Jackie Hobbs loves the job that lets her travel the world attending comic conventions and playing games until it prevents her from reaching her mother before she passes away. As an only child with no core group of friends to depend on, she dreads a lonely Christmas. The last thing she wants is to go to Vermont as her mother planned, but it's the only way to get the letters her mother left her.
Austin Fletcher has lived in Sugar Creek, Vermont his entire life. He’s dedicated to his family’s cabin rental business even though he’d rather be in the mountains on an adventure. This Christmas he’s tasked with leading a tourist on a special scavenger hunt. It’s not snow-shoeing or cold-weather camping, but he’s soon captivated by the kind-hearted woman.
Jackie never thought Sugar Creek would be the perfect place to say goodbye to her mother, but with Austin's help, she's learning to smile again. And who knows, he might be the one to give her heart a new home this Christmas.
This is the first in a series for River Ford that is also shared with 5 other authors--so there are six of us marketing on it.
4.6 stars with 24 reviews on Amazon
4.5 with 42 reviews on Goodreads
He tried to tell himself to stop worrying about her. She was a grown woman and could take care of herself. Except, it didn't look like she had been. She was obviously not sleeping well, probably not eating, it was cold in the cabin, and she looked miserable. The problem was he didn't know what he could do to help other than the obvious. Somehow, he didn't think holding her while she cried would go over well. Instead, his leg bounced up and down, causing his boot to thump a rhythm on the floor while neither of them spoke.
She set the drink down and slowly got to her feet. "I don't think I can do this."
He stared up at her at a loss. "The activities?"
"The trip, any of it." Her voice had turned soft, almost scratchy, and her big brown eyes welled up until a sob escaped. "She's supposed to be here with me."
Austin gave in to what every particle of his being screamed at him to do. He stood and pulled her into his arms, blanket and all. Her head nestled against his chest while he held her close. He let his cheek rest next to the top of her head while she trembled with the effort of crying. His shirt grew warm and damp, but he didn't care. All that mattered was how she fisted his shirt in her fingers. She held on to him as if she needed his strength. It was heartbreaking and pleasant all at the same time. No one had needed him like this before.
He rubbed her back, hoping to convey some comfort. The blanket was soft under his fingers from years of use, but as the minutes passed, he became more aware of the shape of the woman inside it and how she fit inside his arms.
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French
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Translation in progress.
Translated by Joseph Freelance
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Paola Martins
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by Veronica Vergara
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