A CHRISTMAS
COLLECTION
Patrice Wilton
includes
Heavenly Christmas
Someone to Love
Kiss Me Santa
Heavenly Christmas
Copyright © 2015 by Patrice Wilton
Someone to Love
Copyright © 2016 by Patrice Wilton
Kiss Me Santa
Copyright © 2014 by Patrice Wilton
Published by Dreamscape Press
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright
HEAVENLY CHRISTMAS
SOMEONE TO LOVE
KISS ME SANTA
A Note from the Author
More Books by Patrice Wilton
A HEAVENLY CHRISTMAS
Patrice Wilton
Jennie Braxton and her two small children are traveling to Philadelphia for Christmas with her family. Car trouble lands them in a magical town called Heaven, PA. Everything about this sweet place seems too good to be true, especially Nick Ryan, a local chef with a heart as big as her own. His sensual smile tempts her from mourning the loss of her dear husband, to look into the future. Can her dreams of finding happiness again come true, or will her heart hide safely in the past?
CHAPTER ONE
Jennie Braxton opened her eyes slowly, but it was like fighting to swim upstream. She blinked, then blinked again. Where am I? The haze slid away and a face came into focus as it loomed in front of her. Deep brown eyes, a strong nose, and a cleft in his smooth chin. She didn’t know him; she would have remembered someone as attractive as this.
“Ma’am?” He touched her shoulder. “Are you all right? Can you hear me?”
Her head hurt and she felt a little woozy. What happened? She nodded, but that caused a pain right between her eyes and she winced. “Yes.” Jennie swallowed, her mouth dry. “Where am I?”
“You’re in Heaven, ma’am.” He smiled as if that was a good thing. “There was an accident.”
“Heaven?” She tried to piece her memories together. An accident? Am I dead? “But my head hurts.”
He nodded, his eyes warm with understanding. So this is heaven. Didn’t seem too bad. This stranger made her feel safe, as if he saw everything clearly, like he knew things she had yet to learn.
Jennie nearly surrendered to the comfort offered in those beautiful brown eyes. Had she already passed the Pearly Gates? She didn’t remember any bright light leading her heavenward. But she couldn’t remember much at all.
He knelt so they were eye to eye. “You hit your head on the steering wheel. You ran into a tree.”
Oh, God. Her stomach clenched as memories flashed through her mind—she was driving to her parents, the weather was bad. It had been snowing, the girls singing Christmas carols… The girls! “My children,” she choked on the words and tried to move, but he kept his hand on her shoulder. “Are…are they here with me?” No! They were no more than babies. Only five and seven. It was too soon for them to see their daddy again. They deserved a life!
“Yes, but they’re fine. Not a scratch.” He smiled and glanced over his shoulder. She followed his gaze. Her children stood in the snow, looking like two little Elves dressed in their matching red and green striped leggings, their bright Christmas sweaters. A small Dalmatian pup was squirming in their hands, struggling to break free.
Relief rushed over her in a hot wave. Her daughters were alive. Jennie blinked away tears. Oh, thank the dear Lord! She whipped her head around—the movement causing her a sharp stab of pain. She was still in her car. It smelled like snow and pine trees and coffee. Earthly sights and smells. “I don’t understand. How can this be heaven, if I’m in a car and they’re not hurt?”
He laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners, his full mouth resting in a smile. “You’re in Heaven, Pennsylvania.”
Jennie closed her eyes and took in the news. It was cold because he had the car door open. It smelled like coffee because she’d spilled her mug. “Oh. That is good.” Her front window was cracked and the heavy pine scent came from the branch in her passenger side. “No wonder I hurt.” She touched her forehead and felt something sticky.
“Katie? Brooke,” she called to her children, needing to feel their warm, sweet bodies, to reassure herself that they were truly alive and well. The nice man leaned back as her daughters rushed forward. She’d lost enough in this past year, and if she’d lost them too. Well, it was unbearable. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, think about that.
“Mommy, are you okay?” Katie poked her head in and looked at her. Her daughter’s eyes were a golden shade of brown, and right now they were wide with fear. “You scared us. You wouldn’t wake up.” She bit her lip, having learned too young about loss.
Jennie’s head throbbed, but it was a minor problem compared to what could have been. “I’m fine, sweetheart.”
“Good.” Katie moved away from the door so Brooke could see into the car. Her five-year-old held the wriggling black and white dog and wore a big grin. “Look at the puppy. He’s so cute.” Brooke squealed as it tugged on her auburn braid like a chew toy.
The dog. More memories came back, like flashing headlights. Jennie had pulled off the highway, needing gas and a bathroom break. It was snowing, but not a heavy snow. Big, fluffy flakes. She had made the turn and was easing into the station when that dog ran in front of her car. She’d stomped on her brakes, swerved into a tree, and that’s the last thing she remembered until she woke up with a stranger’s face peering into hers.
“Help me out?” she asked him.
He rubbed the cleft in his smooth chin and shook his head. “The gas station owner called 911 and the ambulance is on the way. The police have been notified too.”
She nodded. “Yes, but my children need me.”
“You were knocked unconscious, ma’am, which means it’s probably a concussion. The medics will want to check you out.”
“I need to hold my kids.” Jennie heard them playing with the puppy and knew they were fine, but she wanted them in her arms anyway. She undid her seatbelt, wondering why the airbags in her car hadn’t deployed. Her stomach rolled at the smear of blood on the steering wheel. “Please?” She tried to push herself out of the seat, but the stranger’s gentle grip was stronger than it seemed and kept her in place.
“I can’t, ma’am. You wouldn’t be here right now if I hadn’t been chasing the puppy, trying to catch him so he wouldn’t get hurt. I’m responsible for you.”
She heard sirens and knew the ambulance was close. But before they came and whisked her away, she needed to feel her children safe in her arms. “Just one second with my girls.”
He glanced at the kids and back at her. “Girls!” he called out. “Come give your mother a hug.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, “but what are your names?”
The girls dropped the dog as the ambulance pulled off the highway. They had been fine a minute ago but now they both burst into tears and squeezed between the door, the stranger and her lap. “This is Katie, and my youngest is Brooke. I’m Jennie.”
“I’m Nick Ryan,” he said, stepping away to give the girls more space.
She kissed their cheeks,
and tasted their salty tears. “I love you both so much. If anything happened to you…” Jennie bit back a sob. She said a prayer of thanks and hugged them tight. Life was fleeting, fragile. Had Daniel been looking out for them tonight? A guardian angel?
Her husband had been a naval officer in Norfolk, Virginia on a training exercise when his helicopter went down. It was in January, almost a year ago.
“Don’t cry, Mommy,” Katie said, frowning at Jennie’s forehead. “We’ll take care of you.”
She forced a smile and ignored the stabbing pain in her temple. “I know you will. You’re the best girls in the world.”
“Oh, oh.” Brooke pushed out of her arms. “We forgot the dog. He’s running away.” Katie left her embrace too, in an eager attempt to catch the dog. The bad pup raced by the car, wagging his tail and running toward the gas pumps.
Nick leaned in, as if sensing how she must feel being deserted for an unknown pup. “You know kids,” he said. “They can’t sit still.”
She swallowed a lump in her throat. “Yeah. I know. Hope you catch your dog.” Jennie glanced at him, wondering why he hadn’t had the pup on a leash. The accident could have been avoided.
“That’s not my dog,” he said with a shrug and a crooked grin. “I was on my way to work and saw him running down the road. I gave chase, trying to save him from getting run over, and darn near got you all killed instead.” He glanced at her head injury and frowned. “I am so sorry, Jennie.”
She sniffed. Whatever was he wearing? He smelled, well, heavenly. She turned her head and buried her nose in his collar, and sniffed again. His scent was a mixture of sweat and cologne. Manly. Why she could appreciate this now was beyond her. Could be the emotional state she was in after crashing into a tree, or the simple fact she hadn’t been touched by a man in a year. She hadn’t been aware that she’d missed it.
“And don’t worry about the bills,” the nice smelling man named Nick said. “I’ll take care of everything.”
“You don’t need to do that,” she answered. “I’m not destitute. Not yet, anyway. I have insurance, too.” She gave a brief smile. “I don’t want to go to the hospital. Would you do me a huge favor and tell the ambulance driver that I’m fine?”
“Nope. Listen, have them check you over and if the hospital releases you, call me and I’ll drive you to the Inn. We only have one in town and they always have room. But I’m not going to let you sign off.” He shifted so they were practically nose to nose and spoke quietly. “I’m not being obstinate, just practical. Years ago a buddy of mine had a sister, and she was skiing in Aspen during Spring break. She took a bad fall, and allowed the ski patrol to take her down the mountain, but then she refused treatment.” His expression darkened. “She never made it through the night.”
“That’s a terrible story.” She touched her throbbing head. “You win. I’ll go. For everyone’s peace of mind,” she added, holding his gaze. He had a very caring face. Like Daniel’s, she thought. A face that she had loved with everything in her heart.
“Thank you.” He leaned back, giving her some room to breathe. “So where were you headed before I messed up your plans?”
“Philadelphia. To spend the holidays with my parents.” She sighed. “We were almost there, but I was low on gas and the girls needed a bathroom.”
He dug into the front pocket of his black winter coat and pulled out a phone. “Give me their number and I’ll call them.”
“That’s kind of you, but if I could have my phone, I could do it.” She glanced around. “I don’t see it.” Panic rose in her voice. Tears weren’t far away.
Nick cleared his throat and she looked up into his warm brown eyes. “We’ll find your phone later. Is there anyone else I should let know? A husband? The girls’ father?”
“No.” She took a calming breath, holding herself together. “Just my parents. John and Louise Howard.”
Before she could say more, the ambulance arrived. Uniformed medics carried a stretcher toward her. She wouldn’t refuse treatment. She was a single parent now, and couldn’t afford to take any chances.
Nick stepped away, allowing the two young men to take over. “I’ll meet you at the hospital,” he told her. “Don’t worry. I’ll call your parents and take care of the car. Everything will be fine.”
“Thanks.” She nodded and spoke to the medics. “The kids…Can they ride in the ambulance with me?”
“Yes, ma’am. They should be looked at too.” Carefully, they lifted her onto the stretcher, asking her routine questions. Katie grabbed Jennie’s purse from the car, brushing broken glass from the strap. Brooke carried her and Katie’s backpacks. Jennie gave the medics the information they requested, and then she and the girls were lifted into the ambulance.
The last thing Jennie saw before they closed the ambulance door was Nick sneaking up behind the pup, grabbing hold of him tight, and then cradling him in his arms.
CHAPTER TWO
The ER wasn’t busy when the ambulance arrived, and they were seen right away. Within an hour, Dr. Sue had pronounced the girls healthy, but told Jennie she wanted her overnight for observation. The three of them were in a brightly lit area, waiting for an available room. There was a small TV, a coffee station, a cold drink dispenser, and tables with magazines. It wasn’t the Ritz but it was warm and reasonably comfortable.
A short time later, Nick entered. His black coat was undone, his cheeks flushed and raw from the cold. His dark hair was flecked with melting snow, but he wore a warm smile. “I called your parents. They are on their way. And the police arrived just after you were taken away so I let them know that I witnessed the whole thing. Gave them an accurate report of the accident, but you’ll have to give them your insurance info when you get out of here.” He ran a hand through his damp hair, shaking the snow off his shoulders. “Oh, and the garage towed your car to the body shop. I brought you your bag as well. It’s still in my car. Figured you might need it.”
“You did all that?” Tears welled and she sniffed them away. “How did you get their number?” she asked. “I never had time to give it to you.”
“You said they lived in Philly, and you gave me both their names. Luckily they didn’t have an unlisted number.”
“Well, that was very kind of you.” She gave him a weak smile. “I must have left my phone in the car. It was in the middle console.”
“I found it.” He pulled it from his jeans pocket and handed it to her. “Not sure if it’s going to work. Looks a little banged up.”
“Thank you,” she said, looking at the smashed face. A phone could be replaced. A person—not so much. She turned it on and was pleased to see that it was still in working order.
“Nana and Papa are coming here?” Katie said, looking up from a book she’d taken out of her backpack. The girls were sharing a small bag of Cheetos Crunch and their fingers were a nice shade of orange. She brushed her hands on her corduroy skirt, and Jennie pretended not to see. “Can we all go home with them?” She asked with bright eyes and a happy smile.
“I wish we could, sweetheart.” Jennie glanced from her daughters to Nick. “The doctor wants to keep me for tonight,” she said, knowing she had to do whatever it took to be healthy and safe. Reaching for Brooke’s hand, she wiped the fingers with a tissue from her bag, and added, “But you girls can go with them, and I’ll join you tomorrow.”
“Why can’t you come too?” Brooke asked with a pout. “That’s just mean.”
“Not mean, honey. We’re making sure that my head is all right.” She touched the small bandage on her forehead, grateful it wasn’t worse.
“Still think it’s mean.” Brooke rested her head on Jennie’s lap. Poor sweetheart was tired after a long day and the trauma from the accident, she thought, tucking an auburn tendril behind her small ear.
Nick sat down in a chair, leaving space for her daughters. “Hey, I can drive you to Philly after you get out of here tomorrow,” he said. “Your car won’t be ready for several days. I mean
, I’m no mechanic, but it’s a mess.”
“I’ll rent something.” She studied him, seeing his guilt and finding it unnecessary. “You don’t need to hang around or pick me up. You’ve been kind enough,” she said, wishing he’d go away so she and the girls could relax.
“I’ll leave when your parents get here,” he said, and took off his coat, sliding it onto a spare chair.
Jennie frowned. She hated the fact that she was forced to stay here a night, when all she wanted to do was get home with her parents and let her mother take care of her and the girls the way she loved to do. Every cell in her body ached. Her muscles were knotted and tight. Her head hurt. She wanted a good cry.
She knew that she must look hideous. Normally she considered herself reasonably attractive with her big green eyes, upturned nose, and shoulder length auburn hair. She was slim and athletic in build, five foot eight, and at thirty-one and a mother of two, she didn’t look much different than when she was a flight attendant flying the friendly skies. Now? She felt nasty, wanting to brush her teeth and get the blood out of her hair.
Nick’s blue sweater hugged his chest and he was wearing snug Levi’s. His dark hair, worn on the longish side, waved around his ears, not like a barber shop cut, more like a salon. “Weren’t you on your way to work?” She hoped he wasn’t so busy feeling bad that he screwed up his job. “What do you do?”
He grinned and sat forward, his elbows on his knees. “I own a restaurant on Main Street. I’m a chef.”
She checked out his hands and noted the long fingers with short nails. “Oh.” Jennie was saved from clever conversation when she spotted her mom and dad coming down the corridor. He turned when he heard their voices and got up from his chair. She hadn’t realized he was so tall before.
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