Jingle Bell Blessings

Jingle Bell Blessings
Bonnie K. Winn

All Jimmy Evans wants for Christmas is a family. And Chloe Reed's mission is to get him one.But when Chloe and the orphaned boy land on distant relative Evan Mitchell's doorstep, they come face-to-face with a real-life Scrooge. Haunted by a tragic past, Evan wants nothing to do with them–or with Christmas. But little by little, one adorable seven-year-old and a spunky young woman chip away at Evan's heart of stone and bring the holiday spirit back into his home. Will these three strangers become a true family by Christmas?

Jimmy’s face was radiant as he stood onstage in the Christmas play, and said, “Do you see the star?”

A surge of love overwhelmed Evan. He hadn’t thought he had that much love left in him after he’d lost his wife and son. But his heart told him there was room for Jimmy.

Evan made his way to where he had seen Chloe sitting. Jimmy ran from the stage straight to her. She knelt, giving him a huge hug. Getting closer, he could hear her praising his performance. “You were the very best one!”

He bounced on his sneakers. “Really?”

“Really!” She hugged him again. “The very, very, very best.”

Jimmy hugged her back hard before finally letting go.

“You haven’t told me what you want for Christmas yet, big guy.”

“A family.”

She leaned her head against his. “Me, too.”

Evan was struck by their words. The star on the stage twinkled, beaconing its message of hope. And he wondered if he dared believe.

BONNIE K. WINN

is a hopeless romantic who has written incessantly since the third grade. So it seems only natural that she turned to romance writing. A seasoned author of historical and contemporary romance, Bonnie has won numerous awards for her bestselling books. Affaire de Coeur chose her as one of the Top Ten Romance Writers in America.

Bonnie loves writing contemporary romance because she can set her stories in the modern cities close to her heart and explore the endlessly fascinating strengths of today’s women.

Living in the foothills of the Rockies gives her plenty of inspiration and a touch of whimsy, as well. She shares her life with her husband, son and a spunky Norwich terrier who lends his characteristics to many pets in her stories. Bonnie’s keeping mum about anyone else’s characteristics she may have borrowed.

Jingle Bell Blessings

Bonnie K. Winn

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord.

—Psalms 127:3

For our beautiful Liberty Winn

Born April 18, 2010

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

Letter to Reader

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

Chloe Reed gripped little Jimmy’s hand as much to stop her own shaking as to reassure him. Everything was on the line. The boy’s future, her own. Swallowing, she tentatively raised the brass knocker on the massive front door.

Silence.

She bent down to encourage Jimmy, and whispered, “It’ll be okay, I promise.”

The door whipped open suddenly and she nearly teetered. Unnerved, she looked up, way up, to meet a dark pair of unpleased eyes. Set in a rugged face with a determined chin, his eyes swept over her in uncompromising dismissal.

Awkwardly, Chloe straightened up, expecting to meet him face-to-face, but he was tall, unusually tall. “Um…hello.”