Winter Wishes

by Fern Michaels

Michael glanced at his watch. “Five minutes to midnight,” he told the woman he loved. “Bring those glasses into the front room.”

  “So this is how it’s going to be. Now that you’ve got me, you’re bossing me around,” she teased, gathering the two flute glasses.

  Carrying the chilled bottle of champagne, he followed her, enjoying the straightness of her slender back, the sweet curve of her hips and butt. His. Yes, she was his. And he was hers. At some point soon, they’d stand up in her parents’ church with Cole beside them, and they’d make it official. Not that it got a whole lot more official than having a couple dozen residents of Blue Moon Harbor witness their bellowed declarations of love.

  By now, likely the entire island knew. The notion made him smile. His new home would take some getting used to, after the impersonality of Toronto.

  Another thought made him smile, too. “I’m glad Cole forgave me,” he said. When Michael had explained that he wanted to move to Blue Moon Harbor, set up his architecture firm here, and have the three of them become a family, his son had said, “Took you long enough to figure it out.” But then he’d thrown his arms around Michael and squeezed as hard as he could.

  Much as Michael loved his son and looked forward to all the days and years ahead, right now he was very glad that Jillian’s parents had invited the boy to spend the night—and that the door between this apartment and their house was firmly locked.

  Here, there was a fire in the fireplace, chilled champagne, and the woman he loved. It was only a couple of minutes to midnight. On the couch, his thigh touching hers, he eased the cork out of the bottle, poured carefully into two glasses, and handed her one. “When I came to Blue Moon Harbor, I didn’t know what I was looking for. How incredible it is that in this short time I’ve found a family and found love.”

  “Do you realize,” she said wonderingly, “we’ve had our own version of the twelve days of Christmas?”

  “You’re right. Each day there’s been a new gift, a new connection between us.” A revelation struck him. “Years ago, you said we had no foundation for building a family. I just realized, that’s what we’ve been doing since I came here. Building that foundation one moment, one day, one gift at a time.”

  “It’s a strong foundation, and it’ll grow even stronger.”

  He raised his glass. “Only ten seconds until midnight. Here’s to a new year, a new love, a new life together.”

  She clicked her glass against his. “A new year, a new love, a new life together.”

  They gazed into each other’s eyes and drank the toast. Then they put their glasses down and kissed deeply, intimately, a kiss full of promise.

  Second Chance Christmas

  JULES BENNETT

  Chapter One

  Ruby Blanton smoothed a hand down her emerald green sheath dress and wondered if she’d gotten too dressed up for this blind date. Considering the stranger waited on the other side of her cottage door, it was a little too late to worry.

  “Why do I agree to these things?” she muttered as she flicked the lock. The blind date from hell was inevitable considering she’d never had a successful one. But, here she was again, about to put herself out there for some guy who probably lived in his mother’s basement or thought Ruby would go home with him between dinner and dessert to continue on their time in private . . . sans clothes.

  Was it too late to back out and fake a stomach bug? Because thinking of the endless possibilities of how this could all end in disaster was giving her indigestion.

  Pulling in a deep breath, Ruby swung the door open. A gasp escaped her lips before she could suppress it. This blind date wasn’t a stranger at all. She hadn’t seen him in six years, but she’d recognize those bright blue eyes and that strong jawline anywhere.

  “Ruby?”

  She smiled, though nerves curled low in her belly. Knox Walker returned her smile and she was instantly thrust back to when she’d first met him . . . and the last time she’d seen him. Pain laced with anticipation and she had never felt more out of her comfort zone.

  “This is unexpected,” she replied.

  That was a vast understatement. The last time she’d seen him had been under heartbreaking circumstances—circumstances that had changed her life.

  Ruby had never forgotten him and had always wondered where he’d ended up. Never in her wildest imagination did she dream he’d be on her doorstep ready to take her for a night out.

  She’d expected a disaster of a date, but she truly had no clue now how this could even work out. Awkward, party of two? Your table is ready.

  “I . . .” Ruby shook her head, trying to find the right words. “I wasn’t sure whom to expect. Are you comfortable with this?”

  Knox stepped over the threshold and she mentally cringed at her poor manners of not inviting him in. If she hadn’t been so shocked, she would’ve been a bit more hospitable.

  Ruby moved out of the way as his large frame took up the entire space of her entryway. As he closed the door behind him, his eyes never left hers. Did he recognize her? Surely he did. Granted he’d been grieving and worried at the bedside of his wife when he first met Ruby, so maybe at that time he hadn’t paid Ruby any attention whatsoever.

  “I mean . . .” She hurried to backtrack and get her words caught up with the spiraling thoughts in her mind. “Do you know who I am?”

  Those perfectly shaped lips offered a wide smile that did much to ease her nerves, but ramped up her anxiety and attraction.

  “Of course I remember,” he informed her. His voice, smooth as whiskey, washed over her. “Are you uncomfortable? I don’t want to make this difficult. I had no clue you were my date.”

  Considering she’d been the midnight nurse to his ailing wife only six years ago, this was a tad rough. But he seemed like a completely different man. Not just his looks—he had slight wrinkles around his eyes now, and broader shoulders—but there was an aura about him that seemed much more peaceful.

  And there was a ruggedness about him she didn’t remember. He’d gotten broader, the fine wrinkles around his eyes and mouth more prominent, yet it all made him seem extremely distinguished. His hair was shorter, littered with a sprinkle of silver around the temples.

  No, she couldn’t be attracted to the man of a patient she’d taken care of... could she?

  “I guess I’m just shocked it was you on the other side of my door,” she admitted. “But if you’d rather cancel, I understand.”

  Knox shifted, stepping farther inside her entryway. “Quite a bit has happened since my wife passed. And I’m actually just looking for a friend and a fun night out. No pressure. If you want to still go, I can fill you in on the past six years.”

  Knox and his wife Lydia had always left a special place in Ruby’s life. Lydia was her first patient right after nursing school. Day in and day out, Ruby got to know the young couple. After Ruby had cared for her for five weeks, Lydia finally succumbed to her illness.

  Ruby hadn’t seen Knox since. She also hadn’t returned to that unit and had promptly asked to be transferred to the emergency department. She’d rather deal with broken bones and wounds than terminal patients every day.

  Now when she lost one, they had usually just been brought in and Ruby hadn’t gotten to know the family, hadn’t fallen in love with them. Ruby still mourned and grieved the loss of patients, but nothing like when Lydia had slipped away in the quiet hours of the morning.

  She shook away the memory that threatened to steal this moment and thrust her down a path she never wanted to revisit. It was obvious Knox had moved on, though she was sure he still struggled with the pain and lived with it daily. He was here and he was asking for a friend for the night. She wasn’t about to turn him away.

  “Well, if you’re okay with this, then I’m ready.” She reached beside him to grab her wrap coat from the hook beside the door. “At least this is already starting off as a better blind date than my last. He showed up driving his mother’s car and had her credit card to p
ay for our dinner.”

  “Who says I don’t have my mother’s credit card?” he joked.

  Ruby couldn’t help but laugh, and be thankful he’d lightened the mood with a bit of humor. Maybe this night would prove to be something magical and perfect. If they reconnected as friends, that would be so amazing.

  Knox held her coat open and adjusted it up over her shoulders once her arms were in. When his fingertips feathered innocently against the base of her neck, Ruby trembled and tried to ignore the unexpected jolt.

  “You had many bad blind dates?” he asked.

  Ruby tied the straps around her waist and turned to face him. “I’ve had enough, but the last one was such a disaster, I vowed never to do it again.”

  Yet she’d gone out and bought a brand new pair of shoes for this occasion. Hey, if she was going to be paired with a loser, she at least deserved a killer pair of heels, right?

  But she knew for a fact Knox wasn’t a loser. Granted she hadn’t seen him in years, but she didn’t believe the man she’d gotten to know at the side of his ailing wife would be anything less than amazing. Looks aside—and he was devastatingly handsome—Knox had been a great guy.

  He flashed that smile, showcasing his twin dimples. “What made you change your mind about giving another shot at a blind date?”

  “I trust Jackson’s judgment.”

  Jackson Morgan, pilot and part owner of the small airport in Haven, Georgia, was a good friend. He’d actually bought her old house when she decided to move closer to the hospital and park. He was a single father and her old house had been perfect for him and his adorable little girl. They’d struck up a friendship and he’d mentioned a new pilot who was in town for a short time. Ruby figured she needed the distraction because holidays simply weren’t as jolly as they used to be for her.

  “I’m renting a hangar from him for my plane,” Knox stated. “For the time being, at least.”

  Ruby picked up her purse and tucked it beneath her arm. “He mentioned a new pilot that had been in town a couple of months, but he didn’t give me a name or anything else. He was pretty vague, now that I think about it.”

  Not that Jackson knew their history. Maybe he hadn’t known all the details of Knox’s past life either.

  “Then I’m doubly glad you agreed.” Knox pulled the door open to let her pass through. “I joined the Navy after Lydia passed, became a Naval pilot, and decided to carry that over into civilian life. I’ve been out about two months now, but I still love the skies.”

  Wow, he hadn’t been kidding when he said quite a bit had changed since he’d last seen Ruby. She’d had no idea what happened to him after Lydia. Considering she’d been the nurse, there was no reason for her to have further contact. But she’d always wondered. Certain patients just stuck with you and, considering Lydia had been Ruby’s first terminal patient, her family had definitely held a special place.

  That whole period spanning several months had been such a crushing time for him . . . and for her as a new nurse.

  As Knox led her toward the drive where his truck was parked, he held on to her elbow to guide her through the snow. He was certainly a gentleman—that was a rarity considering her last few dates.

  “Your house is the only one on the block without lights.” He pulled the door to his truck open and glanced down to her. “You don’t like lights or you’re too busy to put them up? I’m not judging. I just put a wreath on my rental yesterday.”

  Since she was alone and her father had passed this time last year, she simply wasn’t in the mood for cheery decor. She’d wrestled up the tiny tree from the basement and plunked it in her living room corner. That was as far as she’d gone before she had herself a solitary pity party and had eaten half a roll of cookie dough.

  Putting that tree up was a ridiculous effort on her part. She’d ignored it for the past week. Ruby hadn’t even gotten the ornaments, lights, or any other decor out of storage.

  “I’ve been working some double shifts at the hospital and my time off is spent at the animal shelter walking dogs and cleaning kennels.”

  Wow. When she said that out loud her life seriously sounded boring. No wonder she was single. She was either assisting patients or playing with dogs. Not much room there for finding the man of her dreams, unless this faceless man appreciated a woman in scrubs or sweats. That was pretty much her wardrobe considering her job and her volunteer work. So this fun sheath and her new heels were quite the change of pace. Perhaps she should’ve greeted Knox as she usually looked so there would be no preconceived notions in the future.

  Wait. Future? They hadn’t even pulled from her drive and she was already thinking of more dates?

  Knox walked her to his truck and she couldn’t help but steal a glance at him. The lights from the decorated homes on her street illuminated his profile. This man exuded strength and sexiness and all the appeal she shouldn’t find attractive considering their unique history. But she did, and there was no denying her instant attraction.

  “I hope I’m not overdressed,” she told him, those nerves still getting the best of her. “I wasn’t really sure what to wear when you said dinner, but I tend to get excited when I can put on something other than scrubs or ratty T-shirts when I volunteer.”

  He assisted her up into the truck. “You look beautiful and perfect for where we’re going, but I would’ve even taken you in scrubs and ratty tees.”

  When he closed the door, Ruby smiled at the compliment. It had been a long time since someone called her beautiful. And when he said he’d take her in her crappy clothes, she truly believed him. Knox was a gentleman in every sense of the word. She needed to remember that he’d said he was looking for a friend. One day she’d like to settle down and marry, have some children, and make the family she’d always wanted.

  She rarely had an evening off, so for tonight, she’d just enjoy the company and not worry about anything else . . . especially the way she still had those nerves swirling through her. Knox was beyond handsome and that sliver of a touch earlier still had her tingling.

  * * *

  Knox had had no clue his blind date was going to be Ruby. This was his first date since coming back stateside. He’d meant it when he said he was only looking for a fun night out, but one look at Ruby in that green dress and all the air had vanished from his lungs. The black, strappy heels she wore accentuated her toned legs. He shouldn’t be admiring her this much, shouldn’t be relishing in that instant attraction, but he was a guy and she was one very beautiful woman.

  When he’d helped her with her coat and her sweet floral scent had surrounded him, it was all he could do not to lean down and nuzzle the side of her neck.

  Thankfully he had self-control, because that action most likely would’ve creeped her out . . . as it should’ve, because they were still virtual strangers.

  The sweet nurse who had comforted him during the most trying time of his life was now in his truck and wreaking havoc on his emotions. She looked too damn good and he was struggling with the fact he wasn’t looking for anything other than a friend while he was in town. All too soon he’d be moving on anyway.

  Knox maneuvered through the streets and headed toward the restaurant in the next town over. He’d heard great things about Plantation House, a five-star restaurant that opened while he’d been overseas, and he was eager to try it. It may have been a bit much for the first date, but he didn’t care. He wanted to do things right and have a good time. Just because he wasn’t looking for something serious didn’t mean he would take his date to some fast-food joint. And with the way Ruby looked, the way she smelled, he was glad he’d gone all out and made reservations.

  “So you’re still a nurse at the hospital?” he asked.

  The dash lights lit up Ruby’s face, showcasing those pink lips and long lashes. His gut tightened and he was having a difficult time focusing on anything else.

  Eyes on the road.

  She was even more stunning than he’d remembered. Granted that
time in his life when he’d met her was a blur and not too many details remained. But he did recall her gentle bedside manner, her compassion, and her concern for her patients. Ruby was undoubtedly a phenomenal nurse.

  In all honesty, he wasn’t sorry she was his date. Their history put them already at an advantage, if you looked at it from that angle, which he did. He didn’t have to pretend anything and he didn’t expect her to, either. As crazy as it sounded, there was already a deeper bond between them than most first dates.

  “I’ve moved to the ER,” she told him. “I’m usually put in the trauma department there. Car wrecks, gunshot wounds—not that we have many, but they’re usually accidental. I never know what I’m going to encounter with each shift.”

  “And you’ve doubled your hours?”

  Ruby shifted in her seat and crossed her legs. “I’ve been taking some of the hours from coworkers who have little kids. It’s just for the season. I know they have shopping to do, Santa pictures to get, cookies to bake.”

  Knox turned onto the two-lane highway that led out of Haven. “You don’t bake cookies or get a picture with Santa?”

  Ruby laughed. That sensual, low laughter filled the small space and clenched his chest. But she didn’t have that flirty giggle that grated on his nerves. She was genuinely amused, and damn if that didn’t make her even more attractive.

  “I’m not the best in the kitchen, but I have been known to buy a roll of cookie dough and make those for the other volunteers at the animal shelter. As for Santa, I’m pretty sure I’m too old to be asking for gifts or sitting on his lap.”

  “Never too old to ask for gifts,” he replied. “I’d like a brand new Cessna Skyhawk. It’s not going to happen, but I’m not above asking anyone who will listen.”

  “You really love flying,” she murmured. “Have you done much since you’ve been back?”

  “I’d be in the air every day if I could,” he admitted. “I’m still trying to decide what I want to do, but I do have something lined up if I want it.”