The room went crazy. Kids screamed, mom’s laughed, and little Jackie Dennis, cut up that she was, fell on the floor in a faux faint.
Syd lost it. All the planning, all the stress and angst came down to this one moment when these kids forgot about the beatings and yellings they’d witnessed from men who were supposed to love their mothers. Tears filled her eyes, but she laughed, faking it the whole way because she would not let these kids see her cry.
Grey, a.k.a. Santa, nudged her from behind. “Hey, pretty lady. Get a move on, I got business to transact.”
She turned back, met his gaze. “You are so getting lucky tonight.”
“Excellent. Now get outta my way.”
An hour later, the room had gone quiet, all the kids clustered around Santa’s feet as he reached for the last box. All the kids had received a gift and Syd wasn’t sure what was left, but she guessed they’d soon find out.
She leaned casually against the huge archway leading into the common room watching the festivities with Mitch and Caroline. The four of them, once again, had averted a disaster. The smiling faces all around proved that, and Syd took it all in, breathing through the range of emotions that ran through her. Working at the shelter wasn’t easy. Each day she interacted with women whose husband’s inflicted their rage on them, sometimes leaving them with permanent injuries, the loss of vision or a few broken teeth.
The women in this room though had found the courage to run. To save themselves and their children who would one day be someone’s wife or husband. Someone’s parent. For that alone, that strength, that willingness to face an uncertain future with no husband to support them financially, Syd would help every one of them.
Santa reached for his last gift and the box sent up a red flag to Syd. Odd. She’d sat at Grey’s kitchen table—now her kitchen table too—and wrapped each gift, methodically adding bows and ribbon to each. And she didn’t remember one shaped like a shoebox. But, thanks to Grey’s melted credit card, there’d been a lot of toys and clothes and shoes and in her delight of wrapping each one, she could have lost track.
What did it matter as long as everyone left happy? She glanced around at the moms and kids now all huddled in groups oohing and aahing over their gifts and Syd’s heart opened up. Just expanded in her chest because all the work they’d put into this had paid off.
She turned to Mitch and Caroline. In this twisted world of Grey’s Justice Team, they’d become her family. Finally, after years of being raised by a single mother and then losing her mom to mental illness, she finally had an extended family.
Even if it was a weird one.
Mitch looked at her, his eyes a little wary. “What?”
Grasping both his and Caroline’s hands, she squeezed. “Thank you. I love you guys.”
“My life is made,” Mitch said. “I got two hot women in love with me.”
Caroline blew out a breath. “Ignore him. He’s an ass, but we love him.”
“Okay, kids,” Santa said over the growing chatter in the room. “I have one more gift. This one is for Sydney. Where’s Sydney?”
All at once, the kids went crazy, screaming Syd’s name and pointing to her. Rolling her eyes, really playing up her shock, she laughed. He’d gotten her a gift. How sweet was that?
Santa patted his lap and oh, boy, he was pushing it with this one. She perched onto the edge of his knee, her back to him while she grinned at the kids. God, this was fun. And then Santa grabbed hold of her legs and shifted her crossways across his lap. She leaned in and whispered, “Hey, Santa, let’s keep it clean here. We have a room full of kids.”
All of whom now kneeled on the floor in a small circle around them.
He handed her the box. “You’ve been a very good girl, Sydney.”
After that Twelve Days of Christmas thing, he wasn’t kidding. For kicks, she placed one hand on her cheek and gasped sending the kids into fits of laughter. “For me, Santa?”
“Yep.”
“Why, thank you. Should I open it now?”
Because knowing her man, he probably had something naughty in that box. And the smile behind that stupid beard only confirmed Grey was enjoying this.
He leaned in, got right next to her ear. “It’s okay. The kids can see.”
Going to work on one end of the box, she lifted the tape, peeling back the paper. “I knew I didn’t recognize this box.”
“I had it in the car. I sent Monroe out to get it while you were setting dessert out.”
“You sneaky boys.”
“That’s us.”
Under the wrapping paper was—she guessed it—a shoebox. For a pair of men’s size twelve dress shoes. Grey’s size. “Fed Boy, I hope you’re not giving me a pair of your shoes.”
“Nope. The box is a decoy.”
A decoy. Excellent. She set the box on her lap and flipped the top off. And, oh, this man.
A surge of emotion shot clear up her throat and trapped all her air. She squeezed her eyes shut, held one hand over her mouth because he’d remembered. He’d remembered.
Months earlier they’d taken an impromptu trip to New York City. While there, they’d strolled past Tiffany’s and she’d casually mentioned she’d never bought or received anything in a Tiffany blue box. And, hello, there’d been one pair of diamond earrings that had caught her eye. She couldn’t imagine what they cost though and—wow—if he’d bought her those earrings she’d fall right off Santa’s lap.
“What is it?” one of the kids yelled.
She reached in, grabbed the small gift box and held it up. “Girls, all of you take note of this box. I don’t know what’s in it, but I’ve always wanted one of these boxes.” She turned back to Santa, gave him a peck on the cheek. “Thank you for remembering.”
He shrugged. “I do what I can. Open it.”
“Is it the earrings?”
He winced. Not a good sign. “No, I’m sorry. It’s not the earrings. Those were a hundred-thousand-dollars. Still, I hope you like it.”
Whatever it was, she’d love it. Simply because he remembered she wanted a Tiffany blue box. “You know I will. If you gave it to me, I’ll love it.”
She tugged on the white ribbon and Grey grabbed it from her, set it down on the floor next to him. Taking a deep breath, savoring every second of receiving her first gift from Tiffany’s, she lifted the lid off the box only to find another box. This one velvet and Syd’s pulse kicked up.
From the corner of her eye, she spotted him watching her, his gaze focused in that intense way he did when working an assignment, sorting and prioritizing evidence. “For the love of God, Syd, open the damned thing before I have a stroke.”
She dug the smaller box out and flipped the lid open. “Holy shit.”
Grey burst out laughing and Syd slapped her hand over her mouth. After all the lectures she’d leveled on staff members about salty language, she’d just let it fly in front of a bunch of seven-year-olds.
But, holy, holy shit.
Her eyes feasted on a brilliant and sparkling diamond ring. Platinum and easily three carats, the large center stone was surrounded by smaller ones that cascaded down either side of the band. Damn that thing was gorgeous. She reached up with her free hand, but stopped, almost afraid to touch it as her pulse hammered and ohmygod, she might be the one having a stroke.
Growing up, she’d dreamed of diamonds like this. Diamonds and a man that would love her and take care of her. Cherish her. Then life fell apart and her mother was hospitalized and suddenly her dreams didn’t matter anymore because Sydney Banfield obviously wasn’t meant for diamonds and princes. Sydney Banfield would scrap and claw her way through life alone.
Which she’d done.
Until Grey.
“Sydney swore, Mama!” one of the kids yelled sending the room into an uproar of laughter.
“What is it?” another one hollered.
Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. She opened her mouth, croaked out a word and stopped to clear her throat. It’s a ring.
For me.
She tilted the box so the kids could see it. “It’s a ring. Isn’t it beautiful?”
The kids all oohed and aahed again as she recovered from being knocked stone cold. What had he done?
With his left hand, the one behind her, he patted the upper part of her rear. “What do you think? Wanna marry me?”
“I’m...I’m...Oh. My. God that’s the most amazing ring I’ve ever seen.”
He nuzzled closer to her ear. “I’m sorry. My plan had been to do this differently. I know you don’t like to advertise our relationship around here. I figured I’d wait until the place cleared out and the two of us were alone. I wanted to do it here because you love this place. You change lives here and I thought maybe, if I got really lucky, you’d change mine here too. So, that was the plan. At least until you started threatening to kill my buddy and we went to plan B. As usual, anything involving Monroe usually blows up.”
Syd laughed. “That’s true. He’s like crack though. We can’t stay away.”
“Yeah. So here I am, waiting for you to answer. And let me add that it takes a giant set of balls to ask you to marry me in front of all these people. I mean, you know me. I never do anything without analyzing it to death and I took a flyer here. And, well, are you gonna answer me sometime today?”
She nodded.
“Is that a yes?”
Leaning into him, she snuggled into his neck, breathed in his soapy, clean scent and finally let her tears fall.
Maybe Sydney Banfield did get to live her dream after all.
“Yes,” she said. “Giant yes. I can’t believe you did this for me.”
“I love you, Syd. I’d do anything for you.”
“I love you, too, Santa.”
Grey snatched the ring from the box and slid it on Syd’s finger. She held her hand up so the crowd could see it and more oohs and aahs filled the room. The moms in the back clapped. These women whose lives had fallen apart still found it in them to be happy for her.
Syd waved at them, threw them all a kiss. “I guess Santa and I are getting married.”
“But,” Lucy Jones said, “I thought Santa was already married.”
“Ah, Christ,” Grey muttered. “We just made Santa a bigamist. Should have went to plan C.”
“What was plan C?”
“Hell if I know.”
Mitch called from the back. “This guy? He’s really the Grinch dressed as Santa, and today, he finally found the true meaning of Christmas. His heart grew three sizes today.”
Someone in the crowd started clapping again and the rest joined in. Grey, though embarrassed, smiled and Syd smiled back. The Post was right...they were holiday heroes. And her hero—this man who put serial killers behind bars and played Santa for a group of shelter kids—was the best of them all.
~ THE END ~
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BOOK 5
Miracle of Love
By
Allie Boniface
A Hometown Heroes Christmas Novella
Lindsey Point paramedic Mick has been in love with his best friend Annie for years. When a Christmas Eve blizzard strands them alongside a pregnant stranger and a pair of lost donkeys, will these friends finally realize their feelings and become lovers? Or will the storm separate them for good?
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Miracle of Love
COPYRIGHT © 2015 by Allie Boniface (http://www.allieboniface.com)
(http://www.allieboniface.com )
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author.
Cover Art by Wicked Smart Designs (http://www.wickedsmartdesigns.com/)
(http://www.wickedsmartdesigns.com/)
Edited by Hot Tree Editing (http://www.hottreeediting.com/) (http://www.hottreeediting.com/)
Published in the United States of America
Acknowledgments
A big shout-out to my editors at Hot Tree Editing and my faithful beta readers Liz Matis and Rebecca J. Clark. I’m also ever-thankful for my husband, who supports my writing journey every day, and the fantastic authors at Club Indie who have shared invaluable advice about this industry.
Dedication
To everyone who looks for miracles, at holiday time and all through the year!
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CHAPTER 1
Annie McKenzie bent her head against a wintry blast that almost took her breath away. Nor’easter on its way for sure. But the December weather didn’t bother her. One more block, a handful of steps, and she’d be back at one of her favorite places in all of Lindsey Point. She narrowed her eyes against the specks of snow that stung her nose and cheeks. Half a block. Two more steps.
Finally, chilled to the bone, she pulled open the heavy front door of the Great White Bar and Grill. She hadn’t been back to town in three long months, and she couldn’t wait to catch up with everyone. And prove I could do it, a voice whispered inside her head. Few people had thought a diner waitress from the wrong side of the tracks could make it in nursing school. Even her father had frowned and told her she’d be better off using her cooking and cleaning talents to find a man with money. But she’d squirreled away a dream all those years ago, after the plane crash that killed her classmates back in high school. I’m not going to stand on the sidelines of life. I’m going to do something important. Make a difference. It had taken her a while to save up the tuition money, but she could see her dream now on the horizon, waiting for her.
The only problem was that she’d kind of screwed up. Or more than kind of. She banished the thought, the image of an ugly red F on the top of her exam paper, and pulled off her hat. I’m back!
Only two men sat inside the Great White.
“Finn?” She stopped in the foyer and frowned. The wind knocked over the Christmas tree beside her, and she bent to right it. Where is everyone?
“Annie!” The tall, dark-haired bartender strode over and gave her a hug. “You picked a heck of a night to come home.”
“I know. It’s not any better in Boston. I’m glad I got on the road when I did.” She glanced at the one other customer in the pub and then back at the gathering shadows. They smudged Main Street with gray. “Hey, stranger,” she called.
Lucas Oakes turned with his usual solemn expression. “Hey, Annie.” He wore a baseball cap and a Red Sox sweatshirt, and had one giant hand wrapped around his beer mug. “Merry Christmas. Welcome back to Lindsey Point.”
“Thanks.” She looked around. “Where is everyone? I thought Patti would be here, and Sophie, maybe Carl and some of the others…”
“People are stayin’ home,” Finn said as he took his place behind the bar again. “We’re supposed to get over a foot of snow tonight.”
Annie climbed onto a bar stool, disappointed. “I wanted to see the old gang. It feels like it’s been forever.”
“It has been, in Lindsey Point time.” Finn chuckled. “Gosh, you’ve missed the birth of the Stevenson twins, and the new front door on Tink’s Hardware, and I think Charles introduced a new coffee f
lavor at his café last month.”
Annie smiled and shook her head. All those little things made up the Lindsey Point of her heart, new front doors, coffee flavors, names, and faces she knew at a glance. She didn’t care whether Finn joked about it, or whether outsiders called the town a little slow-motion place. It was her place. The anxious edge plaguing her since exams began to fade.
Finn poured her a tall glass of wine and slid it over. “You done with school?”
“For the semester.”
Lucas tapped his mug to her glass. “Gotta hand it to you, goin’ back after all this time.”
“You know I’m the oldest in all my classes by about ten years, right? No, wait. Make that fifteen.” F. Failure. F. She couldn’t push the image from her mind this time. She looked at her two former high school classmates. “How did we get this old, anyway? I still feel like I’m eighteen.”
Lucas shot Finn a quick glance. “Sure as hell glad I’m not still eighteen.”
Without speaking, the three looked at the framed newspapers behind the bar. Finn had owned this place for almost a decade, and he still wiped down those frames every night, as far as Annie knew. A year or so ago, he’d had them replaced with special glass that would block the UV rays and preserve the newspaper articles forever. She supposed she didn’t blame him; their small town of Lindsey Point had a history worth remembering and bearing witness to.
Loss.
Tragedy.
Death.
Unsolved mysteries.
Annie studied the deep maroon of her wine. But there was happiness here too, and family roots going back generations. She loved every inch of this town, every person, every memory, and every quirk that made it up. She couldn’t wait to come back and work full-time at the Lindsey Point Medical Center. Really, she’d dreamed of it for as long as she could remember, or since the plane crash that had killed seven of her classmates, and that was long enough back to remember for her. One more semester of nursing school, the hardest semester, lay ahead of her. That, and an exam she had one more chance to pass. She drew in a quick breath and said her almost-daily prayer.
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