Mistletoe Mischief (12 page)

Shadowed Trust

For more small town romance, check out the WELCOME TO REDEMPTION SERIES by
Stacey Joy Netze
l and
Donna Marie Rogers

Welcome to Redemption...

...a small town in Northeast Wisconsin where second chances don’t always come easy, but if you’re willing to try, anything is possible.

Book 1: A Fair Of The Heart
, by Donna Marie Rogers

Single mother, and work-at-home beautician, Lauren Frazier can barely keep a roof over her head, let alone stop it from falling down around her. When handyman Caleb Hunter shows up at her door for a haircut, he’s the answer to her prayers—and the attraction is instantaneous. Too bad her troublesome ten-year-old son isn’t quite as thrilled to have Caleb hanging around.

Old wounds have kept Caleb from returning to Redemption permanently. When he receives word of his mother’s unexpected death, guilt and regret bring him home again, but will the love of a good woman keep him there? Beautiful, witty, and strong, Lauren excites Caleb like no woman ever has, but she’s a package deal, and he’s not sure he’s prepared to take on a ready-made family.

Book 2: A Fair To Remember
, by Stacey Joy Netzel

Reformed gang member Wes Carter feels Redemption, Wisconsin, is just the place to relocate his financial business for reasons more than just the name. He’s ready for a nice, quiet life in small town USA. Tara Russell has decided it’s time to add some excitement to her life and get a little wild—no matter how uncomfortable it makes her or her overprotective family. They meet at the local fair one warm summer night and discover opposites attract for all the right reasons. Add a dash of Sugar in the form of an incorrigible Great Dane, and it’s destined to be
A Fair To Remember
.

Book 3: The Perfect Blend
, by Donna Marie Rogers

Carrie Lowell swears off men for good after nearly losing her business in a bitter divorce settlement to her abusive ex-husband. She’s on the verge of filing bankruptcy when handsome librarian Matt Jacobs walks into her shop and offers sound—if unwanted—business advice. Sure, financially he’s a godsend, but emotionally he’s a threat to the barricade she’s built around her heart.

Heir to a vast fortune, Jacob Spalding flees L.A. for the tiny Midwest town of Redemption, Wisconsin to escape the scandalous nightmare his life has become. Now known as Matt Jacobs, he buys a little cottage and settles in to small town life. Soon, he finds himself infatuated with the owner of the coffee shop across the street. Too bad the infuriating woman is as contrary as she is beautiful.

Book 4: Grounds For Change
, by Stacey Joy Netzel

Charlie Russell lived with a secret for fourteen years, but now guilt has pushed him to the breaking point. He meets psychologist Dana McClain and feels an instant connection that has nothing to do with his Great Dane, Sugar, spilling coffee down her shirt. Dana switched to counseling animals because she has a history of becoming too emotionally involved with her clients. She figures she’s safe helping Charlie with Sugar’s issues, until he reveals his secret and asks for her help. She tries to convince herself it's all about the dog, not the guy, but history has a way of repeating itself.

Book 5: Home Is Where the Heart Is
, by Donna Marie Rogers

Used to the finer things in life, heiress Melinda Spalding is thrown for a loop when her brother relocates to the Midwest. Her parents even expand their business to the small town and put her in charge of the project. Discovering she likes “Mayberry” and its quirky inhabitants is almost as shocking as her growing attraction to the local auto mechanic. But L.A. is where she belongs…or is home truly where the heart is?

Drew Porter learned early in life how treacherous women can be—and when snooty “Lindy” Spalding skids into his life and nearly makes roadkill out of his dog, she seems worse than most. An unlikely bond between their pets gives him an intriguing glimpse behind her pretentious exterior. While his heart wonders if there more to her than meets the eye, his head tells him to run as fast as he can in the opposite direction.

Book 6: The Heart of the Matter
, by Stacey Joy Netzel

All Allie Daniels ever wanted was a family of her own—until her doctor informs her she’ll never be able to have children.
 
She hides her desolation, refusing to let any man close enough to see her broken heart.
 
Most certainly not the town veterinarian, who’s cute three-year-old son reminds her of what she’ll never have.

Rick Wilde had a serious crush on Allie back in high school, but life took them in different directions.
 
Now a single parent, he returns to Redemption several years later to raise his son, Lukas.
 
His interest in Allie is renewed, but her shoulder is colder than the bitter winter wind.

Brought together by an orphaned kitten, Allie finds herself helpless to resist Lukas’s impish innocence—not to mention Rick’s warm charm and sexy good looks.
 
Does she dare take a chance on an impossible dream, or will Rick’s desire for more kids devastate their future?

Love Christmas stories?

Check out Stacey Joy Netzel’s
DRAGONFLY DREAMS

~~~

“I sincerely adored this story. Dragonfly Dreams smacks of Gift of the Magi while remaining original, heartwarming, and honestly lovely. Dragonfly Dreams sucked me in and held me from start to finish. Jake is sweet, kind, and noble – everything a true romantic hero should be. Loral, on the other hand, is tough yet vulnerable and adorable – the perfect heroine. I give this the highest rank because I would read it again and again.”
~ Becca, Got Romance Holiday Reviews ~
5 Stars
~

~~~

Can a family connection to the ill-fated Titanic bring new hope to sinking dreams?

Forced to sell precious family heirlooms to pay for her mother’s cancer medications, Loral Evans’ pride gets in the way when handsome antique dealer Jake Coburn offers her one thousand dollars for a dragonfly brooch they both know is fake. If only she could afford to walk away.

With his antique shop on the brink of bankruptcy, Jake Coburn takes a huge risk on Loral’s costume jewelry.
 
Then again, it’s Christmas, and he hasn’t been able to resist her since the first time she entered his shop.

When new information comes to light about the brooch, Jake’s attempt to do the right thing just might cost him his shop and a future with Loral.

EXCERPT:

Loral hunched her shoulders and jogged toward the bus stop. Despite the December chill biting through her coat, humiliation still burned her cheeks. It was bad enough that she knew he knew she was desperate enough to sell their family heirlooms piece by agonizing piece, but to have him offer her money outright? Mortified didn’t begin to cover it.

The first time she’d met Jake, her heart hadn’t stopped racing until after she’d left the antique shop and driven half-way home. She’d been captivated by his dark good-looks the moment she first walked through the doors, and then he’d smiled that sincere, casual smile that reached all the way to his amber eyes. It was his smile that kept her coming back, even though it became harder and harder to face him with her head held high.

The worst part was she always wondered if he paid more for the items she brought than they were worth. Though he never paid more than the list prices she looked up at the library, it was certainly more than he should in order to make a profit. But, unable to resist the lure of seeing him again and again, of deepening what she hoped was a budding friendship, she’d pushed aside her suspicion instead of finding another dealer.

Now she knew. She didn’t have to touch the sixteen one hundred dollar bills stuffed deep in her jeans pocket to know they were there. One thousand dollars for the dragonfly. She snorted with annoyance.

Sure, it was beautiful, but she’d have seen through that ridiculous offer even if he hadn’t tried to give her a handout moments earlier. Pain had sliced through her, because while she’d melted inside from the heat of his electric touch on her hands, seconds later he’d revealed he only felt sorry for her.

Well, at least it was over. She’d sold him the last of what she and her mother owned that would bring in the amount of cash they needed. She had no clue what they’d do next month, but now she had no reason to see Jake Coburn again.

A lump formed in her throat. She swallowed it down and increased her stride as fat, wet snowflakes began to sink from the city-lit sky above her. Turning the corner, she saw the blue bus at the end of the block, accelerating away from her stop.

“No!”

She ran faster on the slick sidewalk, but it was no use. The taillights grew smaller and smaller until they became a blur, blending with other vehicles and the Christmas lights twinkling along the street.

Loral came to a defeated halt, lungs burning, her breath pluming out to mingle with the snow as she braced her hands on her knees. Another bus wouldn’t come for forty-five minutes, and given the fact that she needed every damn dollar in her pocket, a cab wasn’t even a consideration; she’d have to wait.

Headlights flashed behind her. After a quick glance over her shoulder at a black sedan driving toward her, she straightened and shoved her hands deep into her pockets.

She’d wait for the next bus, just not out here on the freezing street. In the dark. Alone. Walking briskly down the block, she waited for the car to pass. Anxiety rippled along her spine with the realization that it’d slowed to keep pace with her. Her numb fingers curled around the can of pepper spray at the bottom of her pocket.

“Loral? What are you doing?”

Jake’s disapproving voice jerked her attention to the car. Her heart pounded loud in her ears. Not wanting him to see she was cold, she hugged her arms across her middle to stop her shivering as she peered through his passenger side window. He watched her from his leather seats with the street light above casting light onto his head through the sun roof. Great—nothing like adding insult to injury.

She resumed walking. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

The engine of his car revved as he caught up with her again. “Did your Tahoe break down? Do you need me to call someone for you?”

Okay, just shoot me now. She glanced in the direction the bus had disappeared, and lifted her chin while keeping her voice indifferent. “I sold the Tahoe two months ago.”

“You’re not walking home, are you?” The tone of his voice conveyed his disbelief. “It’s below freezing.”

A snowflake caught on her eyelashes, she blinked it away. “I missed my bus and the next one isn’t until eight. I can hardly just sit here and wait.”

“Can’t you call someone?”

She didn’t answer, unwilling to explain that she not only didn’t have a cell phone, but no one to call for help. Like she needed more of his pity tonight.

“No family?” He paused. “A boyfriend?”

She shook her head sharply, still walking as his car inched alongside at an idle.

“Let me give you a ride, then.”

Two years ago she would’ve gladly accepted, following her desire to spend some time with him. Now she forced a smile to her stiff lips and willed her teeth not to chatter. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll just wait for the next bus. There’s a coffee shop a few blocks from here.”

A horn blasted behind them. Loral flinched, glanced at the irritated driver behind them, and waved Jake onward. “Go. Seriously, I’ll be fine.”

With a rev of the engine, his sleek black car surged forward. She fought disappointment until he swerved sharply into an empty parking spot halfway down the block. Her step slowed as the impatient driver zoomed past. Jake swung from his car and strode toward her with those long legs of his that made him tower over her five feet five inches.

“That coffee shop closes at six,” he told her. “Not enough evening traffic.”

Just her luck. The unfairness in her life threatened to overwhelm her, but she refused to let the useless emotion drown her in the undertow. Things wouldn’t change until her mother was better, and until then, she’d just deal with missed buses and closed coffee shops.

She lifted her head to meet Jake’s gaze, noticing how quickly the snow gathered on his dark hair. Her own hair must be covered. She reached up a hand to brush it off, then wished she hadn’t as the moisture made her fingers even colder and frigid air rushed under the bottom edge of her coat. A shiver shook her shoulders.

Jake muttered under his breath while shrugging out of his black leather jacket. Before she realized his intent, he stepped forward and draped it around her. Immediate warmth permeated her somewhat threadbare coat, lethally combined with the scent of leather and man. Her senses sharpened even as the rest of the world faded away, leaving her unable to do anything more than stare up at him.