Home in a Snowstorm

By Ava Kelly

Daniel Wu is an elementary school teacher with a big heart and a collection of snow globes to match his travels. The small town he has settled in, however, feels like it could be home. All that's missing is someone special and a family to call his own.

Resigned to spending the holidays alone, Daniel finishes work on the last day of school, only to stumble upon one his students, Abby Weber, who needs a ride home. Jeffrey Weber, single father and recent owner of a cast on his broken leg, needs quite a bit of help around the house when Daniel drops Abby off. Christmas Eve is around the corner, so Daniel can't let the two fend for themselves. What he doesn't expect, however, is the snowstorm that strands him in their remote home in the forest. But is this misfortune, or could it be a wish come true?

• Language: English
• Publisher: NineStar Press, LLC
• Release date: Dec 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781947904507

Ava Kelly

Ava Kelly is an engineer with a deep passion for stories. Whether reading, watching, or writing them, Ava has always been surrounded by tales of all genres. Their goal is to bring more stories to life, especially those of friendship, compassion, understanding, and comfort.

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A NineStar Press Publication

Published by NineStar Press

P.O. Box 91792,

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87199 USA.

www.ninestarpress.com

Home in a Snowstorm

Copyright © 2017 by Ava Kelly

Cover Art by Natasha Snow Copyright © 2017

Edited by: Elizabetta

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact NineStar Press at the physical or web addresses above or at [e-mail]

ISBN: 978-1-947904-50-7

Printed in the USA

First Edition

December, 2017

Home in a Snowstorm

Ava Kelly

Table of Contents

Dedication

Home in a Snowstorm

About the Author

To Henry, Minerva, and Tessa

THE FIRST THING Daniel noticed after he turned off his laptop was the silence. Somehow, the last school day before vacation was always quieter. It was almost as if the final bell allowed for a well-deserved pause to the building itself. After a semester of new kids, Daniel needed the following two weeks to be as slow-paced as possible. First graders were always a handful when they started school, relentless balls of energy, with a vitality that seemed to increase in intensity the closer it got to the holidays.

Now, though, there was this blissful silence. Daniel leaned back in his chair with a stretch that made his spine crack at the release of tension. He loved his job. Adored the children. Enjoyed teaching them and seeing their eyes widen with wonder at the novelty of the world. But just like anyone else, he needed a break once in a while. The winter holidays were thus the perfect opportunity to savor time off, shed the stress, and replenish his forces for the new year.

When he was little, his adoptive parents had delighted in each moment of Christmas as, year after year, more and more traditions honoring his Chinese heritage were included. They had learned them together until the holidays stretched from December to February in a flurry of red, green, and gold. Between chocolate chip cookies and dumplings, from decorating the Christmas trees to Reunion Dinners, their holidays celebrated a blend of cultures. A smile formed on Daniel’s lips at the memory of Mom