Mistletoe Magic (Redwood Ridge 6)

By Kelly Moran

What happens when one of the notorious town matchmakers gets the tables turned on her?

As the long-time mayor of quaint little Redwood Ridge, Oregon, what Marie Sedgwick is most proud of is how she and her two sisters have been able to help patrons find their perfect match. Sure, townsfolk call them The Battleaxes, and yeah, she and her sisters do tend to meddle. Yet, nothing is more important than true love. It’s something that slipped between her fingers once, and she’s regretted it ever since. Except, that so-called regret just showed up after twenty years, looking like a sexy fox, and knocking her world off its axis. And though she’s been trying to avoid him, it suddenly seems this holiday season, she’s the one with a Cupid target on her back.

After all his adventures, Preston Masterson has finally returned to the place he always thought of as home with two goals. One, to transform the old Freemont Mansion into a charming Inn by Christmas. And two, to win back the heart of the woman he was stupid enough to let get away in his misspent youth. But nothing is going as planned. Remodeling has hit one snag after another, and Marie is more stubborn than he remembered. Which is saying a lot since she’s quite a brilliant, gorgeous spitfire. Yet, ‘tis the season, and with the help of some Redwood Ridge residents-turned-angels, perhaps he won’t need mistletoe magic to pull off a miracle. Still, it wouldn’t hurt...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kelly Moran
• Release date: Nov 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005575854

Kelly Moran

Kelly Moran is an international best-selling & award-winning romance author of enchanting ever-afters. She is a RITA Finalist, RONE Award-Winner, Catherine Award-Winner, a Readers' Choice Finalist, an Award of Excellence Finalist, and a Holt Medallion Finalist, plus she earned one of the "10 Best Reads" and "Must Reads" by USA TODAY. She has foreign translation rights in Germany (where she is a Spiegel bestseller), the Czech Republic, Romania, and the Netherlands. She's been known to say she gets her ideas from everyone and everything around her and there's always a book playing out in her head. No one who knows her bats an eyelash when she talks to herself. Her interests include: scary movies, all kinds of art, driving others insane, and sleeping when she can. She is a closet coffee junkie and chocoholic, but don't tell anyone. She's originally from Wisconsin, but resides in South Carolina with her significant other, her three sons, a cat, and a dog. She loves connecting with her readers.

Book preview

What happens when one of the notorious town matchmakers gets the tables turned on her?

As the long-time mayor of quaint little Redwood Ridge, Oregon, what Marie Sedgwick is most proud of is how she and her two sisters have been able to help patrons find their perfect match. Sure, townsfolk call them The Battleaxes, and yeah, she and her sisters do tend to meddle. Yet, nothing is more important than true love. It’s something that slipped between her fingers once, and she’s regretted it ever since. Except, that so-called regret just showed up after twenty years, looking like a sexy fox, and knocking her world off its axis. And though she’s been trying to avoid him, it suddenly seems this holiday season, she’s the one with a Cupid target on her back.

After all his adventures, Preston Masterson has finally returned to the place he always thought of as home with two goals. One, to transform the old Freemont Mansion into a charming Inn by Christmas. And two, to win back the heart of the woman he was stupid enough to let get away in his misspent youth. But nothing is going as planned. Remodeling has hit one snag after another, and Marie is more stubborn than he remembered. Which is saying a lot since she’s quite a brilliant, gorgeous spitfire. Yet, ‘tis the season, and with the help of some Redwood Ridge residents-turned-angels, perhaps he won’t need mistletoe magic to pull off a miracle. Still, it wouldn’t hurt…

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING SERIES THAT PUT LOVE & LAUGHTER INTO THE HEARTS OF READERS WORLDWIDE!

Redwood Ridge Books by Kelly Moran

Puppy Love

Tracking You

New Tricks

Residual Burn

Under Pressure

Mistletoe Magic

Now available in foreign translation in Germany, The Netherlands, Romania, Russia, and The Czech Republic!

Praise for Kelly Moran’s Books:

Breathes life into an appealing story.

Publishers Weekly

Readers will fall in love.

Romantic Times

Great escape reading.

Library Journal

Touching & gratifying.

Kirkus Reviews

Sexy, heart-tugging fun.

USA Today

Emotional & totally engaging.

Carla Neggers

A gem of a writer.

Sharon Sala

I read in one sitting.

Carly Phillips

Compelling characters.

Roxanne St. Claire

A sexy, emotional romance.

Kim Karr

An emotionally raw story. A compelling read.

Katie Ashley

I devoured the book!

Laura Kaye

Mistletoe Magic

A Redwood Ridge Novella

Kelly Moran

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

© COPYRIGHT 2021 by Kelly Moran

Author Kelly Moran, LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

*Warning: Not intended for persons under the age of 18. May contain coarse language, open love scenes, and mature content that may disturb some readers.

Cover Art Design by: Kelly Moran

Photo Credit: Adobe Images

ISBN: 9781005575854

Smashwords eBook

First Edition

Published in the United States of America

For Barbara Davis. Her enthusiasm and genuine love of the holiday season has reminded me of what it was like to have that child-like wonder and joy again. I am blessed to have her in my life.

Prologue

After his long, drawn out spiel, Brent sat back in his chair and vividly huffed. The topic he’d just addressed with the other people in the room was dramatic, and he was nothing if not a drama llama. Proudly. Life was too boring not to add flair, especially in a town the size of Redwood Ridge. Right? Right.

Besides, he’d been concocting this idea—a fabulous one, if he did say so himself—for going on over a year. Or a few months. Whatevs. But, darn it all, it was finally time to make a plan. And he needed every single one of the peeps present to succeed.

While the faces stared back at him, some in shock, a few with amusement, a handful with curiosity, and most with avid fear, he buffed his fingernails on the amaze-balls new cobalt angora sweater he’d picked up last week on his shopping trip to Portland, and crossed one jean-clad leg over the other, waiting for the inevitable praise that was undoubtedly forthcoming once his idea had sunk into his friends’ heads.

No one spoke. No one cleared their throats, shifted positions, mumbled under their breaths, or gushed over his brilliance.

Seriously? He was so under appreciated.

Well, he drew out, expectantly lifting his palm and his brows. You can bow down to me any second now.

Nothing. Nada.

Cue the proverbial crickets.

Pouting, he looked at Miles sitting in the chair beside him. Tall, lean, athletic body wrapped in a navy Hilfiger sweater and gray cords. Light cocoa skin and stark blue eyes. Dark hair cropped close to his head. Lips that could level kingdoms.

Yum wrapped in yum. And all Brent’s. Love of his life. Apple of his eye. Beat to his heart. Rum to his cola. They’d met and fallen in love two years ago because of The Battleaxes.

The meddling threesome sisters, aptly named by Cade O’Grady, whose house they were currently in, ran their quaint town with an iron fist, a side of oatmeal cookies, and matchmaking. Some residents, once they’d discovered they were in The Battleaxes’ crosshairs, would run screaming, hide and cower, or outright deny the cupid cult were aiming their bows at them. In the end, all succumbed, and they got their happily-ever-afters. It was uncanny, really. The women were, like, four-hundred and fifty-five to none in matchmaking stats.

Surely, Miles would get the group going on Brent worship. But all his man offered was an accepting smile and an expression that indicated Brent should be patient with the others.

Fine. He glanced around Cade’s living room.

The log cabin design had a wide-open floor plan, high beam rafters on a vaulted ceiling, and ginormous windows with a panoramic display of the snow-covered woods and creek. Family pictures lined the mantel on a gorgeous stone fireplace. A twelve-foot Christmas tree donned a corner with holiday knick-knacks on tables. The scent of pine from the tree blended with that of hot cocoa Cade’s wife had made and a cinnamon candle flickering on the kitchen island by a cheese and cracker platter.

Cade, along with his two brothers, Drake and Flynn, all had similar houses on their private road at the edge of the county limit. They owned Animal Instincts veterinary clinic where Brent worked as a technician. And all three men had been victims of The Battleaxes. Thus, they were happily married with furbabies and human offspring.

So was every person assembled tonight, in fact. Each one had been set up by The Battleaxes. Drake, the broody widower who found joy again with their clinic groomer Zoe. Flynn who fell in love with his BFF and vet technician Gabby. Cade with their office manager Avery. Jason, captain of the fire station, and his wife, Ella, who taught kindergarten. Parker, the sheriff, and his soon-to-be wife, Maddie, who owned the flower shop.

There were others, of course. Many, many others. But for the sake of secrecy, Brent had only called the five couples present to partake in his plan.

Who still weren’t singing his praises. What the Cher?

Um. Gabby chewed her lower lip, glanced at Flynn beside her on the couch, and tucked her long caramel-colored hair behind her ears. After a beat, she lifted her hands to use sign language and speak simultaneously, something she did often because her husband was deaf and it made it easier for him to track conversations. I’m confused. You want us to what?

Jason pointed to her from the other sofa as if he’d been thinking what she’d said. I second that. He ran his hand through his dishwater strands, making the biceps under his firefighter tee bulge. Because it sounds an awful lot like you want us to—

Play matchmaker to The Battleaxes. Yep. Brent grinned. Now they were on his level. Well, one of them.

Cade, clearly irritated, rested his elbows on his thighs and leaned forward. Which one? Because you better not mess with our mom, yeah? Dad—

Brent swiftly raised his hand and shook his head. No, not her.

He wouldn’t do that. Drake, Flynn, and Cade’s mother, Gayle, was the middle Battleaxe sister and a widow. Unlike her eldest son, who’d found love anew with Zoe after his wife Heather had died, Gayle wasn’t interested in a second chance. Her late husband had been her one, her only.

Of the three sisters, she was a champagne blonde and the tamest. A very calm, mild-mannered, sweet woman. The complete opposite of…

Rosa? Ella twirled a strand of her long cocoa-colored hair around her finger while rubbing circles over her baby bump with the other hand. No offense, I know some of you are related to her, but she’s super intimidating. I’d rather spoon-feed sugar to my classroom of five-year-olds while pouring them shots of an energy drink than cross Rosa’s path. This one time, she—

Jason leaned over and smacked a kiss on her mouth, stopping her rambling. She had an adorable habit of babbling when nervous that Brent found endearing.

Match-make Rosa, though? Not a chance.

Brent chuckled under his breath and cleared his throat to cover it.

Rosa was the eldest sister and an unnatural redhead. She favored cheetah-printed clothes, jazz music, and steamrolling people with