Snowbound Kisses

By Julia Imari

At the end of the concert tour, Maxwell Matthiews stays behind to nurse his sprained ankle while his bandmates fly to the Caribbean for the holidays. To make matters worse, his flight is cancelled due to a blizzard. Stranded, he yearns for a warm and homey place to recuperate. When a sexy waitress offers him a place to stay, he eagerly accepts—until he learns the house's owner has mistaken him for the prospective husband of her granddaughter. Instead of revealing the truth, Max plays along. But his well-intended plan falls apart when love gets in the way. And submitting has never been so tempting….

Thea Blake has a soft spot for stray dogs and cats. Now her collection has expanded to include a crabby and forlorn musician who's stuck in her city of Boston. As a heartthrob, he's down-to-earth and charming. But it’s his friendliness and need for a helpful friend that wins her over. Her grandma will love him. What an ideal way to solve her problem. All she wants this holiday season is for her grandmother to be happy. It seems like an ideal arrangement—until she falls in love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: PaulJulia Press
• Release date: Dec 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386997184

Book preview

Chapter One

MAXWELL MATTHIEWS SHIFTED in his seat. Through the café’s large window, snow came pelting like wisps of cotton candy. Light and fluffy. The latest news on his phone screen confirmed his hunch. All flights to Los Angeles had been cancelled due to the full fury of the blizzard that would hit New England that evening. He lifted his head toward his personal assistant. Looks like I’m stuck in Boston for several days.

Jensen nodded. Well, the blizzard's a blessing in disguise, actually.

Max ran his fingers through his stiff hair. What do you mean? I don’t want to be holed up in a hotel for a week!

Then come with me. We can stay with my cousin at his apartment in Back Bay. Jensen looked at him. This is my last invitation, Max. No more offer after this.

Max shook his head. The last person I want to be stuck with right now is you, Jensen. So, the answer is no. I want to be alone for a while. The concert drained me.

You need to rest your sprained ankle. Recuperate. Stay away from the limelight for a week. A blizzard would help you do that.

What do you mean 'stay away'? The hotels are jammed with fans and snowbound tourists right now, and I don’t know where to go. I wish someone would hide me somewhere. I wish I’d left yesterday with the band members to the Caribbean. Now it looks like I won't be able to join them this holiday season. Damn this sprained ankle.

I could hide you, a woman's voice interrupted, if that's what you want.

Max and Jensen whipped their heads around to see the owner of the voice. A slim woman in a white shirt, black pants and an apron stood at the side of their booth. She poured more hot coffee into each of their mugs. Her wheat-colored hair was tied in a severe ponytail, held in place by a simple black elastic band. With just gloss on those full and kissable lips, her face was otherwise clean of any makeup. Her vanilla scent crowded his personal space and made him aware of her presence.

Max leaned back. For a waitress, you've used all your senses well, he said, sighing.

Jensen coughed, obviously tried to hide his smirk. My boss hasn't slept for three days. That’s why he’s so crabby. Sorry.

She shrugged a shoulder. I’m trying to help solve his problem. And that wig he’s wearing? She fought back a grin. His moustache on one side is coming undone. She walked away to wait on the next table.

Max stared at the woman’s back before he turned to Jensen. Is she serious? He sat straight and pressed the end of the moustache to his upper lip. The wig and moustache were Jensen’s idea. The itchy sensation in his scalp was unbearable, but so far, the disguise did stop people from staring before their eyes widened as an indication of recognition.

They had skulked away from the hotel, early in the morning and managed to slip inside a café, located behind a back alley off Mass Avenue. That was before the news of the blizzard had been confirmed by the meteorologists.

I don’t think so. She’s annoyed because we’ve been sitting here for hours without ordering anything else.

She's been listening to our whole conversation, then, Max said.

There are only a handful of patrons here. And she’s been walking around to take care of everyone. Of course she heard everything.

I noticed her and another waitress, looking at us since we arrived. They were whispering and giggling.

Jensen laughed. Oh, they're attracted to your costume, of course.

Max grunted as he repositioned his suddenly long hair. Right. She mocked me. I sense she's made a bet with her friend. Let her win the bet. I’m going to say yes to her solution.

Are you insane? Jensen asked. You’ve had enough trouble getting rid of Christina. And now you’re thinking of this?

Why not? He smiled. I’m bored. I don’t know what to do with my time here. Maybe she could plot something to kill my boredom.

Like what? Lure you to agree with her only to have her cut you into pieces like Ted Bundy?

Well, if that’s what it takes….

Matthiews, listen to me. Come with me to Back Bay.

No, Jensen. If I had to see your face for just another hour, I’d poke my eyes out. Go away. Leave me alone.

His assistant sighed and rose. All right. I’ll call her over.

***

THEA BLAKE SLID the coffeepot on the side counter when Sienna called her name in a loud whisper. She turned, and her coworker and friend's pursed lips pointed at someone behind her back. Ahem, she said, jutting her chin forward.

Thea looked over her shoulder and a man stood in front of the cash register. The same man who had sat in front of that weirdo guy with a wig and a sagging moustache. Do you need more coffee? she asked.

My boss wants to talk to you. His name is Max. Max Matthiews. So, if you have time.

She untied the white apron covering her clothing. I don’t have time. Sorry. The weather was getting worse by the minute, and she had to return to her grandma’s house as soon as possible. Before the full force of the blizzard arrived.

Sienna came forward. Oh, she’s done with her shift. She definitely has time. Right, Thea?

She bit her lower lip to signal her friend to stop daring her. They’d had enough fun this shift to make up for the slow day. She and Sienna had been giggling for hours over their made-up stories about everything, including the guy with the wig and fake moustache. She wondered what he looked like without all the fake fur. His eyes were hazel and looked bored, as if he had lost the zest for living. Maybe all he needed was rest. Just like she’d overheard his friend or assistant saying.

But his wig and moustache were the center of her and Sienna's attention. His costume was too late for Halloween, as fright night was over nearly two months ago. And the next big holidays were only a week away.

Great. Max would be delighted. Take my number just in case. He placed his card on the counter and pushed it over to her.

Thea stared at the card and then the man. Wait! She leaned forward. "He