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The Twins' Family Christmas
Lee Tobin McClain
The Twins' Family ChristmasA mommy’s all his twins want for Christmas in this Redemption Ranch novelPastor Carson Blair plans a quiet Christmas vacation for his twin girls—until veteran Lily Watkins gets snowed in with them. Lily is drawn to the warmth of this family, but she’s hiding a secret about Carson’s late wife that threatens more than their holiday. And the twins have their own plan—one that includes a gift-wrapped mommy to complete their family.
A mommy’s all his twins want for Christmas...
in this Redemption Ranch novel
Pastor Carson Blair plans a quiet Christmas vacation for his twin girls—until veteran Lily Watkins gets snowed in with them. Lily is drawn to the warmth of this family, but she’s hiding a secret about Carson’s late wife that threatens more than their holiday. And the twins have their own plan—one that includes a gift-wrapped mommy to complete their family.
LEE TOBIN McCLAIN read Gone with the Wind in the third grade and has been a hopeless romantic ever since. When she’s not writing angst-filled love stories with happy endings, she’s getting inspiration from her church singles group, her gymnastics-obsessed teenage daughter and her rescue dog and cat. In her day job, Lee gets to encourage aspiring romance writers in Seton Hill University’s low-residency MFA program. Visit her at leetobinmcclain.com (http://www.leetobinmcclain.com).
Also By Lee Tobin McClain (#u9e2d1351-36d4-5617-874a-da9c35c7ee27)
Redemption Ranch
The Soldier’s Redemption
The Twins’ Family Christmas
Rescue River
Engaged to the Single Mom
His Secret Child
Small-Town Nanny
The Soldier and the Single Mom
The Soldier’s Secret Child
A Family for Easter
Christmas Twins
Secret Christmas Twins
Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch
The Nanny’s Texas Christmas
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
The Twins’ Family Christmas
Lee Tobin McClain
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08638-7
THE TWINS’ FAMILY CHRISTMAS
© 2018 Lee Tobin McClain
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
The snowman didn’t stand a chance against the twins.
Now, wrapped in a scarf and mittens, Lily stepped into the snow to help.
“So they talked you into it?” Carson’s deep voice danced along her nerve endings.
She held up her camera. “I thought I’d take some family photos.”
“If you’re sure...” He looked at her just a little longer than was necessary and she felt a strange sensation. It must be the Christmas season that was giving her these odd feelings about Carson. She never got fluttery around a man.
As Carson lifted the girls to place the snowman’s hat, Lily snapped photos.
“Miss Lily, let Daddy take your picture with us!”
She glanced at Carson to see him looking at her with his head cocked. Before she could measure that look, she was kneeling beside the snowman, the twins at her sides. They were irresistible, these two sweethearts.
And so was their dad.
Too bad one little secret stood between them. An insurmountable barrier.
Or was it?
Dear Reader (#u9e2d1351-36d4-5617-874a-da9c35c7ee27),
I love Christmas! Carols and decorations, kids’ excitement, Christmas Eve services—all bring joy. And what better place to experience Christmas than at a snowy ranch in Colorado?
Lily and Carson do experience Christmas joy, but they have pain to overcome before they can open themselves to love. The loss of his wife, Lily’s friend, leaves them both with unresolved issues to overcome.
The topic of suicide is a very painful one, but it is a reality that touches many lives, my own included. I have tried to portray fairly both the depth of misery that can lead someone to take their own life and the guilt that remains with survivors. Help is available: the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255, offers free and confidential support 24/7. As the gospel tells us in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
That is my wish for you and yours in this Christmas season: abundant life.
Thank you for visiting Redemption Ranch! Sign up for my newsletter if you’d like notification when the next book comes out: www.leetobinmcclain.com (http://www.leetobinmcclain.com).
Warm Christmas wishes,
Lee
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
—1 Corinthians 13:12
To Kathy, Colleen and Sally, who helped me brainstorm this story, and to Bill, for research assistance and emotional support. You guys are the best.
Contents
Cover (#u5a7f9cff-9661-5dad-8be9-7a23266e85c3)
Back Cover Text (#ua438ac6d-404d-5ed3-9e8b-91153b84c66e)
About the Author (#u2af03839-c748-57ac-afc2-451b54f46b28)
Booklist (#ub59a1c8d-22b9-5dda-82ff-8d1cca8cd9e3)
Title Page (#u478575a2-a7ee-58a1-b859-d8d7cca5d976)
Copyright (#u418bcc87-816e-57ea-84cc-34cc123b59bd)
Introduction (#ue93eab32-6f7b-5c51-a8d6-06b8109e8edd)
Dear Reader (#u41322f5b-c795-5b24-8bd2-a6efb4762605)
Bible Verse (#ua5d372b6-0b6d-5d89-8b78-f7ccf57d598f)
Dedication (#u95da4667-6f5b-5233-ac24-d0087ecabab3)
Chapter One (#uabf7d6bb-a18f-530b-981f-1e72a81554e1)
Chapter Two (#ubceb6f30-d3c7-5cdd-8471-f010f85c2112)
Chapter Three (#uaf3713b8-83b3-5626-9841-b3e02c648fdf)
Chapter Four (#u73f9e0b4-129c-5d22-9a43-6b428c0d36a7)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
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)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u9e2d1351-36d4-5617-874a-da9c35c7ee27)
You can do this.
Lily Watkins forced a smile as she carried the last of her photography gear into Redemption Ranch’s Cabin Four and then came back out onto the small front porch. “Honestly, I’m fine being alone on Christmas,” she said to her aunt. Which was true; at twenty-six, she’d already spent a fair number of holidays alone. “It’ll be peaceful. Just what I need to finish my project.”
The harder task would be to find out whether her fallen comrade’s kids were being mistreated by their manipulative, cruel father. Doing that, according to her army therapist, might bring her some measure of peace.
She just had to figure out how to investigate the status of Pam’s kids without losing her cool.
“I know several people in town who’d love to have you join them for Christmas dinner.” Aunt Penny pulled out her phone. “Want me to make some calls?”
She did need to go down into the town of Esperanza Springs, talk to people, in order to find out the truth about Pam’s husband and kids. But Christmas dinner wasn’t the time to do that. And although she needed to make new friends and get on with her life, she wasn’t likely to settle here in Colorado.
“No, thanks,” she said. “I appreciate the offer, and I appreciate your letting me stay. The place is lovely, and I’ve been so busy. I’ll enjoy a little solitude, to be honest.”
To her relief, her aunt, who owned the ranch for struggling veterans and senior dogs, didn’t put up a fight. “You’re doing me a favor, too, taking on that other little photography project I mentioned. Anyway, the cabin’s nothing fancy, but the scenery is nice.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Lily agreed, looking out toward the snow-covered Sangre de Cristo Mountains towering over the wide, flat valley where the ranch was situated. “I can’t wait to explore.”
“One of our older veterans will be here over the holidays, and a couple of volunteers will stop by to take care of the dogs. They can help you with anything you need.”
“I’ll be fine.” Lily smiled at the older woman. She was glad to have reconnected with Penny; they didn’t know each other well, since Lily had grown up across the country, but in their few interactions, the older woman had always been down-to-earth and kind.
“I admire you, going back to school as a veteran and working so hard at it. And I’m thrilled you’re using our ranch for your capstone project. Who knows, it might get us some great PR.” She hesitated and then spoke again. “I’ve always regretted not doing more for you when you were a kid. Your mom wasn’t the easiest to live with, and holidays stressed her out. No wonder you’d just as soon spend Christmas alone.”
Lily waved a hand. “I wasn’t any too easy to live with, either. I was wild.”
