A relationship in need of renovation
Bess Fitzgerald is thrilled to be overseeing the expansion of her familyâs B and B. Working with Daniel Forester, not so much. After one wild night, they agreed to stay out of each otherâs lives. The attraction still sizzles between them now, but Danielâs need to be in control and Bessâs impulsive nature continually drive them apart.
Keeping their relationship professional is harder than Bess anticipated. And itâs not long before they give in to temptation. Suddenly itâs clear Daniel needs her in a way she never thought possible. This may be the year Bess finally gets her Christmas wish!
âSo, this isnât a one-night stand?â
âI donât know what it is.â Daniel dropped her hand and paced over to the stereo, pushing buttons to play a less intense song. âIâm having trouble keeping my hands off you while we work.â
âI know what you mean.â Her fingers tapped her skirt.
He nodded. âI donât want to mess up our working together.â
âOkay.â Bess waved her hands between them. âWeâll ignore these sparks.â
He moved across the room and grabbed her hands again. âLetâs take a chance.â
He was so close. The scent of sandalwood, lemon and wine filled her head. âWhat do you mean?â
He took another step and pulled her back into his arms. âWe should check out the...possibilities. This is like the rooms we stripped down to the studs. Right now, everything is possible.â Daniel cupped her face with his hands. âAre we on the same page?â
She could barely get words through the lump in her throat. âOkay.â
âGood.â He kissed her slowly.
Dear Reader,
Welcome back to Fitzgerald House Bed and Breakfast and beautiful, quirky Savannah. The Fitzgerald sisters are busy turning Carleton House into a B and B. Bess, a landscape architect, is taking point. She expected to work with Samuel Forester on the restoration, but instead must work with Daniel, his son. (And they have history!) Samuel is sick with MDS, a blood and bone marrow cancer.
In my former career, I worked at a pharmaceutical company that developed a drug to slow and stop the growth of cancer cells in MDS patients. At the drug launch, a former trial participant brought the audience to tears and Iâve never forgotten him. Before receiving the trial drug, he could not walk up stairs, much less play with his grandchildren or work his farm. The drug gave him back his life.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for MDS.
My mother died of bone marrow cancer. The bruising and fatigue were relentless as cancer slowly overtook her body. We were lucky. After diagnosis, my family enjoyed our mother for another eleven years, but I still miss her.
A Savannah Christmas Wish is foremost about family and love. And I love to hear from readers. You can contact me through my website: www.nandixon.com.
Happy reading,
Nan Dixon
NAN DIXON spent her formative years as an actress, singer, dancer and competitive golfer. But the need to eat had her studying accounting in college. Unfortunately, being a successful financial executive didnât feed her passion to perform. When the pharmaceutical company she worked for was purchased, Nan got the chance of a lifetimeâthe opportunity to pursue a writing career. Sheâs a five-time Golden Heart Award finalist, lives in the Midwest, and is active in her local RWA chapter and on the board of a dance company. She has five children, three sons-in-law, one grandchild, a husband and one neurotic cat.
To Mom and Dadâalways.
To my father-in-law. Your goal to make two people smile a day is inspiring. You are missed.
To my family, the big, loud, wonderful group of youâthank you with all my heart.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks go out to my writing community. First, my critique partnersâAnn Hinnenkamp, Neroli Lacey, Leanne Farella and Kathryn Kohorst. Thank you for making me a better writer. Second, my Golden Heart sisters the Unsinkables, Starcatchers, Lucky13s and Dreamweavers. No one could ask for better support. Iâm toasting you with prosecco! Next my RWA chapters: MFW, Golden Network and WisRWA. In all my careers, I have not met a more wonderful and sharing group of people. Thank you.
And finally, this book is for my sistersâ
Mo, Sue and Trish.
CHAPTER ONE
I do not understand how anyone can live without one small place of enchantment to turn to.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
âWAIT!â DANIEL RUSHED through the carriage house, his work boots thumping on the wood floor.
Quint climbed out of the trench. âWhat?â
Pointing at the two-by-fours in the channel, Daniel asked, âWho set the forms?â