A Holiday For Healing
Jackson Stone will always be grateful to the Lamberts, who took him in when he was just a kid. But since the accident that killed his foster brother, Brock, he stays away from the family at Coffee Creek Ranch. Especially now that Brockâs former fiancée, Winnie Hays, is back in town with her little boy.
The simmering attraction between them may surprise Winnie, but Jackson fell for her at first sight years ago. Loyalty and guilt require he keep his distanceâ¦even as their feelings blossom into love. In the end, itâs his own conscience Jackson must master. But with the help of the Lamberts, can this Christmas be a time of healing and a new beginning?
Jackson went to open the driverâs side door for her, but she didnât get in. Instead, she surprised him by placing a hand on his shoulder.
âIâm glad you were at the dinner tonight. I wasnât sure you would be.â
âI didnât want to be,â he admitted. âCorb pretty much twisted my arm.â
âWas it because of Olive that you didnât want to come? Or me?â
âA little of both.â
âOuch. Brutally honest, arenât you?â
âI didnât say that to hurt your feelings.â
âOh. So it was a compliment then?â
âDamn it, Winnie. Itâs complicated.â She couldnât know how hard this was for him. If only he could see her the way he saw Laurel, or Cassidy, or even B.J.âs new wife, Savannah. They were all beautiful women, too.
But only Winnie set his blood on fire. And it was so, so wrong. It had been wrong when Brock was alive. And it was just as wrong now that he was gone.
Dear Reader,
Welcome back to Coffee Creek, Montana, where the Lambertsâa family of ranchers and cowboysâown the largest spread in Bitterroot County, all controlled by matriarch Olive Lambert. Winnie Hays and her new baby have just returned to town and theyâre about to attend the double wedding of Cassidy Lambert and Dan Farley (Her Cowboy Dilemma) and B. J. Lambert and Savannah Moody (Promise Me, Cowboy).
Eighteen months ago Winnieâs fiancé was killed in a car crash while he was on his way to their wedding. Winnie has spent a year and a half grieving, but now itâs time for her to resume her life in Coffee Creekâand to introduce her son to his fatherâs side of the family.
Dreading Winnieâs return is the Lambertsâ foster brother, Jackson Stone. Heâs never told anyone about his secret passion for his deceased brotherâs womanâa passion that makes him feel all the more guilty for having been the driver during the accident that killed him.
This is the last of my four-book Coffee Creek, Montana series. As a writer itâs always difficult to leave behind a community of families and friends whoâve begun to feel so real you want to send them cards at Christmas! But with the latest developments between Olive and her estranged sister Maddie, it just feels like the right time to close the door on the Lambert familyâ¦and await the next writing adventure.
If youâd like to see the pictures that inspired my Coffee Creek, Montana books, visit my boards on Pinterestâmy account is named CJ_Carmichael. To find out what Iâm working on next, check my blog on my website: www.cjcarmichael.com. Iâve posted a map of Coffee Creek there, too.
Happy reading,
C.J. Carmichael
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hard to imagine a more glamorous life than being an accountant, isnât it? Still, C.J. Carmichael gave up the thrills of income tax forms and double-entry bookkeeping when she sold her first book in 1998. She has now written more than twenty-eight novels for Harlequin and invites you to learn more about her books, see photos of her hiking exploits and enter her surprise contests at www.cjcarmichael.com.
With love to Mike for sharing in
all my Montana adventures
Chapter One
Winnie Hays looked up at the white church and hesitated. She couldnât believe she was here, back in Coffee Creek, Montana. This was her last chance to back out. Everyone would understand if she did.
Since when is wimping out your style? Is that the kind of woman Bobby needs as his mother?
Since the death of her fiancé, that was how she had found the strength to go on. By thinking of their son. And putting his needs before hers.
Still, it was impossible not to recall the last time sheâd been here. Wearing a long white gown. Expecting to leave a married woman.
Eighteen months had passed since then, a relatively short period of time marked by the most major events of Winnieâs life: the death of her fiancé and the birth of their son seven months later.
She checked her cell phone, making sure it was set to vibrate so sheâd know if Bobbyâs babysitter called. Not that she was worried. Eugenia Fox had raised a son of her own, and had worked for Winnie at the Cinnamon Stick Café since it had opened several years ago.