Winter's Surprise

by AJ Renee

  “Thanks, Jake.”

  Faster than she expected, they were cleaned and dressed. They worked as a unit. One shoveled the driveway while the other moved the gifts to the car.

  Michelle Harper: On our way! So sorry!

  Janey McCleod: I hope it was hot, sweaty sex.

  Michelle Harper: You’re awful!

  Janey McCleod: No, I’m horny and can’t screw Eric blind thanks to doctors’ orders.

  Michelle Harper: Visual! Stop it, gross. See you in a bit.

  Janey McCleod: Chelle?

  Michelle Harper: Yeah?

  Janey McCleod: He’s a great catch. I’m really happy for you both.

  Michelle looked over at Jake who drove her car. Her friend was correct. Jake was a fantastic catch, and she really didn’t know how she got lucky.

  “Everything okay?” he asked with a nod toward the phone in her hand.

  “Yeah, girl talk.”

  He chuckled and kissed the back of her hand before putting it on his thigh. “Enough said.”

  Eric let them in when they arrived. “Merry Christmas!”

  “Merry Christmas,” they echoed. Michelle looked up at Jake and couldn’t help the smile plastered to her face.

  “Chelle?” Janey called from the kitchen.

  They worked side by side, each person taking a task to deliver a tasty meal. It seemed every time she looked at her friends, she found them watching Jake and her. If not for their stupid grins, she would have felt self-conscious over it all. Not even Bobby was keeping their attention for any length of time. She knew Janey well enough to know the woman was about to burst.

  Not even five minutes into their meal, her friend pointed between them with her fork. “How did you two meet anyhow?”

  Michelle looked from her friend to Eric, who only smiled. She wasn’t getting out of this any longer. “Well—”

  “I knocked her to the ground,” Jake said and ate another bite.

  The table was silent for a moment as they all processed this little fact. Michelle followed Jake’s lead and took another bite.

  “You knocked her to the ground?” Janey repeated.

  “Mhmm,” Jake answered around a mouthful of food. When he didn’t elaborate, everyone stared at her.

  Michelle gave them a quick rundown of how they met, leaving out how spectacular that kiss under the mistletoe was.

  Eric laughed. “That’s why it took you so long to bring the sub Janey was craving.”

  Jake nodded and took a sip of his drink. He then explained that the night they met, it was Eric who’d texted him while they were in the diner. Eric knew Jake had gone out for air and to grab a bite of food. It turned out that Janey was craving a sub, and Eric begged Jake to bring her one.

  “Air?” Michelle asked him.

  Jake’s eyes flicked from hers to their friends and back. “Being around pregnant women hasn’t been easy on me since Emily.”

  Michelle put her hand on his thigh and squeezed it. “Got it.”

  “Now we know why you were… different,” Janey said, looking between them.

  “Yeah, Elle left me shaken up.”

  “Elle?” Eric and Janey asked with a smile.

  Jake wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her head. “My Elle.”

  The rest of the time with their friends was spent comfortably. They took turns cuddling Bobby. At least, they tried. It seemed Jake had a real soft spot for their godson.

  The women gushed over the gifts Bobby received for Christmas. Janey squealed when she opened the one Michelle bought her. The men only sat back and chuckled at their glee.

  “I want to do a toast,” Eric called out. “To our sweet Michelle. Thank you for the best Christmas gift… bringing our friend back to us.”

  The simple toast packed one hell of an emotional punch. Eric and Janey’s eyes were misty with unshed tears, and Jake raised his hand to cup her face.

  “I used to not want to live after Em. I was in such a dark place, a shell of the man I used to be. Michelle Harper, I’m sorry I hurt your wrist, but I’m not sorry I knocked you over.” Jake cleared the tears that fell from her eyes at his words. “I know we haven’t known each other long. I also know that I didn’t plan on loving anyone after Emily… but it seems none of that matters. Somewhere in these last couple weeks, everything changed. I love you, Elle.”

  “I love you too,” Michelle said past the lump of emotion in her throat.

  They sealed their declaration with a kiss. It was filled with promises and hope. Her heart thumped against her ribs and blood rushed through her ears. This man made her knees weak in the best ways possible.

  Jake put his forehead to hers and stared into her eyes. “Merry Christmas, baby.”

  “Merry Christmas. Let’s go home”

  Thank you for reading Winter’s Surprise! If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to leave a quick review.

  Check out this preview of Widower’s Aura, book one of the St. Fleur series.

  Prologue

  The latest pop song on the radio broadcasted a man begging his lover not to give up on them. As the sun beamed through the windshield, Sofia wondered about what it would be like to love someone that much and hold on with both hands. Of course she’d dated in New Orleans and cared about the few boyfriends she’d had, but had she loved them? Okay, she loved a couple, but she had never been “in love.” She refused to settle, and no matter how much she had tried to be in love with those sweet husband-material guys, it had never been enough. Her heart was never in it with any of them.

  Ahead of her, the heat came off the asphalt in waves, creating a mirage. The road, of course, was in desperate need of repair. One of the downsides of living in a poor state was that no matter where you drove, the road was pot-hole-ridden. At least she was almost home. Home. She’s always had a place to lay her head down, but now she wouldn’t have to worry about people at work knowing where she lived. In St. Fleur, she wouldn’t have to watch her rearview mirror to make sure she didn’t bring work home and, in turn, endanger her life.

  The steering wheel vibrated in her hand, and her head shot up from the navigation system. “Seriously! What now?”

  At least smoke wasn’t rising from the hood. With the turn signal on, she eased the full car onto the unpaved shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she looked up. There stood the “Welcome to St. Fleur” sign, mocking her. Although could she really blame the sign? The last three years had been one sad, depressing joke. Honestly, she was surprised she’d lasted those three years. She had watched enough people come and go to know she was the anomaly.

  Taking a breath, she reminded herself that the past was just that—the past. “Right now is only the present.”

  Too bad this present seemed to include a flat tire mere miles from her new home. From the car, she grabbed a bottle of water and the jack. She set her mind to fix the flat so she could arrive at her building and unpack. As she unscrewed the last lug nut, she heard the unmistakable sound of a pickup truck. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with some country boy thinking she was a damsel in distress. It was too damn hot and humid, not to mention her stomach was about to eat itself alive. She really should have had a real breakfast and not just a banana on the run.

  Focusing on the task at hand, she dragged the tire off, bit by bit. Maybe putting twenties on her car hadn’t been the smartest idea. The crunching of boots on gravel got louder. Oh yay.

  “Hi, do you need any help?”

  Sofia looked up through the shades of yellow illuminating the aura and was surprised to find not some country boy, but a woman. “Uh, no, I think I’m good. I almost have it off now.”

  The brunette was dressed in cowboy boots, cut-off jeans, and a black tank top. Her light brown eyes indicated that she didn’t quite believe Sofia. “Well, I don’t mind helping. If anything, it will get you out of this heat. I’m Lindsey, by the way.”

  “Sofia.” Not looking at the woman, she continued with the stubborn tire.

  �
�You new to town? Or visiting someone?”

  Lindsey inserted herself without invitation on one side, and Sofia shifted as they lifted the tire up and off. Yup, definitely faster with her help.

  “New to town actually.” They carried the tire to the back of the car and set it on the ground. “I bought a building on Main Street.” Sofia opened the trunk and moved things aside to get to the spare. She nodded toward the flat tire on the ground. “Thanks.”

  Lindsey slipped her hands in her back pockets. “Oh, the one next to Whiskey’s?”

  “Yeah, the pub with the amazing muffulettas.” She rolled the spare over and began putting it and the lug nuts back on.

  Lindsey sat on the soft grass next to her and crossed her legs. “Yeah, that’s Jaime Lynn’s specialty. You’d never believe it since it’s never on the specials board. Oh, and you can take the flat to Rocco’s on Decatur. He’ll fix it right up for you.”

  “Thanks, I’ll do that after I unpack.” At that moment, Sofia’s stomach let out the loudest growl. She felt her cheeks flush and placed a hand on her stomach.

  “Sounds like you’ll need some food first,” Lindsey said with a smirk and giggle that made her look younger. “So where are you moving from? What are you going to do with the building?”

  Sofia stopped and studied Lindsey’s face. Sofia had lived in the South long enough to know the difference between a nosy person and a person who was innately curious.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

  “No, it’s okay. I lived in New Orleans, and I plan on living in the apartment upstairs and running my business downstairs.” Sofia stood and wiped her hands on her jean shorts. She reached into the car for her purse and removed a business card. She handed it to Lindsey then went to verify that all the lug nuts were snug before she lowered the car.

  “‘Orchid Photography, Sofia Brazier, Weddings, Birthdays, Events, Children.’ Wait, Brazier?” Lindsey giggled.

  Sofia sighed. “Yeah, I know. I’ve gotten teased all my life.” She took a drink of water and put the cap back on. “My family came from France and settled in the New Orleans area after the Civil War. Or so I’ve been told.” With an inward groan, she pushed those thoughts back.

  Lindsey stood and brushed the dirt from her bottom. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Sofia! You can find me at the library in town or my house. It’s the small two-bedroom cottage on James Street by the large white house with a wraparound porch.”

  With a smile and a wave, Lindsey walked back to her pickup. Her skin wasn’t quite porcelain white, but she wasn’t exactly tanned either. Shorter than Sofia’s five seven, Lindsey was curvy and had a figure most women envied. Not that Sofia had any issues with her own athletic build. She enjoyed food and in turn found running soothing, not just to stay in shape but to ease her mind. The truck pulled away, and with a honk and wave, Lindsey drove off.

  After Sofia hoisted the flat tire into her car, she put her things back in the trunk. She got in her Cadillac CTS, turned her music on, and drove the last few miles home.

  AJ Renee grew up in a military family and moved around until her family settled in Florida. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a M.S. in Criminal Justice and a B.S. in Psychology. She currently resides in Illinois and spends her time with her Air Force husband, three young daughters, dog, and cat. She loves to travel and see family and friends whenever she gets a chance. She has a love of music, movies, and anything that can make her laugh. AJ believes in reading books with humor and mystery that end in a happily ever after to help ease our minds and hearts of life’s daily struggles.

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  ALSO BY AJ RENEE

  ST. FLEUR SERIES:

  Widower’s Aura

  Always Mine

  Duplicity

  No Going Back (Coming 2018!)

  OTHER TITLES:

  Finding Love at the Falls… (Short Story)

  Fractured Fairytales: Book One

  Beauty Unmasked

  Winter’s Surprise

  A Deadly World Anthology: Surviving Paris (November 2017)