Nic Tatano's The Love Triangle Blog Tour is HERE!

Picnics in Hyde Park by Nikki Moore!!!

Picnics in Hyde Park

Released 13^th August 2015

#LoveLondon Series; eBook 6 (novel)

by Nikki Moore

Read this exciting romance series set in London, which has attracted four and five star reviews and been in the Top 100 Short Story chart on Kobo and Top 20 Holiday charts on Amazon UK.

‘Whoever said romance was dead has clearly never read a Nikki Moore book’ – Rachel’s Random Reads

The last story in the fun & flirty #LoveLondon series from exciting new chick lit author Nikki Moore! The perfect novel for reading in the sunshine... and falling in love with London.   

Hot summer romance…or cold revenge?
 

Super nanny, Zoe Harper is mad! It was bad enough discovering her ex-fiancé Greg cheating on her just weeks before their wedding. But now she’s returned home to London to find her younger sister Melody has been left jobless, homeless, broke and dumped.

Zoe is determined to get revenge on the infamous Reilly brothers for her sister’s heartbreak. So when an unexpected opportunity gives Zoe a way in to uncaring—and dizzyingly gorgeous!—successful music producer Matt Reilly’s world, she jumps at the chance to make him pay.

But living with Matt as nanny to his two adorable, but complicated children, Zoe soon begins to suspect that not everything is as it seems… Matt insists on pushing everyone away including his children, but why? And if his delicious summer kisses are anything to go by, he can’t be that bad surely?

Can Zoe convince Matt to open up a little and help fix this family before she leaves…or worse, before Matt learns who she really is?
   

Out on 13^th August as an ebook, paperback to follow. Get it from only £2.99!

Amazon UK / Kobo / Nook

Praise for the #LoveLondon series...

'The writing style is impeccable. How I'll fill the void left by this series is something I've not yet figured out an answer to.’ K.L Beeden, Books with Bunny.

Strawberries at Wimbledon
‘I eagerly read and absorbed every page. Such a good feel read earns an easy 5 stars from me.’ Sheerie Franks, Amazon UK.

Cocktails in Chelsea
‘I loved every single minute of this fun, flirty romance… the perfect read for your boring commute to work.’ Holly, Bookaholic Confessions 

Valentine’s on Primrose Hill
‘Uplifting and at the same time thought provoking too. I guarantee you'll be hitting that button on Amazon to order the fourth book in the #LoveLondon series as soon as you've finished this one.’ Dawn, Crooks on Books

New Year at The Ritz
‘A sweet and flirty short story, I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see what Nikki comes up with for the next book in the series.’ Simona Elena, Sky’s Book Corner.

Skating at Somerset House
‘Sexy, fun and everything you need in one neat, gorgeous package. This is a winner for me.’ Chicks That Read.

A Dorset girl and social media addict, Nikki Moore has a HR day job, two kids and a lovely boyfriend to keep her busy alongside the writing. She was in the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Scheme for four years and is now a full RNA member. Nikki was a finalist in several writing competitions from 2010 including the Elizabeth Goudge trophy and Novelicious Undiscovered, before being offered a publishing contract.

Published mainly by HarperImpulse, she’s the author of the #LoveLondon series, which has attracted four and five star reviews on Amazon, with some of the novellas featuring in the Top 100 short story charts on Kobo and the Top 20 in the Amazon UK bestsellers Holiday chart. The last in the series, Picnics in Hyde Park is due out in August. She has a short story in the bestselling RNA/Mills & Boon anthology Truly, Madly, Deeply. Her debut novel Crazy, Undercover, Love was shortlisted for the RNA Joan Hessayon Award 2015 (for new writing) and she is a strong supporter of aspiring authors.

Please pop over for a chat on Twitter @NikkiMoore_Auth or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NikkiMooreWrites She would love to hear from you!

A Wizard Rises is finally HERE!!!!

Thursday, January 29th marks the release of

Book III in The Golden Key Legacy...


A Wizard Rises

by

AJ Nuest

The homecoming celebration held in honor of Princess Faedrah is fraught with perilous frustration. Her nightmares have returned thricefold and, to her horror, a horrendous blight has spread like a plague throughout the kingdom. Compounding her worries, Rhys’ arrival in her world has been welcomed with the exact horror-filled reaction she expected. Her beloved has been cast into the dungeons, and no amount of arguing with the king and queen will prove he’s her fated love.

Magical powers were supposed to be a gift, or so Rhys McEleod had always believed. Too bad the second he landed in Faedrah’s world the legacy he inherited slammed into his body like a weight. He’s got zero control and his constant visions of Faedrah fighting an evil entity aren’t helping. At least her parents made the right decision and stuck him away someplace safe. Until he can figure out his next move, prove himself an ally and uncover the clues to stopping Faedrah’s nightmares, he’s got no choice but to wait…and learn exactly what he’s become.

It's a $0.99 SALE!!!

The entire The Golden Key Legacy

is sale priced!!!

 

A Furious Muse, Book I...

Since the day of her birth, Princess Faedrah Austiere has been defined by her place within the kingdom. As the single heir to the half-blood gypsy king and his prophesied white queen, she is fiercely protected, shuttered inside an ivory castle and well-trained in the art of war. Yet neither her obligations as future queen nor the black infestation threatening her kingdom fail to hinder the mysterious pull of the antique armoire hidden in her parents’ bedchamber. And stealing the golden key for a leap through time is the only way to confront the dark lord haunting her dreams.
One face. The image of one defiant, relentless woman has been stuck in Rhys McEleod’s head ever since he was old enough paint her luscious curves on the canvas. But the day she walks into his life off the street—sexier than hell and itching for a fight—he’s not convinced she’s the same women he’s envisioned since childhood. That is, not until he spots the golden key around her neck—an object he’d never fully shown in any of his paintings.

Now if he could just persuade his lovely muse he’s not the enemy. Unless the elusive Faedrah Austiere learns to trust him, he’ll never have her in his bed—the one place he’s convinced she belongs.

 

~ * ~

The Sacrifice, Book II...

The second Faedrah Austiere walked into his life off the canvas, everything in Rhys McEleod’s world stopped making sense. Not only does her story sound like a Grimm’s fairy tale, evidently he’s been cast as the villain. If that isn’t enough, the mirror inside that old, beat up armoire at her uncle’s condo is supposedly a doorway to another world. Ever since the pathway opened, something inside him has seemed…off. If what his muse says is true, they are headed for an epic showdown, but he isn’t about to let her go. Nothing is more important than Faedrah’s protection, even if her parents refuse to accept him.

Though certain their fates are bound by more than the golden key Princess Faedrah wears around her neck, it is paramount Rhys’ true identity be kept secret. Should news of his bloodline ever reach her kingdom, their entire quest to save her people could be lost. Their only hope to prove his loyalty is to steal the map to the dark lord’s Crystal Crypt. Yet her a plan endangers her beloved more than the accusations he faces in her kingdom and, to escape evil’s grasp, she and Rhys must take a leap of faith beyond her wildest imagination. 

Pre-Order the Final Installment in this epic time travel fantasy romance!

A Time of Reckoning

Releases February 26th!

 

Rhys had one job to do. One measly errand that shouldn’t have been a problem, given the nature of his powers. But when an old enemy reappears, detailing the result of his actions, Rhys is forced to make a choice between a future with Faedrah or dying before his time. Frustrated and out of options, he agrees to her suggestion they to leap forward in time to the future…even though a good chance exists his powers will be nothing but a memory in his world. Flying blind on a wing and a prayer, they prepare to fight for everything they love against a wizard of insurmountable power.

Faedrah does her best to gather their closest allies. The sides are squared in a war to control the future of both worlds. With the stakes so high, only one advantage has been cast in their favor. The sigil of utmost protection inherent in Rhys’ signature. If not enough to thwart the evil awaiting at the Austiere gates, she could find herself imprisoned in the future, while her kingdom and all those she has sworn to protect are lost to the mists of time.

 

~Join the Party on Facebook~

On Thursday January 29th, we'll be celebrating the release of

A Wizard Rises on Facebook!

Prizes, Contest, Author Giveaways!

Don't miss out! Click HERE to join in the fun!!!

Sweet Deception with Angel Nicholas

Her boring existence seems perfect until a charming detective threatens Ally’s heart and lethal contract killers jeopardize her happily ever after.


I'm thrilled beyond the stratosphere to have the uber-talented Angel Nicholas on my blog today, with her brand new release from HarperImpulse, Sweet Deception! Check this excerpt and links below to find out more!

~ * ~

Ally Thompson’s life is perfect. Calm, quiet, some might even say boring. The sole survivor of a tragic accident, she’s not the adventurous type—something she’s decided to change.

One roller-coaster ride…

A murder and a detective in disguise shatter Ally’s first attempt at “fun.” Detective Greg Marsing is everything Ally knows better than to want. The gun-totting, tattooed scumbags trying to kill her are almost a welcome distraction from her pointless attraction.

Blows her world wide open…

A contract on Ally has every lowlife for miles gunning for her. Sparks fly while she and her unlikely hero scramble to unravel clues. As the deadly game escalates, Greg has to decide if self-preservation rates higher than a love worth dying for.

Excerpt

Oh, God! He was shooting at her. Actually shooting. In broad daylight. In her neighbor’s backyard. Didn’t they have rules about that sort of stuff?

Nerves shredded, Ally gritted her teeth. Three more feet. Two. Another crunch. She swore the heat of the bullet singed her shoulder. Arms extended, she jumped for all she was worth. Up, braced her arms and pushed off. She landed with an oomph on the other side, followed by another crunch and a hole in the wood fence.

For a split-second, she crouched panting, staring in disbelief at the fence towering over her head. Had she really done that?

Cursing from the other side got her up and moving again. Squealing tires and a revving engine brought her head around. A car tore into the alley and raced toward her. More bad guys? Had he called in reinforcements?

Ally froze.      

Did I do something horrible in a past life to deserve this?

Truly, I’ll help the poor. Serve food at the soup kitchen. Go to church every Sunday. Donate money to the shelter. I’ll even babysit my friend’s bratty kids.

Just please, please, please get me out of this alive.

The shiny black Camaro careened to a stop with the driver’s side door facing her. Heavily tinted windows revealed nothing. In a last desperate bid for freedom, she darted past the door. Strong arms encircled her waist and dragged her back toward the idling car.

“No!” Ally screamed like a banshee, flinging out her arms and legs, scrabbling for purchase. Hard hands sent her flying across the front seat.

“Ally.”

“Let me go!” She dove for the door handle.

“Ally!” He grabbed her elbow and pulled her back, away from the passenger door. “Damn woman, you are way more trouble than you’re worth.”

Almost blind with panic, she twisted around and crouched on the seat, prepared to draw blood.

Shocked hazel clashed with furious aqua. Her mouth fell open. Muttering under his breath, Detective Marsing threw the car into gear and spun out of the alleyway. She whipped her head around in time to see a blocky head pop up over the privacy fence as they disappeared around the corner. She’d done it. Escaped. Stayed alive. Like an atomic bomb, the events of the past hours and the emotions she’d worked so hard to control mushroomed up, exploding inside. Tears stung.

“Can’t you stay out of trouble for five minutes?”

BUY LINKS:  Amazon    Barnes & Nobles    Google play    Kobo    iTunes 

 

Author Bio

The only girl in the midst of four brothers, Angel Nicholas spent her childhood hiding behind romance novels. Now the mother of four overly-energetic children, a Whimsy kitty and slobber-flinging Great Dane, fiction is still her refuge. Excessive caffeine fuels her typing, stiletto heels maintain her sass, and the splendors of Idaho alongside its gregarious people inspire her muse.
 

Find Angel on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, and on her website! You can also favorite her Amazon Author Page to receive emails when new books are available!

 

COVER REVEAL: The Golden Key Legacy

I'm so excited to announce the fabulous cover reveal for...

THE GOLDEN KEY LEGACY

a fantasy romance serial novel from HarperImpulse

 

The Golden Key Legacy, Book I: A Furious Muse

~Available November 27, 2014~

Since the day of her birth, Princess Faedrah Austiere has been defined by he place within the kingdom. As the single heir to the half-blood gypsy king and his prophesied white queen, she is fiercely protected, shuttered inside an ivory castle and well-trained in the art of war. Yet neither her obligations as future queen nor the black infestation threatening her kingdom fail to hinder the mysterious pull of the antique armoire hidden in her parents' bedchamber. And stealing the golden key for a leap through time is the only way to confront the dark lord haunting her dreams.

One face. The image of one defiant, relentless woman has been stuck in Rhys McEleod’s head ever since he was old enough to paint her luscious curves on the canvas. But the day she walks into his life off the street—sexier than hell and itching for a fight—he’s not convinced she’s the same women he’s envisioned since childhood. That is, not until he spots the golden key around her neck—an object he’d never fully shown in any of his paintings.

Now if he could just persuade his lovely muse he’s not the enemy. Unless the elusive Faedrah Austiere learns to trust him, he’ll never have her in his bed—the one place he’s convinced she belongs.

PRE-ORDER YOUR $0.99 COPY TODAY:  AMAZON / AMAZONUK

The Golden Key Legacy, Book II: The Sacrifice

~Available December 18, 2014~

The second Faedrah Austiere walked into his life off the canvas, everything in Rhys McEleod’s world stopped making sense. Not only does her story sound like a Grimm’s fairy tale, evidently he’s been cast as the villain. If that isn’t enough, the mirror inside that old, beat up armoire at her uncle’s condo is supposedly a doorway to another world. Ever since the pathway opened, something inside him has seemed…off. If what his muse says is true, they are headed for an epic showdown, but he isn’t about to let her go. Nothing is more important than Faedrah’s protection, even if her parents refuse to accept him.  

Though certain their fates are bound by more than the golden key Princess Faedrah wears around her neck, it is paramount Rhys’ true identity be kept secret. Should news of his bloodline ever reach her kingdom, their entire quest to save her people could be lost. Their only hope to prove his loyalty is to steal the map to the dark lord’s Crystal Crypt. Yet her a plan endangers her beloved more than the accusations he faces in her kingdom and, to escape evil’s grasp, she and Rhys must take a leap of faith beyond her wildest imagination. 

 

PRE-ORDER YOUR $0.99 COPY TODAY:  AMAZON / AMAZONUK

 

The Golden Key Legacy, Book III: A Wizard Rises

~Available January 29, 2015~

The homecoming celebration held in honor of Princess Faedrah is fraught with perilous frustration. Her nightmares have returned thricefold and, to her horror, a horrendous blight has spread like a plague throughout the kingdom. Compounding her worries, Rhys’ arrival in her world has been welcomed with the exact horror-filled reaction she expected. Her beloved has been cast into the dungeons, and no amount of arguing with the king and queen will prove he’s her fated love.

Magical powers were supposed to be a gift, or so Rhys McEleod had always believed. Too bad the second he landed in Faedrah’s world the legacy he inherited slammed into his body like a weight. He’s got zero control and his constant visions of Faedrah fighting an evil entity aren’t helping. At least her parents made the right decision and stuck him away someplace safe. Until he can figure out his next move, prove himself an ally and uncover the clues to stopping Faedrah’s nightmares, he’s got no choice but to wait…and learn exactly what he’s become.

 

PRE-ORDER YOUR $0.99 COPY TODAY:  AMAZON / AMAZONUK

The Golden Key Legacy, Book IV: A Time of Reckoning

~Available February 26, 2015~

Rhys had one job to do. One measly errand that shouldn’t have been a problem, given the nature of his powers. But when an old enemy reappears, detailing the result of his actions, Rhys is forced to make a choice between a future with Faedrah or dying before his time. Frustrated and out of options, he agrees to her suggestion they to leap forward in time to the future…even though a good chance exists his powers will be nothing but a memory in his world. Flying blind on a wing and a prayer, they prepare to fight for everything they love against a wizard of insurmountable power.

Faedrah does her best to gather their closest allies. The sides are squared in a war to control the future of both worlds. With the stakes so high, only one advantage has been cast in their favor. The sigil of utmost protection inherent in Rhys’ signature. If not enough to thwart the evil awaiting at the Austiere gates, she could find herself imprisoned in the future, while her kingdom and all those she has sworn to protect are lost to the mists of time.

PRE-ORDER YOUR $0.99 COPY TODAY:  AMAZON / AMAZONUK

 

STAY UP-TO-DATE ON ALL THINGS GOLDEN KEY!

 

Join AJ's Golden Key Chroniclers STREET TEAM 

Subscribe to AJ's NEWSLETTER

Follow AJ on TWITTER 

 

WEBSITE / BLOG / FACEBOOK

 

Third Time's the Charm (Part 2) -- A Christmas By the Fire Blog Hop Story!

HarperImpulse and their Written Fireside Writers are on the cutting edge of publishing and, as such, we've hosted a fabulous blog hop during the month of August!

Fifteen authors, fifteen stories...

one shared, starting paragraph!

Read a taste of what's coming for Christmas

Read past Written Fireside stories

Enter our fabulous giveaway!

Schedule of participating authors:

Lori Connelly - Aug 1,2,3 

Erin Lawless - Aug 4,5

Mandy Baggot - Aug 6,7 

Aimee Duffy  - Aug 8,9

Teresa F. Morgan - Aug 10,11 

Angela Campbell - Aug 12,13  

Lisa Fox - Aug 14,15 

Lynn Marie Hulsman - Aug 16,17

Linn B. Halton - Aug 18,19 

Carmel Harrington - Aug 20,21 

Charlotte Phillips - Aug 22,23

Romy Sommer - Aug 24,25

Jane Lark - Aug 26,27 

Zara Stoneley - Aug 28,29 

AJ Nuest - Aug 30,31

Welcome to the final installment in the Christmas by the Fire Blog Hop -- Third Time's the Charm, Part 2! It's been a whirlwind event, with fabulous prizes and giveaways, including print books, e-books and A $70 AMAZON GIFT CARD! Be sure to follow the links below to see each author's entry and don't forget to enter the RAFFLECOPTER for your chance to WIN! 

All fifteen participating authors in this blog hop were given the same starting paragraph, written by the talented Georgia Beyers! These short stories will be published later this year as a Christmas e-book anthology by HarperImpulse, and it's been super exciting to be a part of this event! Both today and tomorrow, I'll be posting my short story in two installments for your reading pleasure. Be sure to check back to read the conclusion to Third Time's the Charm tomorrow!

Here's the winning entry as chosen by the fabulous team at HarperImpulse:  

‘Charlotte sat at the bus stop wondering whether she would make the naughty or nice list this year. Last year she had rescued a stray kitten and therefore considered herself most definitely ‘nice’. This year she had broken Daniels heart into a million tiny pieces, so ‘naughty’ seemed to be the only answer. There’d be no Santa Claus coming down her chimney anytime soon.’

If you haven't yet read part one if this story, you can do so just by scrolling down to yesterday's post. The second (and final) installment is below, for Third Time's the Charm:
 

The murmuring conversations, the laughing children and noise from the crinkling packages all faded to the background as Charlotte considered the little snowflake her in hand. Chances were good the old bird was right. There was more to Daniel’s hesitation than met the eye. Perhaps he’d been hurt in the past or had just experienced a bad breakup. She’d never once asked, assuming the problem either had something to do with her or the attraction between them was one-sided.

The minute she entered the department store, she by-passed her locker and strode straight for the time clock, using the pretext of punching in to check Daniel’s time card and see if he’d arrived. A huff blurted from her lips as she crammed her card back into the narrow slot. Did it even matter? Once she entered the loading dock, she’d be back to the night of the party. Was his presence today even required? Who the heck knew!

She ignored the curious glances of her co-workers, breezed through electronics and straight-armed the loading dock door all the way back on its hinges.

Warm tingles washed her skin and she drew up short as her appearance altered, all the way from her hair to the glossy red pedicure peeking through the front of her heels. Thank goodness. She hadn’t had a psychotic break and this was really happening.

A metallic clank accompanied Daniel’s soft curse, and she jumped, hurrying around the last row of metal shelves to where he knelt before the faux fireplace.

“Hi.” Her pulse quickened as she closed the space between them. She swallowed to try and clear the dryness from her throat. Put yourself in his shoes, her fairy had said. Maybe it’s time you find out Daniel’s side of the story. “I wondered if you’d mind telling me what happened back there. You know, with Walter?”

“I could just as easily ask you the same thing.” A clang echoed against the metal ceiling as he dropped the wrench to shove his hand up inside the firebox. “Though I prefer to skip the details of whether or not Walter is a good kisser.”

Touché. Yeah, they’d sorta covered this in the first go-round, though admitting the only reason she’d kissed Walter was to make Daniel jealous ranked somewhere in the vicinity of undergoing a root canal…without Novocain. “I get that you’re upset and I’m sorry. The thing I don’t understand is why. You’ve never really given me the impression you wanted anything more between us than friendship.” 

Daniel sat back from the fireplace, raking his hand through his hair, and her focus flicked to his shirt sleeve pulling taut across his bicep before she met his dark scowl. “And all those times I met you at the movie theatre? Did you think those were purely coincidence?”

Good…this was good. They were covering new territory. “No, of course not. I just didn’t—”

“Is it really such a surprise that maybe I was trying to be a gentlemen?” He stood, propping his hands on his hips. “That just maybe I was hoping we could get to know each other so I would stand a fighting chance?”

A fighting chance? She frowned. “Wait, what are you talking about? A fighting chance with who?”

“With you!” He spread his arms wide. “Good God, have you ever even looked in a mirror? You’re an eleven on a scale of one to ten! Every single guy in this department is itching for the opportunity to ask you out.”

“I am?” She blinked. “They are?”

“Yes!” He dropped his hands to his sides, shaking his head with a bitter laugh. A sigh heaved his shoulders and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I didn’t want to be just another one of those guys you dated a few times and then ditched. That’s why I waited, so I wouldn’t start something between us until I was sure you were ready to commit.”

 Oh crap. Her stomach plummeted to somewhere under her feet. She’d royally screwed up.

“Now I can’t help but think I made the right decision.” He lifted his head, crossing his arms, and she shrank back from his penetrating squint. “But I also can’t help wondering…why Walter? What’s he got that I don’t?”

Her eyes slipped closed and she lowered her chin. “I don’t like Walter."

“Really? You sure got a funny way of showing it.” He unbuckled his tool belt and placed it on the mantel, and alarm spiked in her chest as she realized he was preparing to leave.

“It’s not like that, Daniel. Kissing Walter was a stupid mistake.” She wrapped her arms around her waist. If he walked through the door, this chance would be over, but she didn’t know what she should say to make him stay. “I only did it to make you jealous.”

“Well, you succeeded.” He strode past her, the air from his brisk stride disrupting the curl on her cheek.

“Please don’t go.” She turned to follow him around the row of high metal shelves. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” He stopped with his hand on the door and met her gaze over his shoulder. “But I was right. You’re not ready.” His eyes softened near the corners and her heart leapt into her throat. “Just do me a favor? Keep me in mind once you are.” He pushed from the loading dock and was gone.

 Charlotte dropped her arms, staring at the back of the door. If he was right and she wasn’t ready, then why were her lips trembling and her knees weak like she was about to dissolve in a slobbering pile of goo?

Heaving a sigh, she trudged after him, backed into the door and braced against the arctic blast cutting through her red-and-white striped tights. The woman turned on the bench, smiled and patted the empty seat on her left.

Great. What’d she have to be so happy about? Handing out the last of her empty boxes? Rounding the glass shelter, Charlotte wiped a stray tear from her eye before plopping down to the bench. Without needing instruction, she held up her palm and, once the charm had hit the center of her hand like a tiny shard of ice, she brought it over and stared down at the shimmering snowflake. A second later, it flashed and the magic it contained whispered into the night.

“Well, my work here is done.” The woman slapped her hands to her thighs and pushed to her feet. “And I have appointments to keep. I handed out several Christmas wishes while you were gone.”

Charlotte snapped her head up. “You’re leaving? What about my third chance?”

“Oh, you still get it, but how you use it is up to you.” Snowflakes danced around her gray curls like a perfect, white halo. Not a Christmas fairy. A guardian angel? “Just the same as the first and second, what happens between you and Daniel has always been in your control.”

“Well…” Charlotte tossed her hands in the air. “I thought maybe you’d give me a bit of advice. Like, some guidance or words of wisdom to help me make my decisions?”

“Oh, dearie, I wish I could.” Leaning close, she placed both hands on Charlotte’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Unfortunately, love doesn’t come with an instruction manual.” She cupped Charlotte’s cheek and cleared another stray tear with her thumb. “But consider Daniel’s heart. It’s not too late, you know. You could still make the ‘nice’ list this year.”   

With a wink, she turned and waddled down the sidewalk, disappearing among the milling shoppers rushing in and out of the endless line of stores. Charlotte slumped. As frustrating as their time had been, she was really going to miss that loony old bird.

The beep of a horn made her jump and she scrambled for the bus before it had the chance to leave without her on it.

The entire ride to work, she struggled over how best to approach Daniel. The question wasn’t whether or not she was ready. In more ways than she could count, she was already his. The issue was how to convince him their hearts were one and the same. Lord knew if she’d walked into the employee lounge to find him lip locked with Fiona—in front of the entire staff, no less—she would’ve hightailed it out of there and written him off as a major player. Unless, of course, he’d chased after her, confessed his mistake and sealed the deal with a few well placed—

The screech of the brakes rocked her forward and she glanced through the window before racing for the back door. She skirted the line of employees waiting to clock in, ignored the crowd lingering near the lockers and headed straight for the loading dock door.

“Daniel!” She pushed through and kept walking, her fists swinging in time with each determined stride. Rounding the last row of metal shelves, she kicked off her heels and sprinted at him full force, locking her aim to where he knelt before the fireplace. Once she got her hands on him, she was never letting him go.

 His eyes widened. He rose to his feet. A few unsteady steps backward, and he lifted his hands. “Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?”

“I could just as easily ask you the same thing.” A slight change in her angle, and she leapt into his arms, hanging tight to his neck as she covered his face in kisses. “I’m so sorry, Daniel. Going anywhere near Walter was a huge mistake. A terrible, stupid mistake.” Again and again, she captured his lips, hoping…wishing and praying she wasn’t too late. “Please don’t be angry with me.”

He hesitated. His arms tightened around her. His mouth parted and his sigh mingled with hers as he deepened their kiss. A slow withdrawal, and he spun her in his arms, a grin creasing the scruff on his cheeks. “God, Charlotte, what took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you to give me the go ahead for nearly two months.”

“I know.” She landed on her toes and brought him down to her lips a second time. “I can’t tell you how horrible I feel. But, moving forward, I promise not to kiss anyone else except you.”

 “Really?” His brow twitched and he reached into his tool belt, held up the fireplace remote and wiggled it in his fingers. “So does that mean you’re willing to forego the company party to have our own private Christmas before the fire?” He thumbed the switch and the mechanism hummed. Heat washed the backs of her legs as the reflection of the pretend flames glinted in his beautiful blue eyes.

“Yay, you finally fixed it.” She combed his hair back from his brow, the strands silky and sleek through her fingers. “I’m not going anywhere. Not anymore.” 

“Good.” He hugged her close and she squeezed him just as tight as a bright flash illuminated the room. Leaning back, he glanced around the rafters. “Did you see that?”

A sparkle caught the corner of her eye and she eased away from him to slip a little silver snowflake off the mantel. “Yep.” She smiled down at the gift—a wish granted she’d received from her Christmas fairy. “Thanks to you,” she whispered. “Looks like third time’s the charm.”

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING IN OUR CHRISTMAS BY THE FIRE BLOG HOP! DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BEFORE YOU GO!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up

Third Time's the Charm -- A Christmas by the Fire Blog Hop Story!

HarperImpulse and their Written Fireside Writers are on the cutting edge of publishing and, as such, we've hosted a fabulous blog hop during the month of August!

Fifteen authors, fifteen stories...

one shared, starting paragraph!

Read a taste of what's coming for Christmas

Read past Written Fireside stories

Enter our fabulous giveaway!

Schedule of participating authors:

Lori Connelly - Aug 1,2,3 

Erin Lawless - Aug 4,5

Mandy Baggot - Aug 6,7 

Aimee Duffy  - Aug 8,9

Teresa F. Morgan - Aug 10,11 

Angela Campbell - Aug 12,13  

Lisa Fox - Aug 14,15 

Lynn Marie Hulsman - Aug 16,17

Linn B. Halton - Aug 18,19 

Carmel Harrington - Aug 20,21 

Charlotte Phillips - Aug 22,23

Romy Sommer - Aug 24,25

Jane Lark - Aug 26,27 

Zara Stoneley - Aug 28,29 

AJ Nuest - Aug 30,31

Welcome to the final installment in the Christmas by the Fire Blog Hop -- Third Time's the Charm! It's been a whirlwind event, with fabulous prizes and giveaways, including print books, e-books and A $70 AMAZON GIFT CARD! Be sure to follow the links below to see each author's entry and don't forget to enter the RAFFLECOPTER for your chance to WIN! 

All fifteen participating authors in this blog hop were given the same starting paragraph, written by the talented Georgia Beyers! These short stories will be published later this year as a Christmas e-book anthology by HarperImpulse, and it's been super exciting to be a part of this event! Both today and tomorrow, I'll be posting my short story in two installments for your reading pleasure. Be sure to check back to read the conclusion to Third Time's the Charm tomorrow!

Here's the winning entry as chosen by the fabulous team at HarperImpulse:  

‘Charlotte sat at the bus stop wondering whether she would make the naughty or nice list this year. Last year she had rescued a stray kitten and therefore considered herself most definitely ‘nice’. This year she had broken Daniels heart into a million tiny pieces, so ‘naughty’ seemed to be the only answer. There’d be no Santa Claus coming down her chimney anytime soon.’

And here's the first installment in this continuing story, Third Times the Charm:

Snow whispered from the blank chalkboard sky to land on her red-and-white striped tights, coating her knees and the curled tips of her green elf boots in flakes of dusty white. She sighed and plucked at her stockings. The little jingle bells tacked to her toes tinkled a cheery song as she tapped the sides of her feet together.

Maybe she should have just listened to her mother and kept her big mouth shut. Lord knew she’d had dates with a long string of men that had been nowhere near as comfortable as the platonic, stuck-in-limbo relationship she’d shared with Daniel. If nothing else, biting her tongue would at least given her a shot at a date for New Year’s Eve.

So what if Daniel had gotten jealous over the kiss she’d exchanged with Walter from the mailroom during the employee Christmas party? Wasn’t a reaction from him what she’d been hoping for in the first place? Hadn’t her plan been to get Daniel’s attention and motivate him to make a decision about where they were headed?

Too bad life never worked out the way it did in the movies, and her mistake had rebounded like a swift kick in the pants. With his broad shoulders and the way his dark mop of wavy hair always seemed to fall at just the right angle across his blueberry eyes, Daniel’s arrival at Brigg’s Department store had turned the heads of every female associate in their employ. And when the first rumors had ground through the mill Brigg’s newest inventory manager had the hots for her, Charlotte had to admit, she’d been more than a little bit thrilled.

Unfortunately, that’s where things between her and Daniel had both started and ended. She picked a few stray cat hairs off her coat and tossed them aside. Sure, she’d been happily surprised the first time they’d run into each other at the movie theatre. Even more so when the following two months had lead them to a standing date every Friday to see the latest blockbuster. But since when did the sitting in a darkened theatre for two hours without exchanging a word of conversation constitute a relationship? For God’s sake, they hadn’t even held hands, much less kissed.

Apparently, none of those things mattered to Daniel, even though she’d yet to receive an explanation for his actions. The minute he’d spied her and Walter swapping some holiday cheer beneath the mistletoe, he’d cornered their co-worker and stated she was officially “off limits” before storming out of the employee lounge.

Shock had been her initial reaction and, though she was loath to admit it, maybe a smidgen of “serves him right” had kept her from chasing after him. Add a few hot toddies on an empty stomach and, half an hour later, anger had kicked her surprise to the curb. Not that Daniel’s claim would have necessarily ticked her off if his statement had been anywhere near true. She clenched her jaw, knees bouncing, pony tail whispering along the back of her shoulders as she shook her head. Yet, for him to insinuate they shared anything past friendship without even discussing it with her had crossed a line…and put her in a terrible spot where she’d been left no option but to set the record straight.

Marching directly back to the loading dock, she’d stormed up to where he’d been tinkering with a faux fireplace and promptly stomped out whatever sparks had been smoldering between them. Until she said otherwise, they were friends and nothing more. Acquaintances who worked at Brigg’s Department store, shared a love of action flicks and the occasional box of Raisinets. Whoever she dated and when was her business, not his, and if he’d gotten off his butt and made a move while he’d had the chance maybe he wouldn’t have been threatened by someone as harmless as Walter Stout from the mailroom. God!

The minute the words had left her mouth, hurt and confusion had slammed into Daniel’s beautiful blue eyes. He’d turned and disappeared between a row of metal shelves stacked with inventory in the loading dock. Ever since then, during the two-week countdown to Christmas Eve, a wall of tension had been building between them, brick by solid, square brick.

Yep, ‘naughty’ definitely defined her December. She’d be lucky to find a lump of coal in her stocking this year.

“Whoo hoo!” A fur-festooned woman staggered toward the stop, flapping a gloved hand in the air. Her orthopedic shoes slid precariously over the ice-slicked sidewalk, the gift-wrapped bundles in her arms adding to the topsy-turvy pitch of her gait. “Give an old woman a hand, will you, dearie?”

Charlotte rolled her eyes, but left the bench to clasp the matron’s forearms and lead her safely toward the seat. Boxes tumbled and smacked the wet concrete, and she quickly rescued them before the snow could damage the paper or bows.

“That’s a love, dearie. I’m sorry I’m late. Christmas is always my busiest time of year.” The woman wiggled her fingers and sat, leaving Charlotte to rescue the last two gifts before they had the misfortune to slip into the street.

Fabulous. Why did she always attract the wackos? Late for what, exactly? The cocktails and hors d’oeuvres Charlotte was about to bust out of her purse? Not that the ridiculous elf costume she’d been ordered to wear in place of her white smock helped the case for reality. No doubt the woman thought Charlotte was one of Santa’s helpers instead of a single girl working a double to earn a little extra cash for some Christmas shopping of her own.

She stacked the sparkly red-and-green gifts beside the woman on the bench, carefully steadying them with her hands. Most of them were so light, they seemed to contain nothing but air. Then again, why would anyone wrap a bunch of empty boxes and decide to go gallivanting through downtown Chicago on Christmas Eve? Especially at five o’clock, the stores crowded with last-minute shoppers in their mad rush to finish their lists.

“Lovely weather we’re having, don’t you think?” The woman adjusted the holiday charms on her bracelet before folding her hands on her lap. Flakes wafted down to catch in her false eyelashes, melting to droplets on her bright red lipstick and the plastic glittery poinsettia pinned to her lapel. “I’ve decided to give you three.”

Charlotte darted a frown around the glass enclosure of the bus stop. Again, with the obscure references. Three what? Presents? Yep, the poor old goose definitely had a screw loose. Maybe she believed she was some sort of do-good Christmas fairy.

“Oh, that’s okay. I’m sure you have those gifts tagged for someone else.” A slight tip forward, and Charlotte checked the oncoming traffic down the street. Relief warmed her insides as she read the lighted marquee on the approaching bus. She pressed her ear muffs tighter to her head and smoothed back a few loose strands from her ponytail, crammed her hands between her thighs and shivered. Even though she’d only been waiting a few minutes, her feet were like two blocks of ice.

“Well, here’s my ride.” She stood and faced the lady as the bus whined to a halt at the corner, its diesel exhaust quickly whisked away by the bitter breeze streaming in off the lake. “Merry Christmas.”

The mysterious twinkle in the woman’s gray eyes put the white lights strung on the trees along the boulevard to shame. “Oh, I’ll be waiting here to find out.” 

Alarm jabbed the pit of Charlotte’s stomach and she stutter stepped forward, the bells ringing like reindeer games from her feet. Didn’t the old woman have anywhere to go? God, she couldn’t sit out in this weather. She’d be a brown, furry popsicle by morning. “Wait, are you sure you’re all right? Do you want me to call someone to pick you up?”

A clever chuckle bounced through her generous bosom. “No need to butter me up, dearie. I already told you, I’m only giving you three.” She jerked her chin toward the bus and her snow globe earrings swung back and forth above her collar. “Go along now. You’ve got work to do.”

“Okay…” The bus horn beeped the driver’s impatience and Charlotte backed toward the open door, tugging her transit pass from the slash pocket of her woolen pea coat. “If you’re sure you don’t need some help.”

“Help, indeed.” The woman shook her head. “Just try not to dally. I’ve several stops before midnight.”

Oh, good. Hopefully one of them was the nearest psychiatric ward to have her meds checked. Charlotte smiled with a nod, climbed aboard the bus and bumped down the packed aisle toward the back door. A small wave through the window, and she grabbed the hand rail as the bus lurched and chugged down the street. 

* * *

“Charlotte, a customer is asking for three of those Christmas tree candy dishes. Can you check with Daniel and see if we’ve got any more in stock?”

Oh, God no.

Charlotte jerked her head up from where she’d knelt beside an aisle kiosk to re-fold the holiday place mats, only to meet the wide-eyed blink of the housewares floor manager. Fiona crossed her arms, one of her finely-plucked eyebrows hiking toward her bouffant hairline. “Is there a problem?”

“No, no problem.” Charlotte offered a weak smile, while inside her stomach twisted in knots. She pushed to her feet and nodded. “Be right back.” …from a living nightmare. From facing Daniel for the first time in weeks.  

The door to the loading dock was the one barrier she’d not breached since the night of the Christmas party. In fact, going anywhere near it made her throat close and the edges of her vision flicker like she was about to faint. Avoiding Daniel had become an exercise she practiced with increasing dexterity, even lingering near the employee lockers long after her shift ended so she wouldn’t accidently run into him clocking out.

Her hand trembled as she pushed against the swinging door, but she filled her lungs and pressed on. There was no need to bring up a moment she was fairly certain they both regretted. Regardless of the way she missed his smile, the excitement in her belly each time she left her apartment for the theatre or her anticipation over finding him waiting outside, what was done, was done. She would act professional, get the candy dishes and vamoose…and then seriously consider finding a new job as soon as the holiday madness was over.

The mellow illumination of the emergency overhead lights seemed strange in comparison to the stark halogens that usually washed row after row of shelves in the loading dock to a brightness which rivaled the sun. Charlotte frowned at the closed bay door, glanced left and right at the abandoned forklifts and darkened window of Daniel’s office. An eerie silence tickled the little hairs on the back of her neck. Where was everyone? In the past, these last few hours before the store closed on Christmas Eve were usually as frantic as the North Pole.

A metallic clank was accompanied by a soft curse, and she followed the noise around the last grouping of metal shelves to the product assembly area. 

Her feet froze to the wooden floor…an exact match to the motionless air in her lungs.

Daniel knelt before a faux fireplace, a tool belt buckled around the navy Dockers stretched along his thighs, dark hair hanging in his eyes as he cranked a wrench near the grate. Not that his doing so was by any means bizarre. She’d found him putting all sorts of items together in the loading dock several times.

The angle of his shoulders is what put her off, the slouch of his open collar and the way he’d rolled the cuffs of his soft blue dress shirt to just above his elbows. Usually, Daniel was a worn jeans and t-shirt kind of guy. His job was too physical for much else.

There’d been only one other time she’d seen him wearing something so nice, kneeling before a fireplace like he was now. The night of the Christmas party, when she stormed out to the loading dock and ranted at him like a drunken lunatic.

She darted a glance around the huge, dimly lit space. In fact, everything was like the night of the Christmas party. Her brows shot heavenward and she slapped a hand to her chest. Her flirty red cocktail dress, her peep-toe heels… Even the life-sized Santa that had once waved a greeting to customers and spouted a mechanical “ho, ho, ho” was back in the corner, before she’d told Daniel how much it creeped her out and he’d stashed it somewhere out of sight.

Smoothing her hand down the back of her head, she brought the curled ends of her auburn hair around her cheek. What had happened to her pony tail?

“Hold up a second.” She slashed her hand across the space in front of her and tentatively advanced, her entire body buzzing like she’d been jolted by an exposed wire. “What’s going on?”

“I could just as easily ask you the same thing.” Daniel dropped the wrench and shoved his hand up inside the firebox. He frowned and placed a palm on the fake slate exterior beside the grizzled five o’clock shadow darkening his jaw. “’Cause I sure hell hope you’re not expecting me to ask if Walter’s a good kisser.”

What? She slumped, her jaw dropping the same distance as her shoulders. “Just wait a second.” She flapped her hands to cool off her warm cheeks, clamped them on top of her head and then flapped them again like she was preparing to take flight. This couldn’t be happening. Daniel acted as if he’d just left the party. Like they were back at the moment when she’d stormed onto the loading dock and read him the riot act.

“I don’t understand what’s happening. How’d I get here?” She pointed at the ground, stumbling forward a few more steps. “Have I already yelled at you? And, if so, what did I say?”

He sat back from the fireplace, his shirt sleeve pulling taut across one tightly toned bicep as he raked his heavy hair away from his brow, and scowled at her like she’d lost her damn mind. And maybe she had. “Exactly how many hot toddies did you drink? We were at the Christmas party, remember? Not thirty minutes ago? We planned to meet there and I walked in to find you kissing Walter…remember?”

Right! Except that didn’t explain the missing two weeks, and it nowhere near explained where her elf costume had gone off to or all the hours she’d lain awake in bed wishing she could re-do this very moment. What…had all those sleepless nights been a dream? Or maybe the more obvious choice—exhaustion had finally caught up with her, she’d fallen asleep on the bus and this was the dream.

“Ah, okay.” She nodded. “I get it. I just need to wake up and this will all go away.”

Too bad, because she really would’ve appreciated this second chance. She would’ve more carefully considered her words before speaking. Given Daniel a chance to justify his actions.

Sadness shimmered through his eyes, at complete odds with the soft laugh that fell from his kissable lips. “Seems to me, I was the one who needed to wake up.”

Ouch. Charlotte bit her tongue against laying into him like she had in reality. Apparently, her subconscious was working overtime to deal with the remorse.

She smacked a hand against her cheek and waited, but the loading dock stayed firmly in focus. Dammit, why did that never work? A hard pinch of her arm and Daniel stood, propping his hands on his hips. “Um, what are you doing?”

“I’m trying to wake myself up.” She lunged forward, executed a few quick jumping jacks and hopped around on one foot.

Nothing. God, she must be nearly catatonic. Bracing her hands on her knees, she leaned forward to catch her breath. Why couldn’t the bus just hit a nice, big pothole? That usually jarred her awake.

“Normally, I find your quirky sense of humor pretty funny.” He crossed his arms, and her insides melted as the curled tips of his thick lashes drew together in a squint. “But I gotta tell ya, these gymnastics of yours are a little freaky. Why don’t you go back to the party? I’m sure Walter is wondering where you are.”

Another nice zinger. Geesh, she really had to get a handle on her guilt. Still, the party did present an interesting idea. Maybe a change of scenery would do the trick.

She spun on her heel and headed for the exit, placed her hand on the door and turned to face Daniel one last time. Fantasy or reality, she could not resist the temptation to have the last word—another of her eccentricities no one seemed to appreciate but him. “I don’t want Walter, you big dummy. If that gorgeous head of yours contained one ounce of sense, you’d know exactly who it is that I want.”

She pushed through the doorway and cold air blasted against her cheeks. Tripping forward, feet slipping and sliding, she pin-wheeled her arms and face planted right against the glass shelter of the bus stop.

The old woman turned on the seat, smiled and waved her inside.

What. The. Hell! On stilted legs, Charlotte pushed away from the glass, rounded the shelter and sat. A glance over her shoulder and she blinked at the revolving door of her apartment building, slowly grinding to a halt. She ran a hand down the back of her head and tugged on her ponytail, tapped her feet together and the little bells on her toes jingled a happy tune. There was no way she’d fallen asleep while waiting for the bus. It was too cold outside to get comfortable.

“Well, that didn’t go as pleasant as expected.”

Charlotte slowly turned her head. Somehow, this strange woman had sent her back through time. Holy hell, maybe she was a Christmas fairy. “That was no dream, was it? I was really there with Daniel…in the loading dock.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself.” The bracelet on her wrist twinkled like starlight as the woman lifted her arm and plucked one of the little charms off the chain. She held it over the pile of gifts and offered it to Charlotte, though, to her, the stack of brightly wrapped gifts seemed to have shrunken somehow. Almost as if it had been reduced by half. “Compared to some, you did fairly well. On a scale of one to ten, I’ll give you a solid four for humor and originality.”

Yay! Go me for being below average. Charlotte opened her palm and the woman dropped the charm into her hand. She flipped the delicate snowflake back and forth with her fingertip, winced as it flared before a shimmering trail of dust floated skyward and the charm lost its luster. She closed her fingers and made a tight fist. If she was reading the situation correctly, she still had two more chances.

“You may want to consider Daniel’s feelings in this moment. What is the first thing you would’ve thought, walking into the Christmas party to find him kissing another girl?”

Charlotte grimaced. Her heart would have been crushed, regardless of his intentions or the vagueness of their relationship status.

The bus screeched to a stop at the corner and her bedazzled fairy nodded toward the street. “Remember, there are two sides to every story. Perhaps it’s time you ask Daniel for his.”

Her mind whirring the same speed as the glistening traffic rushing down the boulevard, Charlotte rose from the bench and climbed the steps like a robot, bouncing from one padded shoulder to the next toward the back of the bus. The old woman smiled and handed a wrapped box to a passerby as the gears lurched and the bus trundled down the street.

 

Stay tuned for Part Two which you can read tomorrow right here on this blog!

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