A Heartwarming Christmas: A Boxed Set of Twelve Sweet Holiday Romances

by Melinda Curtis

  “A few days. Week at the most.”

  She nodded. “Then let’s hope we can find you some answers.”

  The door opened to admit a noisy family. The children ran straight to the village displayed on a table that took up a large percentage of store space to the right of the door. Ohhs and ahhs carried across the room. Faith couldn’t help but smile at the childlike wonder.

  “Can you recommend a place to stay?” Drew asked, interrupting her delight in watching the children.

  She blinked, then felt her cheeks color again. “Sure.” She reached under the counter and handed him a tour guide to the town. “Courtesy of the Christmas Town Chamber of Commerce.”

  “Thanks.” He flipped through the booklet.

  “Esther’s House is a B&B north of Main. Or if you don’t go for that type of place, The Pine Tree Inn is nice.”

  He held up the guide. “Thanks for your help.”

  “Any time.”

  He grinned at her, his eyes lighting up. She swallowed hard.

  “I’ll be back,” he said before heading to the door.

  “I’ll be here,” she whispered, her hand finding its way to stop over her heart.

  ~*~

  Drew worked his way down Main Street, his boots crunching in the snow covered by a thin layer of ice. It was only the weekend after Thanksgiving, yet the heavy snowstorm a few days earlier had dumped enough of the white stuff to remind him of a January blizzard. When his research had pointed him in the direction of Christmas Town, Maine, he hadn’t known what to expect. But here he was, in a town full to overflowing with all things Christmas.

  Holly hung on white picket fences surrounding the town square. Metal-framed stars decorated the lampposts located on Main Street. He thought it would be over-commercialized, but he had to admit, the townsfolk had gone a long way in making it homey, as well as a tourist destination.

  After consulting the map, he made his way to The Pine Tree Inn, hoping to book a room. Last minute reservations could be tricky, he knew from the frequent work trips he took, but hoped to secure a room for the upcoming week. At least until he found out if this lead on his birth mother had any merit.

  He’d been searching for six months now, ever since he’d learned the truth about his parentage. So far he’d come up against nothing but dead ends. Would this town be more of the same?

  Tucking his chin down into his coat, his hands curled deeper in his pockets. It had been a while since he’d traveled in cold climates.

  He passed a few more gift shops with names like Bell, Book and Candle Shoppe, Tiny Tim’s Toy Store and Christmas Town Workshop where he noticed a group of older men shooting the breeze out front. As much as the stores were warmly lit and inviting, none interested him like Comfort and Joy. And it had nothing to do with his mission. No, it had more to do with the woman manning the counter.

  Sharp. Loyal. Very pretty. His first impression of her anyway. Faith had caught his attention from the moment he crossed the room. In the store lighting, her strawberry blond hair gleamed and her green eyes twinkled. Her cheeks turned a charming shade of pink more than a few times. Yes, she was attractive, but she might also hold the key to finding his birth mother.

  He’d parked his Jeep a few blocks away, but once he learned if there was a room available at the inn, ugh, bad Christmas reference, he’d move there later. For now he enjoyed the walk, the brisk weather and the ambiance.

  Once he reached the inn, he stomped snow off his boots and ventured inside. Rustic, with wood and pine tree cuttings scenting the air. He went directly to the front desk and rang the bell. A tall man came from a side room, his face lighting up with a smile when he saw Drew.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I hope so. I need a room for a few days and your inn comes recommended.”

  The man nodded. “The Chamber of Commerce guide?”

  “Faith from Comfort and Joy.”

  A frown wrinkled the man’s brow. “Really. A first, I must say.” He slid a card and pen in Drew’s direction. “I do have a small room available.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  Before retrieving his bag, Drew went to the room to check it out. Small, as promised, but the warm wood furnishings and green paint were welcoming in the overhead light. In the corner sat a Christmas tree, the twinkling lights reminding him that it had been years since he’d spent Christmas with his family. This year he’d spend the holiday with just his Dad, the first since his mother had passed away.

  He closed the door behind him, taking a short tour of the room. Stopping by the one window, he drew the curtain aside. A picturesque view caught his attention. Dusk now, shadows from the tall trees loomed over the snow, causing patches with an icy effect. The entire property of the inn sparkled.

  He stared outside, lost in this thoughts.

  His adoptive mother had been gone almost eight months now. How he missed the woman who had always fussed over him, almost to the point of suffocation. Being John and Mary Montgomery’s only child, it came with the territory, until his mother became ill and her days numbered. Drew had been out on the road but, at the request of his father, went home to upstate New York. He was able to spend some quality time with the woman who raised him before she was too quickly gone.

  Running a hand over his jaw, Drew remembered his mother’s quiet tears at the end. She knew she was dying and wanted her only son close. She’d always been clingy, more so as her health deteriorated. Then, a month after the funeral, his dad asked him to come by the house. Where he proceeded to drop a bombshell.

  Drew had been adopted, but his mother had never wanted the truth revealed. Now that she was at peace, Dad decided to come clean. He explained that they couldn’t have children. His mother had been devastated by that fact. When the opportunity to adopt became a possibility, his mother had been thrilled. As Drew grew up, she became more determined that he never know the truth. He was her son, no one else’s. His father’s story explained quite a bit; why his mother always wanted the family to remain close, even if her clinginess had been part of the reason he took jobs that had him traveling the globe. He felt bad about the years he’d been gone, until his father told him about his birth mother’s request.

  One day, when he was old enough to understand that his adoptive family loved him enough to tell him about his birth mother, the woman wanted to meet him. She had something important for him. But Mary had never allowed it and through the years she’d lost touch with his birth mom. Since his father had come clean, Drew had been searching for the woman to honor her request.

  Drew exhaled, the sound loud in the quiet room. She probably hadn’t meant when he was thirty. Would have been older if Mom hadn’t died. So here he was, searching for a woman who seemed to have fallen from the face of the earth. Tall order, since Drew knew firsthand how big the world really was.

  He loved his parents, but he was curious. What was so important that his birth mother gave him up, only to ask that one day they meet? With his father’s blessing, he decided to seek her out. To what outcome, he had no idea, but decided to look anyway.

  Shaking off his thoughts, he noticed that darkness had descended, taking with it the magical scene outside. Dropping the curtain, he pocketed the key to the room to venture back out to his Jeep and retrieve his belongings. With the poor luck he’d had tracing his birth mother so far, this might be home for a while.

  As he journeyed outside, the Christmas shop owner’s lovely face came to mind. He smiled. Nothing said he couldn’t make the most of his time here.

  Chapter 2

  The sun had completely set for the night after Drew moved the Jeep to the inn. He unpacked, then decided to find something to eat. A stroll down Main Street would most likely bring him across an eatery, so he headed out, his stomach rumbling. Within minutes he found Posey’s and stopped in. The warmth of both the diner and the friendly couple waiting on customers went a long way in soothing his spirit. The search for his birth mother had become consuming, to the
point where he forgot his dad waited back home to learn the outcome. Hopefully he’d get what he needed before Christmas and spend the holidays at home.

  After he’d eaten, Drew paid the bill and strode into the cold night. A light flurry of snow had started, creating a postcard perfect picture of the town bathed in moonlight. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he admired the window decorations as he made his way down the sidewalk. At the end of the business district, he crossed over to check out the other side of Main before walking back to the inn. He’d gotten halfway up the sidewalk when he found himself stopping at the window of Comfort and Joy.

  In the bright light of the store, he saw Faith standing at a table set up with the village and train set, talking to five kids, all with wonder reflected in their eyes. She must have said something they liked, because the kids all clapped, a few jumped up and down, and the next thing he knew, a train came out of a small station and started chugging along the track.

  Through the window he heard the excited chatter of the children and decided he wanted in on the train action. As well as the shop owner. He opened the door, stomped his boots and entered the cinnamon-scented store.

  Faith, who’d had her eyes on the kids, glanced toward the door. Her brows rose when she saw him, but soon a smile spread across her lips. His stomach did a funny kind of flip.

  “Back so soon?”she asked as she joined him.

  “I was taking a tour of the town and happened to look in the window. I heard the kids from outside so I couldn’t resist.” He nodded to the elaborate setup. “That’s quite a train system you’ve got there.”

  “Thanks. It’s a popular attraction every year. I close the store on Sunday after Halloween and spend the day putting it together.”

  “You did all this yourself?”

  She nodded, her face beaming. “Every year.”

  “Wow. That’s impressive.”

  She shrugged. “More like a labor of love.”

  He walked closer to the table, understanding why the kids were so dazzled.

  A large table, overtaking the front section of the store, held not only the train tracks, but a small village, complete with tiny people and cars, nestled in a bed of cotton snow. Lights twinkled in the miniature houses and snow dusted the branches of teeny pine trees. A round mirror served as a pond for the ice skaters. The track weaved through the village, over hills of snow and passed track-crossing signs. A half-dozen buildings clustered together. Downtown, he assumed.

  The engine whistle blew and soon the train came to a halt at the miniature station. A little girl squealed. “Make it go again, Miss Faith.”

  “It will, honey.” Faith chuckled, then told him, “It’ll be like this until New Year’s.”

  Just as Faith promised, the engine moved on. Drew marveled over the handiwork. He picked up a figurine, a young boy he realized as he looked closer, completely in tune with the children watching the train. He felt like a kid himself.

  “My mother always made Christmas a special time,” he mused, “but even she didn’t go all out like this.”

  Faith tousled a little boy’s hair as he passed. “This started as a sales display and grew every year. Now it’s a tradition. Kids in town love to stop by and watch the train go round the track.”

  Drew returned the figure to the display. “Is this town modeled after any place in particular? It has a Swiss Alps look to it.”

  A swift shadow passed over her eyes. “Only my imagination.”

  “You’ve done a fine job.”

  The mothers of the children were ready to make purchases so Drew stayed by the table with the children and dads, debating the merits of steam versus coal engines, while enjoying complementary hot cocoa. Faith waited on the ladies and merry chatter filled the shop. Before long it was just the two of them.

  “I hate to run you off, but it’s closing time. I need to clean up.”

  Before he could stop himself, he said, “I could help. It’s not like I know anyone in town. I’d just be going back to the inn and an empty room.”

  Faith stared at him for long beats before she nodded. “Sure. I could use the company.”

  ~*~

  Was she crazy? This guy was a stranger.

  Yeah, a stranger with kind blue eyes and an interest in the store. What’s the worst that could happen?

  She refused to entertain that thought. Standing tall, she grabbed her cell phone from behind the counter and held it up. “Just so you know, I’m dialing 911 on my phone. One out-of-line move, I hit the send button and help is on the way.”

  His eyes grew wide, then he laughed. “Warning taken.”

  Faith set the phone on the counter and walked to the door, flipping the sign to Closed. When she turned, Drew had moved to other side of the room, eyes wary. She blew out a breath. “Sorry. I had to test you.”

  “I get it. You don’t know me.”

  “Exactly. A single girl can’t be too careful.”

  At Drew’s slow smile, she flushed. Great. Why, oh why, had she admitted to being single? It was the truth, but it made her seem so....old maidenly.

  “Not that I can’t get a date.”

  “I’m sure you can.”

  Just. Stop. Talking.

  “So, since you’re on that side of the room, would you unplug the train table.”

  “Sure.”

  As Drew went about his task, Faith tidied up the displays, turned off the lighted snow globes and other decorations.

  “What else?”

  She scanned the room. “Tonight wasn’t super busy so there’s not much of a mess. I think we’re good.”

  He followed her to the counter where she opened the cash register and removed the money, stuffing it into a bank bag. “I’ll deal with this at home.”

  Drew stood back, giving her the much needed distance she needed. Money, an empty store and a stranger. Bad combination.

  “Just so you know, I’m not a robber.”

  Her gaze met his. “I never said−”

  “It was written all over your face.”

  Of course it was. Mr. Handsome probably thought she was nuts. Why was he hanging around? “Okay, so you’re not a burglar. What do you do?”

  “I’m a field service engineer.”

  “Come again?”

  “I work for a global company that installs water filtration units in struggling countries that need clean water.”

  “Wow. So you travel a lot?”

  “All the time. Since I’ve been searching for my birth mother, this is the most time I’ve spent in the States at one time.”

  That pesky little voice deep inside that always insisted she’d never leave Christmas Town told her not to get excited. He might travel the world, but she never would.

  “How did you get into that field?”

  “I bounced between a few companies before I landed this job, mostly out of curiosity. Then it became a calling. The company really helps out those in need. I like that kind of mission statement.”

  Good looking, an engineer and a do-gooder. Too good to be true?

  “How long are you home for?”

  “Not sure. I guess it depends on how long it takes to locate my birth mother. I’d also like to spend Christmas with my dad. This will be the first year we celebrate the holidays since my adopted mom passed away.”

  She couldn’t even imagine. She might fuss about helping her parents, but after William Sullivan’s stroke, she appreciated the fact that he was still alive. Alive and ready to get back to normal. So while he went to physical therapy, she manned the store. While she longed to see the world, she wouldn’t leave behind the people who had raised her and loved her all her life. She’d just have to wait until the time was right.

  “I’m telling you about myself so you won’t feel uncomfortable.”

  “Thanks. You’re a nice guy.”

  “So I’ve been told.” He leaned against the counter, intent on pursuing this conversation. “How about you?”

  She held
her arms out. “This is my world.”

  “Christmas Town seems like a great place to live and work.”

  She barely held back an unladylike snort. “If you like small towns.”

  “And you don’t?”

  “Don’t know. I’ve never been anywhere else.”

  “Surely you’ve been somewhere?”

  She really didn’t want to discuss this. “It’s getting late. I need to get home.”

  “Oh, right. Sorry.”

  She waved off his apology. “Don’t worry about it.”

  She switched off the light in the small office, then behind the counter. The lone light illuminating the door to the store cast shadows over the room, creating an intimate ambiance. Faith moved to go behind the counter, but Drew blocked her way. Her pulse skyrocketed, but she wasn’t afraid. Not for her safety, anyway. Her heart? Another matter completely.

  Before she realized what he was doing, Drew leaned down, his eyes on her lips. He hesitated, caught her gaze for a long drawn out moment, then moved close to brush her lips with a soft, pulse-pounding, heart-changing kiss. He applied a little more pressure and the exchange became heated. Just when she’d decided to throw herself into the kiss, he pulled away, but hovered close.

  “What was that?” she whispered.

  “A kiss.”

  “I know a kiss. I mean, why?”

  He pointed upward.

  Faith looked up to see a sprig of mistletoe hanging above their heads. When had she put it there?

  “We’re standing under mistletoe,” he explained. “Protocol dictates I kiss you.”

  She stared at him, at a loss for words. No man had ever stolen a kiss from her in the store, mistletoe or not. “Well, we should be going.”

  Drew stepped back, allowing her to move by. “Would you like to get something to drink? Coffee. Hot cocoa?”

  Crossing the room, she looked over her shoulder. “Thanks, but I have to get home. Check on the dog. Make sure the four walls of the house are still standing.”

  His eyebrow rose.

  “Never mind.” How could she explain to him that she needed to get home to make sure everything was in its right place, just like she always did when her folks were gone. She’d been looking out for her parents and their home for so long now, she refused the invitation of a very handsome man. Which was very sad, reminding her how solitary she’d let herself become.