A Christmas for Carrie Read online

  A Christmas for Carrie

  By Alison Packard

  The very thought of Christmas is enough to darken Carrie Jones’s day. “Jingle Bells” and eggnog? Not for this girl; not anymore. But running into a handsome old crush might make this year different...

  Home to celebrate with his parents, Nick Johnson loves the holidays and all that comes with them, from trips to the tree lot to the very last strand of tinsel. Stunned to bump into Carrie while on a coffee run, he realizes that his former study buddy has grown into a drop-dead-gorgeous woman. One with whom he’d like to share all the joys—and hidden pleasures—of the season.

  Spending time with Nick and his warm, close-knit family, Carrie can’t help but feel the very beginnings of that elusive Christmas spirit. She’s falling in love with all of them...until an unexpected visitor arrives. It will take putting her trust in Nick—and all her newfound happiness—to overcome the ghosts of Christmases past.

  32,000 words

  Dear Reader,

  It’s unbelievable to me that the holiday season is here already. I feel as though I was just stuffing myself full of holiday cookies, spiced wine and all of the wonderful chocolates sent to me during the holidays. But here we are again in what some call the season of joy, while others call it “the season where I avoid all shopping malls for at least two months.” If you’re one of those avoiding all of the seemingly endless holiday tasks, preparations and shopping, let us help you procrastinate with another fantastic lineup of books. If you’re one who revels in the season of joy, not to worry, these books will only add to your enjoyment of the season.

  This month, we have so many returning authors who are fan favorites, I’m not sure where to start. So instead, I’ll start with those who are new, either to readers, to Carina Press, or both. Beginning with debut author Michele Mannon, whose book first came to my attention two years ago during a cold-reads session at a meeting of New Jersey Romance Writers. During that session, I gave Michele some suggestions for strengthening her opening and she worked on it for several months before going on to win a few contests and eventually pitching it to me, at which point I acquired it with great enthusiasm. I hope you’ll check out her fantastic love story of a former ballerina turned ring girl and a brooding, sexy fighter in Knock Out, book one of the Worth the Fight trilogy. And don’t mind me while I claim partial credit for the opening line...

  Joining Michele with a debut book is Timothy S. Johnston and his science-fiction thriller. It’s Agatha Christie meets Michael Crichton in The Furnace as homicide investigator Kyle Tanner travels to a remote space station to solve a mysterious death that may have enormous consequences for the human race.

  Our third debut author makes her appearance in one of my annual holiday collections. These have become a tradition at Carina Press, and one that I love, since I get a chance to work with a new variety of authors every year. This year, we have four collections. Last month saw the release of two of them: Gift of Honor, a military holiday collection, and Season of Seduction, an erotic holiday collection.

  This month we release the two contemporary holiday collections, and it’s in For My Own that Shari Mikels makes her writing debut with her novella Christmas Curveball. Joining her in this contemporary romance collection are new-to-Carina author Kinley Cade with her novella Kissing Her Scrooge, and fan-favorite Alison Packard with A Christmas for Carrie.

  In the second contemporary romance holiday collection, returning authors Christi Barth, Brighton Walsh and Kat Latham join together to offer some holiday love and forgiveness in All I’m Asking For with their novellas Tinsel My Heart, Season of Second Chances and Mine Under the Mistletoe.

  Also new to Carina Press this month are authors Keri Ford, Ann DeFee, T.C. Mill and Daryl Anderson, each offering up something different for reader entertainment. Keri Ford brings us a fun contemporary romance in Never Stopped Loving You, in which the heroine has to remind herself: don’t date your friends—and definitely don’t ever date your friend’s brother. Ann DeFee’s Beyond Texas is a fast-paced contemporary romance of mystical lights that dance across the desert as the hero and heroine, Cole Claiborne and Twinkie Sue Carmichael, discover love while thwarting an evil cult, giving new meaning to the old saying “Don’t Mess with a Texan.”

  In T.C. Mill’s male/male fantasy novella, Gardens Where No One Will See, Nemaran’s gentle attentions inspire Renad to go beyond the boundaries he’s set for himself for so long—but can they help him break free of even crueler bondage?

  And last in the new-to-Carina category, Daryl Anderson is on the scene in Murder in Mystic Cove. In this new mystery, a former Baltimore homicide detective thought she’d put murder cases behind her—until she discovered a resident in her father’s retirement community shot dead in his golf cart.

  Returning to Carina Press with contemporary romance Love Me Not, Reese Ryan introduces us to struggling artist Jamie Charles, who finds refuge from the painful secrets of her past in her art and prefers living on the edge—without the complications of love—until she encounters charming ad exec Miles Copeland, who is harboring his own dark past and is determined to have her heart.

  Fantasy romance author Shawna Thomas has the third installment in her Triune Stones series, Journey of Wisdom. It’s not too late to catch up before the series wraps up with the last book, Journey of the Wanderer, in February 2014.

  If you’re looking to spice up your holidays with a BDSM erotic romance, The Dom Project by Heloise Belleau and Solace Ames will keep you warm, even when it’s cold outside. When buttoned-up university archivist Robin Lessing agrees to spend one month submitting to a sexy, tattooed colleague, she presents her new Dom with a firm set of rules. But once they begin their stimulating sessions, it’s not long before she’s ready to beg him for more—much more.

  Also this month, we have three powerhouse fan favorites with new books. Shannon Stacey returns to the Kowalskis with the much-anticipated Love a Little Sideways. When Drew Miller had a casual rebound fling with his best friend’s sister, he thought she’d go back to New Mexico and stay there, but now Liz Kowalski has come home to stay, and Drew’s feelings for her might not be as casual as he thought.

  After a two-year wait, Lauren Dane is back with Blade to the Keep, the follow-up to Goddess with a Blade. Rowan Summerwaite is no ordinary woman. With the power of an ancient goddess in her belly, she’s the perfect candidate to re-negotiate the fragile Treaty keeping the peace between the Vampire Nation and the last line of defense for humanity, The Hunter Corporation. And she’s got to do it as she attempts to manage a politically awkward romance during a trip back to a place she escaped nearly fifteen years before. No pressure.

  Wrapping up this month is The Principle of Desire, the final book in the Science of Temptation trilogy from Delphine Dryden. 1 Sexy Switch + 1 Nerdy Newbie = A Master Class in Seduction.

  Last, no matter what your religion, or what you celebrate, books are a common bond, so from all of us at Carina Press, we wish you a wonderful season of reading. May there be incredible books, stories and characters on your ereaders all year long!

  We love to hear from readers, and you can email us your thoughts, comments and questions to [email protected]. You can also interact with Carina Press staff and authors on our blog, Twitter stream and Facebook fan page.

  Happy reading!

  ~Angela James

  Executive Editor, Carina Press

  www.carinapress.com

  www.twitter.com/carinapress

  www.facebook.com/carinapress

  Dedication<
br />
  For my grandmother.

  You lived through the worst experience a child could, and survived. When I was younger, I didn’t understand what it cost you, or how it affected your life. But I do now, and I hope with all my heart that if there is an afterlife, you are with your beloved parents.

  Acknowledgments

  To Chrissie Humphrey and Jennifer Vincent, thank you for being there from the very beginning. And thank you for reading everything I send to you and giving me a reader’s perspective. It’s so greatly appreciated.

  To my fellow RWA Chapter members and friends, Angie Shiroff and Jessica Cline, thank you for offering to read and critique this story. Your feedback was invaluable.

  I’d also like to thank my editor, Angela James, who helped make this story so much better than what I originally submitted. And thank you to the entire Carina Press team for working so tirelessly behind the scenes. You are the glue that keeps everything together—without you, we would be lost.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  The moment Carrie Jones stepped inside her favorite coffeehouse, the welcoming aroma of rich coffee beans enveloped her. It was Saturday, but unlike most Saturday mornings she wasn’t sleeping in. No, like the loyal employee she was she’d volunteered to help one of the associates prepare for an upcoming trial. So that meant caffeine. Lots and lots of caffeine.

  Stepping up to the counter, she smiled at the young woman behind the cash register, ordered her usual dark roast blend and tried to ignore the Christmas music playing on the stereo system.

  The current selection was the Pretenders’ version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” As an ’80s music aficionado, Carrie adored the Pretenders, but her love for the band didn’t lessen the sudden tightness in her chest, or the urge to cover her ears to drown out the music. With a clenched jaw, she stared at the barista’s back as she poured coffee into a large to-go cup, and as the seconds stretched into what seemed like an eternity, Carrie silently prayed for the stereo system to either short-circuit or blow up. Unfortunately, the prayer didn’t work and the memories she was able to suppress the other eleven months of the year threatened to breach her defenses and run amok inside her head.

  Get ahold of yourself, Carrie. With a shaky hand, she pulled a ten-dollar bill from the side pocket of her purse and laid it on the counter.

  “Keep the change,” she said as the barista turned to hand her the cup. The young woman’s thank-you barely registered as Carrie grabbed the cup and dashed toward the exit.

  Once outside, she breathed a sigh of relief and at the same time hated that something as innocuous as Christmas music had the power to evoke such powerful emotions inside of her.

  Worse, Christmas was still three weeks away. Add in the week after Christmas and that meant an entire month of having to put on a cheerful face when all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and forget the holidays altogether.

  A gust of frigid air stung her cheeks and reminded her she was short on time. Galvanized into action, she headed for her car as a white SUV pulled into the almost empty parking lot and easily found a spot. Anxious to warm up, Carrie opened the door of her Toyota and slung her purse onto the passenger seat. Bending over, she reached inside and placed her coffee cup into the center-console cup holder.

  “Jones? Is that you?”

  Startled by the deep voice, she jerked upright and banged her head on the door frame. “Owww,” she muttered as she backed up and rubbed her head. Straightening, she turned and as she lifted her gaze to the man standing by her car, her heart stopped. Not literally, of course. But it seemed to stop and then, just as quickly, started beating again—correction—it pounded like a jackhammer on steroids. No surprise there. That had always been her heart’s standard response anytime she was within ten feet of Nick Johnson. One might think that would have changed after fourteen years but, nope, Nick still had the power to make her go weak in the knees.

  “Nick?” She let her gaze roam over his face and quickly took in the changes. He’d been eighteen the last time she’d seen him and by the looks of things, the years had been kind. Very kind. Gone were the glasses and the braces, but his intelligent brown eyes still shimmered with good humor, and his killer smile was just as deadly. His dark hair was shorter than she remembered, but long enough so that it had that tousled just-got-out-of-bed look that, frankly, was sexier than hell.

  “I thought that was you.” His gaze slid casually down her body before rising to meet hers. “I wondered if you were still in Grass Valley.”

  Lifting her hands to adjust the knit cap she wore, Carrie smiled. “I’m still here.” She slipped her hands into her jacket pockets and pulled out her gloves. “What brings you home?” she asked as she slipped them on.

  “Christmas.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he returned her smile. “My parents usually make the trip to San Francisco to spend the holidays with me but this year we decided to change it up.” Nick glanced at his watch. “Seven-thirty might be a little too early to wake them, so I decided to stop for some coffee.” He searched her face and made her all too aware that she’d forgone makeup this morning. No doubt she looked like she’d just dragged her ass out of bed. Which she had and, sadly, it wasn’t her best look. “I’m glad I did, otherwise I wouldn’t have run into my favorite study buddy from high school.”

  Study buddy. Much to Carrie’s teenage disappointment, that’s all they’d been. Buddies. Nick had never once noticed she was a girl. All she’d been was his math tutor, and the person he’d confided in about the great love of his young life—Alicia Walsh, the mean girl who’d never looked twice at Nick, and who, along with her popular friends, ruled their high school with a ruthlessness that often struck terror into the hearts of students who weren’t quite as good-looking or athletically inclined.

  “You’re in town for Christmas?” Carrie asked, surprised. “It’s still three weeks away.”

  “I know. But I can work from just about anywhere. All I need is a phone and my laptop.” He shifted to shove his hands into his pockets. The move drew her attention to his faded jeans. He’d been gangly in high school and although still lean, it was obvious he’d filled out—his thighs looked like they were made of solid muscle.

  “There was a story about you in the Union last year,” she said, remembering the glowing article in Grass Valley’s local newspaper. And that explained the muscular thighs—the article had mentioned he’d taken up cycling several years ago. “You finally made it in the sports world.”

  “Yep.” He cocked his head and gave her a wry grin. “Just not as a player like I’d always dreamed.” He shrugged. “It turned out for the best, I love what I do.”

  “That’s great—” She broke off as the musical ringtone of her cell phone started to play. She glanced inside her car as the music stopped and the call went to voicemail. “That’s probably my coworker. I’m working today and running a bit late.”

  “I’ll let you go, then. Hey, since I’m going to be in town for a while, we should catch up.” He pulled his phone from his jacket pocket. “Can I give you a call? Maybe we can grab some dinner.”

  Her pulse sped up. “I’d like that,” she said and gave him her number. He entered it into his phone and then slid it back into his pocket.

  “I’ll call you,” he said, then after giving her another one of those killer smiles that used to make her melt, he turned and headed
for the entrance of the café. Carrie watched him until he disappeared inside and then slid into her car.

  As she pulled out of the parking lot, she tried not to read too much into Nick’s parting words. Still, the thought of renewing their acquaintance lightened her mood and gave her something to look forward to. Suddenly, the month of December looked a heck of a lot brighter.

  * * *

  After the young woman behind the counter handed Nick Johnson his change, he fed the tip jar and then strode to the used book section of the café. He set his coffee on the table beside a comfortable looking chair, shrugged out of his leather jacket and draped it over the arm of the chair before sitting down. Leaning back, he reached for his cup, grateful for its warmth against his fingers.

  One thing about his hometown hadn’t changed. Wintertime was one cold bitch. And after living in temperate San Francisco for the past eight years, the frigid temperature was about as welcome as jock itch. He’d been back several times since he left, but never in the dead of winter.

  Sipping his coffee, Nick let his gaze wander over the shelves of used books. For some reason it reminded him of the collection of books in Carrie Jones’s bedroom where they’d done the majority of their studying. During their junior and senior years in high school Carrie had been his math tutor. He’d seen her around long before then, but he’d never gotten to know her until she’d been assigned by the school’s guidance counselor to help him with advanced algebra and then geometry. Math had never been his strong suit. He still wasn’t an expert, but he knew enough to negotiate top-dollar contracts for his clients. That was all that mattered.

  Carrie had helped him pass those arduous courses required to get into college; he’d never forgotten her for that. And now there was one more thing he wouldn’t forget. Carrie Jones had morphed into one hell of a beautiful woman.

  When he’d pulled into the parking lot he’d noticed her immediately. How could he not? Her snug jeans had shown off womanly curves he didn’t remember her possessing in high school, and under her close-fitting jacket, it appeared she’d filled out in other areas as well. But it was her hair that had tipped him off to her identity. Beneath the knit cap she wore, her vibrant strawberry-blond hair glinted in the morning sunlight. He’d never met anyone else with hair that particular color; that was when he realized that the woman he couldn’t take his eyes off of was his former study buddy, the one girl in high school he’d been able to talk to without acting like a damn fool.