, dear?”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Gregory,” Olivia replied.

  “Take care, Val,” the older woman said, and with a smile she made her way to the door.

  Olivia turned to watch her go, and even though there were a few other customers and waitresses around, she felt all alone. Turning back to Valerie, her friend must’ve seen it in her eyes. “What’s going on, Olivia?” she asked. “You look very sad.”

  “Oh,” Olivia muttered. Could she tell her friend what had happened? She knew Valerie would understand. She’d had her share of heartache. “I… met someone. A cowboy from Texas. On the mountain. But now… he’s gone.”

  Valerie’s mouth opened but no words came out for a moment. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. I know it’s not like you to spend too much time on romance, outside of your books. Looks like you fell hard for this guy.”

  It was hard to admit, but it was true. Olivia nodded. “I guess I thought we had a chance. He was so kind and considerate. Maybe he just treats everyone that way.” She shrugged. “I don’t know, Val. It’s been over almost two weeks since I saw him last, and I just can’t get Memphis out of my head.”

  The waitress’s pale blue eyes were sympathetic. “Why don’t you go have a seat in your favorite booth, and I’ll bring you the biggest slice of apple pie a la mode we have available and a cup of your favorite coffee?”

  Managing a smile at her friend’s thoughtfulness, Olivia said, “Okay, thank you,” and headed for the booth in the back. She nodded a quiet hello to a few other people who seemed to know her and then sat down, pulling her laptop out of her bag, though she didn’t open it. Something told her Valerie might have a few more questions or words of encouragement.

  A few minutes later, Valerie approached, her promised treats in hand. “Here you go, hon,” she said, setting the coffee and pie on the table next to Olivia’s laptop.

  The vanilla ice cream on top of the pie was already beginning to melt, making little streams of milky goodness all through the crust, and Olivia’s stomach rumbled. “Thank you, Val,” she said as her friend slid into the booth across from her.

  “I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better.” The waitress had an expression of sympathy on her face, which did help a little, but Olivia knew it wouldn’t really mend her heart.

  “I guess this is why I never open up to anyone,” she admitted. “I’m always afraid I’ll get my heart broken, and I did.”

  “Maybe he’ll call you?” It was a question, and Valerie’s face looked hopeful.

  Olivia shook her head, and scooping a big bite of pie and ice cream into her mouth, she chewed and swallowed before she explained, “He doesn’t have my number.”

  “Maybe he’ll get it from the guy who owns the cabins.”

  “I don’t think Mr. Minter would give it to him, especially considering who I am.”

  “That’s true,” Valerie replied, as if she hadn’t thought of that. “Well, he could always go to your website.”

  “I guess so, Val. But I’d think if he was going to do that, he’d have done it by now.”

  “It might take him a few weeks to realize what he’s missing out on. You never know. Sometimes guys are dumb.”

  Olivia couldn’t help but chuckle. She wasn’t sure “dumb” was the right word, but members of the opposite gender sure did things that confused her. “Maybe so. I could’ve continued our friendship. He gave me the opportunity to do that. But I realized, I have enough friends. I don’t need another one. I need a man who is willing to…,” images of Memphis dragging her out of the stream, carrying her to safety, making her dinner all fluttered through her mind, “move mountains for me if that’s what it takes. I’ve written so many romance stories, I’ll never be happy until I find my own Elliott. And I’m not sure such a guy exists.”

  Valerie leaned over and patted her hand. “I completely understand, hon. You deserve someone who’s willing to do whatever it takes. If it isn’t this Memphis person, that just means he’s still out there.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think he exists.” Olivia sipped her coffee. At least the warm beverage still made her happy.

  Her friend must have known there was nothing she could say in response to that comment. With an encouraging smile she said, “I’ll come check on you in a little bit, sweetie.”

  Olivia thanked her and watched her go before returning her attention to the pie. Food might not have any answers, but it did have a way of making her feel better. She couldn’t eat the whole piece, however, so once she had her fill, she slid the plate to the edge of the table and opened her laptop. Hopefully, losing herself in her story would take her mind off of Memphis. Eventually, she knew the heartache would fade, and talking to her friend had helped. Maybe talking to her friends inside of her story would help as well.

  ***

  Finding the diner hadn’t been that difficult once he’d made his way into the downtown area of Charles Town. He was tired and probably looked haggard from driving for almost a full day straight, only stopping for food and gas, but once he’d made up his mind, nothing was going to stop him.

  There were two locations he would check first. She’d mentioned the bakery and the diner. Hopefully, someone inside of the diner could point him in the right direction or at least give him her phone number. While he was sure her friends would be leery of giving her personal information to a stranger, surely once they heard his story they’d be willing to comply.

  Two weeks back at work, and he couldn’t get Olivia off of his mind. Though he’d hoped that his obsession with the beautiful blonde would fade once he was back in his element, thoughts of her had only grown stronger. Then, finally, the day before last, he’d had an epiphany. He didn’t want to live his life without Olivia in it, no matter what that meant. Maybe she’d break his heart—or maybe they’d live a fairytale life together—either way, he had to find out, and that wasn’t the sort of thing one did over the phone.

  He pushed the door to Bishop’s Diner open and a bell sounded. Before him was a counter with a cash register and a few empty barstools. He glanced around the booths closest to the door and saw only a handful of people eating a late lunch or early dinner. The woman behind the counter looked friendly enough, so he approached her. “Pardon me, miss, do you happen to know Olivia Kensington?”

  The blonde’s mouth dropped open, and she nearly spilt the coffee she was pouring. “Olivia?” she repeated once her initial shock seemed to pass. “You’re looking for Olivia?”

  “Yes, miss,” he replied. “You know her then?”

  “Oh, I know her,” the waitress replied.

  “I know you’re probably not supposed to give out personal information but….”

  “Memphis?”

  The question came from behind him and from his right. He steeled himself before turning. About halfway down the aisle, there she was, staring at him with wide blue eyes. “Olivia.”

  “Wh-what are you doing here?” she asked, freezing in place.

  He took a few tentative steps toward her. “I had to see you.”

  “Why?”

  He was just in front of her now, and she wasn’t backing away. “I had to let you know how I feel about you.”

  “But… you live in Texas. And I live here. You were right. It could never work.”

  “Olivia, I am willing to do whatever it takes to be with you. I was… an idiot before. I was so afraid of getting my heart broken again, I didn’t realize what I had in front of me. The perfect woman, the perfect chance at a lifetime of love and happiness.”

  “But what about your job?”

  “I can get another job.”

  “What about Texas?”

  “That’s just geography.” He slowly reached out and put his hands on her upper arms. “Olivia, I love you. I am so sorry I didn’t tell you before,
but I mean it. With all of my heart. I may not be one of the heroes you’ve been writing about all these years, but I can guarantee, if you’ll let me, I’ll love you until the day I die.”

  Tears began to slip down her cheeks. “You mean it?” Olivia asked, a smile breaking across her beautiful face.

  “I do. And I intend to show you how much I love you every day for the rest of my life.”

  “I love you, too,” Olivia said as the tears continued to fall.

  Memphis closed his eyes, fighting back his own tears. Hearing her say those words made all the heartache go away. All the scars and trepidations of the past, including his break up with Ellen, quitting his job, and driving halfway across the country, all melted at the sound of her confession. “It might not be midnight on New Year’s Eve, Liv, but this day marks a new beginning. The start of our new life together.” He took off his hat and pulled her close, and as she tipped her head up, he pressed his lips to hers. Weeks of wondering what those luscious lips must feel like were nothing compared to tasting them now. A thousand lifetimes of kissing her wouldn’t be enough.

  A roar of applause interrupted them, and Memphis pulled back, looking around as all of the patrons and employees were on their feet clapping. He looked back at Olivia, and though she was smiling, her face was a little red. “Sorry,” he muttered, but he really didn’t mean it. He’d gladly kiss her again anytime anywhere.

  “Don’t be sorry,” she said. “I’m so glad you found me. Not just here, either, but also on the mountain in the winter woods.”

  “Me, too,” Memphis nodded. “And I promise you, I am never going to lose you again.” With those words, he leaned in and kissed her once more, knowing they’d share a lifetime of joy and happiness together for decades to come, starting with this moment, their very own New Year’s redemption.

  The End

  A Note From the Author:

  Thank you so much for reading Winter Woods! I hope that you found Olivia and Memphis’s story to be heartwarming. Please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers to know whether or not this book is right for them. They also let me know what you like about the series. There are eight more books to come, so I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave your review here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077VZ1597/

  The next book in the series, Waiting On Love, will be released in January 2018. Valerie, a waitress at Bishop’s Diner, watches as all of her friends seem to be falling in love. One day at work, she casually remarks that she wishes it was her turn to find someone special. When gifts from a secret admirer began to show up at the diner, Valerie thinks this Valentine’s Day might be one to remember. Will she find true love at last?

  Make sure you don’t miss a single novel in the Heartwarming Holiday Sweet Romance series! Sign up for my newsletter, which I send out about twice a month. I’d love to connect with you! http://eepurl.com/c9UrGP

  If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, you can find Melody’s Christmas here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076RVXNKN

  and Christmas Cocoa here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0774JNWXN/

  I write in several genres, including historical romance, paranormal romance, and sweet contemporary romance. To check out other titles, please visit my author page here: https://www.amazon.com/ID-Johnson/e/B00MSH4KFE/

  Thanks again for your continued support!

  This book is dedicated to my friend Patty who is a bright light to everyone blessed enough to know her.

  Special thanks to my amazing editor Lauren Yearsley Morgan and my family!

  Cover design by JC Clark at The Graphics Shed: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheGraphicsShed