Christmas Catch-Up II

Pamela M. Kelley

Piping Plover Press

Copyright © 2017 by Pamela M. Kelley

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

I have a new book coming very soon, before the end of this month. If you’d like be notified when it releases-to get it at a special early discount price, be sure to sign up for my mailing list. Click here to sign up.

***Also, if you like recipes, be sure to check out my two holiday favorites, included at the end. My family makes the White Bean Holiday Dip mentioned in the book, every holiday, it’s that good. It’s like a hummus, but festive and green because of the parsley and so good—good for you too!

And of course the Lazy Lobster Casserole. Beyond good!

Jess and Jake

Veterinarian’s Vacation

Jess and Jake closed the vet clinic a little early on Christmas Eve. They opened for a few hours most weekend afternoons for any animals that were too sick to wait until Monday. Jess locked the front door a few minutes past four as soon as the last client left. The sky was already getting dark, and snow was coming down steadily. There was only a light dusting on the roads so far, and she was glad that she didn't have to drive anywhere. She was eager to stay home and snuggle in for the night. Dinner was already made. All she had to do was pop the tray of lasagna and garlic bread in the oven to heat up while Jake built a fire.

They'd be seeing the rest of the Weston clan tomorrow, on Christmas Day, so tonight would be quiet, relaxing and maybe even a bit romantic. Jess smiled thinking of the mistletoe that Jake had strategically hung throughout the house. Not that he needed mistletoe to steal a kiss, but it did add a bit of fun. It also made the house look festive. Jess sighed happily. The house expansion had turned out wonderfully, and she had to admit she loved their commute as the house was connected to the vet clinic and they didn't even have to go outside to go home.

Just as she and Jake were about to lock the back door and turn off the outside light before heading into the main house, Jess saw movement through the small glass windowpanes and took a closer look.

"Oh, no! Ralphie's here again," she said at the sight of his sad face.

Mrs. Wiggins small dog Ralphie lay shivering on the top step. Jess opened the door, and the snow white Maltese scrambled to his feet and stumbled inside. She scooped him up, and the little dog shivered again and snuggled against her, whimpering softly.

Jake looked concerned when he saw him, and immediately set about getting a small bowl and filling it with food. He set it on the floor and returned a moment later with water as well. Jess set Ralphie down slowly, and he perked up when he smelled the food. He took a few tentative bites and then inhaled it as though he hadn't eaten in days.

"He felt thin to me," Jess said as they watched him eat. Ralphie lived about a half a mile down the road with Eleanor Wiggins, a lovely, elderly woman. They rarely saw him, as he mostly stayed inside, but this was the third day in a row that he'd been by to visit, and the first time that he'd stayed to wait for food.

Jake frowned. "I haven't seen Mrs. Wiggins around in a while. She usually sits in her window and waves when I drive by."

"Maybe she's been sick. We can drive him home." Jess turned off the outside light while Jake turned his laptop back on.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I hope I'm wrong, but an awful thought occurred to me. Mrs. Wiggins is up there in age, around ninety, I think?"

"At least that," Jess agreed.

Jake was silent for a moment as he clicked the keys, searching for information. Meanwhile, Boris, their older office cat, sat watching everything from his pillow on top of an old file cabinet. He came to work with them every day and then followed them into the main house every night. Oliver, their other cat, had little interest in the vet clinic and was probably snoozing in one of his favorite comfy spots.

When Jake found what he was looking for, he sighed heavily before closing the laptop and turning to face Jess. "I just checked the online obituaries. Mrs. Wiggins passed away two days ago. She was in the hospital before that. So, it looks like this little guy has been on his own for possibly a week or so."

"No wonder he was hungry." Jess reached down and scratched Ralphie behind his ears. "The poor thing. He must have been so scared."

"I don't think she has any family around here, does she?" Jake asked.

Jess thought for a moment until it came to her "No, just a daughter in New York City. She has a big career as an attorney. Mrs. Wiggins was so proud of her."

"Maybe she'll want to take Ralphie?"

Jess shook her head as she remembered something else that Mrs. Wiggins had told her. "I don't think so. She mentioned once that her daughter isn't a dog person and has allergies. Even though Malteses are supposed to be hypoallergenic, she still hated to be around him."

"Well, we'll have to bring him home with us for now, then. He's a young dog, only what—three or four? I'm sure someone will want him."

Ralphie took his last bite, and then cocked his head and looked at both Jess and Jake as if to say 'thank you.'

"Come on, Ralphie. Let's go home," Jake said. As they walked toward the connecting door, Boris and Ralphie followed close behind.

* * *

Later that night, after dinner, Jess topped off their glasses of bubbly Italian Prosecco, and they settled on the plush living room sofa, facing the roaring fire. The Christmas tree shimmered merrily in the corner as Oliver, who wasn't quite a year old yet, lay below it and lazily batted at a low-hanging ornament. Boris was sprawled out behind them on the sofa while Ralphie lay at their feet. The cats were tolerating his presence by ignoring him, which worked out well for everyone.

"This has been such an amazing year. I can't wait to see what happens next," Jess said. Jake put his arm around her and pulled her in for a quick kiss.

"Best year ever," he agreed. Jess stared into the fire, feeling happy and lucky. In such a short time, she'd become a vet, married the love of her life who was also a vet, and now they ran the clinic together. The only thing missing were children, but both she and Jake wanted to wait a few years before they started a family.

"I can put a sign up in the clinic next week to see if there might be any interest in adopting Ralphie," Jake said. At the sound of his name, the little dog jumped up and looked at them both expectantly.

"I suppose you could," Jess said as she reached down and pulled him into her lap. He yawned and nuzzled against Jake's knee until they were both petting him.

"He's so sweet," she said as she took a sip of wine.

"He is a friendly little thing, isn't he?" Jake smiled as Ralphie looked him in the eye and then licked his hand.

"Or we could just keep him," Jess said. They'd never discussed getting a dog because they had the cats. But Ralph wasn't much bigger than a cat, and they both loved dogs, too.

Jake laughed. "We could. Do you want to?"

Ralphie barked as if they'd been addressing him and they both laughed.

"Well, I think he's made his intentions known. He wants to stay, and I think I do want to keep him. It just feels right. What do you think?"

Jake smiled. "It's fine by me. Look at him. He looks right at home."

Ralphie stretched and looked impossibly cute. Jess couldn't resist dropping a kiss on his furry head.

"Merry Christmas, little friend. Welcome home."

Barbi and Ryan

Charming Chef

Barbi glanced around the room of corpses and smiled happily. She took a quick count—there were thirty-six, which meant she was at full capacity three days running. The music ended, and slowly the room of women came out of corpse pose, which was always the last pose of the class. In corpse pose, one laid on their back and simply relaxed.

"Namaste. Great class everyone! Don't forget your last-minute Christmas gifts. I have six-packs of yoga classes, and there are some new mats and fuzzy socks that would make great stocking stuffers."

Barbi stayed for another thirty minutes, handling the flurry of sales. Her last customer was also her good friend Lily who had been coming to her classes since the very beginning and was probably her best salesperson. Lily raved about Barbi's yoga classes to anyone who would listen.

"I'll take a six-pack of classes and a pair of fuzzy socks. My feet are always cold lately."

"Is that a pregnancy thing?" Barbi asked as she put the pretty blue socks in a small bag. Lily was just starting to show.

"Maybe a little. But I'm always cold, and I like to collect socks!" Lily laughed.

"Who are the classes for?"

"I'm giving them to my mother for Christmas. She's been saying she might try a class one of these days. I figured I'd make it easier for her."

"That's great. Wish her a Merry Christmas for me." Barbi handed her the bag of socks as Lily opened her wallet.

"What do I owe you?"

"Not a thing."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Don't be silly. You can't run a business by giving everything away."

"My business is going well, and it's partly due to you. You've referred so many new clients. Consider this a small commission and a thank you."

"All right, then. Thank you, too! Give Ryan my love. Will we see you at Bernie's Boxing Day party?"

Barbi nodded. "Yes, we're looking forward to it." She thought the idea of a casual get together with friends the day after Christmas was a wonderful idea.

Once the room was empty, Barbi locked the front door and straightened up. She looked around the room and sighed happily. She'd made a big decision and couldn't wait to share her news with Ryan. When she'd first found this space, she'd known that it would be perfect for her fledgling yoga business. It was a huge, sunny room with polished hardwood floors and lots of windows that gave it an open and airy feel. Best of all, it was the first floor of a gorgeous old Victorian home, and she and her husband Ryan lived directly above it.

Barbi made her way upstairs, and before she reached the door, she could smell butter and lemon and something she couldn't quite place, but she knew it would be heavenly because Ryan was cooking. He was a celebrity chef, and everything he made was magical.

The door opened as she reached the top step and Ryan was standing there holding a sprig of mistletoe that she had to walk under. She laughed.

"I would have kissed you, anyway."

"I know, but this is fun!" Ryan pulled her toward him and kissed her soundly.

"Well, hello to you, too," Barbi said.

Ryan laughed. "Are you hungry? Dinner's almost ready."

"I'm starving. Do I have time for a quick shower?"

"Ten minutes. So not your usual leisurely soak," he scolded her.

"I'll be fast!"

Ten minutes later, with her long hair still damp, Barbi came back to the kitchen and looked around the room with appreciation.

"You've been busy. Everything looks beautiful." Ryan had set the dining room table with their best china, crisp white linen napkins and delicate crystal wine glasses. A tossed salad sat in the center of the table, and a quick glance told her it was her favorite that he made with leafy red lettuce, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries and goat cheese.

Ryan walked over and gave her another kiss. "Are you ready for a glass of wine?"

"Yes. What can I do to help?" Barbi was not known for her skills in the kitchen, but she did what she could.

"Do you want to pour the wine?"

Barbi poured them each a glass of buttery chardonnay and brought them to the table.

"What smells so good?"

"That would be the lobster."

"Lobster?" Idaho wasn't exactly known for it. "I thought we were having tenderloin. Where did you get lobster?"

Ryan grinned. “We'll have the tenderloin when your mother and Sam come for dinner tomorrow. If there's any leftover lobster, we'll have that, too. I had it sent in from Maine—one of my vendors hooked me up."

"I've never had it before. But I love shrimp."

Ryan handed her a plate piled with some kind of casserole filled with lobster meat. There was also a baked stuffed potato and broiled asparagus.

"It looks wonderful. Thank you."

Ryan joined her at the table, and Barbi took a bite of lobster and swooned. The meat was sweeter than shrimp and there were buttery crumbs and lemon and something else that she couldn't place. It was beyond delicious.

"It's so good. What's in it?"

"It's a simple dish. Just lobster, butter, a little parsley for color, crushed Ritz crackers and a splash of sherry."

After they ate, Barbi insisted on doing most of the dishes, and then they topped off their glasses and went to get comfy in their den with its squishy sofa and big screen TV. Oscar and Felix, their six-year-old Maine Coon rescue cats, were in their usual positions along the back of the sofa, so they could peer down at their people. They were funny cats. They were both very friendly, and as soon as Felix saw them, he started chatting. He was the most vocal cat that Barbi had ever had, and his meowing made her laugh.

They settled on the sofa and flipped on the Hallmark Channel. Both of them loved to watch the Christmas specials. Barbi actually thought Ryan enjoyed them even more than she did. It was usually his idea to watch one of the cheerful movies.

"So, I have some news," Barbi said once they were comfortable.

Ryan smiled. "Is it good news?"

"It's very good news. I couldn't be more excited. I've hit a major goal with my yoga classes. I'm going to give notice at the restaurant. Instead of waiting tables on trivia night, I can go and play with everyone!"

"That's fantastic news. I'm so proud of you!" Ryan kissed her and then said, "You could have quit a long time ago, though. You didn't have to keep waitressing."

"I know, and I do appreciate that. I didn't mind the work, though, and more importantly, I wanted to do this on my own. To get the classes to a point where I didn't need the extra money from the restaurant to keep it going. My classes are full all the time now. And I'll have some more time to play with, so I may add another class or two."

"To a happy New Year, then! I think it's going to be a wonderful year for both of us," Ryan said.

"I do, too," Barbi agreed, and this time, she kissed Ryan first. "Merry Christmas!"

Lily and Cody

Cute Cowboy

When Lily got home from yoga class on Christmas Eve, she took a quick shower and then went downstairs to wait for Cody to come home with dinner. He'd called to confirm what they wanted and said he'd pick up the food on his way home. He was getting Italian from their favorite restaurant in downtown Riston. They went there often and almost always got the same things. Eggplant Parmesan for Lily and spaghetti and meatballs for Cody. They wanted to have a quiet night in for Christmas Eve and would then be spending Christmas Day with his parents and brother.

Hope rubbed against her leg as she stood looking around the room, reminding her that she needed dinner, too. Lily fed her and glanced at the clock. She probably had about ten minutes before Cody would be home. Maybe there was time to hang the mistletoe. She'd picked it up earlier, and it was the final touch. The rest of the house was beautifully decorated with a large twinkling tree by the bay window in the living room, poinsettias here and there and stockings hung on the mantel—three of them, one for Lily, Cody and Hope. Lily rubbed her stomach as she felt a fluttery kick and smiled, thinking that next year they would need four stockings.

She moved quickly, getting the stepladder out from the garage and the mistletoe from the small bag in her purse. She hung two sprigs of it in the busiest doorways and was hanging the final third spray in the walkway between the kitchen and living room when she heard the front door open and rushed to finish. She couldn't quite reach to get the final thumbtack in, so she stepped one step higher, reached again and then something went very, very wrong.

She lost her balance and fell, landing hard on her side. It knocked the wind out of her. When she caught her breath, she tried to get up. But when she put her weight on her hands, her right hand buckled, and she screamed. The pain was the most intense thing she'd ever felt.

Cody set the bag of food down and rushed over to Lily's side.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm okay. I think. I was just hanging mistletoe." She struggled to her feet.

"Let me see your hand," Cody demanded.

Lily slowly held her hand out and winced as she moved. Her whole side that she fell on felt tender and bruised.

Cody frowned as he looked at Lily's hand, which was already swelling.

"Can you move it around?"

Lily tried, and the pain brought tears to her eyes. "No. I think something might be sprained."

"Or broken. What about the rest of you?" He glanced at her stomach, and Lily suddenly felt nervous. What if she'd hurt the baby somehow with the fall?

"I think I'm going to have some good bruises, but it's just my hand that really hurts."

"Let's get you down to the ER."

Cody helped Lily get her coat on, and as she zipped it up, a horrible cramp swept through her. She almost fell over, the pain was so intense.

"What is it?"

She could hear the worry in his voice. "I don't know, a cramp." She bit her lower lip as another one came, not as strong as the first, but just as worrisome.

"I was going to drive you, but I'm calling 911 instead."

A few minutes later, they could see the flashing lights of the ambulance coming down the street. They told the two EMTs what happened, and they carefully strapped Lily onto a stretcher and put her in the ambulance. Cody followed behind in his truck. While they drove to the hospital, one of the EMTs checked her vital signs. Since she was pregnant, they considered her high risk, given the cramps she said she'd had, and she was brought right into a room when they reached the ER.

A few minutes later, Cody found her room, and they waited for the doctor to see them. When he did come in, Lily was relieved to see that it was Clark, who she knew from trivia. His brother Bryan had recently fallen in love with her friend Melissa’s sister, Melanie.

"I was hoping we might get you," Lily said. "But I wasn't sure how often you still worked in the ER."  

"I'm still here quite a bit. I split my time between the ER and Orthopedics, and I often pick up holiday shifts for people that need it off more than I do." He grinned, and Lily found herself relaxing. Clark had a bit of a reputation as a lady's man, but she didn't believe it. He was charming and flirtatious, but she'd seen the softer side of him more than once. He'd be a catch when he finally met the right woman.

"So, what's going on here? What happened?" Clark asked. Lily told him about the fall and the cramps. He tenderly felt her hand and frowned. He also looked at her bruises where she landed on her side.

"I'll order some X-rays immediately for your hand. I suspect you may have a break or a very bad sprain. We won't know how bad until we can review the pictures.  We'll also do an ultrasound and see how the baby is doing. Hopefully, the cramping was just because you disturbed his or her sleep." His tone was light, but Lily could tell he was concerned, too. Cody, meanwhile, was still gripping her other hand tightly, and she could tell he was worried sick about her and the baby.

The ultrasound technician came in right away, and both Lily and Cody sat quietly watching as she ran gel over Lily's stomach and then did the ultrasound. It looked like a bunch of jumbled images on the screen, and the technician said nothing as she worked. Lily knew they couldn't give her the results that the doctor would need to review and then share the information with them. As soon as she finished, someone came to take her to X-ray, and once that was done, she and Cody sat in the small room, waiting.

Meanwhile, her hand throbbed and hurt so bad. They'd given her some acetaminophen for the pain, and it was starting to take the edge off. It felt like they were waiting forever, but finally, Clark was back, and he was smiling.

"So, I have good news and bad news. It looks like the baby is fine."

Cody let out a big sigh while Lily felt her eyes well up with relief.

"But you did break your wrist. I'm going to fix you up with a splint, and you'll need to limit using this hand for several weeks. No more hanging mistletoe."

"We have enough mistletoe," Cody said with a smile.

Clark carefully wrapped Lily's hand in the splint and then secured it firmly. He gave her instructions to follow and told her to come back to his regular orthopedics office for a follow-up visit in a month's time.

"If all goes well, you'll be able to take the splint off then."

"Thank you," Lily said gratefully.

"Now we can go home and relax," Cody said.

"And have dinner," Lily added as her stomach growled. They'd been in the ER for several hours, and it was almost nine o'clock.

"This will be a Christmas Eve to remember," Cody said with a grin.

"Oh, and I have another bit of news for you, if you're interested," Clark said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Did you see the sex of the baby?" Lily wondered.

"I did. Do you want to know?"

Lily and Cody exchanged glances. "I'd love to know, if Cody does."

Cody nodded. "What are we having?"

"Congratulations, you're having a little girl."

* * *

An hour later, after Cody heated up their cold dinners and they'd eaten, they settled in for the night. Hope snuggled close to Lily's side, sensing that something was wrong, while Cody did the same. They sat on their favorite sofa, facing the tree and TV. They were sipping mugs of hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows and even though it had been a chaotic night, Lily felt blessed to be home and safe. A broken hand would heal, and soon they'd be having a little girl.

"What do you think of the name Bethany?" she asked. They hadn't talked much about names, but this one had suddenly come to her, and it just felt right.

"I love it." Cody reached behind him and held up a sprig of mistletoe. "You went to so much trouble for this, we might as well use it."

Lily laughed and then leaned in for a sweet kiss. "Have I told you yet today that I love you?"

"Now my day is complete. I love you, too, Lilybell."

She smiled at his favorite nickname for her.

He kissed her again and added softly, "I can't wait to meet our little Bethanybell."

Maddie and Wade

Merry Manager

Maddie was tired. She was sick of being tired and on bed rest. She missed being at the spa, being active, and seeing her clients. She missed her routine. And she was really getting tired of being home alone most of the time. Her nine-year-old daughter Vivian was at her friend Violet’s house, and her husband Wade was in his office at River's End Ranch—while Maddie sulked at home, feeling sorry for herself.

She wasn't usually such a grouch, but she was just so over it. She wanted this baby out. She was excited to meet the new member of the family, but she was tired of being pregnant. She sighed...then decided her pity party for the day needed to be over and it was time to move on. Vivian and Wade would be home soon, and she tried to not complain too much in front of them. Especially since Wade was so excited about the baby, his first, and was doing everything he could to make things easier for her.

And it was Christmas Eve! She really needed to shake the blues and get a dose of holiday spirit. She cheered up when she remembered what Jaclyn had dropped off for her yesterday. She'd come by for tea and along with a bag of her usual snickerdoodles, she'd also given Maddie a roll of buttery shortbread dough and a little jar of what she called 'fairy dust', which was pink and blue sugar sprinkles.

"Just slice and bake when you feel like fresh-baked cookies and shake the fairy dust over them when you take them out of the oven," she'd instructed.

Maddie eased herself out of bed and padded down to the kitchen. The smell of cookies baking would be a nice welcome for Vivian when she got home and for Wade, too. Everyone loved Jaclyn's cookies, and of course Maddie would have to have a few as soon as they came out of the oven.

She made herself a cup of apricot tea while she sliced the dough, placed the pieces on a cookie sheet and popped them in the oven. While they baked, she relaxed and sipped her tea. When the cookies were done, she put another batch in and shook the sugar sprinkles over the cooling cookies. She waited a few minutes then tested one for herself, taking a bite and enjoying the sugary goodness. Her blue mood was already lifting as the cookies baked and after eating two of them, she felt decidedly less grumpy.

Vivian came rushing through the door just as Maddie finished wiping down the counters.

"You're out of bed! And I smell cookies!"

Maddie smiled. "Yes, I made cookies. You can have two now, and we'll save the rest for after dinner."

"Okay. Are we still having pizza for dinner?"

“Yes, Wade’s picking it up on the way home.” They'd decided to celebrate the night with Vivian's favorite meal, pizza, for Christmas Eve. It was easy, too, as Maddie wasn't up to cooking much these days and Wade could bring it home from the restaurant at the ranch where they made the best pizza.

"I'm going to sit in the living room and read for a while. Do you want to join me?"

Vivian nodded, her mouth full of cookies. As soon as she finished, she grabbed a book and sprawled out on the carpet in front of the fireplace and next to Maddie's recliner.

"Melissa said this was her favorite Nancy Drew book when she was my age!" Vivian said excitedly. Maddie smiled. Her daughter was such a bookworm and had found a kindred spirit in Melissa, who owned the bookstore at the ranch. Melissa was also an author, and Maddie thought she'd heard that she had a book that was coming out soon. Or maybe it was already out?

"What are you reading, Mom?"

"The Duchess. It's the newest Danielle Steel."

Vivian turned her attention back to her book for about two seconds, before asking, “Can I give you both my gift, before we have pizza?" She seemed so excited that Maddie just nodded in agreement. They'd discussed exchanging one gift on Christmas Eve.

"Sure, honey."

* * *

The next few hours were relaxing ones as both Vivian and Maddie lost themselves in the worlds of their books. They both jumped a little at the sound of Wade's truck in the driveway. Vivian jumped up and ran to the door, getting there just as it opened and Wade walked in.

"Merry Christmas Eve!" Vivian greeted him.

"Same to you. Are you excited for some pizza?" He set several cardboard boxes on the counter and then walked over to where Maddie was sitting.  She started to get up and he leaned over and kissed her, so she sat back down.

"Don't get up. You look comfortable. How was your day?"

She smiled. "It was fine. I made cookies. Jaclyn's, actually."

"They smell great."

Vivian was hopping around behind them, full of excitement.

"Can I give you my gift now?" she asked.

Maddie laughed. "Of course."

Vivian looked at Wade, her expression serious as she said, "Please sit down, Wade. The show is about to begin."

Wade glanced at Maddie and she just shrugged, having no idea what Vivian was up to. Wade sat on an ottoman next to Maddie and took her hand while they waited for Vivian to begin whatever she planned on doing.

She went to the center of the room, stood tall and smiled at both of them. And then she began to sing. Maddie's jaw dropped as the most beautiful voice she'd ever heard began to sing one of her all-time favorite songs, Hallelujah.

Well I heard there was a secret chord

That David played, and it pleased the lord...

Wade gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and she glanced his way. He looked as awed as she felt. By the time Vivian stopped singing, Maddie had tears of joy streaming down her face. She and Wade clapped, and Wade stood, to give her a standing ovation. Maddie slowly stood as well, and Vivian ran over and hugged her.

"Vivian that was the most special, thoughtful gift. Thank you," Maddie said.

Wade hugged her, too. "Thank you, honey. That was amazing."

"How did you learn to sing that? And how did I not know you could sing?" Maddie was confused. Vivian had never sung around the house before. She was always curled up with a book. Her daughter seemed delighted by the question.

"My music teacher, Mrs. Andrews, says I have perfect pitch. She had all of us sing in class individually, and she picked me for a solo in our next recital. Ever since then, she's been working with me. She said I'm really good!"

"That's an understatement," Wade said.

"I know you love that song, Mom, so she helped me with it."

"It was the best gift I've ever had," Maddie said and meant it. Her daughter's gift had touched her soul deeply. It also erased any remnants of the blues and let the holiday spirit all the way in. Maddie looked around the room at her little family and couldn't speak for a moment, she felt so choked up with happiness. And then she remembered that she had something to share, too.

"I have some news," she began. "I spoke to the doctor today."

Wade immediately looked concerned, and she squeezed his hand to reassure him.

"It's all good. I just had a question, and when she called me back, she asked me again if I wanted to know what we were having. I said yes. Are either of you interested? Or we could keep it a secret," she teased. They'd initially said they wanted to wait and be surprised, but the more Maddie thought about it, the more she wanted to know.

"What are we having?" Vivian was dying to know. Wade simply nodded.

"It's a boy!"

Wade smiled so big that his eyes crinkled around the corners. "A boy? Really?"

"It could be Wade, Jr." Maddie loved the idea of her son sharing his father's name. A mini-Wade.

"I never really thought about that, but wow. That would be really special," he agreed.

"It's been a pretty special day."

"How are you feeling?" Wade asked.

Maddie smiled. "I'm feeling good. Really good." She looked around the room.

"Who's ready for pizza?"

Bernie and David

Bernie’s Birthday

"Did you get it?" Bernie asked her husband David as he walked through the front door. People were due to start arriving in about a half-hour, and she was completely ready, except for one thing.

"Here you go. Hopefully, the third time is the charm." David smiled as he handed over the small white pharmacy bag. His smile faded for a moment, though, as he asked, "Are you sure you want to do this now? We could wait until later, when everyone leaves. Just in case the news isn't what we want."

Bernie grabbed the bag and shook her head. "No, I need to know now. I have a really good feeling about this. I'd love to have something to celebrate when everyone arrives."

"Okay. I'll be here waiting. Maybe I'll make a coffee." David popped a K-cup in the Keurig coffee maker as Bernie went to the bathroom in their bedroom. She ripped open the package, followed the instructions and waited for the results. She didn't have to wait long. Unfortunately, she didn't get the news that she was looking for. She felt numb as she threw the test in the trash and made her way downstairs after splashing cold water on her face.

David took one look at her and didn't say a word. He wrapped her in his arms and tenderly kissed her forehead.

"It's just not our time yet. The doctors have said there's no medical reason why we shouldn't be able to have children. It will happen when it's meant to," he said. She knew he was trying to make her feel better. She agreed with him, but it still hurt. She sniffled and tried to pull herself together.

"I know. I need a tissue."

"I'll get you one." He returned a moment later and handed her a soft tissue. She suddenly had two others trying to make her feel better, too. Tiny, the enormous cat she'd had forever and Buttercup, David's pretty little kitty, both swirled around her legs and rubbed against them until she leaned over to pet them both, and it did make her feel better.

"It'll be fine, and it will help to see everyone soon and get my mind off of it."

"How about a hot chocolate? You could slip a little Kahlua in it. That might cheer you up," David suggested.

Bernie laughed. "It might!"

While David made her hot chocolate, Bernie opened a bag of potato chips and set them by a bowl of her famous white bean dip that was green from parsley and fragrant from garlic and lemon. She set out guacamole and salsa on the kitchen island, along with a bowl of tortilla chips and a platter of cheese and crackers.  There was a hot spinach and artichoke dip warming in the oven along with a cookie sheet of puff pastry appetizers like pigs in a blanket and spinach pies. She also had a tray of mini baked stuffed potato bites to go in the oven and French onion soup tarts. She was ready.

Jaclyn and Simon were the first to arrive, followed by Jack and Melissa and Lily and Cody. Bernie raised her eyebrows when she saw Lily's hand in a split.

"Something tells me there's a story there?"

Lily laughed. "There is. It could have been a lot worse, though. I'm lucky."

Jaclyn brought a platter of Christmas-style snickerdoodles that she proudly handed to Bernie. They were cut in the shape of wreaths, dusted with green sugar, and had raspberry jam at the top where the red bow would be. They looked delicious.

"Oh, I love your earrings!" Bernie exclaimed when she saw the delicate gold fairy wings swinging from Jaclyn's ears. The older woman smiled happily.

"Thank you. They were a Christmas gift from Simon. I gave him the tie that he's wearing. Do you like it?"

Bernie smiled when she saw the festive tie that Simon was wearing. It was green and covered with gnomes wearing Santa hats.

"I love it!"

Barbi and Ryan arrived a few minutes later, and Barbi happily announced that she'd soon be able to join them for trivia nights.

"Good, we need all the help we can get!" Simon said as he reached for a pig in a blanket.

Maddie, Wade, and Vivian walked through the door a moment later.

"I'm sorry we can't stay longer," Maddie explained as Bernie handed her a glass of sparkling cider with raspberries floating on top. "It's wonderful to get out of the house and see people. I promised Wade I wouldn't overdo it, though, so we're only allowed to stay for an hour."

Bernie hugged her. "I'm just glad you came. How are you feeling?" She knew Maddie had been struggling with being stuck at home and out of the loop.

"I think the worst of it is behind me. I'm getting excited now and just feeling grateful for all the support. Everyone has been wonderful." She told Bernie about Vivian's incredible gift and how no one knew she had such an amazing voice.

"I used to think she might be a teacher or a writer. Now, maybe she'll be the next Taylor Swift!" Wade said as he joined the conversation. Maddie smiled happily and shared the news that they were having a boy.

Bernie felt a pang of sadness or jealousy—she wasn't sure what it was—but she immediately felt horrible for thinking that way for even a moment. She gave Maddie a big hug and congratulated her. "I'm so happy for you. That's exciting news." And she really was happy for her.  And for Lily, too.

She felt an arm on her shoulder and looked up to see David. He brushed a wayward piece of hair out of her eyes and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"What was that for?" she teased him.

"Just wanted you to know I love you, and I'm thinking about you. And to remind you that your time will come."

She sighed happily as she glanced around the room. "I know it will. I was upset for a minute, but I'm fine now. I'm thrilled for Lily and Maddie. They're having a boy you know?"

"They are?"

She laughed. "Maddie and Wade."

"Ah."

A moment later they were surrounded by people again as everyone gathered around the kitchen island and nibbled at all the food.

"This is a wonderful idea, dear. What did you call this party again?" Jaclyn asked.

"Boxing Day. It's a UK custom that I heard one of the overseas ranch visitors talking about. The day after Christmas just seemed like a good time to get friends together that you didn't see on the holiday itself. A lazy day to relax and eat."

"I'm good at that," Lily said, and Maddie laughed.

"That's all I do these days. More fun to do it with all of you."

"What is in that green dip?" Barbi asked. "It's amazing," Ryan agreed as he dipped another chip into it.

"It's like a hummus but with white beans."

"I need the recipe," Ryan said.

Bernie smiled. She was flattered that an accomplished chef like Ryan wanted the recipe for something she'd made. She had to admit, though, the dip was probably the best thing she knew how to make.

"So, Jaclyn, who are you and the fairies going to fix up next?" Wade asked as he reached for a French onion soup tart.

Jaclyn laughed. "I don't know just yet, but the fairies have been buzzing around. They're getting ready for something. I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

"Speaking of buzzing around, is something new going on up at the ranch?" Jack asked Wade. "I've noticed more traffic coming into town lately, a lot of it heading up your way."

Bernie looked at Wade, curious how he'd answer Jack. Even though Jack was a cop in town and her brother, Bernie never shared ranch business with him. She had to agree with Jack though. She also sensed that some kind of change was in the air, but Wade hadn’t shared anything with her yet. He’d been taking a number of calls recently with his door shut though, which wasn’t like him. Wade was usually an open book with her.

"Just a few different things we're working on. If there's any news to report, you know I'll be in touch."

Bernie smiled at Wade's non-answer. He was good at that.

Jack nodded. "All right, then. Pass me one of those pastry things with the onions, would you?"

Two hours later, after the last guest left, David and Bernie cleaned up and then collapsed in the family room. The cats joined them as they relaxed and gazed out the window. It was still light out, and the view over the lake was breathtaking. Bernie never tired of looking at the water. It was so serene and calming. David had built the house into the side of the mountain, so it seemed to hover over the water below.

"Did you have fun?" David asked.

"I did. It was great to see everyone. It was exactly what I needed."

"I'm perfectly happy with our little family, you know. Me, you, Tiny and Buttercup. You're all I need, and I'm not in any hurry for anything to change. I just wanted you to know that. Let's just not even worry about it."

Bernie nodded. "Thanks for saying that. I think I have been stressing too much about it, just stressing in general as that's the nature of my job." She grinned. "But I thrive on it, too, so I'm not complaining. I agree with you. I'm just going to try to relax and enjoy our life together and see what the future brings."

David leaned over and kissed her. "I think the future is going to bring a very happy New Year."

Bernie smiled. "I think so, too."

Melissa and Jack

Missing Melissa

The sun was just starting to set as Jack pulled the truck into their driveway. Melissa smiled, and she heard Roger bark as they reached the front door.

"I'll take him out for a walk and then see you inside in a bit."

Roger went dashing outside as the door opened and Melissa watched the two of them walk off. She hung up her coat, took her shoes off and made her way into the living room where her Maine Coon cat, Misty, lay in the corner of the sofa. She stretched lazily when she saw Melissa and took her time sauntering over to say hello. She also stood by her empty food bowl, waiting.

"And I thought you were just happy to see me!" Melissa laughed as she fed her and then made herself a cup of tea. She took it into the living room and got comfy on the sofa. She opened her laptop and checked her email. There was one from an agent wondering if she would be interested in selling her audio rights to her mystery and congratulating her for ranking so well.

That was interesting. Melissa had been so busy with Christmas that she hadn't checked her book's ranking in a few days. She went to Amazon, pulled up her book and almost fell off her sofa. Somehow, her little mystery had climbed into the top one hundred in the entire store. She'd also gained more than fifty new reviews.

She then went to look at BookReport, the software program she used that told her how many books she'd sold. She guessed it was probably up a little since her ranking had improved. But what she saw when she opened the program shocked her so much that she restarted her computer to make sure it wasn't a crazy fluke. It wasn't. The same numbers came up again. Her little mystery was now earning some impressive amounts.

She was thrilled. Not because of the money. Truth be told, both she and Melanie had received generous trust funds when their parents died years ago, and while they weren't rich, they were comfortable and money wasn't an issue. But what did thrill her was knowing that readers liked her book. That's all she wanted, to reach readers and to entertain them, hopefully bringing them the same kind of joy she felt when she lost herself in a good book.

"What are you looking so pleased about?" Jack said as he and Roger came into the room. Roger raced over to her, gave her a few licks hello and then flopped at her feet. Jack joined him and settled next to Melissa. "What are you up to?"

"I hadn't checked how my book was doing for a few days. I just had a nice surprise."

"Yeah, sales are good?"

"Very good. People seem to be liking my book!"

Jack laughed. "Of course they do. You sound so surprised."

"Well, I hoped that they would, of course. But you never know. I was terrified that they might not like it."

Jack shook his head at the very thought of it. "And they love it right? So, when will your next book be ready?"

"It's with Eloise now, being edited. Hopefully, it will be ready in another week or two. And in the meantime, I'll start the next book tomorrow morning, before I head to the store."

"Are you sure it's not too much for you? Doing both? You could always sell the store."

"No, it's perfect. You know I like to get up early, and that's my best time to write. If I do it for a few hours, the rest of my day is great. It's funny—it's like a physical need. When I skip a day or put it off until later in the day, it hangs over me all day, and I feel anxious.  Silly, huh?"

"I don't think so. You're a creative person. It's just who you are."

Melissa was impressed that Jack understood her so well.

"It's true. And I love going to the store, too, and being around other people that love books and seeing what they are reading and liking. It's the best of both worlds."

She took a sip of her tea and then asked Jack, "How's everything going with your job? Anything interesting happening in Riston?"

Melissa knew Jack loved his job, too, keeping Riston safe. Fortunately, there wasn't a lot of crime in the small town. Just petty stuff and traffic issues, mostly.

"The usual stuff. I am curious what's going on at the ranch, though. Wade didn't say much, but my radar is up. I can sense something going on. You haven't noticed anything, have you?"

"Not really. Melanie said that he’s been in a lot of meetings lately and seems exciting about something. I'm sure we'll find out, eventually."

"Right. I'm sure we will. I think I'm just bored because there really is nothing else happening at the moment."

"Well, that's a good thing, isn't it?" Melissa thought back to what she and Jack had to deal with when she first came to town. "I kind of like boring."

Jack leaned over and kissed her. "I know what you mean. I'm glad that business is over. And I'm never bored as long as you're around." His phone buzzed, indicating a text message was coming through. He read it, texted back and forth a few times and then looked at Melissa. "I just got a message from my friend, Benjamin Turner. His whole world has just changed."

"What happened? Who is he?"

"He's one of those instant billionaires...multi-billionaire, actually. He founded a tech company a few years back, took it public, and the stock went crazy. He's brilliant, and he's moving here to Riston."

"Why would a billionaire move to Riston?" That made zero sense to Melissa.

"He had an older sister that recently died from breast cancer. She was a single mother and had a baby girl. Ben's moving here to raise her."

"Wow. That's a big change."

"Yeah. I met him playing trivia a few years ago. He was staying at the ranch for a month-long vacation, just to get away. Wade got to know him and invited him to join us for trivia. He liked the area a lot. Says he bought a seventy-five-acre ranch here."

"What will he do with that?" Melissa was fascinated.

"Enjoy his privacy probably. He doesn't get much of that in Silicon Valley. The media follows his every move. Especially since he's moved into investing in the entertainment industry. He bought a hockey team last year, has financed a few movies, bought some other businesses. Everything he touches turns to gold."

"I would think he might be bored here." He sounded to Melissa like he belonged in a city.

"I think he's hoping people will leave him alone. As long as he has an internet connection, he can work anywhere."

"I suppose so," Melissa agreed. It was the same with her. If she was just writing, she could do that from anywhere. "I look forward to meeting him. Maybe I'll base a character on him. He sounds interesting."

"We'll invite him to trivia."

"We'll have to find him a babysitter, or maybe a nanny," Melissa said.

"Yeah, I wonder what he will do about the baby? I imagine he'll have to get some help. Do you know anyone?"

"No, but I could ask around at the Kids’ Korral. Someone there might know of someone."

Misty jumped up onto the sofa, and plopped down between the two of them and started to purr. Jack reached over and scratched her behind her ears.

"Someone was feeling ignored.” Melissa laughed.

"It was a fun day today. I hope Bernie and David make that a tradition. I'd never even heard of Boxing Day before, but if it means a chance for good friends to get together, I'm a fan."

"Me, too." Melissa yawned and snuggled closer to Jack. "It was a great day."

"So, what are we going to do for New Year's Eve?" Jack asked.

Melissa laughed. “Have you forgotten already? Melanie is getting married the Friday before and she and Bryan are having a big party on New Year’s Eve to celebrate their wedding.”

“I’m sorry, I totally forgot about your sister’s wedding. It sounds like a great way to ring in the new year.”

“I couldn’t be happier for her. I’m sure it will be fun.”

“Of course it will. We’ll be with family and friends.”

Jack pulled Melissa in for a kiss, and looked into her eyes.

“It will be fun because you’ll be there. Do you know how much I love you?”

Melissa smiled, “I think I do, and I love you too. So much. We’re going to have a wonderful New Year’s Eve.”

* * *

Thank you so much for reading!

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Also by Pamela M. Kelley

Six Months in Montana

Mistletoe in Montana

Mischief in Montana

Match-Making in Montana

Winter in Ireland

The Wedding Photo (a friends to lovers romance)

Trust (Waverly Beach Mystery Series #1)

Motive (Waverly Beach Mystery Series #2)

River’s End Ranch Series

Veterinarian’s Vacation

Charming Chef

Cute Cowboy

Merry Manager

Bernie’s Birthday

Missing Melissa

The Wedding Photo

Up next, watch for Nashville Dreams set in the country music world. I think of this one as my big soapy saga—true love torn apart by amnesia and a scheming billionaire with political ambitions. Coming very soon…

About the Author

Pamela M. Kelley lives in the historic seaside town of Plymouth, MA near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been a book worm and still reads often and widely, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. She writes contemporary romance and suspense and you'll probably see food featured and possibly a recipe or two. She is owned by a cute little rescue kitty, Bella.

Connect with Pam

www.pamelakelley.com

pam@pamelakelley.com

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White Bean Holiday Dip Recipe

We have this every Christmas Eve, along with the lazy lobster casserole. It’s bright green, because of the parsley which also gives it a fresh, bright flavor, along with the lemon juice and garlic. It’s also fast and easy to make.

2 cans cannellini white beans

1 lemon

1 cup flat Italian.parsley

1 big clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons olive oil

Dash salt and pepper

Drain and rinse beans, add to food processor. Juice lemon and add along with garlic and parsley. Pulse until smooth, add water and olive oil and pulse again, scraping down the sides and adding a dash of salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips or raw vegetables.

Lazy Lobster Casserole Recipe

My family makes this every Christmas Eve. We are fortunate to have access to fresh lobster where I live. If you don’t, you’ll be happy to know, this recipe is equally delicious with just about any kind of seafood, or even cooked chicken! Enjoy.

1 pound fresh lobster meat, chopped into roughly 1 inch pieces

1 stick of butter

1 sleeve of Ritz crackers

2 tablespoons sherry (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh, flat parsley

Melt 3/4 stick of butter in a small bowl. In a medium casserole dish, place lobster, and pour half the melted butter over and stir to coat. Add crumbs and parsley to the remaining melted butter. Mix well, and then pat over top of lobster meat, until evenly coated. Cut remaining butter into small pieces and dot over top of stuffing. Drizzle sherry evenly over the top, and bake for about 25 minutes at 300 degrees.

Serves 3-4

French Onion Soup Wonton Bites

This is not my recipe. But I’m including the link to the blog where you can find the instructions. They are out of this world delicious. My friend Melissa made them recently for a tailgate party and we all went nuts and have been making them ever since. It’s all the flavors of French Onion soup, the caramelized onions, gooey cheese and flaky pastry, which is just a wonton wrapper that you bake in a muffin tin!

Link to recipe.

It would make a great appetizer or side dish too for any roast beef dinner. If you make these, or either of the other two recipes, please let me know what you think!