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The Christmas Baby
Lisa Carter
Mistletoe MommyPregnant and widowed, a Christmas homecoming isn’t so simple for Anna Reyes. Reuniting with her best friend, Ryan Savage, makes it easier—even though she knows he’ll soon be leaving their small coastal hometown. After putting his career on hold for his family’s business, Ryan’s finally ready to pursue his goals. But as he and Anna work to make the holidays special for a group of at-risk kids, Ryan wonders if he can give up one dream for another. They’re determined to make this a Christmas to remember, but can Ryan and Anna also make their holiday family last forever?
Mistletoe Mommy
Anna Reyes is pregnant and widowed, and a Christmas homecoming isn’t so simple. Reuniting with her best friend, Ryan Savage, makes it easier—even though she knows he’ll soon be leaving their small coastal hometown. After putting his career on hold for his family’s business, Ryan’s finally ready to pursue his goals. But as he and Anna work to make the holidays special for a group of at-risk kids, Ryan wonders if he can give up one dream for another. They’re determined to make this a Christmas to remember, but can Ryan and Anna also make their holiday family last forever?
“There’s something else you can keep me from.” Ryan grinned.
Anna rested her hand on top of her basketball-size stomach. “What’s that?”
“You can keep me from another Friday night of eating alone.” He winked at her. “Dinner will give us a chance to catch up. Our Christmas reunion. A lot has happened since we last saw each other.”
“No kidding.” Her gaze fell to the wooden steps. “I’m sorry about your dad, Ryan.” She dropped her hand to her side. “Mateo was going through chemo and...”
“We lost touch. No problem. So...dinner?”
Her lashes feathered her skin. “I never could say no to you.”
Which wasn’t how he remembered high school. Though more often than not, he hadn’t given her a chance to say no. He’d been too scared to ask Anna to prom or on a date. He’d reckoned it best to be content being best friends. But how many times had he secretly wished for more...
Dear Reader (#u60d18151-6d40-54d5-aed1-487c7fafd7e6),
Sometimes we find love. And sometimes, like an unexpected gift, love finds us.
In writing this story, I was forced to ask myself, how far was I willing to go for love? What would I sacrifice? What would I risk?
To risk much for love, like Anna, I have to be willing to come to the end of my pride and self-sufficiency if I am to discover God’s best, often unexpected, gift for me. Like Ryan, I, too, have grappled with what this kind of love will cost me. Sometimes I lacked the courage to love this way—feeling the cost too high. The price of obedience. The cost of laying down my plans. The death of self.
But love is a choice. An unconditional love with no expectation of return demands courage. My prayer—like Ryan’s—is for God’s love to be born in me so that I might love the way God loves us. And to persevere in loving, despite knowing the outcome may never be what I long for most—but trusting God anyway.
Bethlehem and Calvary are the greatest love story. God’s love story for all mankind when He chose to make our heart His home. Love is calling, and I pray you will answer love’s call.
I hope you have enjoyed taking this Christmas journey with me, Anna and Ryan. I would love to hear from you. You may email me at lisa@lisacarterauthor.com or visit www.lisacarterauthor.com (http://www.lisacarterauthor.com).
Wishing you fair winds and following seas,
Lisa Carter
LISA CARTER and her family make their home in North Carolina. In addition to her Love Inspired novels, she writes romantic suspense for Abingdon Press. When she isn’t writing, Lisa enjoys traveling to romantic locales, teaching writing workshops and researching her next exotic adventure. She has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. She loves to hear from readers. Connect with Lisa at lisacarterauthor.com (http://www.lisacarterauthor.com).
The Christmas Baby
Lisa Carter
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Now before the Feast of the Passover,
Jesus knew that His hour had come that
He would depart out of this world to the Father,
having loved His own who were in the world,
He loved them to the end.
—John 13:1
This book is dedicated to my late uncle, Hugh Adams.
You are missed. Thank you for sharing your family
with me. I will always treasure the memories of
fun, golf and barbecue chicken.
But most of all, thank you for Christmas.
Contents
Cover (#u4a5690d8-de9f-5c54-963f-af566ea3cbac)
Back Cover Text (#u857e1d2c-7862-5d4c-9d1b-1ba30ca38ab6)
Introduction (#u46627897-1269-5224-a6da-431a722ae72b)
Dear Reader (#ubb7a4af0-88cc-531b-bfab-3872862aed48)
About the Author (#ua11ef4b1-1ed1-5a3a-8584-23fa4fd044ad)
Title Page (#ub14e5fa3-466a-5fa4-ac2f-09939760f03b)
Bible Verse (#u1e56a3f2-618a-584b-8747-660b5ce0384a)
Dedication (#u79060dee-6ccc-55a0-b717-6f92544e2299)
Chapter One (#u08e5d44c-6a7d-5284-b558-7289ef0275b1)
Chapter Two (#uaad4f8f7-9455-5c65-9a12-08382a83dd24)
Chapter Three (#u8e684b8d-e08d-5146-a979-115b4b73946b)
Chapter Four (#u901fc1b9-c2b2-54c1-aff8-565d8ca27099)
Chapter Five (#u92e6f454-c235-5e1f-8825-e9cf82eb1dba)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u60d18151-6d40-54d5-aed1-487c7fafd7e6)
His footsteps echoing, Ryan Savage walked the first grader from the cafeteria toward the media center. The dismissal bell had released the rest of the students to buses and to car pool thirty minutes ago.
Oscar’s hand slipped into Ryan’s. “Mister Sabbage?” The child barely spoke above a whisper.
Biting back a smile, Ryan paused in the school corridor. “What is it, Oscar? Are you still hungry?”
Eligible students enrolled in the after-school tutoring program received a healthy snack. For some of them, it was the only food they’d receive until returning to school the next morning for a nutritious breakfast.
Small for his age, the little boy shook his head. “I jus’ wonnered if the new teacher in our group was as nice as Miz Thompson. I’m gonna miss her.”
There was something endearing about the child, which tugged at Ryan’s heart. “Perhaps Mrs. Thompson will return to school after she has her baby. But I think you’ll like the teacher who is taking her place.”
“What’s her name?”
“Mrs. Reyes is an old friend of mine.” Ryan smiled. “In fact, we became best friends when we were in first grade like you.”
This was Anna’s first day of teaching at the small elementary school outside Kiptohanock, Virginia, where they’d grown up. He was looking forward to seeing her again, but an unexpected nervousness opened in the pit of his stomach. Which was ridiculous. He wasn’t the gangly teenager who once had feelings for Anna Pruitt.
Oscar’s eyes widened. “You were in first grade like me?”
Ryan rolled his tongue in his cheek. “Hard to believe, I know. But true.”
Oscar shook his head as if he wasn’t quite sure he should believe Ryan. “Is she pwetty?”
Ryan pushed his glasses farther along the bridge of his nose. “I think so. You’ll have to tell me what you think.”
Oscar nodded. “We better go see.”
Anna was probably already inside the media center waiting with the other two students who would make up their group in the after-school enrichment program.
Pressing through the doors, Ryan steered Oscar past other clumps of students and supervising adults. The intervention teams were composed of teachers, professional counselors and trained community volunteers.
Due to a poor attendance record, Oscar was falling behind his classmates. His classroom teacher also reported that when Oscar managed to get to school, he often fell asleep. A six-year-old shouldn’t be so tired. Ryan needed to make a home visit to talk with Oscar’s mother.
Weaving past the computer lab and waist-high bookcases, Ryan waved to other kids he’d come to know during his short career as a fifth-grade teacher. Students entered the program due to behavioral issues and low academic performance in math or language. The goal was to help kids rise above difficult home circumstances and acquire the academic and lifestyle skills to achieve success far beyond their current situations.
Sighting Anna’s dark hair at one of the tables, he herded Oscar forward. But the knot of apprehension in Ryan’s gut tightened.
Until they went off-Shore to college and lost touch, they’d been best friends. While he’d pursued a research career, she eventually married someone else. A marine.
Now as a young military widow, Anna had just returned home. Hired by the school board to finish the term for a kindergarten teacher on maternity leave till after Christmas. And only this week, Principal Carden asked Ryan to head an additional support team for three newly identified at-risk kids.
On this late November afternoon, the light spilled milky sunshine through the blinds on the window and across the table where Anna and a little girl hunkered over a picture book.
Ryan stopped short, his hand on Oscar’s shoulder. His heart was in his throat—which as a scientist he knew to be an anatomical impossibility and yet at this moment it was proven true.
Anna’s long hair lay gathered across one shoulder, secured by a clip. Beneath the quilted, white vest, she wore a red-and-black-striped flannel plaid shirt. Red—like Christmas, he remembered—was her favorite.
Her finger skimmed underneath the line of words on the printed page. Her voice as soft and melodious as ever, as she occasionally prompted the little girl reading aloud.
But he couldn’t catch a glimpse of Anna’s dark brown eyes. His pulse ratcheted. When she glanced up, would she be pleased or indifferent to see him?
Oscar surged toward the cluster of chairs around the table. And when her eyes fastened onto Ryan, Anna gave a soft gasp.
Ryan held himself motionless. “Hello, Anna.”
The corners of her mouth curved. And a light appeared in those melted chocolate eyes of hers. Warming at the sight of him. “Ryan.”
Oscar’s blue eyes darted from Ryan to Anna. “I thought his name was Mister Sabbage.”
She laughed. Like the sound of tinkling wind chimes on a gentle ocean breeze.
“It is Mr. Savage, Oscar.” He ruffled the hair on top of the little boy’s head, and Oscar smiled. A cautious smile. As if unused to affection. Or trust. Ryan could relate.
Oscar plopped into a chair. “You’re right, Mister Sabbage. She is very pwetty.”
