Christmas in Snow Valley Read online

  A Christmas Romance Anthology

  ©Copyright © 2014 Pepin Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, names, places, incidents, and dialogue are products of the authors’ imagination and are not to be construed as real.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without prior written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles.

  ISBN-13: 978-1502450319

  ISBN-10: 1502450313

  Pepin Publishing

  http://pepinpublishingcompnay.webstarts.com/

  Interior design by Sadie Anderson

  Cover design by Christina Dymock

  Now available Summer in Snow Valley!

  #1 Bestselling Amazon Authors of Christmas in Snow Valley, have teamed up again with six wonderful summer novellas that are sure to make your summer sweet and sassy!

  Catching Caytie by Amazon Top Seller Cindy Roland Anderson

  On the night Caytie Holbrook intends to break up with her cheating boyfriend, he blindsides her by announcing their engagement at a dinner party. When Caytie discovers her father is in on the scheme, she runs away from her home in Beverly Hills to hide out at her uncle’s ranch in Snow Valley, Montana. While Snow Valley is a beautiful place, Caytie only plans to stay until her twenty-fifth birthday when she’ll inherit a trust fund her grandmother left her, allowing her to pursue her dream to move to Italy. That is until she meets Jace McAllister, an incredibly sexy—although somewhat grumpy—cowboy who threatens to disrupt her plans.

  Tin Foil Tiaras by Amazon Top Seller Jeanette Lewis

  Cameron Elliott has come to Snow Valley to coach Annalisa Drake in the Miss Snow Valley pageant, and prove to her demanding boss that she deserves a place at the prestigious Westbrooke Agency. But Annalisa’s handsome and protective big brother, Kyle, is determined to keep his sister from becoming a reluctant beauty queen. As Cameron tries to win Kyle over, Kyle insists some things are more valuable than a title and as crazy as it sounds, Cameron might just believe him.

  A Touch of Love by Amazon Top Seller Cami Checketts

  Annie Stirland has endured a lifetime of teasing, embarrassment, and isolation due to her speech impediment. When irresistible cowboy, Luke Wilson, seems to be falling for her, she’s certain he’s too good to be true. A tragedy involving his ex-girlfriend proves she’s right. What man can resist sheltering someone they once loved? Annie knows she should walk away, but Luke isn’t ready to give her up.

  First Love by Amazon Top Seller Taylor Hart

  Janet Snow doesn’t expect to get caught in a full-blown make out session at her brother’s wedding. Especially not with Michael Hamilton, the boy she’d written off ten years ago. Even though they both agree to no complications, Janet's not sure they can stick to it given their past. After a trip to the hot springs, a helicopter ride, and a proposal, even the most cautious single mother would start to wonder if true love really is just about the timing. Now Janet has to make a choice—play it safe or trust that her first love could also be her last.

  Romancing Rebecca by Amazon Top Seller and Award-winning Author Kimberley Montpetit

  Rebecca Dash loved spending her teen summers swooning over Jane Austin and helping her aunt at the Starry Skies Bed & Breakfast in Snow Valley. But as a recent college grad, she’d rather write sappy romance novels than go out with guys that make her a nervous wreck. When a team of fire-fighters set up camp on the lawns of the B&B and Captain Wade catches her eye, Becca soon learns that there’s more to a happily-ever-after than a flirty firemen with muscles the size of the Montana hills.

  Love in Light and Shadow by Amazon Top Seller and Award-winning Author Lucy McConnell

  Mercedes O'Shay has sworn off gorgeous men because they have a tendency to break her heart. When she meets her new neighbor, Chet Bauer, she immediately puts him in the Do Not Date category based on his well-defined muscles and stunning blue eyes. But the more Mercedes learns about the cowboy who reads classics and forges iron, the more she realizes the heart doesn't see in black and white; it sees light and shadows.

  Now available for preorder

  delivered right to your Kindle on November 2, 2015.

  Click here to order your copy today.

  Five Christmas romances set in the picturesque town of Echo Ridge, NY for just 99 cents!

  Table of Contents

  An Unexpected Kiss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1

  Cindy Roland Anderson

  Feels Like Love. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 118

  Jeanette Lewis

  Full Court Devotion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 216

  Cami Checketts

  The Christmas Eve Kiss. . . . . . . . . . . Page 297

  Taylor Hart

  Risking it All for Love . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 396

  Kimberley Montpetit

  Blue Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Page 477

  Lucy McConnell

  An Unexpected Kiss

  Cindy Roland Anderson

  Dedication

  For my granddaughter Brooklyn who thinks superheroes are cooler than princesses, but still likes to wear sparkly high-heels with a dress.

  Acknowledgments

  First let me say that I could not have completed this book without the love and support of my family. My husband, John, did the dishes almost every night, and frequently took the boys out to eat so I could write. When the laundry piled up, John took care of that as well. He also took the time to read over the manuscript to look for any inconsistencies.

  This has been a fun book to write, and I enjoyed working with such gifted authors to complete this Christmas romance anthology. Thank you Cami, Christina, Taryn, Janet, and Kimberly for including me.

  I want to also thank Sadie Anderson, my talented editor, typesetter and formatter. There is nothing she can’t do. She’s my superhero!

  A special thanks to Sherry Gammon for creating such an adorable cover! She was so fantastic to work with, and graciously accommodated all my requests to get exactly what I wanted.

  Lastly, I need to thank Valerie Bybee who dropped everything she had going on to read through the manuscript in one day. I couldn’t do it without her help.

  Chapter One

  LUCY PHILLIPS READ THE TEXT from her mother and stifled a frustrated groan.

  Lance will be picking you up at the airport. Make sure to wear something nice. And don’t forget to bring a coat.

  Really? Her mother was already telling her what to do and she hadn’t even boarded the plane yet. If it weren’t for the Christmas season, she’d send a sarcastic reply.

  Not that it would do any good if she did. Her mom was determined to marry Lucy off to her old high school boyfriend. It didn’t matter that Lance still wished he were in high school. Her mother wanted grandchildren, and apparently Lance was willing to help her get them. If only Lucy would cooperate.

  “Hey, could you move ahead?” an irritated voice said from behind her.

  Lucy shoved her phone in her pocket and took one step forward to close the gap in front of her. She resisted the urge to turn around and say something sarcastic to the grumpy lady. The way this week had gone, Lucy would end up sitting by the woman.

  Her phone vibrated another incoming text. Lucy loved her mother. She really did, but she didn’t like her meddling with her life. Her two teenage brothers were still at home. Couldn’t her mother focus on them?

  The line inched forward, and Lucy quickl
y moved ahead. No need to tick off the grumpy lady again. She really hoped her seatmate was someone nice. The flight from Northern California to Montana wasn’t a long one, but when you are seated by the wrong person it can seem interminable.

  Her phone buzzed again, and Lucy ignored it. It had to be her mother again, wondering if she’d gotten her first text. Just knowing Lance was going to be waiting for her at the airport put a damper on her Christmas spirit.

  Without looking at the new messages, Lucy turned off her phone. She’d deal with her mother and Lance when she absolutely had to. She wasn’t going to let them ruin her favorite holiday.

  Lucy loved Christmas, and nobody did Christmas better than Snow Valley, her hometown in Montana. Since her managing director decided to take his family on an extended Caribbean cruise over the holidays, Lucy had a full two weeks of paid time off to enjoy the town’s festivities.

  Finally, it was her turn to board the plane. She envied the lucky people traveling in first class. They were settled in wide, comfortable looking seats, and already had been served the beverage of their choice. Lucy wondered if they offered hot chocolate. There was nothing more soothing than a cup of hot cocoa topped with a dollop of thick whipped cream. If she got the promotion she’d been slaving away for over the past year, maybe she’d be able to afford traveling first class. But for now she was stuck in the back of the plane.

  The flight was full, and by the time Lucy made her way toward her assigned seat, the flight attendant warned her there might not be any room left in the overhead bins. She offered to check her bag for free, which Lucy gladly accepted.

  With only her messenger bag to carry, Lucy squeezed through the aisle, counting the seats until she reached row twenty-six. A man stood with his back to her, trying to shove his carry-on bag into the overhead bin. He was a big guy, not fat but certainly not toned.

  While she waited, she glanced back down at her ticket and saw she had the middle seat, which meant she was going to be squished in between this guy and…the grumpy lady. Seriously? First, Lance would be waiting for her at the airport, and now this?

  Dismayed, she tucked a strand of her long, blonde hair behind her ear. Glancing to her right, she found herself staring into the most unbelievable blue eyes she’d ever seen. She blinked and the owner of the eyes came into full focus. He had thick, light-brown hair that was slightly tousled, a look she was sure hadn’t come from using any special hair product. His tanned skin only emphasized the electric blue color of his eyes. Two tiny lines creased between his eyebrows, and Lucy realized the man was scowling. At her?

  “Is this your seat?” he asked, pointing to the empty spot next to him.

  Hope flared in her chest. Maybe she’d read her ticket wrong. “I’m in twenty-six E.”

  The man’s face relaxed and the slightest smile appeared on his handsome face. “This is seat B. You’re on the other side.”

  Of course she couldn’t be that lucky.

  “That’s right, sweetheart,” a booming voice said from her other side. “Slide on in here.”

  Lucy noticed a spark of compassion in the blue eyes before the man dropped his gaze to study his smart phone. Slowly, she turned and offered her seatmate a warm smile.

  “Hello, I’m Lucy.”

  “Howdy, Lucy.” The jovial man stuck out his hand. “I’m Jed Harrison.”

  Lucy shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.” She slipped past him and took her seat. Right away she noticed both of the arm rests were lifted, which allowed the passengers on either side of her to encroach on her space, leaving her very little room to sit.

  “Hi, I’m Lucy,” she said to the grumpy woman.

  “Maxine,” the woman said, eyeing Lucy with a frown as she buckled her seatbelt. “I suppose you want the arm rest down.”

  No, what Lucy wanted was to be seated across the aisle next to the cute guy with the blue eyes.

  “If you’d prefer it up, I don’t mind.”

  That at least won her a smile.

  Jed took his seat and fumbled with the seatbelt. His elbow caught Lucy in the chest. “Oops, sorry about that. Didn’t mean to touch you there.” He grinned. “I’m not trying to get fresh with you. It’s just these seats are awfully close together. Besides, I’m a happily married man.”

  Lucy thought she heard a muffled laugh from across the aisle, but she wasn’t about to try and see who might find this so funny, although she guessed it was the blue-eyed stranger. If she moved at all, Jed was sure to get another feel of her womanly curves, and she did not want that to happen again.

  The last of the remaining passengers found their seats, including a bedraggled looking mother who was holding a crying toddler. Lucy found herself smiling when the woman declared she and her son were in seats twenty-six B and C.

  She bet Mr. Blue Eyes wasn’t laughing now.

  The flight went by slowly. Maxine had fallen asleep, and while she didn’t exactly snore, her breathing was noisy. But not noisy enough to drown out Jed who insisted on chatting the entire time. By the time the plane landed in Billings, Lucy felt like she knew the man’s wife and children intimately, not to mention his stellar sales record.

  Her head hurt, and she’d been unable to come up with a plan to avoid Lance, or at the very least come up with a speech that would finally get it through his head she was not interested in having a relationship with him, let alone have children with him.

  While waiting for people to deplane, Lucy overheard the mother of the toddler thank the man sitting next to her for being such a big help. Although mildly curious about how the guy had helped the young mother out, Lucy didn’t move. Jed was attempting to unbuckle his seatbelt, and had already made bodily contact with her far too many times.

  Finally, Jed had his bag and moved out of the way, talking loudly on his cell phone.

  Lucy stood up, feeling a little disappointed the cute guy had already vacated his seat. She glanced down the aisle just in time to see him disappear through the passageway to the terminal. She wondered where he was going from here. Maybe he had a girlfriend or wife waiting to meet him. Or he could be catching another flight to someplace else.

  “Are you going to stand there and gawk all day?” Maxine said.

  Lucy snapped to attention and grabbed her messenger bag. “Sorry.” She got in the dwindling line and made her way to the terminal. And to Lance.

  What to do about Lance?

  No matter how many times Lucy told him she just wanted him for a friend, Lance held onto hope—no doubt fueled by Lucy’s mother—that they would rekindle their high-school romance.

  Lance Christensen had been her boyfriend her senior year in high school. It was the typical high-school romance that ended when Lucy went to the University of Montana in Missoula on a full-ride scholarship. Lance was supposed to attend Montana State on a football scholarship, but he blew his knee out before they graduated, ending his football career. After washing out his first semester at Montana State, Lance returned home to Snow Valley to continue working on his dad’s ranch.

  Lucy didn’t look down on Lance for his vocation in life. Ranchers made a good living, were hard workers, and she respected them. What bothered her about Lance was his desire to live in the past. Even though they’d graduated seven years ago, it seemed like he wanted to stay a senior in high school the rest of his life. And he wanted Lucy to be a part of that fantasy.

  As Lucy passed through the portal of the plane to the walkway, she shivered from the noticeably lower temperature. While she enjoyed the weather in Northern California, Lucy loved snow. It was one of things she missed most about home. Winter in Snow Valley, especially during the Christmas season was like stepping inside a snow globe. The entire town was decorated for the holiday, making her homecoming even sweeter.

  Christmas music played over the speakers as she stepped into the busy terminal and made her way to the baggage claim. She was so torn about what to do. If she did ride home with Lance, maybe he would finally listen to her and acc
ept that they could never be anything more than friends.

  She needed to make it clear to him that as much as she loved Snow Valley, she wasn’t moving home. After graduating cum laude from the University of Montana with a degree in computer science, she’d landed her dream job with one of the top internet companies in the heart of Silicon Valley. During her first year with the company, she’d worked hard and earned her MBA while also climbing the ranks in her department for her part in successful projects.

  Just before leaving on his cruise, the managing director announced when the New Year rolled in he would be appointing a new manager over an upcoming project that would explode the company’s presence into worldwide markets previously untapped. Lucy’s name had been on the list, along with seven other candidates who were being considered.

  Still, she and Lance had had this conversation before, and it hadn’t gotten her anywhere. Her other option would be to rent a car and drive to Snow Valley herself. While Lucy loved the snow, she didn’t like driving in it. Her dad knew that, and usually picked her up. If her mother would’ve given her more of a heads-up about Lance, Lucy could’ve made sure her father was the one waiting for her.

  Digging her phone out of her pocket, she powered it up and stepped onto the escalator. She wanted to check out the local weather. If the roads were clear then she would rent a car. Her phone vibrated to life. There were seven text messages. All from her mother.

  Ignoring the messages, she tapped the weather app and waited for it to update her current location. Relief washed over her when she read the forecast. There was a forty percent chance of snow, but it wasn’t until after midnight. She could easily make the two hour ride home long before that.