Chapter One (unedited version), and dedicated to our
awesome reader, Dawn Anderson.
awesome reader, Dawn Anderson.
Large snowflakes fell in a winter’s dance outside
Nicole Flattery’s office window, taunting her with their cold beauty. They
landed gracefully on the evergreen boughs and velvet red ribbons wrapped around
the old-fashioned lampposts lining Boston’s streets. Another Christmas alone
buried up to her eyeballs in work she can never seem to see her way out of.
Nicole Flattery’s office window, taunting her with their cold beauty. They
landed gracefully on the evergreen boughs and velvet red ribbons wrapped around
the old-fashioned lampposts lining Boston’s streets. Another Christmas alone
buried up to her eyeballs in work she can never seem to see her way out of.
“Nicole?”
“Yes, Jim. Sorry. What were you saying?” she said
into the phone.
into the phone.
Her boss cleared his throat. “Connors wants a few
more changes to the aesthetics of the outside. He’s trying to reel in his
costs.”
more changes to the aesthetics of the outside. He’s trying to reel in his
costs.”
“If we can switch out the stone with brick in a few
places, it’ll help. But the development firm is really picky about their rule.
Not to mention the town council. It may not fly.”
places, it’ll help. But the development firm is really picky about their rule.
Not to mention the town council. It may not fly.”
“See what you can do. I’m sure I don’t need to
remind you how important this account is to our firm.”
remind you how important this account is to our firm.”
Disappointment tinged his voice. No matter how hard
she worked, she could never seem to please him. “No, of course not. I’ll take
care of him. You can count on me.”
she worked, she could never seem to please him. “No, of course not. I’ll take
care of him. You can count on me.”
He hung up the phone, and Nicole blew out a deep
breath. She pulled up the files for the development’s terms and conditions.
She’d been working day and night on this account and had thought they’d finally
made it through this phase of the development. The growing stack of projects
sitting on the edge of her desk, mocked her. They would have to wait a little
longer.
breath. She pulled up the files for the development’s terms and conditions.
She’d been working day and night on this account and had thought they’d finally
made it through this phase of the development. The growing stack of projects
sitting on the edge of her desk, mocked her. They would have to wait a little
longer.
“Oh, it’s snowing. I love the snow,” her assistant Carrie
said, bustling into the room with another file in her hand.
said, bustling into the room with another file in her hand.
“I hate the snow,” Nicole grumbled.
“No you don’t. You just hate that it reminds you of
home and you can’t go.”
home and you can’t go.”
“I swore to my dad I’d be home this year for
Christmas, but the way things are going, that’s not looking very promising.”
Christmas, but the way things are going, that’s not looking very promising.”
“Just do it, Nicole. We are closing down for four
days. You can take a long weekend.”
days. You can take a long weekend.”
“I could, but then I’d never get through this stack.”
And she’d hate to see the look on Jim’s face when she had to give her weekly
progress report. Her work hours were grueling. She gave it all she had, and was
moving up in the company fast, but it was getting more and more difficult to
find a good balance between her work life and home life.
And she’d hate to see the look on Jim’s face when she had to give her weekly
progress report. Her work hours were grueling. She gave it all she had, and was
moving up in the company fast, but it was getting more and more difficult to
find a good balance between her work life and home life.
“You don’t have to finish all those files.”
Nicole looked up at her with surprise. “I have to if
I want that promotion.”
I want that promotion.”
“You are the hardest working architect in this firm.
Mr. Morris is a fool if he can’t see that.”
Mr. Morris is a fool if he can’t see that.”
Nicole smiled and glanced outside. “You should get
going before that snow gets worse.”
going before that snow gets worse.”
“What about you?”
“I just have a few things to catch up on and then
I’ll go.”
I’ll go.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.” Same Carrie. Always concerned for Nicole’s
heath and safety. Nicole had a tendency to put in a few late nights more often
than she should, but even she didn’t want to be walking home from the train in
this weather.
heath and safety. Nicole had a tendency to put in a few late nights more often
than she should, but even she didn’t want to be walking home from the train in
this weather.
They said goodnight and Nicole went back to her
screen. She’d only read through a couple of pages of the development’s
specifications when the phone rang again.
screen. She’d only read through a couple of pages of the development’s
specifications when the phone rang again.
“Nicole Flattery,” she answered, absently.
“Nicole. Thank goodness I got ahold of you.” The
panic in Mary Margaret’s voice struck an unexpected blow to her insides. She
hadn’t heard from her father’s neighbor in at least a year. Maybe more. And she
certainly hadn’t heard that tone, not since she was a child and Landry had
fallen through the ice.
panic in Mary Margaret’s voice struck an unexpected blow to her insides. She
hadn’t heard from her father’s neighbor in at least a year. Maybe more. And she
certainly hadn’t heard that tone, not since she was a child and Landry had
fallen through the ice.
“Mary Margaret? What’s wrong?” She glanced at the
old picture on her desk. Her father in his Santa outfit, one arm over her
spotty pre-teen self, beaming in a green elf costume. “Is my dad okay?”
old picture on her desk. Her father in his Santa outfit, one arm over her
spotty pre-teen self, beaming in a green elf costume. “Is my dad okay?”
“Yes, thank goodness. Though the fool man is lucky
he didn’t break his neck. He never listens.”
he didn’t break his neck. He never listens.”
Nicole blew out a shaky breath. “Okay, start at the
beginning. What happened?”
beginning. What happened?”
“What always happens? He climbed up on that ladder
to hang his Christmas lights and fell off. How many times have I told him he
doesn’t need to be up on that ladder, especially at his age.”
to hang his Christmas lights and fell off. How many times have I told him he
doesn’t need to be up on that ladder, especially at his age.”
“He fell off his ladder?”
“Yes, that’s what I said. Fell on his gardenia
bushes and destroyed his shrubbery. Luckily he only broke his leg and not his
fool neck. Though he does have a minor concussion.”
bushes and destroyed his shrubbery. Luckily he only broke his leg and not his
fool neck. Though he does have a minor concussion.”
“Where is he now?” Nicole asked, horrified by the
image of her father lying on the ground amidst the broken branches and waxy
petals.
image of her father lying on the ground amidst the broken branches and waxy
petals.
“At Mercy Hospital. You should come home.”
Nicole’s gaze immediately shot to the stack of
papers strewn across her desk. Her dad needed her. She was all he had. A
no-brainer. So why wasn’t she moving? Or breathing?
papers strewn across her desk. Her dad needed her. She was all he had. A
no-brainer. So why wasn’t she moving? Or breathing?
“Yes, I will. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She
stood, staring at her desk trying to decide what to take, and what to leave.
stood, staring at her desk trying to decide what to take, and what to leave.
“Good. They’re releasing him this evening, and they
need someone to stay with him for the next 24 hours.”
need someone to stay with him for the next 24 hours.”
“All right. I’ll be there.”
Mary Margaret’s voice softened. “It sure will be
nice to see you again, sweetheart. It’s been way too long.”
nice to see you again, sweetheart. It’s been way too long.”
“It has,” Nicole said absently, trying to remember
exactly how long. She hung up the phone. The snow falling outside changed from
a picturesque fluttering to a harried flurry.
exactly how long. She hung up the phone. The snow falling outside changed from
a picturesque fluttering to a harried flurry.
She picked up the phone again and called her boss.
“Don’t worry, I can work from my dad’s place in New Hampshire,” she offered
quickly before he could object.
“Don’t worry, I can work from my dad’s place in New Hampshire,” she offered
quickly before he could object.
“Are you sure you don’t want Steve to take over this
account?”
account?”
“Yes, I can handle it.”
“All right,” Jim agreed. “Take care of your dad, but
don’t forget if it looks at anytime like you can’t get it done, call Steve.”
don’t forget if it looks at anytime like you can’t get it done, call Steve.”
“I will,” she promised, though she had no intention
of giving up this account. She grabbed the bulk of the files along with her
laptop and dropped them into her briefcase before heading out the door, all the
while praying her father was okay.
of giving up this account. She grabbed the bulk of the files along with her
laptop and dropped them into her briefcase before heading out the door, all the
while praying her father was okay.
And that he had wifi.
***
Christmas 2016!!
Pre-order October 1st.
Release date October 18th
only
99 cents…
…What a deal!!!
First published in 2003, Cynthia Cooke is an award-winning author who has published 17 novels in 12 different countries with Harlequin, Entangled, and Amazon Kindle Worlds. She has a deep affection for romance stories and playing in the ocean. On her best days you can find her on the beach with her notebook, a novel in hand, and her dog, Angel, by her side.
Embrace the Seduction and prepare to get naughty and have a little fun!
“I want to read more and more! Cynthia Cooke has a very special gift for making me love paranormal beings I would not usually care for! Another winner for Cynthia Cooke!” Monique D – Amazon Reviewer
“Cynthia Cooke is an amazing and talented writer who captures your heart from the beginning of her books to the ending!. If I could give this book more then 5-stars I would!” Rose 13 – Amazon Reviewer
“Cooke keeps readers on the edge of their seats. . .” –Alexandra Kay, Romantic Times Magazine.
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If only it didn't take these huge wake up calls to remind us of what is most important.
I look forward to being able to preorder.
As a person with both elderly parents still with me, I totally resonate with this story – can't wait to read the rest.