Christmas Charm

By Magdalena Scott

In spite of her intentions to spend Christmas on the beach, Meg is on her way to Legend, Tennessee for a small town Christmas with her boyfriend and his family. When Christopher’s flight is delayed, Meg finds herself staying with his mother, Anne McClain Bradley, and in the midst of an old-fashioned family holiday with a family that’s not her own.

But the McClains, and the other good people of Legend, Tennessee know how to make anyone feel loved and welcomed.

Especially at Christmas.

~*~

The McClains of Legend, Tennessee is a contemporary romance series, providing wholesome, heartwarming romance books for anyone who loves a happily-ever-after. Readers enjoy becoming immersed in the lives and loves of the large, sometimes exasperating, and always entertaining McClain family, to whom Legend has been home for generations.

Readers have said they'd like to move to the fictional town of Legend, Tennessee. Perhaps their strong positive reaction to the town is because it's so believable, while still providing that always-required happy ending.

The stories can be read as stand alones, or sequentially:
Midnight in Legend, TN
Christmas Collision
Where Her Heart Is
Building a Dream
Second Chances
Christmas Charm: a short story
Home for Christmas
Retro novellas:
-Under the Mistletoe (set in 1975), and
-The Holly and the Ivy (set in 1978)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Magdalena Scott
• Release date: Dec 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310166136

Magdalena Scott

USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott writes sweet romance and romantic women's fiction.A lifelong resident of Small Town America, she invites readers into her world to find out what’s hidden just below the surface of those tiny dots barely visible on the map. Romance, mystery, and the journey to be one's best self are all part of a day in her neighborhood. Readers have commented that they'd like to move to the imaginary towns Magdalena writes about, which she takes as high praise indeed.Magdalena is a practicing minimalist, having downsized from a 3,000 square foot house to a studio apartment, where her Giant Closet continues to resist taming. When not writing at home, she loves to travel--carry on baggage only--and is always pleasantly surprised at the kindness of strangers.

Book preview

CHRISTMAS CHARM

A short story set in Legend, Tennessee

By

Magdalena Scott

USA Today Bestselling Author

Christmas Charm

Copyright 2015 Magdalena Scott

WARNING: All rights reserved.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work, in whole or in part, in any form, is illegal and forbidden without the written permission of the author, Magdalena Scott.

This is a work of fiction.

Characters, settings, names, and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, places, settings or occurrences are purely coincidental.

Digital Release: December 2015

Cover Design by Calliope-Designs.com

Stock Art by istockphoto.com

Published by Jewel Box Books

Dedication

For Robin,

Boyfriend-Beta Reader-Bodyguard

who puts up with me and my giant sunhat.

Christmas Charm

Meg sat in the crowded, noisy airplane, wondering if it was physically possible for her anger to burn a hole through the big, floppy sunhat sitting on her lap. People had looked at her quizzically as she’d paced the waiting area of the airport with the orange sombrero-like headgear hanging around her neck by its thin leather cord. She’d brought it as a sign of protest, and her agitation was nudged up a level by their observation.

Most of the other waiting passengers had been carrying heavy parkas, and Meg guessed any accompanying hats would be lined in rabbit fur or whatever people in the mountains of Tennessee killed and skinned in order to keep themselves warm in the winter.

Meg’s plane was headed from Dallas, Texas to Knoxville, Tennessee, where she would be met by a complete stranger—an unknown member of Christopher’s extended family. She dreaded that, dreaded meeting all the people she’d no doubt be afflicted with during the trip. She seriously did not want to be on this plane.

Her Christmas plans had involved white sandy beaches, tiny bikinis, and tall, cool drinks. But in a moment of weakness, because Christopher Bradley had more charm than was fair, she’d chucked her plans. Every stitch of warm clothing she owned was jammed into her carryon bag, and she was on the stupid plane, headed to stupid Tennessee. The sunhat was a show of rebellion, a reminder to herself and everyone she saw today that she should have been jetting somewhere tropical—and interesting. She especially hoped Christopher would understand the message the hat was displaying:

Merry stinking Christmas.

****

Anne McClain Bradley sat at the coffee bar in The Emporium, watching as her nephew’s wife systematically created the perfect café au lait and poured it into one of the tall glass mugs bearing the shop’s insignia. After taking a bolstering sip, Anne set the mug down, and fiddled with the tiny beverage napkin.