The Innkeeper's Wife: Timeless Nativity Series, #1

By Savannah Jezowski

On the edge of a secluded forest, the Timeless Bed and Breakfast greets its guests with promises of home-cooked meals, warm fires, and great service. Caleb and Ginny put everything they into their little inn, keeping their own pains hidden from their guests. But when a poor young couple gets stranded at their inn on Christmas Eve in the middle of a blizzard, Ginny knows they can't turn them away, even though they are completely booked for the holiday. However, letting them stay will push her strength to the limits and churn the deep wells of sadness inside her.

This heart-warming but wrenching novelette explores the events of the Nativity story, while simultaneously delving deep into the painful world of infertility.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Savannah Jezowski
• Release date: Dec 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781519942852

Savannah Jezowski

Savannah Jezowski lives in Amish country with her Knight in Shining Armor and a wee warrior princess. Her debut novella Wither is featured in Five Enchanted Roses, an anthology of Beauty and the Beast, and is a prequel to The Neverway Chronicles, a Christian fantasy series filled with tragic heroes and the living dead. She is also the author of When Ravens Fall, a Norse fairy tale retelling featuring Tosk the squirrel. She is also a featured author in several Fellowship of Fantasy anthologies, including Mythical Doorways, Tales of Ever After, and Paws, Claws, and Magic Tales (Coming October 2018). When she isn’t writing, Savannah likes to read books, watch BBC miniseries, and play with cover designs. All of her books are available on Amazon.   Well of Fate is a short story in the When Ravens Fall series. While it is a stand-alone tale, it does refer to some events that took place in the first book and also hints at tales to come involving Astrid, the raven brothers, and even Loki.

Book preview

The Innkeeper’s Wife

By Savannah Jezowski

The Innkeeper’s Wife

Copyright © 2018 by: Savannah Jezowski

Written by: Savannah Jezowski

Book Cover Design by: Savannah Jezowski of Dragonpenpress.com

Cover Photo: Deposit Photos

Proofreading by Selina Eckert of sjeckert.wordpress.com

This book is a work of fiction. All incidents and dialogue and all characters, with the exception of certain well known historical and public places and figures, are the products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. In all other respects, any resemblance to any persons alive or dead is purely coincidental.

All Rights Reserved. This book may not be copied, reproduced, transmitted, or stored by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the written consent of the author, except in cases of brief quotations in critical articles, news articles, and reviews.

Printed and Published in the United States of America.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Epilogue

Note from the Author

Acknowledgments

Thanks

Also Available by Savannah Jezowski

About the Author

For Nicole K. and Annie P.

Chapter One

Snow drifted from the sky, heavy snowflakes that gathered quickly on the frozen ground already sporting the remnants of a previous snowfall. Ginny Latham stood behind the service desk within the safety of Timeless Bed and Breakfast’s lobby and squinted into the gathering darkness.

The snow had been getting increasingly worse as the day progressed. They’d already received at least eight or nine inches, and projections indicated the accumulation would continue throughout the night and through Christmas, growing worse before the blizzard broke.

Talk about a White Christmas.

Ginny’s mouth turned down into a frown. Of course, it meant more work for her. With all of the guests stranded due to inclement weather, she’d be struggling to entertain them until they could resume their planned holiday activities...and there were a lot of folks to entertain. Because it was Christmas Eve, the B&B was completely booked. Timeless did well throughout the year, but especially well on holidays. City folks seemed to like the secluded setting in the woods surrounding Houghton Lake, Michigan.

Ginny had liked vacationing here too until her husband got the bright idea to go into the hotel business, emptied their investment portfolio, and bought this run-down mansion in the middle of nowhere. Now she labored away so other people could enjoy their vacations.

She slammed her scheduling book closed with an annoyed huff. They hadn’t been on a vacation in three years. Not that it mattered. They didn’t have any kids to worry about, and she was a big girl and didn’t need pampering.

The lie stabbed deep, stirring up that perpetual ache in the pit of her stomach.

Footsteps clomped down the hall from the kitchen before Caleb’s dark auburn curls and broad shoulders appeared. He ripped off his gloves and blew on his fingers as he approached the counter. He was pushing six feet and just a little on the plump side, although no one but Ginny had probably noticed his slow weight gain over the past couple of years. She’d even been finding some gray in his dark hair. Middle age was catching up to them.

To the both of them.

Her hand trembled slightly before she pressed her palm flat against the countertop.

Caleb shrugged out of his overcoat and ruffled his curls to dislodge snow all over her hardwood floors. Brr! It’s brutal out there! he announced, casting her a smile. His cheeks were bright red, breath coming in heavy gasps from his workout. Guess all the boys and girls are going to get their White Christmas this year.

Ginny’s mouth pulled down even farther