'Tis the Season for Love: A Charity Box Set

by Maggie Dallen

  He squeezed her hand. “Together.”

  Happiness filled her chest and she grinned up at him. Together. Finally. It felt like they could tackle anything when they were together.

  “I should go…” Even as he said it, he moved closer, tugging her into his arms once more. She wrapped hers around his waist as he kissed her and she treasured every second of the lingering kiss.

  That was one lesson they’d both learned over the years. This was precious. And they’d vowed never to take another kiss for granted. Every second, every day, every hour, she planned to cherish this love that had returned to her.

  It was a miracle...and it was hers.

  “I love you, Ty.”

  “I love you more.”

  Finally, they released each other. He glanced up at the mistletoe hanging above the door. “Isn’t it about time to take down Christmas decorations?”

  She grinned. “Actually, I was thinking about making it permanent.”

  He arched his brows as he backed away, amusement dancing in his eyes. “So you plan on kissing any guy who shows up on your doorstep?”

  She laughed. “Just you, my love. So hurry home.”

  Epilogue

  One year later…

  “I can’t believe we’re finally doing this!” Regina bounced on her toes as they picked up their carryons from the security check and headed toward their gate.

  “See?” Tyler said. “Your booking the wrong dates last year wasn’t a mistake. It was foresight.”

  “Oh yes,” she said with a laugh. “I just had this hunch that you would surprise me at my house on Christmas Eve, that we would fall in love all over again on Christmas day and that you would propose to me on Valentine’s Day.” She linked her arm through his. “I saw it all coming from a mile away.”

  His laughter rumbled beside her. “Are you sure your mom won’t mind that we’re not with them for Christmas?”

  “Are you kidding?” Regina asked. “Both of our mothers are still crying with happiness over last night’s wedding. And we’ve all been celebrating Christmas all week.”

  He eyed the ugly sweater her mom had given her this year. “Looks good on you,” he teased.

  She grinned. “I have it on good authority that this hides cat fur.”

  “Don’t they all?” he murmured.

  “Come on,” she said, tugging his hand. “We’re this way.”

  They reached the boarding gate just as the announcements began but they still had a few minutes to wait for their section to be called.

  “I can’t believe I’m finally going to Europe,” Regina said.

  “I can’t believe I’ve finally made you my wife,” Tyler replied.

  She grinned up at him. “Took you long enough.”

  “It took way too long,” he agreed, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

  In truth, the actual proposal and wedding had come about pretty quickly...if one wasn’t counting their first go-round. This past year had passed in a flash. When they weren’t planning the wedding, they’d been plotting their future.

  Together.

  The pieces had fallen into place one by one. He’d found a new job as a producer—one that required far less travel and where his home base was located in New York City, where he commuted a couple days a week.

  Cole was the only one truly sorry to see him leave the home renovation show, but seeing that he was now their neighbor, he wasn’t complaining too much.

  Regina was still happily working at the veterinary clinic where Daniel was still the best boss and Leah was still taking credit for her part in their Christmas reunion. She’d only gotten closer with her other friends in Friar Hollow and they all had accepted Tyler with open arms.

  Ellie had planned their small but intimate wedding ceremony, Ian had been their photographer, Angela had provided the cake, Callie and Cole had hosted the rehearsal dinner, and Leah and Daniel had been their witnesses.

  All in all, it had been deemed the perfect Friar Hollow wedding.

  Even if it had taken a decade to come about.

  Thank you for reading! And thanks so much for your support of this charity boxset. Your contribution is so very appreciated!

  I hope you enjoyed The (Not So) Perfect Second Chance. If you missed the stories behind Regina & Tyler’s friends, you can find them all here.

  Snag a free sweet romance novella when you sign up for Maggie Dallen’s newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/bFEVsL

  Keep scrolling! I Dare You by Jordan Ford is up next!!

  It’s a stupid dare. Dangerous. Reckless. Just plain mean.

  But it’s a dare… and Shay can’t say no to it.

  Shay:

  Lesson #1: Never play Truth or Dare with your ex-boyfriend’s new squeeze, especially if she happens to be pure evil.

  Lesson #2: If you are forced to say yes to a dare, remind yourself repeatedly that the haunted house you’re about to break into is not filled with the ghosts of Barrett’s past.

  Lesson #3: If your gorgeous next-door neighbor offers you his help, don’t refuse it.

  Lesson #4: If you happen to get locked in a freezing, dark cellar with said neighbor, take the chance to keep each other warm and maybe… just maybe… find the courage to tell him that he’s the guy you’ve always wanted.

  I Dare You is a stand-alone novella, and a fun introduction to the Barrett Boys series. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers romance, sweet kisses and confessions by flashlight, then you’ll love Jordan Ford’s novella.

  Chapter 1

  The Christmas Grinch

  SHAY

  Harborton around Christmas is like freaking Whoville.

  And I’m the Grinch.

  I didn’t used to be Grinch-y, but this year… I’m green through to my tiny, shriveled heart.

  Stomping up the stairs, I rub the sore spot on my chest and try not to think about Spence and the fact this is the first Christmas without him. He left ten months ago, and it still stings like yesterday. The sound of the slamming door reverberates through my memory, followed by the thump of my mother dropping to her knees and wailing like my big brother had just died.

  I guess he kind of has in a way.

  He left us… never to return again.

  Clenching my jaw, I shove my bedroom door open with my shoulder and yank off my beanie. Silver and gold tinsel is stuck to the front of it.

  “Great,” I mutter. “How long have you been there?” I pick it off, shaking my head as I relive the horror that is working in my mother’s shop during the Christmas frenzy.

  It’s like my parents are out to torture me or something. They never asked me if I’d like to earn minimum wage working at Surprise Me each holiday season. I’m just expected to do it.

  Expected to put on a cheesy smile and listen to Mrs. Long-Winded tell me each of her grandchildren’s names and their specific personality traits so that I can find them the perfect Christmas gift. What I wanted to say to her was that the toy store or online shopping would probably make them much happier than getting some trinket that’s going to sit forgotten in their bedrooms gathering dust.

  Oh man, Mom would kill me if I said that.

  I laugh, imagining her reaction.

  “Shanae Landers! Are you trying to ruin me? People love the things I bring into this store. They’re made by local artists! Every item in this place is carefully researched and sourced!”

  Oh my gosh, how many times have I heard that!

  I tip my head back with a groan, trying to shake the smell of pine and Christmas cheer off me. All I want to do is take a hot shower, defrost my toes and snuggle into a warm bed. I’ll escape into a book or watch a movie on my laptop, so I don’t have to think about the mind-numbing repetition of sliding credit and debit cards through the Square reader…or how empty this house is going to feel when I wake up to my first Christmas day as an only child.

  It’s been months, but the wound still feels raw.

  Sometimes I wonder if I should have reac
hed out, but my big bro made it pretty clear that he was cutting himself off from a family who didn’t understand him.

  But if he’d just given us a chance to, we might have—

  My phone starts talking to me. “Hey, girl, you better check your text. Hey girl, you better check your text.”

  I smile and roll my eyes as I pull the phone out of my jacket pocket.

  I already know it’s from my bestie, Maya. She set the text tone for me, so I knew it’d be her.

  My smile falters as I read her message, my shoulders slump, and then my eyes flick longingly over my soft, plump pillow before returning to my phone screen.

  Maya: You’re coming, right? Swear you are or I’m unfriending you for life.

  Me: Do I have to? I’ve been working all day.

  Maya: You’re my best friend. Of course you have to! And don’t even think about using Alex and Krissy as an excuse. Screw them!

  Me: It’s just awkward. If they weren’t coming, I’d be all over this. I love your parties, you know that.

  Maya: I’m sorry, okay? But I had to invite everyone. I’m not going to have some exclusive, snooty Christmas party. I’m all about the inclusion. You have to come. Please, please, please, please, please!

  She follows it up with a stream of pleading gifs that become harder and harder to resist. It’s the adorable puppy dog eyes that finally make me cave.

  Me: Yeah. Yeah. I’ll be there.

  Maya: Eeeppp! And this is why I love you!

  I send her a kiss emoji.

  Maya: Just ignore the butthead and the frost queen. You don’t even have to talk to them. He’s the loser for dumping you, remember that. You are ten times the person Krissy is, and you can prove it tonight by not letting her get to you.

  I roll my eyes and don’t reply, not wanting to get into yet another discussion about how I’m better off without Alex. That may be so, but it doesn’t change the fact I kind of liked having a boyfriend, and being tossed aside so he could start dating Krissy like two minutes later is nothing but insulting.

  Plus, I miss him.

  I really liked the guy. He was funny, and although he could sometimes act like an idiot, he was my idiot. And now he’s Krissy’s.

  I should seriously get over it. It’s been seven weeks of dry retching every time I see them together. I was just looking forward to a reprieve over the Christmas break, but then of course Maya has to go and throw a Christmas party and everyone is invited.

  With a heavy sigh, I ignore the call of a hot shower and turn my back on the cozy bed, reminding myself that I’m nearly eighteen and should seriously not want to be going to bed at like seven o’clock when I could be attending a party with my fellow seniors.

  I pull off my ugly Christmas attire—oh yeah, Mom makes us dress like elves at this time of year. It’s not completely humiliating or anything.

  “Bluch!” I flick the green-and-red-striped tights off the end of my foot and pull out my favorite pair of skinny jeans.

  I make sure I layer up nice and good, because Maya’s house is like a freaking inferno compared to the freezing Harborton air. Montana winters are freaking glacial. Perusing my beanie selection, I settle on my favorite black one with the white, scrawly New York over the front. Winding a thick, gray scarf around my neck, I check my reflection and smile.

  The only pop of color is my burgundy Doc Martens. Everything else is black, gray and white. There is absolutely nothing Christmassy about me tonight. Breathing in a relieved sigh, I walk out on the explosion of green and red color littering my floor. Tonight, I am just Shay—a senior girl from Harborton High.

  Running fingers through my thick hair, I work out a few knots as I bounce down the stairs and into the cacophony of noise. The local weather report is competing with the Christmas music blasting from Mom’s phone in the kitchen, which is also competing with Dad’s bark as he tries to bring one of his Zoom meetings under control.

  “We all heard you, Martin! You don’t have to repeat yourself.” Dad huffs. “I’d like to get this call wrapped up by Christmas, guys. Can we focus?”

  Pressing my lips together, I jump off the bottom step, hoping he doesn’t see me flash by. I’ll just say goodbye to Mom and—

  “Aunt Nell!” I grin, stretching my arms wide to embrace her.

  She’s standing in our living room, warming her hands by the fire.

  “Hello, little Shay.” She laughs, pulling me against her. The strength of her hugs always surprises me, considering she’s like a hundred.

  Not really, but she’s been around forever.

  In spite of the fact she lives miles out of town, she’s Harborton’s resident grandmother. I’ve been calling her Aunt Nell for as long as I can remember. I can’t even imagine addressing her as Mrs. Winters. She’s too sweet and warm for such a frosty name.

  Her husband on the other hand… well, he’s not frosty, but he likes to keep to himself. He hardly ever comes into town. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I saw him.

  Old Mr. Winters. Eeeppp. I used to be scared of him as a kid.

  But not his wife. She’s sunshine, butterflies and daisies all rolled into one.

  I smile at her as she pats my cheek.

  “How you doing, kid?”

  “I’m good.” I bob my head.

  Her keen eyes search my expression and I brighten my smile, not wanting to get into it. She knows the pain our family’s been through. She held Mom through many tears and calmly talked her out of leaving my father. They love each other; she’s just pissed that he drove her only son away.

  I get it.

  Dad can be a stubborn ass.

  But so can Spence.

  Neither of them seems capable of seeing where the other one is coming from.

  I swallow, not wanting to think about it.

  Putting on a bright smile, I quickly tell Nell where I’m off to.

  “Oh good. Maya’s such a peach. I swear she’s half rainbow. She can warm anyone’s heart, that girl.”

  “This is true.” I nod with a grin.

  “Well, you get going then. Don’t let an old woman hold you up.”

  “Aw, Aunt Nell, you know I always have time for you.”

  She laughs and pulls me into a sideways hug, kissing my forehead. “Sweet girl.” Patting my shoulder, she lets me go so I can say goodbye to my mother.

  I call my plans out over “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and she nods, gives me a thumbs up and reminds me to be home by eleven.

  “Got it! See ya later!”

  She waves me off and I’m out the door before Dad’s finished his Zoom meeting. It kind of grates a little. Last year, I would have snuck into his office, waved hello to whoever he was talking to, and then kissed the top of his bald head.

  He would have grinned at me, and then winked.

  But not anymore.

  Dad and Spencer’s fighting stole some of the happy from our home.

  And now it’s quiet all the time, except for the competing sounds of technology.

  A deep sense of loss nearly overwhelms me as I step out the front door. The cold wind stings my cheeks and I shove my hands into my pockets, stomping down the two front steps.

  The rhythmic bounce of a basketball distracts my walk to the car, and I pause in the driveway to watch my neighbors in a little game of one-on-one.

  Idiots.

  It’s freezing out here!

  Not to mention dark.

  The outside light washes Luke and Nate with an orange glow, and I can’t help staring at the star basketball players. Nate throws the ball into the hoop like it’s the easiest thing in the world.

  “Nice,” Luke murmurs, racing after the ball and throwing it back to his older brother.

  Nate catches it and spots me watching.

  My breath hitches just a little.

  It’s dumb. It shouldn’t.

  I don’t want my breath to hitch every time Nate looks at me. But it always does.

  Because Nate’s gorgeous. Tal
l. Muscly in all the right places. I love watching his arms when he plays—the curve of his biceps, the sinewy strength rippling beneath his skin as he dribbles the ball up court.

  My mouth goes all gummy and I swear my cheeks are about to catch fire.

  Blinking hard, I push the images from my mind and try to focus on his eyes.

  Oh, his eyes. Those beautiful green orbs that make me think of a crystal-clear oasis in the—

  “Catch!” he calls to me and I quickly lift my hands, only just catching the ball before it smacks me in the face.

  He grins and I give him a pointed look before trying for a basket.

  It hits the rim and bounces toward the porch.

  “And this is why I don’t play for the Harborton Harriers,” I quip.

  “And we’re the poorer for it.” Nate’s smile is so broad. I love the way it takes over his entire face.

  I laugh while Luke snickers and shakes his head, running to retrieve the ball. Nate saunters over to me. His legs are long. He’s one of those guys who towers above the crowd at school. I like it, because it makes him easy to find.

  I love his casual stride. The way he makes life look so easy. He stops by the fence dividing our properties and I’m instantly aware of how small I am beside him. If I took two steps toward him, I could rest my forehead against his collarbone.

  I wonder what that would feel like.

  No you don’t! Stop thinking about it! It’ll start to show on your face!

  Clearing my throat, I flick my hair over my shoulder and cross my arms. “So, are you guys coming?”