Title: Not the Same SeasonPublished by: Enchanted Publications
Release Date: December 1st, 2016
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
Pages: 74
ISBN13: 9781386977117
ASIN: B01M9J3UST
Add on GoodreadsTwo broken hearts embarked on a holiday season in a way they never had before. Divorced.
Mitch had been badly burned by love, but was willing to take a chance . . . with the right woman.
Hannah had lived everyday with the grief love had brought her and followed her everywhere.
Can two hearts find love and heal each other during the most difficult season of the year?
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The days flew by and separately, yet only miles apart, Mitch and Hannah went on with their lives. Little messages and pictures were shared back and forth, but neither had made that step towards actually making a call.
The first Saturday evening in December had Healy Farms at capacity. Families packed Santa’s workshop to make some Christmas trinkets before they got their chance to sit on Santa’s lap. Hannah was busy shaking hands and putting out proverbial fires to notice the Turner family’s entrance.
Colin almost pulled Mitch’s arm from its socket when he spotted the gingerbread-house-making station. Austin, Amelia, and Lana went to make a Christmas keepsake then wait in line for pictures with Santa.
“Ooh, we need gumdrops and lots of licorice, but not the black kind. That stuff is gross.”
Mitch laughed a little as they gathered all the items they would need for the ultimate house. They spent at least thirty minutes perfecting the placement of each gumdrop, red hot, candy cane, and licorice piece until Colin pronounced it completed. They wrote their names in icing on the board it rested on and left it with one of Santa’s helpers until they were ready to go.
“We have a little architect on our hands.” Mitch beamed as he found Austin waiting in line. “I think our house was the best one. Right, buddy?”
“Yep! Now do I get to see Santa?” Colin jumped up and down like he had a pressing need to pee.
“Yes, just a few more kids then it’s our turn.” Austin ruffled Colin’s hair as they waited a little bit longer.
Austin and Mitch stood back as Amelia took Lana and Colin up to sit on Santa’s lap.
“Makes you think.” Austin smiled and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Think what?”
“Maybe giving up the no kids embargo since you ditched the toothpick.”
They both chuckled a little. “I’ve been thinking about it.”
“Aha. Things going well with Miss New York?” Austin poked him in the ribs.
“We’ve been texting. Such a weird thing to do. I feel like I’m high school passing notes in class.” He shook his head with a laugh.
“Shit, speaking of high school, don’t look now.” Of course, he looked. “Becky! Hi. How are you?”
Mitch’s eyes went wide as he saw that seventeen years had not been so kind to his high school girlfriend, Becky. She had gained several pounds and several children, including the one attached to her hip.
“Austin. Mitch, is that you? Oh my, God, I thought he was pulling one over on all of us. You’re really back.”
“I’m really back.” Mitch smiled and raised his hands up in front of him in mock surrender.
“Well, give me a hug.” Becky pulled him in tight, which brought the child with her. Her son didn’t seem to happy to be smooched into some strange man’s chest and showed his dissatisfaction as he spewed his dinner all over Mitch’s shoulder.
“Shit!” Mitch jumped back as if he had been burned by the fires of Hell.
“Oh my God! I’m so sorry.” She turned to her son. “Buck, are you ok?” The child began to wail, disrupting the tranquil atmosphere of the evening.
Hannah ran over to see what the disturbance was. She came face to face with the vomit-covered man of her dreams.
“Well, Mr. Turner. What have you gotten yourself into this time?” Hannah bit down on her lip in an attempt to contain her laughter and shock at the fact that he was actually standing in front of her.
“Oh, Hannah. Buck just up-chucked. Can you help Mitch get cleaned up?” A mortified Becky rocked Buck back and forth in her arms, his little teeth protruding past his lower lip.
“Sure. Come with me.” Hannah offered her hand.
“Always.” Mitch tossed his jacket to Austin then laced his fingers through hers. They made their way through the winter wonderland into a back room.
Hannah nervously dug through a box of T-shirts until she found the one she had hoped to.
“This will have to do. I can wash your shirt or give you a bag to take it home in.”
Hannah watched in rapt fascination as he unbuttoned his shirt.
Mitch enjoyed the sight of her flushed cheeks and licked his lips in the hopes that they would be needed to be pressed against hers soon.
Once his shirt was off and the new one was on, he finally found his voice.
“So, this is your farm?”
“Yep. And your Austin’s older brother.”
He nodded as he took a step closer. “This means I live just down the road.” He raised his palm to cup her cheek. “And we can do this whenever we like.” He pressed his lips gently to hers. Her fingertips trailed up his ribcage as she opened her mouth at his tongue’s invitation.
The feeling was so familiar, yet so new. The realization that they were so close and could actually have a normal relationship overpowered them both. They almost took things to an entirely inappropriate level before a slam of a door in the distance brought them out of their impromptu reunion.
Hannah jumped back at the noise. They looked at each other for a few seconds before they broke into a round of hysterical laughter.
Once slightly calmed down, Mitch brought Hannah into his arms. “Let me take you on that date tomorrow night.”
“So, does that mean no New Year’s Eve?”
He grinned as she fluttered her eyelashes at him. “I’ve already made the reservations, so this will just be a bonus.”
“What will we do?” Hannah was curious. The nightlife in Clarkstown was nowhere near the hotbed of activity the city was.
“Austin’s restaurant closes at five. You can come after that, and I will make you a special private dinner. Please?”
“Hmm. It’s hard to turn down a man that can cook.” She ran her fingertip along the collar of his shirt.
“Then don’t.” He leaned in and began to peck small kisses up her neck until he reached her lips. He hovered above them and whispered, “Please?” He lightly placed three kisses on her lips before she sighed.
“Yes.” She let the word out so softly she barely heard herself. The smile he pressed onto her lips showed without a doubt that he had heard her response.
“I’ve got to get back out there now. We can continue this tomorrow.”
“Defiantly.” Mitch stepped back and fell under the spell of her bright crystal-blue eyes. “I’ll pick you up at six?”
“Yeah, just find me in the lodge.”
One last kiss and they thrust themselves back into the winter wonderland. As they slipped away from each other, they felt an excitement that had been missing from their lives. The excitement of maybe.