A Sutter's Bay Christmas
By Shawn Lane
()
About this ebook
Edward Cross came back to Sutter’s Bay a few years back after a relationship grew abusive. A fire at the salon where he worked sends him to Mabry’s restaurant with a chance to begin again. There he runs into Jim, who just happens to be a former lover from LA.
Both men are seeking another chance at life, and maybe with each other. Can they reconnect over the Christmas holidays?
Shawn Lane
Shawn Lane is a multi-published author of gay romance. She lives and works in Southern California. She has been published by Loose Id, Amber Quill Press, Evernight Publishing, MLR Press, JMS Books, and Ellora’s Cave. For more information, visit smlgr8.blogspot.com.
Read more from Shawn Lane
Gratefully His Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Just His Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsImpossibly His Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Best Gift Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Becoming His Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Devotedly His Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Pieces Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finally His Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnother Chance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Admiring Jesse Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hitting It Big Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Knight for All Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hopefully His Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStill the One Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAccidentally His Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Manfred's Curse Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOnly in His Dreams Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Squire Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Jake's Regret Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pulling Away Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sweet Reunion Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Thankful Heart Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to A Sutter's Bay Christmas
Titles in the series (2)
Sweet Reunion Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Sutter's Bay Christmas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related ebooks
Can't Buy His Love Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRacing Hearts... Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDecember Promise Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Choosing Home Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEyes and Ears Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Other Half Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFall into My Kiss Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRocking Cedarwood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSurrendered Victory Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrial Runs: Revolutionary Heart, #2.5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlways Have, Always Will Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Out For The Holidays Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Thankful Heart Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPride Before the Fall Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSilver Fox in Cedarwood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHitting It Big Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMilner & Dunn: From Sea and Sand (Paranormal Gay Romance) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDoc Cedarwood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSaving Shane (Paranormal Gay Romance) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSecond Chances in Cedarwood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHis Baby (Gay Romance) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHe's So Heavy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCatching Fireflies: Southern Cross, #5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPoseidon's Pleasure: Southern Cross, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRipples in Cedarwood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCrumbs Together Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVery Late Blooming Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Once and Floral Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRawley's Redemption Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Taking Chances in Cedarwood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
LGBTQIA+ Romance For You
Wheels Up Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Purple Panties: An Eroticanoir.com Anthology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Love and Pleasure: A Steamy Lesbian Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Worth the Wait Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bossy: An Erotic Workplace Diary Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Swap Tales: Substitute Girlfriend Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Visitor: a Friendly MMF Ménage Tale Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coming Out: 14 Erotica Closet Gay Bundle Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Love Triangle - Lesbian FFF Menage Romance Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Three for Three: Friendly MMF Menage Tales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Teacher's Pet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Magpie Lord: A Charm of Magpies, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Governor Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Orgy: A Short Story About Desire Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Second Chance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Him: Him, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Only One Who Knows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Backwoods Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Reality of Us Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: by Taylor Jenkins Reik - A Comprehensive Summary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYou Make It Look Good Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coffee Boy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Thieving Threesome Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Finally Found: A Lesbian Friends to Lovers Short Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Broken Blade Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Blood of the Pack Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Greatest Risk Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maurice Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Epic: Him, #3 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Us: Him, #2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for A Sutter's Bay Christmas
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
A Sutter's Bay Christmas - Shawn Lane
8
Chapter 1
Christmas carols played on the radio as Jim Reynolds made his way up the coast of California to his ultimate destination, Sutter’s Bay.
Everything was changing in his life now. Well, scratch that. It had been changing for a while, thus the unexpected move to Sutter’s Bay.
Picking up everything—not that Jim had much, at this point—and leaving Los Angeles to move to a much smaller town off the coast, well, it wasn’t easy.
Jim loved the coast. That wasn’t it. And in fact, really liked what he knew about Sutter’s Bay. But it made everything so final. The divorce. The custody battle.
So here he was, early December and starting all over again at thirty.
In the back seat, tucked behind the passenger side, was a cat carrier that, of course, contained a cat. His cat. At least he’d maintained custody of Butters. He’d adopted the orange tabby the year before he married Mavis. Butters was five now, which reminded Jim that his marriage to Mavis had lasted only four years.
He hadn’t fought her on custody of their baby daughter, Hope, though. Jim was of the opinion that little girls needed their mothers, and at this point, with Hope being only three months old, she didn’t even really know Jim. Not much. They’d begun the divorce proceedings while Mavis had been pregnant. And everything was amicable.
Of course, it hurt that he wouldn’t get to see Hope’s first Christmas, but there would likely be lots of Christmases ahead, and maybe he’d even get to participate in some.
His cell rang, connected to his car, and he pressed the little symbol on it. Hi, Mavis.
Have you made it there yet?
He snorted a laugh. I’m not flying, I’m driving.
How much longer have you got?
Two hours, I think.
And it was good that they still got along since Jim didn’t want any hard feelings between them. It hadn’t worked out between them romantically, but they could stay friends.
You must have left later than I thought.
A little, yeah. Getting things done. Butters ready. Lots to pack.
He smiled at Hope’s gurgling in the background.
You could have stayed through Christmas, you know,
Mavis said. Abby and I wouldn’t have minded.
Abby. Yes. Mavis had met Abby at work and they’d become fast friends…then something more. He had to hand it to Mavis, though; she’d come clean to him right away. The thing was, he and Mavis had one major trait in common—they were both bisexual.
He was happy for them.
Yeah, I know. But with the job starting in January, right after the holidays, I wanted to get settled in.
But you’ll be alone for Christmas.
Not really. I have friends in Sutter’s Bay. That’s why I decided to move there in the first place, remember?
In fact, his friend, Jason Sweet, a former LAPD officer, was now police chief in Sutter’s Bay. He lived there with his husband, Danny. It was talking with Jason, actually, that got Jim thinking about moving to Sutter’s Bay. Jim was an attorney, and Jason had mentioned how a law firm had a position opening up the first week of January. Jim had interviewed for it and fortunately received the job offer.
Well, friends are not family,
Mavis said doubtfully.
And neither are you now, Jim thought, but he didn’t say it out loud.
It’s fine. I’m fine, Mavis.
Jim had grown up in a fairly large family, but over the years, they’d all gone their separate ways, and they never did family things anymore. He’d thought his family would be Mavis and any children they had. But no.
Are those Christmas songs I hear in the background?
Sure are. Radio station plays them non-stop. I think they start even before Thanksgiving.
Enjoy, then. You’ll call me when you get there?
Yes, Mavis.
He hit DISCONNECT and shook his head. He had divorced friends where everything between them became a screaming match. He was grateful it wasn’t like that with Mavis.
Feeling hungry, Jim got off at the next exit when he saw restaurants and gas stations.
He’d left Southern California at ten that morning. Originally he had hoped to be on the road at eight, but he didn’t have to be anywhere at any specific time. He would be renting Jason’s mother’s old house as his friend now lived with his husband in Danny’s home. Their home now. Jason had even mailed Jim the keys to the place since, this particular weekend, he and Danny