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Snow Angel Cove: An uplifting, feel-good small town romance for Christmas 2018
RaeAnne Thayne
‘A rising star in the romance world.’ bestselling author Debbie MacomberThe first book in the New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne’s Haven Point series.A fresh start is all Eliza wants for Christmas…Nothing short of a miracle can restore Eliza Hayward’s Christmas cheer. The job she pinned her dreams on has gone up in smoke and now she's stuck in an unfamiliar, little town for Christmas.Enter Aidan Caine. He can help Eliza find the perfect Christmas as project – the renovation of his lakeside guest lodge. Soon he see how quickly he could fall for her. But is he's willing to risk his heart on a yuletide romance that could lead to forever?Everyone is falling in love with RaeAnne Thayne this Christmas:‘Her books are wonderfully romantic, feel-good reads that end with me sighing over the last pages.’ Bestselling author Debbie Macomber‘Entertaining, heart-wrenching, and totally involving, this multi¬threaded story overflows with characters readers will adore.’ Library Journal on Evergreen Springs (starred review)‘RaeAnne Thayne is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors… Once you start reading, you aren't going to be able to stop.’ Fresh Fiction‘RaeAnne has a knack for capturing those emotions that come from the heart.’ RT Book Reviews‘This quirky, funny, warmhearted romance will draw readers in and keep them enthralled to the last romantic page.’ Library Journal on Christmas in Snowflake Canyon
New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne welcomes you to Haven Point, a small town full of big surprises that are both merry and bright
Nothing short of a miracle can restore Eliza Hayward’s Christmas cheer. The job she pinned her dreams on has gone up in smoke—literally—and now she’s stuck in an unfamiliar, if breathtaking, small town. Precariously close to being destitute, Eliza needs a hero, but she’s not expecting one who almost runs her down with his car!
Rescuing Eliza is pure instinct for tech genius Aidan Caine. At first, putting the renovation of his lakeside guest lodge in Eliza’s hands assuages his guilt—until he sees how quickly he could fall for her. Having focused solely on his business for years, he never knew what his life was missing before Eliza, but now he’s willing to risk his heart on a yuletide romance that could lead to forever.
Praise for New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne and her Hope’s Crossing series (#u26456098-9c9b-5bd4-a34b-0202f837c6a8)
“In Thayne’s latest, her beautiful, honest storytelling goes straight to the heart. Her characters are authentically vulnerable and the light, amusing banter between them adds to the sweet warmth of this story… [A] moving yet powerful romance.”
—RT Book Reviews on Wild Iris Ridge
“A sometimes heartbreaking tale of love and relationships in a small Colorado town…. Poignant and sweet, this tale of second chances will appeal to fans of military-flavored sweet romance.”
—Publishers Weekly on Christmas in Snowflake Canyon
“Once again, Thayne proves she has a knack for capturing those emotions that come from the heart…. Crisp storytelling and many amusing moments make for a delightful read.”
—RT Book Reviews on Willowleaf Lane
“Thayne pens another winner by combining her huge, boisterous cast of familiar, lovable characters with a beautiful setting and a wonderful story. Her main characters are strong and three-dimensional, with enough heat between them to burn the pages.”
—RT Book Reviews on Currant Creek Valley
“Hope’s Crossing is a charming series that lives up to its name. Reading these stories of small-town life engage the reader’s heart and emotions, inspiring hope and the belief miracles are possible.”
—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Sweet Laurel Falls
“Thayne, once again, delivers a heartfelt story of a caring community and a caring romance between adults who have triumphed over tragedies.”
—Booklist on Woodrose Mountain
“Thayne’s series starter introduces the Colorado town of Hope’s Crossing in what can be described as a cozy romance… [A] gentle, easy read.”
—Publishers Weekly on Blackberry Summer
Snow Angel Cove
RaeAnne Thayne
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
So many people have a part in bringing a book to life. In the craziness of life and kids and deadlines, I am sometimes remiss in expressing how very grateful I am to everyone who has played a part in helping me along this writing journey, from idea to completion.
First, I need to thank my brilliant brainstorming partners, Nicole Jordan and Victoria Dahl, for all the hilarious breakfasts. Someday, they’re going to get tired of us and kick us out of Village Inn!
To my agent, Karen Solem, for her thoughtful guidance, thank you for keeping me on track!
To my amazing editor for over forty books now, Gail Chasan, for having faith in me from the very beginning. Mere words are not enough!
My heartfelt gratitude goes to everyone at Mills & Boon—from Susan Swinwood and everyone else on the Mills & Boon HQN editorial team to the art department and the spectacular covers they give my books to the sales and marketing teams who work so hard to get my stories into the hands of readers. You are all wonderful!
I offer my deepest thanks to my family for their patience, their encouragement and their unending love.
And finally, to my readers. I am so very grateful to you for your letters, your emails, your Facebook messages—and especially, for the amazing gift you’ve given me of being able to watch with awe and wonder as my dreams come true.
Contents
Cover (#u1bfb02ef-e6f5-558f-bc55-a4ade8a6ccb0)
Back Cover Text (#ua9e0498c-ad45-573d-af70-f48716ded10c)
Praise
Title Page (#ue49e8fc2-6822-5d1f-be5e-26de335655da)
Dedication (#u29ccb54a-1dde-5172-b95e-00453b3f6d68)
CHAPTER ONE (#ud0414237-2a6e-5768-b236-aa8ae5361375)
CHAPTER TWO (#ucf73fc12-3871-550f-b9b4-65d204e04396)
CHAPTER THREE (#u88c2a7f7-288e-560a-a1b8-42ffa8004b7f)
CHAPTER FOUR (#u91715532-0304-58cf-a440-4af3f8c24976)
CHAPTER FIVE (#ua23ceba2-9118-52bb-bd95-2462c711f6e9)
CHAPTER SIX (#u97a1d343-a2fd-52fd-82dc-84c07b8b8879)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#ub6835f6f-05f3-56b2-b62c-5846441ad1a1)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#u90d2054f-2d81-58e1-95b9-e170380dfcdf)
CHAPTER NINE (#ube371f0c-ba6e-5e44-a041-8aa02a77fa1c)
CHAPTER TEN (#uac6ec1cc-7917-5362-bd81-6ecccdf498c6)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#ue878b92f-9271-544a-82ee-87fe0966b326)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#ub5ff2fa8-3e0f-5649-a96b-e8302b245448)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#ua56409e6-5794-5d42-bd8c-c83b33a9e77b)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#u2a62cb03-e704-5810-85f4-b1f7257e9ed9)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#u7a9d3d2d-93fe-552d-9ec2-9159c430c507)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#u92f6aa11-2b2c-5f15-a42b-f97111fca107)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#u1a2b7e25-a3a7-52c8-8ae4-448a84aa4a0f)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#ue6ccf872-4dc7-53dc-b5b5-ef02b17c4ea6)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (#u2ba62ca9-15a3-5de6-8c46-7c47acdcf382)
CHAPTER TWENTY (#uf162cf79-e0ed-594c-8add-d54334b833a7)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE (#ub88ee31d-a7b6-5e39-b8d4-7a17513a033c)
Extract (#u7a57588c-bcc1-5f3b-8580-9d23c148af14)
Copyright (#uc073d11a-d055-5903-99e7-0e5b0e957794)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_eb7277c5-1f2d-5fc0-a1c8-4af591f14518)
OH, THIS WASN’T GOOD. At all.
Eliza Hayward stood with sleet pelting her like hard little pebbles, gazing at the blackened, charred bones of her future. Cold dread wormed its way beneath her coat like the wintry wind blowing off Lake Haven, just a few hundred yards away.
“I don’t like this place,” Maddie muttered, gripping her hand tighter. “It’s ugly and scary.”
“Yes. Yes, it is.”
This couldn’t be real. She had driven the two hours from Boise with such eager anticipation, singing Christmas carols all the way, loud and silly enough to make a five-year-old giggle. She had been so excited about this new chapter of their lives in this lovely Idaho town nestled in the raw and stunning Redemption Mountains.
It had been an amazing opportunity all the way around—a big jump, career-wise, to her first hotel manager position, but also a nice salary increase, a really attractive benefits package and, best of all, an included apartment on the property for her and for Maddie so she could keep her daughter close.
Now that cute apartment, the salary bump, the insurance, everything, had disappeared in a puff of smoke. Literally. Though she couldn’t see any flames, tendrils of smoke still curled from the rubble of the building.
The air smelled harsh and acrid, far different from the sweet, citrusy scent of pine she remembered permeating the town when she had visited the month before during the interview process.
The fire had to have flared within the past few hours. Fire crews still worked busily all around the burned hotel coiling hoses, stretching yellow crime tape around the perimeter, putting out a hot spot here or there.
No wonder she hadn’t heard from Megan Hamilton. The woman was probably still in shock.
Oh, Eliza hoped no one had been hurt.
That dread sidled up to her again, menacing and dark. What was she going to do now? She had tied off every single loose end in Boise. Her job, her apartment. All gone. Their things had been packed and put into storage until she had a chance to figure out what she might need here in their new life, this new start.
She had even used a big chunk of her savings as a down payment on a newer SUV to get around the mountain roads.
Now what?
She gripped Maddie’s hand more tightly. She would figure something out. Isn’t that what she had been doing for three years?
“That’s not where you’re going to work, is it?”
“Well, it was supposed to be.” She forced a smile for Maddie, doing her best to ignore the flutters of panic taking wing inside her. “I guess they had a fire today.”
She drew in a calming breath, trying to make her brain cells snap into gear so she could come up with a plan. The sleet seemed to sting harder with each passing second and the wind had picked up in the past few moments. Apparently the big storm the forecasters had been predicting—the reason she had come to town early instead of waiting until the next day or Sunday—had blown into Haven Point.
Maddie shivered a little and Eliza was just about to take her back up the small hill toward the parking lot where she had parked when she spotted a familiar woman about her age in jeans and a sooty jacket, talking to a firefighter in turnout gear with the word Chief written on his helmet.
When she saw Eliza and Maddie, the other woman’s eyes widened, looking huge in her lovely features that looked taut with stress and exhaustion.
She cut off her conversation with the fire chief and headed in their direction. Though they had only met twice—once for Eliza’s initial interview and then the follow-up where she had been offered the job—the woman held out her arms and folded Eliza in a hug that smelled strongly of smoke.
“You’re here. Oh, Eliza.” Her voice wobbled and her slim frame trembled, too, like a slender branch shivering in the wind. “I should have called you. I’m so sorry. It didn’t occur to me. I only... It’s been such a terrible afternoon. I thought you weren’t coming to Haven Point until tomorrow or Sunday.”
She imagined receiving this sort of news over the phone and was almost grateful she had driven in early and had witnessed the damage for herself. “I wanted to beat the storm. Was anyone hurt?”
“Not seriously. Thank heavens. One of the housekeeping staff suffered some smoke inhalation while trying to help us evacuate the guests. Other than that, everyone is fine. We were only about half-occupied and we were able to get everyone out quickly. It’s been a nightmare few hours trying to find other places for them all to stay.”
What if this had happened a week from now, when she was in charge as the hotel manager? She hated even imagining it.
“What happened? Do you know?”
Megan rubbed at her red-rimmed eyes. “I was just speaking with Chief Gallegos about it. The investigators aren’t sure yet but all indications point to some kind of electrical event. They think it started near the guest laundry. It’s a miracle it happened when it did, on a slow week, first of all, and then late morning before the weekend guests checked in, when we were fully staffed with the maintenance crew and the housekeepers to help evacuate. If the fire had started in the middle of the night, things might have gone very differently. The situation could have been much, much worse.”
Eliza could certainly appreciate that from Megan’s point of view. As far as she was concerned, though, the fact remained that her exciting new opportunity was now a pile of ash and debris.
Megan suddenly spied Maddie, pressing her face now into Eliza’s wool coat to keep out of the wind. “But you. And Maddie. I’m so, so sorry.”
She wore the same sorrowful expression that Eliza had seen on her friends and neighbors after Trent’s funeral.
“I can’t believe this happened right before you were supposed to start. I’ve been so excited to have you on board, too. I just feel like we really clicked during the interview process. Your ideas were innovative and exciting, exactly what this old inn needed to shake things up.”
Eliza heard the “but” and knew what was coming.
“Obviously everything has changed. Oh, Eliza.” Megan’s eyes welled up and spilled over, trickling down her soot-grimed face. She pulled a bedraggled tissue out of her pocket.
“I understand.”
“I don’t know what we’re going to do. We have to close indefinitely. I guess that’s obvious. I need to speak with the insurance company to find out if we should rebuild what is left or raze the whole thing and start over. And to have this happen right before Christmas! I feel so terrible for my staff. Some of them have been at the inn since before I was born, when my grandparents owned it.”
Though that leashed panic inside her wanted to break free and ravage everything, Eliza forced a smile, cuddling Maddie closer for comfort and warmth. “You obviously don’t need a new manager when you’ve got nothing for me to manage. Don’t worry. I understand.”
Megan gave a little whimper and more tears dripped out. “I’m so sorry I dragged you out here. You quit your job and everything. Can you go back to it?”
She wouldn’t, even in the unlikely event that they might hire her back. With the owners’ son firmly entrenched in the top managerial position and mismanaging everything from the linen orders to the payroll, she suspected it wouldn’t be long before the Diamond Street Inn would go under.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” She had no idea how, but she would figure something out.
“Don’t cry. It will be okay.” Maddie spoke softly to Megan, looking bewildered at the situation but distressed, too. She was such a sweet little soul, always concerned about the pain someone else might be experiencing, whether at the hospital or on the playground.
