Newfane

By Renee Lee Fisher

Plan your perfect winter escape...and take a chance on love.

Catrina
Newfane, Vermont...a charming town, not exactly a tourist hot spot. Yet I’m willing to check out the nearby ski resort there if it means I can pass along a recommendation to my travel clients. Not to mention, my friend Gwen is insisting I visit and forcing me on a blind date. When that gets botched up beyond repair, I’m ready to grab my skis and schuss my way out of Newfane. Unfortunately, a blizzard reroutes my plans and has me slaloming straight for the bar...and the new sexy man slinging drinks.

Chance
It wasn’t unusual for Trey Mills, my co-worker, to swipe my dates. The notorious ladies’ man couldn’t help himself. This time, however, it bothered me. There was something about Catrina...her zest for life, paired with a dazzling smile, that made her hot enough to melt the snow from the mountain’s whitecap. She’s ready to leave and never look back, that much is obvious. But I’m taking advantage of the white-out and finding a way to convince her to stay.

From USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, Renee Lee Fisher comes a snowbound romance sure to warm up a chilly night!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Renee Lee Fisher
• Release date: Feb 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005540982

Renee Lee Fisher

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Renee Lee Fisher has the passion to put the pen to the paper and WRITE/CREATE. She is truly a romance junkie who loves to tell stories. She has written a variety of romantic works from novellas to novels. Her belief is that everyone should Indulge in LOVE.The first four of The Heartbeat Series of six planned Romance Novels. ROCK NOTES, LOVE NOTES, MUSIC NOTES, FIRST BEAT are completed and available. FIRST BASS and FIRST TASTE are yet to come.The Crossing Series (The Knot Hole, The Passage and The Muse) will take you on an endearing time travel romance from present day to centuries past.If you love a Suspense Romance - read Derailed. It is a sweet suspense that stands alone.Looking ahead, there will be many more romantic scenarios to come.Renee resides in Eagleville, PA with her loving husband Michael of many years and her cats Leo and Lincoln. She love to travel often and engage in meeting new people who provide her with future inspiration for stories.

Book preview

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Chapter One

The Initial Getaway

When you felt stuck in your life, sometimes you needed to slip away to the mountains to snowboard down the slippery, snow-packed slopes with not a care in the world. Let the cold air push passed you while you were in motion. This was where Catrina needed to go and getaway now. Her current lifestyle was uneventful, and she needed a different scenery than looking out her apartment window at the sleet that fell and then turned to rain, or at the adjacent brick façade on which she had counted the entire amount of the bricks. Boring!

Life previously wasn’t uninteresting for Catrina Wynter’s as she had a wonderful roommate, Gwen Solomon, from her college days. That was until Gwen took a job at the ski resort working in the posh slope-side hotel. It had perks. Not only could Gwen ski when she had time off, but she also received a great discount on the room rates. During their early years of college, Catrina and Gwen often teased their last names made reference to the cold ski season. They both learned to ski in high school, only Catrina ventured over to learning snowboarding. Cutting the snow on the edge of one board that she was clicked into was her way of riding the mountain. In Catrina’s apartment there was a photo of the last time she and Gwen got together. Gwen’s short, dark brown hair and light green eyes were a contrast to Catrina’s long, blonde locks and brown eyes. Both, though, had beautiful smiles that were captured in the photograph. They were dressed up in short length dresses although they’d had nowhere to go. Often, they amused themselves because without either having a steady boyfriend they could still enjoy themselves, dressing up and heading to have a fine dinner or to a club or a mini, girls-only vacation. Catrina glanced toward the picture and knew she missed her friend and especially the snow.

"Catrina, come up here! The snow is falling, and it means a weekend of awesome boarding for you and skiing for me. Stay as long as you can get time off from work. You are always welcome. I can get you the friends and family rate, and a nice hotel room with an incredible view.

"Please come visit! You cannot have that much going on to keep you there in Yardley, Pennsylvania when the slopes up your way have not even a dusting on them. Besides, they aren’t slopes, they are hills near you.

Look at this. Look very closely at the texts I’m sending you right now. Gwen attached photo after photo of the snow piling high. Gwen was leading her to agreeing to come, it was like offering a hungry horse a carrot … tempting.

While sleet was just turning to a damp rain for Catrina, the white inches were predicted to be eighteen or more in the northeast. If she decided to go, she would be getting there in six hours and could hit the slopes for the next several days. Her work allowed her the opportunity to work from home a few days so this weekend would include them.

Catrina put down her phone. "Gwen, I’m packing now. You were relentless and your persistence is bringing me there. I know we will have a great time. Oh, and yes, nothing is keeping me here."

Awesome, girlfriend. I will see you soon. Catrina could tell by the tone of her voice that Gwen was thrilled her pitch to get Catrina to visit was successful.

These girlfriends shared a lot of time together. Luckily, they never liked the same man, which was a good thing as their relationship was tight in caring for one another. Although Catrina wanted to travel, she was always helping others get away in her career as a travel agent.

After hanging up the phone, it was her time to get away and north bound. A smile lifted her lips as it was a hobby in the winter months of snowboarding that fulfilled her now, not a man. No man had come into her life lately, and she got accustomed to the idea that she would do fine by herself. Opening her heart to another was just too involved.

She texted her boss that she was heading north for her next few, already-scheduled days off, but if he needed her to reach out. If she kept her focus on work, she might make manager at the agency in time. That would reward her with a vacation of choice.

No need to pack anything sexy or slightly dressy. Sweaters, her favorite hat, warm socks that didn’t even have to match, and thermals—that was what the necessities were. Oh, and the obvious … her snowboard, boots, and gloves.

Her phone rung, interrupting her as she packed her last few items. She hoped it was not a change of plans from Gwen. She was certain her friend secured her a nice, slope-side room.

Catrina tensed up; it was her boss. He would probably need her for something at the office that would surely ruin her time off, especially now. She frowned at her phone, pouting immediately. Hello.

Catrina, it’s Landis. I will get directly to the point. About your next few days off … I was thinking you should just extend it.

Oh no! That sounded to her like find another job. This couldn’t be. She froze and had no immediate comment. She needed to pay her rent, have money for the perks of snowboarding, and for buying her own drinks while out anyplace as she had no boyfriend since a brief college romance. She needed to keep her job; it was her lifeline. While she was living comfortably, she had to keep employment to continue to do so.

She heard Landis clear his voice. Catrina waited for him to state it more clearly, detailing why he had phoned.

Let me rephrase that … I mean travel to some of the ski resorts. Look around at their amenities, take a spa, a drink at the bar. Do a thorough list of what we can sell to our winter clientele for getting away. You know I am always seeking a better angle for my company here at Perfect Vacations. I am sure you can easily add sometime up there and bring me back lots to share. Don’t rush this, you are getting paid to seek out little finds that are memorable to vacationers. As long as you have your laptop, you can keep me updated.

Clearing her head to rehear what Landis just laid on her, she now smiled at the phone and offered, Landis, I got this. I will bring back lots of details and package information we can offer.

Go, Catrina, and try to have some fun along the way. In fact, stay several weeks if that is the amount of time required. Yes, I said weeks. There are a lot of resorts and restaurants to cover up north.

Catrina knew that in Vermont there was the Mount Snow area where she would stay, but she could also easily venture to Stratton, Okemo, Killington, and Bromley. She would definitely cover her bases with the boss.

As soon as she hung up, she raised her fists in the air that she just scored a getaway and working remotely. Catrina knew she certainly would have fun by herself or with Gwen. No romance was in the plan. Landis knew she was without a boyfriend. He had tried to set her up with a friend previously but it didn’t work. Landis was a catch, but had already been caught. He had a long-term relationship that appeared strong. Catrina was glad he found a good girlfriend. He was a great boss—respectful, kind, and he always looked out for his team of workers. She hoped she would be more than that … certainly not in a romantic sense, but in moving up the ladder in the office of responsibilities and titles. She sought to have ‘Catrina Wynter’s, Travel Manager’ on her desk plate one day soon.

For now, she shook the snow globe that was on her shelf in her bedroom, allowing that to be an indoor snowfall at the moment. It was a winter scene in the glass bubble from Vermont, a long-time gift she treasured from Gwen when she first moved there. When she gifted Catrina the present, she said, We will always be close, just few flakes away.

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Chapter Two

The Conversations

Once Catrina arrived in Vermont there appeared to be another agenda that Gwen was focusing all her attention on. Yes, it was Catrina, her friend, and seeing her in person, but also more. Gwen was matchmaking. She had it in her head that she knew the perfect guy for Catrina and already had reached out to him and discussed her friend. Planning for this couple to meet was Gwen’s main focus, even if it meant pausing from the busy workload on her desk at the mountain resort. Like the fallen snow, she hoped to have Catrina fall for Chance.

"I have the absolute best girl in mind for you! She is in our town so you must meet her. In fact, I think it would be the best thing since hot chocolate or newly fallen snow," Gwen exclaimed out of pure excitement.

Gwen had been interested in Chance since the first day he walked into the resort. There was something about the guy that screamed lonely to her. He always looked so depressed, and Gwen wanted to help him in some way.

Geez. Calm down, will you? Everyone is staring at you, Chance replied with a glare as he looked around the resort.

Gwen wanted to laugh at the embarrassed expression on Chance’s face. She could tell that he hated being the center of attention.

I don’t care. I have a friend. You have to ask her out on a date, Gwen pleaded with a pout on her face. She could already imagine Chance and Catrina being in love. They would be spot-on together.

I don’t like going on blind dates, Chance declared as he quietly sipped on his coffee. Gwen couldn’t help but scoff in reply, which made Chance smile.

She is amazing. Her name is Catrina. She currently lives in another town, but is coming to visit. Gwen wanted the opportunity to talk about her friend more. She noticed the thoughtful expression on Chance’s face, and secretly wished that he would agree.

I am not sure about that Gwen. I am happy being alone for now, Chance answered after a while.

Gwen frowned, not wanting to give up so early. She is beautiful, Chance. You are my friend, too, so I wouldn’t just set you up with someone horrible. Please trust me, Gwen persisted as she looked at her friend with doe eyes.

Chance sighed in response and became quiet once again. I’m not an interesting person, he eventually mumbled, fidgeting with his cup. I sleep, eat, ski, work, and repeat.

His statement made Gwen even more sure about getting her two friends together. Chance was a gorgeous human being. He was also a nice person, which only made him more likeable in her opinion. Everyone who knew Chance Coleman had experienced his kindness. Never did he turn down any favor asked. He filled in for the mountain resort’s bar when it was extremely busy even after working his other job all day. Always willing to lend a hand, only hadn’t lent his heart to any one girl.

Don’t say stupid things. You are awesome, Chance. There is no way that Catrina won’t like you. She needs to meet someone as nice and kind as you anyway, Gwen replied as she thought about her friend.

All right, I’ll give you the opportunity to tell me about her, Chance stated as he started looking down at his coffee that was almost to the last sip.

She is just like you. She loves the winter season and snow. She is adventurous and enjoys being outside as well. She is attractive and her smile lights up all that surround her. You need to believe in my judgement and at least give her a call. Please. Gwen gave him a huge grin.

Okay. I will call your friend, Chance softly commented, making Gwen yell in excitement.

She gave Chance her friend’s number and hugged him. Gwen was excited to see what would happen with Chance and Catrina. She was sure that they