Upon a Midnight Clear

By Wendy Dewar Hughes

Jenna Daley has her hands full with running the Mercy Coffee shop, holding down a part-time job, and being a single mother to her three year-old daughter, Kelly. She has no time or energy left for a relationship. But when single dad, Ian Cavendish, walks into her cafe five minutes before closing one night in December, her Christmas and her life are about to change in ways she never anticipated. But when Jenna's self-absorbed ex-husband turns up just before Christmas, she also learns something about herself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wendy Dewar Hughes
• Release date: Dec 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781927626429

Wendy Dewar Hughes

Wendy Dewar Hughes is an author and professional artist. Her books include Jill Moss Adventures, romance fiction, and adult colouring books based on when she lived in the South of France. Besides writing and publishing, Wendy creates artwork that is featured on all kinds of products for the home and to wear. You can find her books wherever books are sold online. Her watercolour art products are available through her website.

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Upon a Midnight Clear

WENDY DEWAR HUGHES

Copyright © 2014 Wendy Dewar Hughes

All rights reserved.

Published in Canada by Summer Bay Press.

Smashwords Edition

Book design by Wendy Dewar Hughes, Summer Bay Press.

Cover design by Wendy Dewar Hughes, Summer Bay Press.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the authors.

Digital ISBN: 978-1-927626-42-9

CHAPTER ONE

When you least expect it, something wonderful always happens.

Wiping crumbs and coffee rings from the carved oak bar, Jenna Daley repeated her grandmother’s words over and over in her mind. Heaven knew, she could use something wonderful about now. She would even settle for something sort of good, or even just mediocre, as long as it wasn’t downright awful like just about everything else in the past couple of years had been.

Jenna gathered up half a dozen dirty mugs and placed them in the bus tray, which she picked up and carried to the kitchen. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she overturned the cups into the dishwasher and turned on the machine. Five more minutes and she could lock the door. If she hurried with the clean up, she could be at Mrs. Carter’s before the woman had a chance to build up a head of steam.

If Kelly didn’t love Mrs. Carter so much, Jenna would have been tempted to find a new sitter, but that was a trial in itself so she put up with the disapproving looks and the tongue-clicking whenever rush hour traffic made her late. Some things just couldn’t be helped.

She threw another pointed look at the clock and prayed, Lord, please don’t let anyone else come in before I can lock up. Grabbing a dishcloth, Jenna swiped it over the counters in the tiny coffee shop kitchen then gave the cloth a rinse and squeeze and tossed it over the edge of the sink to dry overnight. Pulling her coat off the hook in the back hallway, she picked up her purse and keys and headed for the front door. That’s when she heard the bell over the door tinkle. Her heart sank. Not another customer now, she wailed silently, laying her things on a chair.

A tall man entered. He must have been in before because Jenna thought he looked familiar. Stepping behind the coffee bar she watched as he slid onto a stool and smiled at her.

I’d like a tall vanilla latte, he said. Extra hot.

I’m closing in a couple of minutes, Jenna informed him, suppressing her urge to shout at the man. Can I make that for you to go?

He hesitated and unzipped his heavy coat. Well, it’s been a beast of a day and I would just like to sit here for a few minutes of quiet, if you don’t mind. But, yes, I suppose you’d better make it to go if you want to close up.

"I’ll tell