Countdown to First Night: Winter's HeartSnowbound at New YearA Kiss at Midnight

by Jillian Hart

  He broke away. “That’s the best kiss I’ve ever had.” Unaware what he was doing to her, he offered her a half grin. “That definitely makes us even. Your break is ticking by, just like your time here. Let’s make the most of it—my stomach’s rumbling.”

  “Like a grizzly,” Caleb chimed in, taking Ronan by the hand. “C’mon, we’re gonna eat.”

  “In the indoor mall,” Granny chimed in, as she handed the picnic basket to Robert and took Riley’s hand. “It’ll be fun to listen to the band warm up while we eat.”

  “Sounds perfect.” Shelby pasted on what she hoped was the smile she always wore, because she didn’t know how everything could change just like that. In one instant, with a single chaste kiss.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  AFTER THE OPENING lowering-of-the-ball ceremony—presided over by the mayor and his special guest, the children’s-book author—families celebrated in the streets all afternoon. Ronan’s tasks kept him focused, but nothing, not one thing, could make him forget Shelby’s kiss. He felt like the man he used to be every time he caught sight of her through the swirling snow. There she was now, handing over a pair of cupcakes, chatting with customers, turning around to pour a cup of hot tea.

  Knowing she would have the life she wanted, to support and raise her children, that was what mattered. That was what he wanted, too.

  Not true, he corrected himself as he forced his boots to carry him forward, away from her. What he wanted was for her to stay in Snow Falls and to show her over and over again that if she had a problem, he’d be there for her come rain, snow or flood. The end of the world could not stop his devotion to her.

  “Ronan!” Caleb appeared out of the snow, speckled with white, his face painted like his favorite superhero. Jolie Godwin had done an amazing job. “Story time was cool. The author lady was real nice.”

  “Where you headed off to next?”

  “We’re gonna see Mom.” The kid reached out. “C’mon. You gotta come with us.”

  Once he felt Caleb’s smaller fingers curl around his, he was a goner. Riley broke away from Georgia and Robert, who both greeted him, and bolted over to take his other hand.

  “Mom’s savin’ us the best cupcakes.” Riley had her mother’s smile, wide and dimpled. “The ones with the most frosting.”

  “Well, guess we can’t miss that.” He’d been avoiding Shelby for the past handful of hours since they’d shared lunch. It had been torture sitting next to her at the table. It had been everything he wanted. Wyoming was so far away. “I’m partial to lots of frosting.”

  “It’s the best part.” Riley skipped along, her face painted in alternating black and yellow stripes. Her nose was berry pink. “Mama!”

  “There’s my two.” Shelby handed over a steaming cup to the sole customer at the counter before she zipped around to hug them.

  “Look, I’m a honeybee.” Riley dashed into her mother’s arms.

  “And look at me! Don’t get caught in my web.” Caleb rushed in to join the hug.

  “Goodness, I feel safe knowing you’re around.” She kissed the tops of their heads.

  “They make a nice picture, don’t they?” Georgia sidled in.

  Likely as not, his longing showed on his face.

  “Yessir, they do make a fine picture,” Robert answered thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. “I remember when my family was young like that. Time passes so quickly. Before you know it, they’re grown and gone.”

  “That’s the truth, Robert.” Georgia’s voice held a sly note, as if she had everything figured out. “You have to grab hold of those precious years while you can, or love passes you by. Or leaves for Wyoming.”

  “Right.” Ronan couldn’t deny that. Tomorrow Shelby would pack up her car, make sure the kids were buckled in and hug Georgia goodbye. Would he watch from the shelter of his house, as if not actually saying goodbye to her would hurt less?

  “Ronan, my handsome nephew!” Jules leaned on the counter, looking happier than he’d ever seen her. Likely she’d put two and two together, like Georgia. “It figures you’d be still hanging out with this bunch. I spotted you having lunch together when I was hunting down the mayor. Didn’t stop to say hey, but you seemed to be having a good time.”

  “It was just passable,” he fibbed, earning Georgia’s smile and his aunt’s eye roll.

  “Look at him, always playing things down. Stoic, that’s our Ronan. Georgia and Robert, come up here and order. It’s on the house. We’re doing a booming business. I hear you found Shelby a job, Ronan.”

  “Just knew some people, that’s all.” His throat closed up, making it nearly impossible to talk.

  She handed over two brightly decorated cupcakes to her kids, and then she turned to him. “Ronan. I saved the best for you. It’s not ice cream, but considering this snow—”

  “It’s definitely too cold for that,” he finished for her. A band started up somewhere nearby, the melody and harmony, the bass and the drums beat like a heartbeat.

  “This tea ought to warm you up.” She held out a paper cup along with the cupcake. “I’ve spotted you walking around, keeping your eye out for trouble and answering questions.”

  “Just doing my job.” He took the offerings. “Cream cheese frosting. That’s my favorite.”

  “I grilled Jules.” All she could think about was the kiss, different from the one she’d planted on his cheek on her first night in town.

  “Jules survived, so the interrogation couldn’t have been too tough.” His expressive eyes crinkled at the corners. “Looks like your kids are having fun.”

  “Are you kidding? They’re having the time of their lives with Granny, but then who doesn’t, right?” She tore her gaze from the man before her. Somehow she managed to focus on the foursome, of Granny holding Riley’s hot chocolate and Robert talking superhero characters with Caleb. “It’s funny how things work out.”

  “What do you mean?” Ronan leaned in, his voice deep and low, only for her.

  She shivered. “If my savings account had been able to stretch another month, if I’d decided to stay with Paul’s mom instead of my grandmother, if that tire hadn’t given out when it did... Then none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t be here. You couldn’t have stopped to help. We wouldn’t be standing here together, you and I.”

  “True. I’m thankful we are.” He reached out, cupping her face as naturally as if he’d been made to do it. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be owing me, what, a whole gallon of ice cream?”

  “That’s a fair estimate.” And she owed him so much more. She wanted to give him so much more. She could feel his unspoken affection as clear as her own.

  At lunch, she’d texted Ronan’s friend’s father in Wyoming and they needed her to start in five days if she wanted the job. Five days to drive, find a place to stay and someone to watch the kids. That job, that lifeline, was the only certain future she had. “I can see my life changing, and it’s because of you, Ronan.”

  “Just returning the favor.” His hand remained, cradling the side of her cheek. There was something in his gaze, something hidden, like a secret he didn’t want to share, but she knew what it was. That secret was in her heart, too. Her love for him.

  “Shelby?” Jules called as if from a great distance. “I hate to interrupt, but we’re getting swamped here.”

  “Right.” She blinked, realizing she wasn’t alone with Ronan. Revelers filled the streets. Kids called out, rushing by on their way to the theater. Families sauntered by, stopping to get in line for cupcakes and hot drinks. The thudding bass and percussion from the nearby band punctuated her movements as she pulled away from Ronan. “Guess I’d better get back to work.”

  “Sure.” He nodded, backed away. The veil of snow swallowed him, leaving her bereft when all she wanted, all she needed, was him.

 
* * *

  HE HEARD SHELBY’S VOICE above all the others. He stood just out of sight, feeling flecks of snow strike his face. Tomorrow she’d be gone.

  “Excuse me, Officer.” An out-of-towner approached with his wife and two grade-school-age kids. “Can you point us in the direction of the library?”

  “Just up the street. Follow the banners, and you can’t miss it.” Ronan smiled. The family looked happy together, hurrying along until the snowfall closed around them.

  Remembering her kiss on his cheek, his feet carried him forward. The snow broke apart, guiding him to where she stood, huddled near a small space heater in the booth, sipping at hot chocolate between customers. She lit up as she saw him.

  “Ronan.” She left her cup behind, stepping into the downfall that dappled her with flecks of white. When he took her hands in his, he felt whole. Home.

  “I have a confession to make.” He’d always had great difficulty speaking what was closest to his heart, but now she made it easy, as natural as breathing. “I regret finding you that job.”

  “You do?” Surprise widened her unguarded eyes, and in them he saw his future. Their future. She bit her bottom lip, maybe opening up this much was hard for her, too. She took a gulp of air. “I confess. I’m feeling the same way.”

  “Then don’t go.” He brought her hands to his chest where his heart beat frantically for her, and for her alone. “Stay with me.”

  “Believe me, I’d like to, but I need that job. The way I feel about you—” She didn’t finish her thought. She ducked her chin, hiding her expression from him.

  Didn’t she know she could never hide, not from him. He caught her chin with one hand, nudging it upward until their gazes met.

  “I love you, Shelby.” No words had ever felt as right or as honest. “I love your kids. I know you need that job, but I’ve come to realize I need you more.”

  “You’re breaking my heart.” She blinked hard against the tears welling in her eyes. “Telling me this when I’m planning to leave tomorrow. I have to go. We could email, talk on the phone, maybe visit now and then.”

  “No, that’s not enough.” He drew himself up full height—strong, breathtaking, masculine. “You are too much to lose. I see only two alternatives. I give up my job and come with you. Or you stay here. Either way is fine with me because I want to be with you forever.”

  “You do?” Her kneecaps wobbled, threatened to turn to jelly. Good thing he was right there so she could lean on him for support. He held her firmly, his hands cupping her elbows, the kind of man who would never let her fall. She had never thought she could have love again. “Forever is a long time. Are you sure you want to put up with me for that long?”

  “More sure than I’ve been about anything.” Smoky, tender, dreamy, that voice. “You’ve brought me back to life, Shelby. You’re everything I’ve ever dreamed of and I’ve had a crush on you since I was ten years old. That’s proof my love for you will last. I want to spend the rest of my life making you, Caleb and Riley happy. Will you marry me?”

  “I would be crazy not to, since I love you so much. I do love you.” She stood on tiptoe, and their lips met for their first real kiss. His lips brushed hers gently, reverently, the way a happily-ever-after kiss should be. When he pulled back, his gaze held hers adoringly and she read her future there. A loving marriage, a happy family and each day bright with the joy only true love could bring.

  Happy beyond imagining, and this was just the beginning. A new beginning. She let Ronan fold her into his arms, against the steely plane of his chest, and held on to him tightly, to this man who had changed her life with his love, with his heart.

  EPILOGUE

  One year, six hours later

  “DAD!” CALEB’S CALL echoed across the night. Shelby Winters blinked snowflakes off her lashes and watched her son lead the way along the crest of the bunny hill. He looked victorious. “I can’t believe you lost again.”

  “What can I say? I had a bad run. I challenge you to one more showdown.” The steady line of Ronan’s wide shoulders emerged from the snowfall. His chiseled face brightened when he spotted her. “Hello, beautiful. What are you doing out in this cold in your condition? You should be up in the warm lodge. How did Georgia and Robert let you out of their sight?”

  “They were so caught up in each other, I was a third wheel.” Shelby thought of her granny, happy with her very serious beau. Robert had begun a sweet old-fashioned courtship that had thoroughly swept Georgia off her feet. After so many years alone, Granny deserved all the happiness and love she could get. The bonus was that in living across the street, Shelby got to personally spy on—er, witness—those flower deliveries, gifts and summer evenings the couple spent together on the porch swing. Robert had confessed to Shelby just last night that he’d bought an engagement ring, with a proposal to follow shortly.

  There was a lot of happiness to go around. Joy filled her as Ronan ambled up, plopped his inner tube on the ground, steadied it with his foot and laid a gloved hand on her rounded stomach. Their baby girl was due in February.

  “No way, I’m the master.” Riley’s voice bubbled with laughter as she tromped up to nudge her brother in the side. Caleb laughed back, issuing a challenge. The delight of her children was the best sound in the world.

  “Are you sure it isn’t too cold out here for you?” Ronan shielded her from the wind, towering over her, her love, her life, her entire world. “I worry about you.”

  “I’m fine.” Blissful. That’s how she always felt now as Ronan’s wife. They’d married in early January, since she’d turned down that job in Wyoming, and worked part-time with Jules when an employee moved back to Denver to be with family. Just as she’d imagined, her life with Ronan had been flawless. They were a perfect match, kindred spirits, mirrored souls.

  “I had to come and see the fireworks with you.” She could hear the countdown echoing down the hillside to the town below as the moment of midnight grew near. Folks out on Wildwood’s balcony joined in, ticking off the seconds as the best year of her life came to an end, and a new one was about to begin.

  “I love you with all my heart.” She tipped her face up for his kiss.

  “I love you with all of mine.” He leaned in, wrapped her in his arms, and the world melted away. As cheers rose up and fireworks exploded, their lips met. Snow fell over them like a promise, a promise of great happiness on this first night and on every night of their lives to come.

  * * * * *

  SNOWBOUND AT NEW YEAR

  Margaret Daley

  To Jillian Hart and Brenda Minton, two wonderful writers that I had the honor of working with on this anthology.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  CHAPTER ONE

  THIS IS NOT WORKING.

  Ellie Summers slammed down the drawing she held on to the bed beside her and bolted to her feet. Pacing to her window at Wildwood Lodge in Snow Falls, Colorado, she stared out at the blanket of snow that covered the ground. Perfect for skiers, but not for this Southern gal. The roads were clear, however, and that was all she needed. Early this morning she’d driven from the hotel airport in Denver. She could drive a little farther and meet with Brody Kincaid, her new illustrator. Who was not working out as she’d thought he would.

  Swinging around, she stared at the drawing lying on top of two others, his third attempt to illustrate her newest book in the Barnyard Town series. She needed it settled today. The book had to go to production in six weeks. If he didn’t work out...

  She snatched up the drawings, her purse and heavy coat, then headed toward the parking lot of the lodge. In her rented car with four-wheel drive
, she punched Brody Kincaid’s address into the GPS system. They were supposed to meet on January 2, two days after the First Night celebration. Well, she was moving up the meeting, and one way or another their partnership would be settled by the end of the day. She couldn’t imagine him not being at his home. From all accounts from John McCoy, her friend and previous illustrator, Brody Kincaid loved living on top of a mountain, practically a hermit, and she knew from the staff at the lodge that he had delivered the manila envelope with the illustrations the evening before.

  By the time she reached the halfway mark to Brody’s house, a light snow had begun to fall. Life did not come to a standstill in Colorado when it snowed. She would be fine as long as she took it slow. By the time she passed the sign giving the altitude at seven thousand feet above sea level, snow covered the road, but her car was handling it well and hardly anyone else was out.

  One glance at the drawings on the seat next to her urged her to get this impromptu meeting over with. Communicating by phone and computer obviously wasn’t working. Maybe face-to-face would. She turned on the radio to catch the weather report.

  Fifteen minutes later, Ellie gripped the steering wheel so tightly her hands ached from her death hold. Going ten miles an hour, the car crept up the mountain. At least she didn’t have to worry about someone crashing into her—she hadn’t seen anyone else since the halfway mark. If she went slowly, she could make it. The weatherman had said the snow wouldn’t last. By afternoon she’d be safely back at Wildwood Lodge and sitting in front of the large fireplace in the lobby sipping a warm drink. Mission accomplished.

  She leaned closer to the steering wheel, squinting as though that would help her see better through the ever-increasing swirling snow—as if someone had shaken a snow globe. Turning around at this point was not an option. As she inched up the mountain, she bemoaned her impulsive nature. What if he wasn’t home, after all? She hadn’t seen a house in a while. When John had said Brody lived on top of the mountain, he must have really meant on top.