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Lisamarie Kade is a romance author living in the sunshine state with her husband and small army of children.
When not writing, she can be found chasing the kids around or volunteering for one of their many activities.
Lisamarie enjoys chocolate peanut butter cups, music, and reading something steamy while sipping sweet wine.
OTHER BOOKS BY LISAMARIE KADE
The Secrets We Keep
Mended Hearts
The Christmas Breakdown
The War Within
Shattered Illusion
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright @2022 by L.M. Reid
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people.
Cover Design: Ya’ll That Graphic
Editing: Sandy Ebel, Personal Touch Editing
CHAPTER1
HUNTER
It’s gorgeous outside. The sun is shining, and the temperature is in the low seventies. It’s the perfect day for a road trip into the mountains.
If only it wasn’t for the massive snowstorm in Aspen holding up our plans and ruining any hope of making Christmas with our families.
Yesterday, Quinn had a photo shoot that deterred us from leaving with everyone else. His plan was to leave first thing this morning, but Mother Nature had other ideas. She seemed to think it was the perfect time for an unexpected middle-of-the-night snowstorm. Not the roads are a little slippery kind, either—a massive, the roads are impassable, and there is no way in or out kind. At least not before Christmas.
“Can’t you pull some strings?” Quinn whines as she pouts on the couch. Her arms are crossed over her chest, and her eyes are red, threatening tears.
“Baby, I wish I could, but I can’t make the snow disappear or the roads safe. I’m sorry.”
It’s our first Christmas together and Quinn’s first “traditional” Christmas—ever.
She and Mason, her brother and my best friend, grew up with absent parents who only cared about themselves and their drug addiction. Their entire lives, they only had each other. There was no Santa, no gifts or family meals. Just the two of them in front of the television, watching Christmas movies and wishing they were in them.
This year was supposed to be different. We were going to spend it with my family in Aspen. Mason and Avery were joining us. I had plans to make the perfect Christmas for Quinn. I knew it was important to her, but I hadn’t realized just how much until now.
Seeing her like this breaks my heart. I wish I could fix it, somehow make it better for her. The blue strands of hair she had when we first met are gone, replaced with red for the holiday season, and she’s wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, one of many she bought for the trip.
I sit next to her on the couch and put my arm around her. “I know this isn’t the Christmas we planned, but—”
“There are no buts, Hunter. It’s ruined. They’re all there, and we’re here.” She blows out a breath. “I know I’m being a baby… it’s just… I was really excited.”
“I know.” I press my lips to her temple. “I’m sorry. I promise we’ll still have an amazing Christmas.”
She glances around our home. “We don’t have a single decoration.”
