A Christmas Miracle: The Gift of Love: Christmas Miracle Series, #2

By Sandy Loyd

For all who are searching for their someone special. May the gift of love reach your hearts this holiday season.

 Angie Reynolds’ heart aches for a husband and family of her own. Unfortunately, she’s looked for love in all the wrong places with nothing to show for it but disappointment. None of the guys she’s dated is worthy of her, including her ex-husband. This Christmas season looks to be another one spent alone. Yet until Angie realizes her own worth she will never be able to accept the gift of love from someone like Brad Miller.

Another heartwarming Christmas story to warm the heart during this cold holiday season… Angie Reynolds has looked for love in all the wrong places with nothing to show for it but disappointment and heartache. None of the guys she’s dated is worthy of her, including her ex-husband. Yet until Angie realizes her own worth she will never be able to accept the gift of love from someone like Brad Miller.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandy Loyd
• Release date: Oct 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781941267257

Book preview

A Christmas Miracle: The Gift of Love

Sandy Loyd

Copyright © 2015 Sandy Loyd

All Rights Reserved

Published by Sandy Loyd

Edited by Pam Berehulke

www.BulletproofEditing.com

Cover design by Jeannette Antry

www.JnettiDesigns.com

ISBN: 978-1-941267-25-7 – E-book

978-1-941267-26-4 – Print

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author at [e-mail]. This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

For more information on the author and her works, please see www.SandyLoyd.com.

This book is also available in print from some online retailers.

Chapter 1

Angie Reynolds pulled her Nissan Murano into a spot and turned off the engine. Checking the rearview mirror, she dabbed on lipstick and fluffed her hair as a tiny thrill shot through her system.

Drew had told her to meet him here at Chez Felipe’s. The restaurant was one of the most romantic eating establishments in their small town of Middlebrook, not to mention the most expensive. Tonight, a proposal was definitely in the air. Maybe they could have a Christmas wedding, but then again, two months didn’t provide much time to prepare.

When she gave the maître d’ Drew’s name, he bowed and said, Right this way, Ms. Reynolds. Mr. Pollard has already been seated and is expecting you.

Weaving around tables in the candlelit room, Angie followed him to a quiet, cozy, romantic table in the back.

Thanks. Smiling, she nodded as he pulled out her chair.

Drew stood at her arrival and quickly reseated himself after she sat.

I ordered a martini for you. Dirty, right?

Her grin expanded.

Yes, that’s right. She grabbed his hand from across the table and squeezed. I love it that you remembered.

I remember every detail, no matter how little when it comes to you.

How could she not love Drew when he was so attentive? So different from her ex-husband. But she didn’t want to think about her ex, not tonight when her life-long dream of having a family was so close to being realized.

It didn’t matter that she and Drew had never discussed their future other than in generalities. Once or twice he’d mentioned eventually marrying and having a couple of kids. Her goal had always been to have a husband and a family. They were a perfect couple, in tune with each other, and always had fun together. A proposal was the logical next step.

In the candlelight, excitement and love shone from Drew’s eyes.

A wave of well-being washed over Angie. They were both adults who’d dated long enough to make the life-changing decision. A product of divorced parents, she had very strong ideas about what kids needed, and a traditional two-parent family was at the top of the list. Drew’s parents had been together thirty years, so he understood commitment through example.

The waiter set her drink in front of her. Are you ready to order?

Angie picked up her menu and perused it.

Drew nodded and said over the top of his menu, Give us a few minutes.

Silence reigned as she decided what to eat. When the waiter returned, she ordered pasta and shrimp, and Drew ordered prime rib.

Once the man was out of earshot, Drew picked up his drink. A toast.

As she lifted her glass to his, he grinned. To us and to a new beginning.

I’ll drink to that, Angie murmured.

She took a long swallow, and then glanced at him and waited. The entire time they held eye contact, her insides swirled with crazy butterflies and she could barely breathe.

I want us to move in together.

Her bubble of enthusiasm lost most of its air. She cleared her throat. Still eyeing him, she narrowed her gaze.

Move in? As in, play house?

I thought you’d be happy about the news. We’ll be able to spend more time together.

Unable to keep meeting his gaze or else he’d see her disappointment, Angie looked down at the table. What about marriage?

Marriage? Hell, I’m too young to think about marriage.

So this isn’t a proposal?

Yeah. I’m proposing we have an exclusive relationship.

Stunned, she peered up at his face to gauge his seriousness. When the shock wore off, she shook her head. Wait a minute. Are you saying you weren’t sleeping with me exclusively before?

Well, to be honest . . . no. In the candlelight, Drew’s cheeks took on a rosy hue that could only be caused by embarrassment, and those eyes so full of excitement just moments ago now reflected guilt. But if we live together, you’ll be the only one.

His words and demeanor totally stripped away her hopes and dreams for what this dinner was all about. Still, she had put in too much precious time to give up on the idea of marriage with him. Not without first knowing his full intentions toward the future.

She glanced at her hand on the martini glass. Fingering the stem, she struggled for a way to ask the right questions. A lump formed in the back of her throat.

Finally, Angie found her resolve and raised her gaze to capture his. What about our future? Is marriage part of it?

I hadn’t thought about it. He broke off, remaining silent so long, she wasn’t sure he would expand his statement until he said, Now that you’re bringing it up, I’ll be blunt. When the time comes, I’ll want someone six years younger than me, not six years older.

Technically, only five and a half years separated their birthdays. She would soon turn thirty-three, and he celebrated his twenty-seventh birthday just months ago, but she refrained from pointing that out. It didn’t matter.

So, you were just going to play house with me until you felt the need to settle down, and then dump me for a younger woman? That was worse than being married and finding out he was an ass.

Hell, I don’t know. I don’t see the problem. I thought we were on the same page. Just having fun. You know?

Yeah, I know.

Lord, did she ever know. She’d wasted one of her best years on him. Apparently everything had changed between men and women during the time she was married. At least, to her it had. Men could get away with drinking all the milk they wanted without having to buy the cow, as her grandmother was always fond of saying, and Angie was obviously one of those women who let them.

What you really mean is our relationship never had a chance from the very beginning.

Drew’s lips curled into a snarl. Look, I’m committing to the here and now. That should be enough.

Her romantic evening had just morphed into a horrible nightmare.

Angie laughed, but the sound that came out was too brittle to convey humor. Blinking back tears that threatened, she fought to retain her dignity. She refused to cry over a man who didn’t deserve it.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spied the waiter bearing down on their table carrying two salads, one in each hand.

He set one in front of her and the other in front of Drew. Would you like some ground pepper?

Screw dignity.

Angie stood and picked up her plate. No, but he might need a new pair of pants.

The jerk deserved a scene for two-timing her and then thinking she’d jump at the chance to move in with him. She proceeded to dump her salad into Drew’s lap.

In case you’re wondering—she made eye contact with Drew—that’s a definite no.

About to turn, she glanced at the shocked waiter. Cancel my dinner. I won’t be staying.

Head held high, she walked with purpose toward the door. She sniffled, unwilling to cry until she was safely inside her car. By the time she’d made it a block out of the parking lot and was headed home, the tears were flowing freely.

As much as it hurt to be rejected, it hurt more knowing she’d made an error