12 Stocking Stuffers

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12 Stocking Stuffers Page 117

by Beverly Barton


  “That’s right. Love equals having faith. And if you don’t have any, you don’t love. It’s all about taking chances. But I gotta ask you one thing.”

  He tipped his bottle, swallowed and nodded.

  “Is it true about your brother having four wives? That’s just too freaky.”

  The dimple in his cheek creased. “It’s true.”

  He reached out and took my hand.

  It looked as if we were just sitting there to anybody else. But we were really jumping, almost flying—taking that huge leap of faith together.

  Christmas dinner was more modest than Christmas Eve. We had lots of leftovers. I think Mama and Saul were hungover, too; they were much more subdued. They talked in the corner.

  The kids were quiet, tired out from excitement, playing hard and too much food.

  “We’d better get up and straighten this mess,” Carole said, making a halfhearted effort to struggle off the couch.

  “Chill. I pre-booked an after-Christmas housecleaning with Cheerful Cleaners tomorrow.”

  Nick listened to his comedy CD through earphones. He laughed at intervals.

  I lay on a floor pillow, watching my family, watching him. Nick and I were brand-new and shiny. I didn’t know if we’d work out or not, but so far it felt good. The gambles were that we’d keep being real and keep it right.

  I glimpsed this beautiful place in my mind, full of flowers and trees. Birds sang and a waterfall cascaded into an idyllic pond. Nick was at my side. Was it a premonition or a fantasy? I had to take the chance.

  Nick was at my side. We were hand in hand, still leaping, flying into that wide-open unknown wilderness of the future. Together.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-1063-3

  Copyright © 2007 Harlequin Books S.A.

  The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:

  Faith, Hope and Love

  Copyright © 2002 Beverly Beaver

  The Christmas Bride

  Copyright © 1991 Heather Graham Pozzessere

  Christmas Passions

  Copyright © 2004 Kathy Garner

  A Seasonal Secret

  Copyright © 2004 Diana Hamilton

  Return of the Light

  Copyright © 2004 Margaret Benson

  Star Light, Star Bright

  Copyright © 2004 Anne Kristine Stuart Ohlrogge

  Naughty or Nice?

  Copyright © 1998 Stephanie Hauck

  Christmas Fantasy

  Copyright © 1999 Janelle Denison

  A Christmas Marriage Ultimatum

  Copyright © 2004 Helen Bianchin

  A Prince for Christmas

  Copyright © 2004 Rebecca Winters

  The Millionaire’s Christmas Wish

  Copyright © 2004 Lucy Gordon

  Merry Christmas, Baby

  Copyright © 2006 Monica Jackson

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  ® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

  www.eHarlequin.com

 

 

 


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