Holidays Are Where Your Heart Is

By Bru Baker

Jared’s been all over the world as a traveling manny with Holiday Helpers, and the itch to put down roots is is starting to eclipse his wanderlust—especially since his current family is a handful. 

After culinary school, Wes did some wandering of his own, exploring Central America before settling as a resort chef in his mother’s homeland of Costa Rica, a place he loves and plans to stay. If he’s learned one thing, it’s to be wary of flings with vacationers. Still, he can’t stand to watch two little Swiss kids lose their belief in Saint Nicholas, so he’ll lend a hand to the manny assisting the family. It won’t be easy to recreate a traditional European Christmas in a tropical paradise. 

Between a snowball fight on a sunny beach and sledding down an active volcano, Jared and Wes discover some renewed holiday magic of their own. Can they make it last a lifetime?

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: Dec 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781644050620

Bru Baker

Bru Baker a eu un avant-goût de la vie comme écrivain à l’âge de quatre ans, quand elle a commencé à publier un journal hebdomadaire pour sa famille. Ce qu’ils appelaient de la curiosité, elle l’appelait avoir du nez pour les informations, et personne n’a été surpris quand elle s’est retrouvée avec des diplômes en journalisme et en science politique, et a commencé une carrière dans le journalisme. Bru a passé plus d’une décennie à écrire pour les journaux avant de sauter le pas vers la fiction. Elle travaille désormais comme référence et conseillère des lecteurs dans une bibliothèque du Midwest, bien qu’elle trouve toujours ça difficile de croire que quelqu’un soit prêt à la payer pour parler de livres toute la journée. Souvent, le soir, on peut la trouver pelotonnée avec un livre ou son ordinateur portable. Que ce soit pour créer ses propres personnages ou immergée avec ceux de quelqu’un d’autre, on ne peut nier que Bru est plus heureuse quand elle est captivée par une histoire. Son mari et elle ont deux enfants, ce qui signifie que nombre de ses livres sont écrits sur la touche de différents entraînements sportifs.

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Table of Contents

Blurb

Chapter One: November 20

Chapter Two: November 30

Chapter Three: December 1

Chapter Four: December 4

Chapter Five: December 6

About the Author

By Bru Baker

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Holidays Are Where Your Heart Is

By Bru Baker

Jared’s been all over the world as a traveling manny with Holiday Helpers, and the itch to put down roots is starting to eclipse his wanderlust—especially since his current family is a handful.

After culinary school, Wes did some wandering of his own, exploring Central America before settling as a resort chef in his mother’s homeland of Costa Rica, a place he loves and where he plans to stay. If he’s learned one thing, it’s to be wary of flings with vacationers. Still, he can’t stand to watch two little Swiss kids lose their belief in Saint Nicholas, so he’ll lend a hand to the manny assisting the family. It won’t be easy to recreate a traditional European Christmas in a tropical paradise.

Between a snowball fight on a sunny beach and sledding down an active volcano, Jared and Wes discover some renewed holiday magic of their own. Can they make it last a lifetime?

Chapter One: November 20

JARED HAD never lost a kid before.

He’d been with Holiday Helpers for four years. That was dozens of trips. Close to a hundred, even. And this was the first time one of his charges had escaped.

Jared took a deep breath and looked around the terminal. Lukas was seven. It wasn’t like he was going to go out and hail a cab. He had to be in the airport somewhere. Jared just had to find him. Thank God the Zurich airport was a manageable size. He’d be crying actual tears if they were at LAX or Charles de Gaulle.

He had Lia’s hand wrapped firmly in his because he’d lost one twin, and he wasn’t about to lose the other. Their parents had flown ahead to Costa Rica three days ago, but Lukas and Lia wanted to finish out the week at school before their month-long holiday, so Jared had been tasked with escorting them.

It wasn’t like Jared hadn’t flown alone with kids before. He had. But he’d never had a kid who was as reluctant to leave as Lukas was.

He doesn’t want to go, Lia whispered as Jared dragged her through the mass of people lining up to board.

Lukas had been quiet and withdrawn the entire week Jared had been with them. Mr. and Mrs. Bischof hadn’t seemed concerned, but their housekeeper, Henney, said it was unusual. What kid would be upset about heading to paradise for a month?

He doesn’t have a choice, Jared said, his frustration boiling over. He was just about to ask a gate agent to call security when he spotted Lukas’s blond head behind a potted plant.

He and Lia hurried over. Lukas was sitting with his head buried against his knees. Relief washed over Jared—his lost-child score was still zero.

We’re boarding in a few minutes, Jared said, keeping his voice level. We talked about the rules, but maybe we need to go over them again. You and Lia need to always be in my sight, especially in the airports. We don’t want anyone getting lost.

Lukas scowled at him but stood and submitted to the humiliation of having his hand held. Jared led both kids back to their gate. Another family had offered to watch their bags when Lukas had darted off, and luckily everything was still there.

Jared sank down into his chair with Lukas and Lia on either side of him. They had almost twenty hours of travel in front of them. Fortunately Lukas couldn’t run away on the plane.

Reluctant flier? the mom next to Lia asked.

Jared flushed with embarrassment. I don’t know. I’m the holiday nanny. I’ve never flown with them before.

The woman recoiled a bit, as most parents did when they found out he wasn’t his charges’ father. Their parents aren’t here?

Lia shot her a dirty look and said something in German that made the woman gape at her.

He was lucky