Let Your Heart Be Light: The Kelly Brothers, #8
()
About this ebook
All Maureen Kelly wants for Christmas is a full house. Unfortunately, now that her seven sons have all found the women of their dreams, they’re too busy to come home for the holidays. If it wasn’t for the attention of a good family friend, she would’ve completely given up on the joy of the season.
Rupert Bates has been in love with Maureen for nearly twenty years, before he had any right to have such feelings for her. He’s given her five years to grieve her late husband, all the while gathering the courage to confess his feelings to her. Bit by bit, the magic of the holidays draws them closer, and she begins to return his affection. But will falling in love with his boss lead to delight or heartache?
Read more from Crista Mc Hugh
A Soul For Trouble Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A High Stakes Game Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSearching for Billy Shakespeare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Complete Queen B* Trilogy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Cowboy's Sweetheart: Rodeo Academy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOnce in a Coyote Moon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Thread of Magic Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEight Tiny Flames Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Let Your Heart Be Light
Titles in the series (6)
The Sweetest Seduction: The Kelly Brothers, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Breakaway Hearts: The Kelly Brothers, #2 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Falling for the Wingman: The Kelly Brothers, #3 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Heart's Game: The Kelly Brothers, #4 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Seductive Melody: The Kelly Brothers, #5 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Let Your Heart Be Light: The Kelly Brothers, #8 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related ebooks
More than Neighbors Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Seductive Melody: The Kelly Brothers, #5 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Breakaway Hearts: The Kelly Brothers, #2 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Better Together: One Fond Embrace, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Duke's Boardroom Affair Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSecond Chances Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMeggie's Baby Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Heart's Game: The Kelly Brothers, #4 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Parting Gift Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5From Dare to Due Date Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bridled Heart Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kissed by the Country Doc: A Clean Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Unconquerable Soul (Linley & Patrick #2) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLast Chance for Marriage: A Sandra Paul Classic Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5So Far Away: California Dreamers, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWed In Wyoming Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHaving Adam's Baby Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Her Fifth Husband? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFalling for the Wingman: The Kelly Brothers, #3 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Amber And The Rogue Prince Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cowboy's Claim Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Wedding Obsession Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bluebird Bet: A Clean Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSeducing Seven Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Merrily in Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stone Bridges Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Resort Romance 4-book boxed set: Resort Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinnegan's Gold Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHer Scandalously Entangled Heart: The Balfour Hotel, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnbuttoning Miss Hardwick Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Contemporary Romance For You
Intense: Erotic Short Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Icebreaker: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It Ends with Us: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ruin Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dirty Thirty Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Scandalized Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Under the Roses Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Before We Were Strangers: A Love Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It Starts with Us: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beautiful Disaster: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ugly Love: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wildfire: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heart Bones: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Animal Farm Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautiful Stranger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All Your Perfects: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Spanish Love Deception: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Girl: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stone Heart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe Someday Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beautiful Bastard Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maybe Now: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The American Roommate Experiment: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Without Merit: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The True Love Experiment Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding Cinderella: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Losing Hope: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5November 9: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Confess: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Italian Summer: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Let Your Heart Be Light
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Let Your Heart Be Light - Crista McHugh
Let Your Heart Be Light
A Kelly Brothers Novella
(Kelly Brothers, Book 8)
by
Crista McHugh
All Maureen Kelly wants for Christmas is a full house. Unfortunately, now that her seven sons have all found the women of their dreams, they’re too busy to come home for the holidays. If it wasn’t for the attention of a good family friend, she would’ve completely given up on the joy of the season.
Rupert Bates has been in love with Maureen for nearly twenty years, before he had any right to have such feelings for her. He’s given her five years to grieve her late husband, all the while gathering the courage to confess his feelings to her. Bit by bit, the magic of the holidays draws them closer, and she begins to return his affection. But will falling in love with his boss lead to delight or heartache?
Chapter 1
Rupert Bates adjusted his tie and took a deep breath.
Remain focused, calm, and collected.
Unfortunately, his sweaty palms betrayed him and revealed that he was anything but calm and collected. At least he still had his focus, even though he questioned his conviction.
He curled his fingers into a fist and gave the door in front of him three efficient knocks.
Steady.
Then a dazzling smile shattered his resolve.
Maureen Kelly had to be the perfection of womanhood personified. Intelligent. Confident. Kind. Gorgeous enough to steal his breath away every time he saw her.
And today was no exception.
Rupert,
she said, the slight rise in her voice demonstrating her genuine pleasure at finding him at her door, what a surprise.
His tie seemed to draw up around his throat like a hangman’s noose, choking all the things he wanted to say to her.
She opened the door all the way. Come inside before the wind blows you away.
Somehow, over the course of a few steps, he managed to regain his voice. Talking about the weather always served as a good icebreaker. This is hardly a gale.
No, but it has a definite nip to it.
She peered up at the cloudy sky. I suspect we’ll get a few inches of snow overnight.
Typical for this time of year.
He came inside the warm, cheery home in Highland Park he’d visited hundreds of times over the twenty years he’d worked for the Kelly family. And just like every recent visit, a hundred pounds of white fur pounced on him.
Jasper!
Maureen scolded, pulling her Great Pyrenees away by the collar. Bad dog! How many times do I have to tell you not to jump on people?
The dog simply wagged his tail and looked up at her with what appeared to be complete adoration, his tongue flopping out the side of his open mouth.
Rupert felt a twinge of envy toward Jasper. He’d probably wear a matching expression of adoration if he hadn’t had years of maintaining the proper British stiff upper lip of emotional repression that had been drilled into him since he was a boy at Exeter. Instead, he shed his thick woolen coat and draped it over his arm.
Can you stay long enough for a cup of tea?
Before he could answer, Maureen had taken his coat and was hanging it in the coat closet by the door. I just bought a fresh tin of Assam.
His favorite tea. Of course, she knew that, just as she knew the way he liked it prepared—with a simple splash of milk. I really don’t want to be a bother—
Nonsense.
She was already on her way to the kitchen. I enjoy a bit of good company.
He followed her to the massive chef’s kitchen. A decade ago, it had been the hub of a large family with seven active boys. Now, it seemed cavernous and empty, belonging only to the woman who lived here alone. No wonder she welcomed company.
Maureen poured hot water into a teapot from the special spigot by the sink and measured out the loose tea leaves before adding them to the pot. While that’s brewing, what brings you all the way out here?
If he had the courage, he would’ve happily replied that it was a purely social visit, but thankfully, he had the guise of work to shield him. He grabbed the file from his briefcase and placed it on the granite-topped island. I wanted to discuss the greystone in Humboldt Park.
We still have that property?
Maureen fetched a pair of reading glasses from the next room and perused the documents he’d laid out for her.
Yes, and that was why I wanted to speak to you about it. Adam has plans for it.
What are they?
She paused from reading long enough to pour two cups of tea, adding a splash of milk to his before the tea.
He wants to tear it down and build condominiums.
Maureen choked on her tea. He what?
He pretended not to notice the slip in her usual poise and showed her the architect’s drawing of an ultramodern structure that would house six upscale units. The area has shown remarkable gentrification over the last few years, and he thinks we should capitalize on it.
A condo would make sense in the city, but not there.
She shuffled through the papers until she found the one she was looking for. This home was built in 1893. It should be on the historic homes register.
Agreed.
He took a sip of the tea, savoring how she’d managed to create the level of perfection in the cup. But the last tenants left the property in need of serious repair, and Adam thinks it would be easier to level the home and start over from scratch.
But I love this home. It has so much character.
She pulled out a photo of the exterior and pointed to the details. Look at the masonry on the portico.
Yes, but look at the interior.
He pulled out the photos of the disaster left by the tenants. Gouged floors. Rat droppings. Grime-covered surfaces in the kitchen and bathrooms. Broken moldings and shattered windows. Water stains on the ceiling. We’d have to gut the entire building to make it habitable.
Then that’s what we should do,
she replied in a tone that offered no argument.
But,
he countered,