From Holiday to Holiday: A Moment in Time Quartet: A Moment in Time Romance

By Joan Reeves

From Holiday to Holiday, join these friends and families whose lives entwine as Love finds them in A Moment in Time.

 

True love, second chances at love, love at first sight, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, and more. You'll find your favorite themes in these stories. Each story introduces new characters, but the heroes and heroines of previous stories return to sprinkle relationship magic on the new couple—often in the nick of time.

 

Some stories are funny; some serious—some a little sexy, some spicy like a  jalapeño pepper. All are satisfying romance reads created for readers who have only short blocks of time to indulge in a good story. You'll find these the perfect way to spend a lunch hour or an evening relaxing after a busy day.

From Holiday to Holiday is a collection of the first 4 stories in the A Moment in Time Romance Short Story series.
LuvU4Ever (Noelle and David's Christmas Reconnection)
Last Chance New Year (Cheyenne and Luke's New Year's Eve Rendezvous)
Blame It On Chocolate (Chloe and Hunter's funny Valentine)
Liam's Wild Irish Rose (Liam's resolve to win Brenna's heart on St. Patrick's Day.)

Look for other stories in A Moment in Time series by Joan Reeves, NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author—Writing Romance—One Sexy Book at a Time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vita Via Publishing
• Release date: Aug 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393215660

Joan Reeves

Joan Reeves—Keeping Romance Alive…One Sexy Book at a Time—is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. From Romantic Comedy to Romantic Thriller, all of her stories have the same premise: “It’s never too late to live happily ever after.” Joan lives her happily-ever-after with her hero, her husband, in the Lone Star State. They divide their time between a book-cluttered home in Houston and a quiet house at the foot of the Texas Hill Country where they sit on the porch at night, look up at the star-studded sky, and listen to the coyotes howl. Sign up for Joan’s Mailing List and be the first to know about giveaways and new books: http://www.subscribepage.com/z8x3r9.

Book preview

From Holiday to Holiday

A Moment in Time Quartet

Joan Reeves

Vita Via Publishing

Copyright © 2020 by Joan Reeves

All rights reserved.

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be used or reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of Joan Reeves, the copyright owner, with the exception of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are 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. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products that may be referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication and/or use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person with whom you wish to share it. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for honoring the copyright laws and for respecting the author’s work and her livelihood.

Cover Art Copyright © 2020 by Joan Reeves. Photograph, Couple Flirting in Restaurant © LuckyBusiness, BigstockPhoto.com.

LuvU4Ever Copyright © 2014 Joan Reeves

Last Chance New Year Copyright © 2017 Joan Reeves

Blame It On Chocolate Copyright © 2017 Joan Reeves

Liam’s Wild Irish Rose Copyright © 2020 Joan Reeves

Ebook ISBN: 9781393215660

Preview

FROM HOLIDAY TO HOLIDAY: A Moment in Time Quartet is a collection of the first four romance short stories in the A MOMENT IN TIME series.

I began writing these stories a few years ago with a short story I wrote about a couple who were skating on thin ice with divorce looming in their future. The story was based on friends who had made the decision to break up their marriage. I wanted them to work things out and stay together, but I couldn’t make that happen in real life. In fiction though, I could write a story and make an imaginary couple find a way to heal their relationship. That story became LuvU4Ever.

The story proved to be very popular so I decided to revisit David and Noelle, the fictional couple of LuvU4Ever, a year after their near breakup. In Last Chance New Year, David and Noelle play matchmaker for their friends, Cheyenne and Luke.

Blame It On Chocolate grew out of the friendships in those first two stories which were set at Christmas and New Year’s Eve respectively. It seemed natural to make the third story set at Valentine’s with Chloe and Hunter as the stars.

A month later, St. Patrick’s Day rolled around, and more friends—Liam and Maura—came to life in Liam’s Wild Irish Rose.

The series grows when a holiday inspires me. Now, I'm creating collections containing three to five stories—whatever length makes for a short novel. I love these characters entwined by friendship and family. Each new story shines a spotlight on a new couple and brings back the other couples who’ve fallen in love and committed to each other.

Some stories are mildly sexy; some are rather steamy. Some stories are serious, and some are humorous. All are satisfying romances with a definite beginning and a definite ending. All are designed to provide a great reading experience in a short period of time—just right for the busy lives everyone leads in today’s world.

A Moment in Time is all that is needed for Love to be revealed.

Praise for A Moment in Time Romance Series

I love a good short story with a beginning, middle and strong ending and ‘LuvU4Ever’ delivers with no cliffhangers to cheat the reader. LuvU4Ever is one short story I would recommend to all lovers of romance! —Jane Jones Reviews

Even in a short story [Last Chance New Year], Joan Reeves sucks you right in, making you care about the characters and cheer for them as they find their way to each other. A quick read, sizzling and satisfying. —Sue Reviews

This is a delightful little story [Blame It On Chocolate] that can be read easily in one afternoon. Cute, short, and funny little story that’ll warm your heart and make you giggle. —Constance Bretes Review

Joan Reeves gives us another delightful read with Liam’s Wild Irish Rose. Her short piece gives us a delightful glimpse inside the challenging love between Liam and Maura. A perfect read for an escape from the day to day in a short piece, timed just right. —Loretta Wheeler Review

Sign Up for Joan's Free Newsletter

I love reading, and I bet you do too. Of course, my favorite type of book to read is something romantic.

Sign up for my Free Newsletter to get exclusive content for readers and information about my new releases, free books, and bargains!

I promise your email address will never be shared.

Contents

1. Luv U 4 Ever

2. LuvU4Ever Dedication

3. LuvU4Ever 1

4. LuvU4Ever 2

5. LuvU4Ever 3

6. LuvU4Ever 4

7. LuvU4Ever 5

8. LuvU4Ever Epilogue

9. Last Chance New Year

10. Last Chance New Year Dedication

11. Last Chance New Year 1

12. Last Chance New Year 2

13. Last Chance New Year 3

14. Last Chance New Year 4

15. Last Chance New Year 5

16. Last Chance New Year 6

17. Blame It On Chocoate

18. Blame It On Chocolate Dedication

19. Blame It On Chocolate 1

20. Blame It On Chocolate 2

21. Blame It On Chocolate 3

22. Blame It On Chocolate 4

23. Blame It On Chocolate 5

24. Blame It On Chocolate Epilogue

25. Liam's Wild Irish Rose

26. Liam’s Wild Irish Rose Dedication

27. Liam's Wild Irish Rose 1

28. Liam's Wild Irish Rose 2

29. Liam's Wild Irish Rose 3

30. Liam's Wild Irish Rose 4

31. Liam's Wild Irish Rose 5

32. Liam's Wild Irish Rose Epilogue

A Note from Joan Reeves

Sassy, Sexy, Sizzling Romance by Joan Reeves

Contact Joan

Luv U 4 Ever

LuvU4Ever Copyright © 2014 Joan Reeves

STARRING

Noelle Franklin Morales, a woman who’s come undone.

David Morales, the man who promised to love her forever.

Once, life had been a bowl of cherries. Now the cherries are gone, and her life is in the pits.

image-placeholder

She pressed her forehead to the cold window glass and stared at the snowflakes drifting past the hotel window. By the time she left this room, her marriage would be over. Her life would be over because she couldn’t imagine living without David. Yet, she couldn’t imagine staying with him either. Not since nine little words had destroyed her world.

I told you to never call me at home.

So what was she going to do? Leave him? Stay and grow embittered? Sorrow changed to anger. Maybe she should teach him how it felt to be betrayed.

By the time David walked through the door, expecting to find his girlfriend in the hotel room, Noelle hoped she’d know what to do.

LuvU4Ever Dedication

LuvU4Ever is dedicated to Elaine Raco Chase, the first real author I met who became a lifelong friend.

As always, this book is dedicated to my hero, my husband Larry. I LuvU4Ever.

LuvU4Ever 1

Tonight was the night. David Morales wished he had a magic wand so he could wave it and make everyone at his company’s Christmas party immediately decide to go home. Unfortunately, he didn’t possess anything mystical so he was stuck until midnight. As the owner of the company, he must play host, shake hands, and chat with his employees and their families until the party was over. Normally, he enjoyed the annual party, but tonight…well, tonight, he wanted to be up on the twentieth floor, in the same room he’d reserved every year since he’d started his company, and it had become successful enough to make the expense easy to bear.

As he listened with half an ear to what Luke Harper was saying, he tried to keep his focus on the man who had been with the company for six months. Luke was part of David’s expansion plans. At the moment, Harper was saying something about a Canadian energy investment fund. David couldn’t focus on investment funds though. His thoughts were on the woman waiting upstairs for him. He hadn’t been sure she’d show up. He’d hoped she would. Hoped desperately that his luck would change, but he’d been reluctant to count on it. Maybe he’d get lucky tonight. Just the thought of that made his pulse speed up. A smile chased away his gloom. Nothing like great sex with a hot babe to look forward to.

You sure look happy, Luke said. You must really like Christmas parties.

What’s not to like? Eggnog, a deejay playing the best rock and roll Christmas songs, and the smell of evergreens all over the place not to mention the aroma of great food wafting through the air.

David could have told Luke he was beyond happy because of the text he’d received from the concierge mere moments ago. The woman David planned to seduce had picked up a keycard to the room. For the first time in weeks, the knot of anxiety in his gut eased. He kept smiling, so relieved that the night would work out as he’d hoped. Her presence meant he absolutely was going to get lucky tonight, he reassured himself. He patted his coat pocket and felt the outline of the velvet box he’d picked up earlier today. He’d give that to her. Afterwards. First, he was going to get her right where he wanted her. In bed, beneath him. Or on top of him. Whatever she wanted. He was easy.

You look like a cat who swallowed a flock of canaries.

David clapped his brother on the shoulder and grinned. Brian, I didn’t think you were going to make it this time.

His brother inserted himself between David and Luke Harper. What, and miss an open bar and those miniature tamales Zander Rojas always brings to the events he caters? What’s this about canaries? Please tell me Zander doesn’t put little birds in his tamales.

I’m pretty sure he doesn’t. In any event, I haven’t seen any yellow feathers. David laughed at the idea. That would be too exotic even for Zander and his fusions.

Brian looked around the crowded room then leaned close to David. In a lower voice, he asked, Where’s your wife? I haven’t seen Noelle since I arrived. You two still at odds?

David’s smile faded. He frowned and gave a slight nod in Luke’s direction, now wanting to talk about this in front of Luke even though he’d known Luke and his brother Liam since college.

Ah. Brian nodded, seeming to understand David’s hesitation. He turned toward Luke. Say, Luke, now that you’ve been back in Houston for six months, how does it feel?

Harper shrugged. Like home.

Brian’s expression grew serious. I heard about your dad. How’s he doing?

"He’s finished chemo, and the doctors seem optimistic. He’s been reading this book, How to Starve Cancer. He told me he wished he’d read it before he started conventional treatment."

I’ve heard of that book, Brian said. In fact, I’ve heard of it a lot. Written by an English woman, right?

Harper nodded. I’ve read it, and it seems to explain a lot of things about the insidious nature of cancer.

I hope your dad continues to do well.

Thanks. Luke’s gaze swept the crowded room. David heard him sigh softly and wondered why he sounded so…disappointed. He saw Luke shrug and look back at Brian. I heard about the derivative trader in your company who lost a bundle last week. Was he a friend?

Brian gave a short laugh. Bad news gets around, doesn’t it?

They continued talking, and David’s attention wandered. He was glad his decision to hire Luke had worked out. He’d been a hotshot Wall Street trader who’d made a ton of money and all that brought with it—fame in financial circles, seats at the best restaurants, and women. He could have been as homely as a toad, and women would still have gravitated toward him. Men with money always seemed to attract women. That’s one reason he’d stuck Luke with Cheyenne Smith. After all, any woman who wanted to be called C. D. rather than by her rather fanciful given name of Cheyenne wasn’t the kind of woman to go crazy over any man. She was sober and sensible and would make sure Harper walked the strait and narrow. Not that David actually had expected any problems—Luke was a good guy. But it never hurt to be prepared for every contingency.

Things had worked out great. Luke and Cheyenne had clicked immediately. Now that he had Luke on board, David hoped to lure Liam, the younger Harper brother, to the company as soon as Liam finished his business degree. He particularly wanted Liam, an army veteran, to join the firm so they could do their best for the men and women who’d served in the military.

Pleased that things were finally working out according to his plans, his thoughts turned again to the woman who waited for him upstairs.

Why was he down here when he wanted to be up on the twentieth floor with her? Why indeed? He wouldn’t—couldn’t—wait any longer and put his exit plan in motion. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to circulate.