A Highlander is Coming to Town

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A Highlander is Coming to Town Page 25

by Laura Trentham


  As he hoped, he got a small smile out or her, but it was fleeting. She smoothed a hand over her kilt and blouse. “What if this goes horribly wrong?”

  “Oh, it’s going to be weird and stilted and awkward as hell.”

  This time he got a laugh. She slapped his arm. “You’re supposed to be encouraging and comforting.”

  “You didn’t let me finish. No matter what happens, I’m here and not going anywhere and one day we’ll laugh about it all.”

  The doorbell rang. Claire’s hand went to her throat on a gasp. Holt put a hand on her lower back and steered her to the door.

  Her parents were on the other side wearing the same strained smile as Claire. They held a bottle of Glennallen Whisky. Holt shook her father’s hand. “Lewis. Mathilda.”

  He’d been tasked earlier to call them by their given names, which seemed like a positive step. Claire gave them both kisses on the cheeks and ushered them inside. Holt led them into the den and introduced his parents. Holt’s dad cracked open the bottle of whisky and poured drinks for everyone.

  Small talk ensued. Ms. Meadows and his dad had buried the hatchet, thankfully not in each other’s backs. Things went well until Lewis asked Holt’s dad if Glennallen was his favorite whisky.

  “I can’t deny your brand has a nice finish, but there’s no better whisky than Jack Daniel’s for my money.”

  Claire froze, and Lewis Glennallen’s face reddened like a fuse had been lit.

  “Aw hell,” Holt muttered. “It’s Glennallen all the way for me, Lewis. I think the food is almost ready, isn’t it, Mom?”

  Picking up on the undercurrents like the excellent hostess she was, his mother said, “Indeed. Robert, would you escort Ms. Meadows to the table? Holt, you lead the Glennallens to their places. Claire and I will bring the food to the table, and we’ll serve family style.”

  The rest of the dinner was the typical ebb and flow of a conversation among relative strangers, but by the end the Glennallens were comfortable enough to stay for an after-dinner drink.

  “Holt tells us you’re quite a singer, Claire. If I play, will you sing?” Holt’s dad sat at the piano and hit a note.

  Claire nodded and the night ended with everyone joining in on several classic Christmas songs. It seemed to shrink the distance and differences between the two families. Claire saw her parents to their rental car. Their flight left the next afternoon, and it would be the last time she saw them for quite some time.

  Holt waited in the entry for her. She returned with tears glimmering in her eyes but a soft smile on her face. He enfolded her in his arms. “Everything all right?”

  “For the first time ever, I can answer yes to that question. I don’t know if I’ll ever be close with my parents like you are with yours—too many years have been squandered—but we aren’t estranged anymore. I’m happy about that.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “I’m happy that you’re happy.”

  Holt’s mom offered to put Ms. Meadows up for the night, but she demurred, needing to return to the assisted living facility for her medicine. Holt’s dad volunteered to take her back, offering his arm. The two old adversaries were almost chummy on their walk to his dad’s truck. Talk about Christmas miracles. Holt shook his head and smiled.

  After cleaning up the kitchen, Claire and Holt walked hand in hand to his cabin in the dark. The scraggly tree that Claire had given him decorated with multicolored lights and colorful ornaments in the corner made him smile.

  “Best Christmas ever,” he said against her temple. “I can’t wait to plant roots so deep, you won’t regret giving up Glennallen Whisky.”

  “It was never even close. I will always choose you, Holt.”

  And Holt would always choose Claire. He spent the rest of the night proving it.

  Also by Laura Trentham

  THE HIGHLAND, GEORGIA SERIES

  A Highlander Walks into a Bar

  A Highlander in a Pickup

  THE COTTONBLOOM SERIES

  Kiss Me That Way

  Then He Kissed Me

  Till I Kissed You

  Candy Cane Christmas (novella)

  Light Up the Night (novella)

  Leave the Night On

  When the Stars Come Out

  Set the Night on Fire

  THE FALCON FOOTBALL SERIES

  Slow and Steady Rush

  Caught Up in the Touch

  Melting into You

  About the Author

  LAURA TRENTHAM is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance, including the six novels in the Cottonbloom series—now available from St. Martin’s Paperbacks. She is a member of RWA, and has finaled multiple times in the Golden Heart competition. A chemical engineer by training and a lover of books by nature, she lives in South Carolina. You can sign up for email updates here.

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  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Epilogue

  Also by Laura Trentham

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  First published in the United States by St. Martin’s Paperbacks, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.

  A HIGHLANDER IS COMING TO TOWN

  Copyright © 2020 by Laura Trentham.

  All rights reserved.

  For information address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.

  www.stmartins.com

  eISBN: 9781250315069

  Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, ext. 5442, or by email at [email protected].

  St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition 2020

 

 

 


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