Sweet Christmas Kisses Read online

  Sweet Christmas Kisses

  Fourteen Sweet Christmas Romances

  By

  Fourteen Bestselling Authors

  Donna Fasano

  Ginny Baird

  Helen Scott Taylor

  Beate Boeker

  Melinda Curtis

  Denise Devine

  Raine English

  Aileen Fish

  Patricia Forsythe

  Grace Greene

  Mona Risk

  Roxanne Rustand

  Magdalena Scott

  Kristin Wallace

  Disclaimer: The stories in this boxed set are works of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidences are either the product of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2014 by Donna Fasano, Ginny Baird, Helen Scott Taylor, Beate Boeker, Melinda Curtis, Denise Devine, Raine English, Aileen Fish, Patricia Forsythe, Grace Greene, Mona Risk, Roxanne Rustand, Magdalena Scott, Kristin Wallace. All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this boxed set may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission by both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.

  All the authors in this boxed set are part of Sweet Romance Reads, a group of authors who write PG-rated romance novels. We have many more members who would love to share their stories with you. Find us on FaceBook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website www. SweetRomanceReads.com .

  ISBN: 978-1-68016-001-7

  This books was built by IndieWrites.com

  Sweet Christmas Kisses takes you from small-town USA to England, Scotland, and even Ecuador; from the beach to snow-capped mountains, and to the wild—sometimes magical—west. The Sweet Christmas Kisses bundle will bring you laughter, tears, and always joy, for more than 1600 pages.

  ALMOST PERFECT CHRISTMAS by Donna Fasano

  Aaron Chase wants to give his daughter a perfect Christmas and elicits Christy Cooper’s help to do it. When Aaron’s impish eight-year-old talks them into a make-believe wedding, can a real one be far behind?

  MISTLETOE IN MAINE (Holiday Brides Series, Book 3) by Ginny Baird

  A single mom takes her kids on vacation in Maine and meets a handsome innkeeper, a young widower with a teenage son. A winter wonderland love story about faith and new beginnings.

  THE ARMY DOCTOR'S CHRISTMAS BABY (Army Doctor's Baby Series) by Helen Scott Taylor

  An army surgeon protects his damaged heart by cutting women out of his life. When an ex army nurse starts work as nanny to his twin babies, they enjoy a fun-filled family Christmas and love grows. But she's hiding a devastating secret that threatens to destroy their joy.

  STORMY TIMES by Beate Boeker

  Joanna gets lost in a blizzard on Long Island and the man who gives her shelter is very unfriendly. Sparks fly, and the night ends with a rescued puppy and a power failure, but this is only the beginning of her troubles.

  THE CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Melinda Curtis

  When a chocolate heiress trying to save her family’s cocoa plantation bumps into a wounded warrior on a trek for a fallen comrade during Christmas, chaos ensues thanks in part to three fairy godmothers…er, a trio of meddlesome nuns.

  MERRY CHRISTMAS, DARLING by Denise Devine

  A desperate bachelor enlists his neighbor to pose as his wife to appease his mother, whose dying wish is to see her son married—and producing grandchildren. At first, his plan appears to be a success. That is, until he discovers Mother has a few deceptive plans of her own…

  SOME CHRISTMAS MAGIC by Raine English

  When Harper Malone's boyfriend dumps her just before Christmas, leaving her with his gift—a nonrefundable holiday vacation for two at a Vermont ski lodge—her childhood crush steps in to take his place. But will memories of the past ruin the trip, or will she rekindle a lost love?

  CHRISTMAS IN WHITE OAK by Aileen Fish

  Young widower Nick spends the holidays in his hometown at the request of his four-year-old daughter, forcing himself to confront his past and the woman he let get away. A tale of first love, self-forgiveness, and the importance of family and friendship.

  LUCKY BREAK CHRISTMAS: HOMECOMING by Patricia Forsythe

  Two people in a troubled marriage are helped by a judge, their two kids, a quirky hometown, and the Christmas spirit of love and forgiveness.

  BEACH CHRISTMAS by Grace Greene

  Jessie Dawson arranges the perfect beach Christmas to bring her family back together. Nothing goes as planned but unexpected events occur, including a special delivery from the past and a handsome man next door. Jess may not get her Christmas wish, but what she does receive may be even better.

  HER CHRISTMAS CRUISE by Mona Risk

  The perfect fiancé is a cheater and the fabulous Christmas wedding is off. When a desperate Julia comes in Tony's mother's travel agency, the dedicated psychiatrist is there to pick up the pieces and the would-be honeymoon cruise may fulfill the dreams of Julia and her unexpected companion.

  A SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS by Roxanne Rustand

  When Lucy Davis receives a mysterious letter inviting her to the Scottish Highlands to receive an inheritance, she expects to deal with it quickly—until she discovers it's a historic B&B with a handsome, mysterious resident who might just be the man of her dreams.

  SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS by Magdalena Scott

  Melissa’s back in town to raise her son and run her business. With his dad’s death, the work of the Christmas tree farm has fallen to Jim Standish. Nobody can do it all—but in Serendipity, Indiana, the obvious solution may not be the best.

  BY CHRISTMAS: COVINGTON FALLS CHRONICLE (Book 4) by Kristin Wallace

  Noelle Robinson is out to save Christmas in Covington Falls. Soon she’s dealing with parades, a cantankerous ass (the animal kind) and negotiating disputes with Santa’s elves. But it’s the brother of the man who broke her heart who is threatening to disrupt her peace on earth…and claim her heart.

  Foreword

  Romance shelves are filled with a variety of books with happy endings. Some of them take place in historical times, others occur during the solving of a crime, and more take place in our contemporary world. I have written over fifty books since I was first published in 1999. My body of work contains romantic suspense titles, historical romance and small-town contemporary romances like my recent Whiskey Creek series, which is set in a fictional “gold country” town in the Sierra Nevada Foothills not far from where I live. I like to change things up now and then, since I’m such an eclectic reader. Others must feel the same, because I’ve seen the popularity of these sub-genres expand and contract and expand again, as sales cycles for most things do. Recently, however, I’ve noticed something interesting happening–the popularity of erotic romance (on one end of the spectrum) being balanced by a renewed interest in romances without explicit sex on the page, called “sweet” romances.

  Although I don’t write sweet romance or erotic romance (my books tend to fall in the middle), I enjoy a sweet romance now and then. The designation doesn’t mean the characters face no conflict. Conflict is the engine that drives any story. In a good romance, heroes and heroines deal with intense emotions and complex issues. They struggle along their journey to a happy and satisfying ending. In “sweet” romance, they just conquer their challenges and fall in love with a PG/PG
-13 rating.

  I’m a fan of contemporary romance across its subgenres, and in this collection of “sweet” romances, you’ll find many of those subgenres represented – sudden brides, small town settings, romantic comedy, vacation adventures, international locations, military romances, medical romances, and many more. There are fourteen stories in all, and they have three common threads: they are set in modern times, they occur during the Christmas holiday and they “close the door” on sexual intimacy.

  So give yourself a present this Christmas and enjoy these stories—from some of your favorite authors and some of your soon-to-be favorites!

  ~ Brenda Novak, NYT/USAT best seller

  New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak is the author of more than fifty books. A four-time Rita nominee, she has won many awards, including the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Daphne, and the Holt Medallion. She also runs an annual on-line auction for diabetes research every May at http://www.brendanovak.com/ (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised $2.4 million. Brenda is currently writing a small-town contemporary series. Come meet the long-time friends who have made Whiskey Creek the “Heart of Gold Country,” with her newest release, THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS. For more about Brenda, please visit www.brendanovak.com.

  An Almost Perfect Christmas

  Donna Fasano

  Copyright © 2014 by:

  Donna Fasano

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  This book built at IndieWrites.com

  Chapter One

  So many people gathered in the staff room, it was standing room only. Christy Cooper wondered what the meeting was all about. The nurses and other staff members continued filing in and she was forced, inch by inch, further into a back corner. This was her own fault. The over-abundance of conscientiousness she’d inherited from some crazy, overly-selfless person in her family tree always pushed her to arrive early to any and every event. Although it’s true that this trait caused her to never have to fight for a parking space at the mall, it also all-too-often had her standing outside of locked doors, waiting for the stores to open.

  As more and more staffers arrived, it was abundantly clear that this was no ordinary shift-change meeting.

  The low buzz of dozens of conversations hummed in the air and made the compact space feel even tighter.

  “What’s going on?” Fresh out of nursing school, Bridget had tomato red hair that was cut in a bob, and her thick glasses magnified her pretty brown eyes, making her look as if she were in a perpetual state of surprise.

  “I don’t know,” Christy told her, her back finally coming into contact with the wall. She splayed her palm lightly on the back of the woman in front of her in the hopes of keeping a little breathing room.

  “Sorry,” the woman whispered over her shoulder.

  “I can’t see a thing.” Bridget craned her neck and stood on tiptoe. “This is ridiculous.” She stepped onto a chair that had been shoved back against the wall. “There, that’s better.”

  Christy grinned. “For you, maybe. Just let me know what’s going on, would you?”

  “Sure thing.” Bridget put her hand on Christy’s shoulder for balance. “I hope this isn’t about a change in the Christmas schedule. You’re still working my hours, right?”

  Christy nodded. “Don’t worry. I got you covered.” As well as a couple other part-timers, she thought, but she didn’t bother mentioning that.

  No one wanted to work on Christmas, but there were still patients that needed care. And she didn’t have a truly pressing need to be at home on any given day, least of all on Christmas—one of the big days of the year that did nothing but stir up sad and painful memories. So she chose to keep her mind busy by offering to work. Of course, her brother was disappointed that she would be missing another holiday dinner, but she would visit him and his family on her first day off next week. She smiled to herself, knowing her nephews would love the radio controlled monster trucks she’d found for them.

  “Abigail just came in,” Bridget told her.

  All Christy could see was a sea of heads and shoulders. Abigail Bixby was the Head Administrator of Pediatric Oncology. A visit to her office could bring very bad news, such as a reprimand due to a patient complaint or a write up due to mishandling of hospital procedure, or it could bring exceptionally good news, an award of excellence or a commendation of some sort. There was rarely a middle-of-the-road visit with Abigail.

  “And Izzie’s dad is with her.” Bridget’s voice lowered as she added, “Aaron Chase could be a freakin’ movie star.”

  Bridget was the kind of person who said whatever was on her mind; the classic no filter between the brain and the mouth. But she only spoke the truth. Aaron was a very handsome man. He was friendly and outgoing, and he always smelled like a cool walk in the forest, woodsy and fresh. No doubt about it, the man was a distraction no matter where he was on the hospital floor. And he was on the floor often whenever his daughter was in treatment.

  Christy would have chuckled at Bridget’s all-too-true observation about the man, but as soon as she heard his name, she frowned. Isabelle Chase was once again a patient in the pediatric oncology unit. As a standard practice, the nurses rotated areas so that none of them became too attached to any one patient. Christy was working at the far end of the hall this week, so Izzie wasn’t one of her patients. But she’d cared for the eight-year-old in the past, and she’d no doubt care for her again since Izzie probably wouldn’t be going home any time soon.

  “Okay, people, please settle down.” Abigail Bixby’s voice resonated to all four corners of the room. “The sooner we get things started, the sooner everyone can get back to work. All of you know Mr. Chase, I’m sure. He has a request he’d like to make. I’d like to help him out if we can, so please listen up.”

  Bridget leaned over and whispered to Christy, “I wonder what he wants. Oh, gosh, I hope I don’t have to work on Christmas. I already bought my plane tickets.”

  Christy just shook her head, hoping the index finger she pressed against her lips would quiet Bridget.

  “Hello, everyone,” Aaron Chase began.

  Someone on the other side of room called out, “Can’t hear in the back.”

  “I’m sorry,” Aaron said louder. “I want to thank all of you for coming today.”

  Bridget whispered, “As if we had any choice.”

  Christy elbowed her in the leg. “Hush.”

  “All of you probably already know,” Aaron said, “that my daughter’s not doing well. The doctors have tried everything, but Izzie’s cancer is just too aggressive.”

  Christy let her eyes roll shut as compassion swelled inside her. That poor man.

  The room went totally silent. She heard Aaron clear his throat, then he sighed.

  “Izzie has asked me if…”

  The second little cough that issued from him was evidence that his emotions were making it difficult for him to speak.

  “She asked for a family Christmas,” he said. “You see, we—Izzie and me and her mom—used to spend Christmas at our beach cottage on Maryland’s eastern shore. Ocean City. My wife is… I’d like to ask… I, um… I need a… Izzie would like…”

  Aaron huffed out a breath and then went quiet. Christy could almost feel his frustration all the way in the back of the room where she was imprisoned.

  When he spoke again, his voice was stronger. “My wife died two and half years ago. Izzie wants me to find a stand in. For Christmas. For a… a family Christmas.”

  A final family Christmas. He might not have said the word final, but that’s what he’d meant.

  “I’m sure all of you know that Izzie is a list-maker,” he told them. “Let me read her wish list. A tree with lights. Christmas carols. A picture with Santa. Lots of cookies. Presents. Snow.
My daddy. A make-believe mommy. A Perfect Christmas.”

  One of the nurses in the crowded room sniffed and then blew her nose into a tissue. Christy pressed her fingers against the achy lump that had risen in her throat.

  “I need Izzie’s make-believe mommy,” Aaron said. “I need a woman who would be willing to come to our beach cottage in Ocean City and help me give Izzie the perfect Christmas she’s wishing for. All I’m asking for is three days. Christmas Eve, which is tomorrow. Christmas Day. And the day after Christmas. We’ll return on the evening of the third day.”

  No one stirred.

  “I know this is an odd request,” Aaron said, “but I promise we’ll do everything we can to keep a festive atmosphere. It won’t be awkward. Not in the least. It will be a happy time. I’m determined to make that happen.”

  Christy could tell, as everyone else could too, that he wasn’t quite sure he was telling the truth.

  Finally someone said, “I wish I could help you, Mr. Chase, but I already have a house full of company.”

  Several other people offered excuses.

  Christy caught Bridget’s gaze, a question in her eyes. Bridget shook her head vehemently. Christy mouthed It’s Izzie.

  Both of them knew just how ill the child was.

  Christy raised her hand and said, “I can go.”

  “Who said that?” Aaron asked. “Who said they could go?”

  Bridget looked crestfallen, but she motioned Christy up onto the chair with her.

  From this vantage point, Christy could see that Aaron’s handsome face sported red-rimmed eyes and a tense jaw. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He was clutching Izzie’s journal to his chest. His little girl really was an avid list-maker, Christy knew. Izzie drew pictures in that book and kept notes about what she was doing and how she was feeling. On the front cover, she’d printed “Izzie’s Journey” and she carried the book with her everywhere. If her father had the journal in his possession, it meant that Izzie must surely be busy with some sort of medical test or she was taking a nap.