Sleigh Bells Ring in Romance

by Shanna Hatfield

  The barest hint of a smile appeared on her quivering lips.

  “The question you need to answer is this: are you willing to miss out on what might be because you are a coward?”

  She scowled at him and turned back around to look outside. “I’m not a coward, Jess Milne. It’s just silly for people our age to think they’re falling in love. The emotions and longings are impossible to believe.”

  “Impossible? What’s impossible?” he asked, placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her to face him.

  “Us. This. Whatever it is between us,” she said, motioning between the two of them. “What I feel for you can’t be real, can’t be possible, because it’s just too big, too grand, too much.”

  He pulled her against his chest and kissed the top of her head. “Why don’t you focus some of that amazing energy of yours on thinking of what our future together might be like instead of deciding what we feel for each other is make-believe? Anything is possible if you truly believe with all your heart.” He tipped her chin up and smiled at her. “Don’t you give up on you and me, Doris. I love you more than I ever dreamed it possible to love another woman after Julia. I need you with every breath I breathe. If you don’t know by now how much I love you, then maybe this will clear things up once and for all.”

  Jess captured her lips with a fervent, driven kiss that said far more than mere words could ever express. Mercy! Kissing this woman was more decadent than he’d imagined. Apparently, passion wasn’t something he’d grown too old to feel as he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.

  When her arms slipped around his neck and she whispered his name, he knew he’d won.

  “Marry me, Doris. Let me make however many years we have left together as magical as they can be. Say yes, baby.”

  “Yes, Jess. I’ll marry you,” she said, kissing him again and holding him so close, he could feel her heart galloping, keeping time to his own.

  “When?” he asked, kissing her cheeks, her nose, her neck.

  “As soon as we can get a license. How about New Year’s Eve?”

  “I’ll do my best to restrain myself until then,” he said, leaning back and waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  “You perverted old coot. I should have left you out in the cold,” she said. Although she smacked his chest, the touch was playful and turned into a caress. “You’re a handsome, handsome man, Jess Milne, and I can’t think of any finer. I do love you, so much.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” He took the ring box out of his coat pocket, opened the lid and held out the ring nestled on a bed of black velvet. A white gold band, set with diamonds and sapphires glittered in the light shining from the nearby lamp.

  “Oh, Jess, it’s beautiful.” Tears again filled her eyes as Jess took the ring and slid it on her finger.

  “I do love you so, Doris.” He kissed her sweetly, softly. “Now, what do you say we go for a little sleigh ride then head back to my place. We’re too late to make Chase and Izzy’s wedding, but we could have a little fun playing Santa over at your house.”

  “I’d love it, Jess, and I love you.”

  He helped Doris bundle into her coat then tugged on his own. They turned off the lights then hurried out to the sleigh. Jess had left a blanket on the seat to keep snow from covering it. Doris picked up the blanket and shook off the snow. Once she took a seat and he slid in next to her, he lifted two dry blankets from the stack on the floor and covered their laps, then pointed to the basket of food.

  “If you’re hungry, I packed a few snacks.”

  “You thought of everything, didn’t you?” She pulled a cookie from a resealable bag and held it out to him before taking one. “Were you so certain you’d convince me to see things your way?”

  He kissed her cheek and grinned. “I wasn’t leaving here until you did. Besides, Blayne is nearly as determined as I am that we should be together.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t give up, Jess. Thank you for loving me even when I haven’t been very loveable.”

  “I love you, Doris, no matter what.” He held up an arm and smirked at her. “Now, snuggle up close, baby. We’re engaged and we can do that sort of thing, you know.”

  She laughed but pressed nearer to his side and rested her head against his chest. “I think this should be known as the Christmas Eve full of miracles and snow.”

  “And sleigh bells,” Jess said as the horses trotted across the pasture back toward his place. “Just listen to those sleigh bells ring, bringing hope and cheer, and the promise of love.”

  Recipe

  Chocolate Fudge and Mint Cookies

  1 chocolate fudge cake mix (18.25 ounce)

  1/2 cup butter, melted

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  2 eggs

  1 bag Hershey’s peppermint kisses

  powdered sugar

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  Cream together eggs and butter. Add vanilla then mix in cake mix. Drop dough by rounded teaspoon onto a baking sheet. Place an unwrapped kiss in the center of each cookie.

  Bake about 6-8 minutes until cookies are just set but not cooked through. Remove from oven and leave on pan until cool. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

  This recipe will make approximately 70 mini cookies or about 30 regular-sized cookies.

  Author’s Note

  Thank you for coming along on another adventure to Romance, Oregon. Even as I wrote Blown Into Romance creating Blayne and Brooke’s happily-ever-after, the thought that Doris needed a happy ending kept niggling the back of my mind.

  When a group of us from the Welcome to Romance collection decided to write a Christmas in Romance series, my thoughts kept circling back around to Doris and her neighbor Jess Milne.

  Just because a couple is older, doesn’t mean they can’t experience the same feelings they might have when they were younger.

  You might have noticed at the beginning of the book, I dedicated this story to my parents. They are getting close to celebrating seventy years of marriage. Talk about true and lasting love. Around the time of their anniversary I heard on the radio about a couple who’d just celebrated their 80th anniversary. I told Dad he had a new goal to shoot for.

  Joking aside, though, I love to see older couples in love. It just makes me smile and warms my heart. So thank you to all of those who have given great examples of love lasting through the years… and those who’ve found love a second time around in their golden years.

  I’m also giving a shout-out to Judy E. for naming Pigtails! Thank you, Judy, for the name and inspiration for a fun little character! She fit right in with all the other piggies running around the Rockin’ G Ranch.

  A few little tidbits of inspiration I want to share include the car Jess drove to pick up Julia for his first date. My dad has a gorgeous old 1959 Chevy he sometimes drives in parades, or just for fun. Although it isn’t a coupe, the turquoise color inspired my vision of Jess driving his dad’s car to pick up Julia.

  We had a 4320 John Deere four-wheel drive tractor on the farm when I was growing up and I thought it would be fun to mention it as something that reminds Blayne of his grandfather because the mere sight of one makes me think of fun times spent with my dad. According to Dad, he bought the tractor at an auction at such a low price, a John Deere salesman later told him he practically stole the tractor.

  And like Janet riding with Jess in the swather, I often spent my summer days with dad when I was small enough to curl up on the floor of the swather on a blanket with a supply of candy and a doll or a book.

  I hope you enjoyed this sweet holiday story and I hope, too, that you’ll read the other five books in this series.

  Melanie D. Snitker wrote A Merry Miracle in Romance, book 2, and a little excerpt is included in this book. Be sure to check it out!

  For more details about the visuals that inspired this story, be sure to visit my Pinterest board:

  https://www.pinterest.com/shannahatfield/books-sleigh-bells-ring/

&nb
sp; As always, thank you for coming along on a reading adventure with me.

  Wishing you and yours a beautiful holiday season full of love!

  BY MELANIE D. SNITKER

  An excerpt…

  The moment Baxter Reid pushed the door open, the scent of cookies, cupcakes, and coffee hit him hard. He breathed in deep. Though he wasn’t one who normally went for fancy coffee, someone told him they made an incredible peppermint hot chocolate here. Everyone had their weakness, and for Baxter, it was peppermint.

  He got in line and took in the variety of cookies and pastries in the display cabinet as he slowly made his way closer to the counter. When there were only two people in line in front of him, the sound of a voice jerked his attention to the register. He’d know that voice anywhere.

  Sure enough, there stood Savannah. He chuckled and shook his head at the irony. He’d teased the girl mercilessly growing up, and they’d had many an argument yelled over the common fence between his grandparents’ house and hers. Truthfully, he’d missed their banters when his family moved to Salem and he no longer visited his grandparents regularly like he used to.

  He’d just moved back to Romance. Partly because he missed the small-town atmosphere and partly because he missed his grandparents. A lot of it had to do with breaking a cycle of somehow dating all the wrong women. Okay, and maybe a little of it was because he was curious how the girl next door had turned out.

  Savannah hadn’t noticed him yet, giving Baxter a few minutes to watch. She still had the same gorgeous black hair and eyes like pools of dark chocolate. She’d never been a petite girl, but even then, her little girl figure had been replaced with womanly curves. Savannah smiled brightly at something her customer said. It was a smile he’d often wished he could elicit from her instead of the constant look of annoyance he normally received.

  He thought about all the ways he would try to aggravate her and wished he could go back in time and slap himself. If he could give his younger self some advice, it’d be that the way to make the cute girl next door notice him wasn’t to annoy her ruthlessly.

  The woman in front of him stepped to the side, making way for Baxter to approach the counter.

  “I’ll be right with you.” Savannah spoke over her shoulder as she slipped a muffin into a paper bag. As soon as she handed it to her customer, she turned back with a smile on her face. The moment she recognized him, her smile faltered. “Baxter.”

  Her disappointment shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did. “Hey, Savannah. I didn’t realize you worked here.”

  “I have been for about five years now.” She shrugged. “So what can I get for you?”

  “Someone recommended the peppermint hot chocolate, so I thought I’d give it a try.” When she didn’t respond, he added, “Please.”

  “Sure.” She quoted him a price. He paid with a five and then dropped the change into the jar on the counter.

  Without another word, Savannah got started on the drink, and Baxter moved out of the way so the next customer could approach the counter.

  She was methodical as she worked, as though she’d memorized every step and probably never deviated from the exact order of things. That sounded like Savannah.

  How many times had he teased her about being the over-careful goodie-goodie when they were kids? All of that time goading her had been a lot of fun, but looking back, he realized he might have gone a little too far. Especially if the less-than-enthusiastic way in which she greeted him was any indication.

  Baxter had a huge crush on her back in the day. He’d thought of her from time to time in the years he’d lived away from Romance. Had she thought of him at all?

  “Here you go.”

  Baxter accepted the warm cup and took a tentative sip. The chocolate-to-mint ratio was perfect. “This is great. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” She hesitated as though she might ask him something. She covered it by picking up a napkin and handing it to him. “Enjoy the drink and have a great day.”

  “Yeah. You, too.” Baxter watched as she turned to help the next customer. Banking the many questions he had about what she’d been up to in the last eight years, he left the pastry shop and stepped onto the sidewalk.

  The biting cold air hit him immediately, and he was glad to have the warm cup of liquid in his hands. The temperatures had hovered a few degrees above freezing for several days. Thankfully, it should warm up a little tomorrow. Baxter had never been a huge fan of winter weather, so the less snow and ice, the better.

  Although he wasn’t sure which was colder: The temperatures outside, or the shoulder Savannah had given him.

  The hot chocolate was enough to return to the pastry shop, but he probably would go back again even if he hated it…

  Order your copy of A Merry Miracle in Romance today!

  Celebrate Christmas in Romance

  Welcome to Romance — an Oregon town where love lingers around every corner and residents pull out all the stops for Christmas in Romance.

  Between odd animals, lost loves, second chances, hidden identities, a secret Santa, and bickering senior citizens, it might just take a miracle to bring everyone a happily-ever-after for the holidays.

  Settle in a chair by the fire, sip a cup of hot cocoa, and immerse yourself in the friendly town of Romance with this series of six sweet Christmas novellas from bestselling and award-winning authors.

  Sleigh Bells Ring in Romance by Shanna Hatfield - A determined widow and a persistent rancher need a nudge toward love.

  A Merry Miracle in Romance by Melanie D. Snitker - It’ll take a Christmas miracle to turn a grudging friendship into true love.

  Holding Onto Love in Romance by Liwen Y. Ho - A small town inn owner and a big time pop star need a reason to keep holding onto love.

  A Reel Christmas in Romance by J. J. DiBenedetto - Unwittingly engaged in the plot of a classic Hollywood romance, can two email pen-pals find their way to a happy ending?

  A Christmas Carol in Romance by Franky A. Brown - A bitter-on-love radio DJ and his girlfriend of romance past need a second chance.

  Santa’s Visit in Romance by Jessica L. Elliott - Santa's got his work cut out for him to help a reluctant couple find love during the holidays.

  Find out more about Romance, Oregon on Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/welcometoromance/

  Don’t miss out on the other Welcome to Romance stories!

  Blown Into Romance — Artist Brooke Roberts spent her life without roots, wandering from town to town. When she seeks refuge from a freak storm in the town of Romance, she decides to stay and open a blown glass studio. Determined to immerse herself in the community, she adopts a family of pigs. Brooke is unprepared for the chaos and comfort they bring to her world, or the dashing cowboy who rescues her heart.

  Solid, dependable Blayne Grundy runs a busy ranch, volunteers on various committees, and takes in stray animals too large to stay at the local animal rescue. Then a chance encounter with a beautiful, beguiling woman leaves him so befuddled, he can barely remember his own name. His predictable organized life is about to be blown away by free-spirited Brooke.

  A sweet, lighthearted novella, Blown Into Romance highlights the mighty power of love and letting go from USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield.

  Available on Amazon!

  Check out the entire Welcome to Romance series!

  Finding Forever in Romance by Melanie D. Snitker

  Lost in Romance by Stacy Claflin

  At Second Glance by Raine English

  Blown Into Romance by Shanna Hatfield

  Wired for Romance by Franky A. Brown

  Restoring Romance by Tamie Dearen

  Finding Dori by J.J. DeBenedetto

  Katie’s Chance for Romance by Jessica L. Elliott

  Chasing Romance by Liwen Y. Ho

  Lessons in Romance by Kit Morgan

  What Happened to Romance by Franky A. Brown

  Operation Romance by Jessica L. Elliott


  Romantically Ever After by Liwen Y. Ho

  Books by Shanna Hatfield

  FICTION

  HISTORICAL

  Baker City Brides

  Tad’s Treasure

  Crumpets and Cowpies

  Thimbles and Thistles

  Corsets and Cuffs

  Bobbins and Boots

  Lightning and Lawmen

  Pendleton Petticoats

  Dacey

  Aundy

  Caterina

  Ilsa

  Marnie

  Lacy

  Bertie

  Millie

  Dally

  Quinn

  Hearts of the War

  Garden of Her Heart

  Home of Her Heart

  Dream of Her Heart

  Hardman Holidays

  The Christmas Bargain

  The Christmas Token

  The Christmas Calamity

  The Christmas Vow

  The Christmas Quandary

  The Christmas Confection

  CONTEMPORARY

  Learnin’ The Ropes

  Love at the 20-Yard Line

  QR Code Killer

  Rose

  Grass Valley Cowboys

  The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan

  The Cowboy’s Spring Romance

  The Cowboy’s Summer Love

  The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall

  The Cowboy’s New Heart

  The Cowboy’s Last Goodbye

  Holiday Brides

  Valentine Bride

  Summer Bride

  Romance by Chance

  Taste of Tara

  Saving Mistletoe

  Rodeo Romance

  The Christmas Cowboy

  Wrestlin’ Christmas

  Capturing Christmas

  Barreling Through Christmas

  Chasing Christmas