A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

by Wilton, Patrice

Her parents helped pack up her rental car, and stood waving to them as they backed out of the driveway. It was decided that they’d return for spring break, and Jennie would use that time to find a new home.

  She’d talked to Nick every day, and on the first of January, he’d closed his restaurant, eager to show her his grandparent’s home—and the park the girl’s had heard so much about.

  During the drive Brooke and Katie had kept up a lively conversation and Jennie had done her best to keep up with it, yet her heart was beating like a wild bird ready to take flight.

  When she arrived in Heaven, she drove directly to Nick’s, knowing he was waiting, and the SUV would be fine at the garage for a while longer. He stepped out to greet them before she reached the front door.

  Katie and Brooke threw themselves into his arms, and he hugged them tight. Rasco jumped up and down, barking furiously for attention.

  Nick laughed, and opened his arms to her, enveloping her in a big bear-hug. “I’ve missed you all,” he said and chastely kissed her cheek.

  “We had a wonderful week, but missed you too,” she told him, so happy her smile stretched wide and she bounced on her toes.

  Brooke tapped his arm. “Can we go in? I want to meet Sammy.”

  “Sure we can.” He opened the door a few inches and a big dark nose poked out. The girls froze, wide-eyed. All they could see were two big eyes, a wet nose, and a lot of white fur.

  “Is that him?” Katie asked. “He looks like a bear.”

  “He’s a giant baby,” Nick told the girls, holding the dog back and letting them through. Rasco pushed his way in too, and jumped on his best buddy, Sammy. Sammy bunted him back, and they chased each other around.

  Nick was still at the half-open door, and Jennie had to brush by him. She made a point to stop at the moment of contact and look into his eyes. He winked at her, and her blood ran hot.

  The girls stood in the entranceway, as if afraid to go further. Sammy was a little rambunctious and had almost knocked Brooke off her feet. “Will he bite?” she asked, quivering.

  “No, he doesn’t bite. He might slobber and give you wet kisses, but he loves little girls. He doesn’t eat them.”

  Katie giggled. “Like the big bad wolf,” she said. “I like your dog. Can I pet him?”

  “In a few minutes, Katie. Right now they’re kind of hyped up and need to settle down first.” He opened the sliding back door for the dogs, hoping they’d burn off some energy outdoors.

  “This is where you live?” Katie asked. “It’s real cool.” She looked at his coffee table. “I like that.”

  He grinned, looking enormously pleased, Jennie thought. “Thank you. I enjoy making things with my hands.. Wait until you see the house I’m renovating. It’s going to be something when it’s done. It has close to an acre, so lots of space for dogs and kids to run around.”

  “Oh?”

  His eyes swept to Jennie’s. “It’ll make a great family home.”

  “Does it have a swing set?” Brooke asked.

  “Not yet, but maybe one day.” Nick didn’t release Jennie’s gaze. What was he saying?

  “When it does, can we come and visit?”

  “Brooke,” Jennie warned.

  “Anytime,” Nick said. “You have an open invitation, and I hope you use it often.”

  “Can we, Mom?”

  “Perhaps.” She smiled, thrilled and delighted at how much her daughters liked Nick, and accepted him as part of their life—but that same thing frightened her.

  “I’ll just let the dogs back in, then we can go see the farm.” He slid the door wide and called out, and the dogs came running.

  Brooke stepped behind her mother, still afraid of the big white bear-like dog.

  Katie put her hand out and Sammy licked it. She giggled. “He kissed my hand.”

  “I taught him to be a gentleman,” Nick said. “And a gentleman always kisses a lady’s hand.”

  Her eyes sparkled. “Really? Have you kissed Mom’s hand?”

  “Certainly. Want to see?” He bowed and made a swooping motion with his arm. “Milady?” Playing along, Jennie offered her fingers, which he took in his and kissed with a smacking noise. Then he pretended to nibble. “Hmm. Tastes good too.”

  Brooke howled with delight and both girls wanted their hands kissed. “Nibble on mine,” Brooke told him. Nick obliged them both.

  He had won their hearts forever, and unfortunately hers too.

  She turned to him with tears in her eyes. “You are something else.”

  “In a good or bad way?”

  “The best.”

  “Okay. On that note, let’s go see this home that I hope will one day be yours.”

  Jennie’s heart thundered. Did he mean he wanted her to buy it, or wanted her to move in as his wife?

  Both possibilities excited her, but she longed for the second one to be true.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Once the dogs had food and water, they all slipped out the back door and jumped into Nick’s Jeep. They traveled down country roads, tall Evergreens on either side. Rural farmyards or dense forest opened up to new developments of modern homes. What surprised her was the strip mall that seemed to come out nowhere.

  He turned left off the main road and drove a quarter mile down a narrow street called Green Meadows Lane. Old farmhouses dotted the road. Wooden fences separated the property lines, and some might have been ten, fifteen acres with large barns.

  “Dairy farms,” he told her. “There’s a horse ranch up here too.”

  “Horses?” Katie asked. “I love horses. Mom gave me riding lessons once. They said I was a natural.” She smiled with pride. “What’s a natural?”

  “Means you were born to ride. If you come back up here this spring, I’ll talk to the lady who owns it, and see if she can give you another lesson or two.”

  “But the cost…” Jennie said, and saw him shake his head.

  “No cost. She’s a customer—I’m sure she’ll let the girls ride for free.”

  Jennie doubted that, but knew not to argue. He would likely want to pay.

  They pulled into a long driveway lined with trees before opening up and she got her first glimpse of the farmhouse. Jennie’s jaw dropped. “That’s Grannie’s house?” she said with a short laugh.

  “Grannie’s house, with a few improvements,” Nick answered with a proud grin. “So you like it then?”

  “It’s magnificent.” There were no other words to describe it. Beautiful stone and brick exterior, a massive picture window that must have been recently installed. “I was expecting something about half this size.”

  “The front and back porch are recent add-ons, as is the big window in the front.”

  “Have you ever considered being a contractor, or architect?” she teased.

  “And give up cooking? Not a chance.” He helped her out, and then the kids. “Besides this is hard work. I put in a lot of physical labor.”

  “I’ve seen your muscles at work,” she said quietly, brushing by him, “and I’m impressed.”

  The girls ran to the house, squealing with excitement. Jennie walked with Nick at a slower pace, taking it all in. “This is beautiful, Nick. Even the fencing around the place, and the beautiful old trees? I can’t believe you’re thinking of selling it.”

  “I’m rethinking that. But it needs a family, a loving family. Don’t you agree?” He squeezed her hand. “It’s still not done, so I hope you won’t be disappointed with the inside.”

  “I know I won’t be. I’m already in love with it.”

  “Is that all you’re in love with?” he asked, giving her a meaningful glance.

  Her heart hummed in reply, but she left the question unanswered as the girls were waiting on the screened porch. They had jumped into the two Adirondack chairs and sat cross legged, as the seat was large and deep. “This is super cool,” Katie said. “A chair for me and one for Brooke.”

  A small round table sat between the two chairs, and
Nick had draped a flowered plastic tablecloth on top, anchoring it with a red poinsettia plant. He’d added a Holiday welcome mat for the front door. “There’s a two car garage around the side,” he told them, as he unlocked the door. “It leads to a huge patio deck which overlooks the large back yard.”

  He pushed the door open and they all entered. Jennie released a breath and put a hand on her chest. The foyer led to a large living room with gleaming wooden floors, and beautifully crafted carpets. There was a huge brick fireplace that took up most of one wall, and the others were painted a dark green. Bright pictures livened up the place, and natural light from the picture window flowed in.

  He’d decorated simply with two large burgundy colored leather sofas, a large square wooden coffee table, and a wonderful built-in bookshelf against one entire wall. Another wall unit held a fifty inch TV and photos, and big heavy candles, and a few knickknacks that she was sure had come with the house—and belonged to his beloved Grandma.

  “There’s another fireplace in the master bedroom suite,” he told her. “We’ll see that later.” He led her to the kitchen, and her eyes widened with surprise.

  “Oh, my! This is gorgeous. Better than the one I have back home.”

  He grinned with pleasure. “Thanks. I know it’s a selling feature and I figured I wanted to unload the place. Now—maybe not.”

  “Nice floors,” she said, attempting to keep her heart rate in check. She felt like throwing her arms around him and showing him what he was doing to her insides. But the children were here, and in an hour or two they’d be on their way out of town, back to their life in Norfolk. Who knew if and when they’d see each other again?

  “First thing I did was to remodel the kitchen. New steel appliances, granite counters, the flooring, window treatments and lighting.” He shrugged. “I also expanded the windows to offer a better view of the landscaped backyard.”

  “Very nice. You did an amazing job.” She walked around, amazed at how much counter space there was, and how attractively it was done—a rustic granite, a muted beige and brown backsplash on the walls below the rows and rows of polished Maplewood cabinets. Four bar stools sat next to the high counter, separating the work area from the rest of the kitchen. A cozy nook overlooked the patio and landscaped yard.

  She walked to the window and looked out. “You did this patio deck?”

  He stood next to her. “It took me a lot of time this summer, and I hired a couple of local boys to help.” He draped a hand around her shoulder. “It’s thirty feet wide, and twenty feet deep. The steps were the tricky part.”

  She shook her head. “Incredible. Not just a pretty face,” she said smiling. “I see some very nice white birch trees and a weeping willow for shade.” Her lips twitched as she shot him a glance. “What else do you have planned?”

  “Well, I was going to leave it. But there’s lots of room for an in-ground pool and a swing-set,” he told her children.

  “Yeah!” shouted Katie, and Brooke ran to the window to look out.

  “Sounds wonderful. Show us more.” She linked arms with him, and he walked them through a guest bedroom that he hadn’t gotten around to fixing, and a small office with built in shelves that could use a little updating too.

  “Here’s the master bedroom,” he said, letting the three of them enter first, then followed behind. “I put in a new king-sized bed, and the two reading chairs next to the window. And the lamp, and new plantation shades for the windows.”

  “It’s gorgeous. It has a built-in closet, I see.” Everything was perfect. As if he’d read her mind before they’d even met.

  “Another important selling point,” he added, rubbing his square jaw.

  “And another closet that’s a very good size. Lots of storage space too.”

  “I haven’t had time to remodel the bathroom, but it will be done soon. And as you know I’m working on the one upstairs as well. The two bedrooms there are empty, but you can have a look. They’d make perfect kids’ rooms.”

  “Where? Where are they?” Katie asked, and Brooke got set to run off.

  “Up the staircase. Don’t trip,” he warned.

  Jennie’s heart soared at the sound of their laughter and excited shouts. She took a long look at Nick. “You pretty much thought of everything, didn’t you?”

  He lifted her hand and kissed the knuckles, rubbing his thumb over her skin. “Everything, but this.” His eyes held hers and she saw moisture in their deep dark depth.

  “What?” She raised a hand and cupped his cheek. What was wrong?

  “I never expected you and the girls to walk into my life.”

  “We’re leaving in an hour or two.” She didn’t want to start crying, too. “Does that help?”

  He smiled and pulled her into his arms. “Smart ass. No, of course it doesn’t help. It hurts like hell.”

  “Really?” She patted his muscular chest and grinned. “That makes me very happy.”

  “You are just cruel,” he said and captured her mouth in a very ardent kiss. She swayed next to him, holding on to his shoulders when her knees buckled.

  “What are you doing?” Her voice was breathy, low.

  “Cementing something. I want you to know that this is not going away. It’s real. I care very much for you, and even if you aren’t going to be around, that won’t change. I want you and the girls in my life, and when you’re ready, I hope you’ll return. Come back to me.”

  “Nick…I want this too. But we can’t make promises that we don’t know we can keep.”

  “Just promise me one thing. That when you get home you remember me, everything we’ve said and done together. Examine your feelings and your heart. Don’t let your head involved. It will say we haven’t known each other long enough, and it’s probably right. But our hearts know. And I’m trusting mine.” He kissed her again. “I will wait for you no matter how long it takes. And that’s my promise to you.”

  Her eyes misted up. “Oh, Nick. I feel it too. I do, and I hope it lasts. I think so. All I can promise is that we’ll return for spring break. One way or the other, we will have our answer.”

  “That’s the most I could hope for.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her along. “Come on. I want you to see the girls’ bedrooms.”

  The girls’ bedrooms. Could this really be happening?

  She ran up the stairs behind him, and the girls were standing in the middle of two sweet little rooms that once had been an attic. Slanted skylights and slanted ceilings made the rooms almost fairytale looking, as if they lived in a castle of their own. A small shared bathroom was added in the middle of the two separate, but identical rooms.

  “Mommy, Mommy. Look at our bedrooms!” Brooke squealed, clapping her hands. “Aren’t they perfect? My Princess bed will fit right here. And my bookshelves can be in that corner. And my toys all over the place.”

  Jennie laughed. “I’m sure that much is true.” She glanced at Katie. “What do you think, honey? You like it too?”

  “It’s magical, Mommy. I’d like my own desk next to this window. Come look! See what I see.”

  Jennie stepped next to her daughter and glanced out. The room was so high they could see fields and more fields covered with snow. Rolling hills, a frozen pond, and beautiful trees and fences separated one property from another. The view was lovely and serene. Perhaps even magical. Katie was right.

  “It is beautiful. Are you going to write your book here?” she asked softly, knowing that her daughter loved to read, and dreamed of writing the next Harry Potter.

  “Yes, Mom. It’s going to be called, “A story about Heaven.”

  “Let’s see, Mom?” Brooke pushed her way in. “It’s so pretty, like a scene from Snow White! Maybe there’s an evil witch or some nice elves. You could write about that.”

  Jennie blinked back tears. So many possibilities were contained in these walls. Dreams and happiness and hope—that this time their joy could endure like the home they stood in, for decades to come. “That s
ounds like a lovely story, honey.”

  Nick came over and wrapped his arms around all three girls. “Whatever you write, Katie, I’m sure that this story will have the happiest of all endings.”

  Jennie smiled up at him, and put her arm around his waist. “Yes. Why not? It’s simply beautiful—a perfect place for new beginnings and happy endings.”

  Nick lifted her chin and kissed her, and the children threw their arms around them, and hugged them both.

  This side trip to Heaven had given Jennie back her life.

  She gazed into his eyes. “We will be back this spring, if we can wait that long.”

  “And I can always come visit you in between. I’ve decided to close Sunday and Monday’s starting in January.”

  “That is the best news I’ve had all day.”

  “We will be seeing each other soon. I won’t let you go.”

  “You won’t have to, Nick. I know what I want. It’s you.”

  The End

  SOMEONE TO LOVE

  Patrice Wilton

  Allison Cornwall was forced to leave her hometown in Connecticut and live life on the run from an ex-boyfriend turned stalker. She changed her name and hunkered down in Heaven, PA. The small, idyllic town was a safe haven where no one could find her. And yet, after a year and a half of peace, he did. Police Chief Ian Brown is determined to keep crime out of Heaven. When Ally fears for her life, he’s there to protect. Recently divorced, he’s not looking for love, but this innocent young woman touches his heart. Can they put their pasts behind them and open themselves to the miracle of Christmas—learning once again to trust and to love?

  DEDICATION

  A special thank you to Sheila Brown, who supported A HEAVENLY CHRISTMAS in the KINDLE SCOUT nominations. Sheila had the opportunity to name the hero or heroine in the sequel, and gave her husband’s name, Ian Brown to my hero. I hope both Ian and Sheila love my character as much as I do!

  I would also like to thank Traci Hall, friend, editor, and fellow author for her wonderful edits, and helping me bring this story to life.