Stevie and Orson’s First Christmas: Warfield's Landing

By Adeara Allyne

After attending her first Thanksgiving with Orson's family, Stevie is on a mission to fulfill a personal challenge, while Orson is pursuing an idea for an amazing Christmas gift.

This novella is a feel good celebration of love and the holidays

This story takes place between Warfield’s Landing Book 3 and Warfield’s Landing Book 4 and is also avaiable in a bundle, for your convenience -- First Christmas in Warfield's Landing

Don’t miss the other books in the Warfield’s Landing Series
Book 1 - Dreams Claimed
Book 2 - His Best Girls
Book 3 - Liv for Love
Book 3.5 - First Christmas in Warfield's Landing Bundle Contains: Stevie and Orson's First CHristmas a novella, and Nic and Daniel's First Christmas, a short story
More Warfield's Landing novels coming in 2016

• Language: English
• Publisher: South Boundary Publishing
• Release date: Sep 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9781516315383

Book preview

Stevie and Orson’s First Christmas – Warfield’s Landing: Book Description

After attending her first Thanksgiving with Orson's family, Stevie is on a mission to fulfill a personal challenge, while Orson is pursuing an idea for an amazing Christmas gift.

This novella is a feel good celebration of love and the holidays

This story takes place between Warfield’s Landing Book 3 and Warfield’s Landing Book 4

Don’t miss the other books in the Warfield’s Landing Series

Book 1 - Dreams Claimed

Book 2 - His Best Girls

Book 3 - Liv for Love

More Warfield's Landing novels coming in 2016

Want the next book in the series? Sign up for my New Releases email list:

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CHAPTER 1

Monday before Thanksgiving in Warfield's Landing

Hey, hon. I need to get going. I'm assuming you're not quite ready? Orson leaned against the bathroom door.

The appreciative grin on his face amused Stevie. She winked at him in the mirror and one handed, pretended to adjust the towel she was wrapped in. Oh, I don't know... I could just throw on my coat...

Orson stepped into the bathroom, placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a noisy kiss on the neck. Nah... Let's keep this all for me! I'll see you at lunch, if I can get away. Love you.

Love you, too. Have a great day! Stevie waved the mascara wand in a good-bye gesture.

Half an hour later, Stevie, Stephanie only to her mom, stepped out of the condo door, and unfurled her festive umbrella. It had started out plain red, but she'd gotten Nic to decorate it during one of their sneaker painting sessions. Nic was Nic Bannerman, a fast rising artist in the contemporary art scene. Stevie teased about her umbrella investment and the fact of the matter was, back when she worked at the gallery where Nic showed, a rabid collector had jokingly offered Stevie a bucket load of money for it.

Normally, she'd have walked with Orson, but he'd left early. He'd been promised an early delivery at the schoolhouse site. He worked for Mallory and Turner Design and Construction as the Project Manager for both the schoolhouse studio/condo renovation and the storefront gallery remodel. The projects were moving along and Stevie was trying not to think about what she and Orson would do once he was no longer working in Warfield's Landing. Would he need to move back to Alexandria for his job?

M and T Design and Construction was based out of Alexandria, Virginia, about 80 miles away. Stevie had made the permanent move to Warfield's Landing, but Orson still had an apartment in Northern Virginia.

Stevie pushed the worry away. There was a light misting rain today, so the umbrella was more than a fashion statement. Sniffing appreciatively, she savored the smell of wet leaves, enhanced by the fishy bouquet emanating from the nearby Susquehanna River.

On her way to the Riverside Cafe, she was running about five minutes late. It was the Monday before Thanksgiving and she had a meeting with Ruth Ann, the owner, along with Janelle and Nita, two of the waitresses. They had to finalize plans for the Warfield's Landing Thanksgiving feast.

As she got to the cafe doors, Walter Barlowe, the Warfield's Landing Chief of Police, came out. Politely, he held the door open for her as she fumbled with her umbrella. Getting it under control after a considerable struggle, she started forward. With a smirk, Barlowe deliberately released the door and it closed in her face. He headed back to his patrol car, leaving Stevie standing on the sidewalk, her umbrella furled, rain drizzling down on her.

Wet and angry, she opened the door. Really. Really? Did I miss something? Are we suddenly back in junior high school? Because I'm pretty sure I just ran into the class bully. She set her umbrella in the umbrella stand and walked over to the booth where the other three waited. It was obvious they'd watched the incident unfold.

You know Walt. Nita said, while Janelle smiled sympathetically.

Is it my imagination or is he getting nastier? I've only known him since the middle of the summer, but it seems like he's getting meaner by the day. Stevie slid in beside Ruth Anne.

Ruth Ann spoke in a quiet undertone. Just remember, it's to our benefit to have him as Chief of Police. Yes, he's an arrogant and malicious SOB, but he's also too incompetent to figure out what we're doing.

Alright... I hadn't considered it in those terms. But I will say, I can't help but think he's a loose cannon. Particularly after the rampage at the garage two weeks ago. But... enough about Officer Nasty. She looked over at Janelle and Nita. They weren't in their uniforms. Nita wore bright pink which made her dusky skin glow. Janelle was in edgy black with a magenta stripe that exactly matched the one in her dark hair and contrasted to her pale skin. So...? This was a ritual between the three of them. Both Nita and Janelle were on tight budgets and as a result were uber competitive consignment and thrift store shoppers. They tracked their purchases and each day, tallied up the cost of their outfits. In their world, bargain hunting was a blood sport.

Janelle grinned and Nita gave an exaggerated sigh.

How much?

Nita jerked a thumb in Janelle's direction. "$14.74. I'm at $17.83. If I'd