New Year's Kiss: A Sweet Lesbian Holiday Romance

By B. K. Wiggins

Kay Merritt was doing well for herself.  She was an accomplished author who enjoyed working from home or from her favorite coffee shop.  Her best friend Rosalie was a social worker that enjoyed helping women and children.  She, unlike Kay, was much more adventurous.  

To help with a fundraiser, Rosalie bribed Kay into doing a radio interview.  However, the interview quickly turned into something much more!  

Was Kay ready for the new adventures that lay ahead?  Was Rosalie ready to possibly lose her best friend?  

New Year's Kiss is a sweet lesbian holiday romance story with low angst and a happily ever after.

• Language: English
• Publisher: B. K. Wiggins
• Release date: Oct 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201237929

Book preview

Chapter 1

Kay had not been looking forward to this at all. It was all Rosalie’s fault. Her best friend had bribed her with tickets to a holiday concert. Mannheim Steamroller was coming to town and Kay wanted nothing more than to go. So, when Rosalie said she had tickets, Kay assumed she would be going with her. She would, but there was a catch.

Rosalie had agreed to help the local radio station with ratings during the holidays. It was one of numerous volunteer projects she had taken on over the years. Her idea was to spotlight a local celebrity and have that person provide a short interview. Her choice happened to be her best friend. So in exchange for seeing Mannheim Steamroller in person, Kay had to submit herself to nearly thirty minutes of questions.

She had arrived in plenty of time to get her bearings. She navigated her way to the radio station using a phone app. After she parked her modest four-door sedan, she double checked the questions they had given her. Kay made sure she had rehearsed her answers to all of them. She had always been ruthlessly meticulous. It was in her nature to be overly prepared. She did not want to come across as incompetent, but more than that she needed to be in control.

Growing up, there were so many things that had been out of her control. Her father lost his job and they had to move and live with her grandparents. Her mother got terribly ill and nearly died. And her best friend in the entire world, her Labrador Scout, had been attacked by two strays. His wounds were so severe, he had to be put to sleep. Kay was only ten years old.

She was devastated.

These traumas led Kay to develop her own defense mechanism. Somewhere in her subconscious, that little girl told Kay she had to protect herself. And the only way to do that was to always be prepared. Her keen organizational and planning skills were unmatched.

Kay’s attention to detail in her personal life was a stark contrast to the characters found in her romance novels. Those heroes and heroines threw caution to the wind. They took chances in situations and on one another. They loved fiercely regardless of the risks they had to take. Kay would never put herself into situations like these. She would never take risks. But, she could live vicariously through her characters and dream her dreams on paper.

Kay made her way into the radio station with her notes in hand. The morning show host, Stephanie, gave Kay a few pointers. She ended by saying, Just think of it as a phone conversation.

That’s easy for you to say. Just a phone conversation between you, me, and a few thousand listeners.

That thought alone made Kay’s stomach turn. She was used to one-on-one interviews and answering emails from her fans. But, speaking in public, even in the confines of a sound proof room made Kay a nervous wreck.

Kay settled into her chair and made sure she could easily see her notes. She put her headphones on, did a quick sound check, and moved her microphone closer to her face. She looked about the room while her heart rate began to quickly rise. It was sparse and dark with no exterior windows. Kay thought to herself that she wouldn’t be able to work in an environment like this. Some of her best writing occurred at a local coffee shop. A room like this would make her feel trapped. This thought did not help with her anxiety.

Stephanie could tell that Kay was uneasy. She looked at her and gave her a thumbs up and smiled, hoping this would ease her nervousness. The producer began to count down the time and he pointed at Stephanie while the red Live light glowed overhead. They were on the air!

Good morning, Haselton! the morning show host announced with all of the enthusiasm of a ringmaster. It was impossible to tell that she had been up and at work by 5:00 am. We have a very special guest joining us today, best selling romance author Kay Merritt!

Kay felt her face flush. She was used to being introduced, but the words best-selling author always caught her off guard. It hadn’t been long since she had broken into those ranks, but it had taken years of hard work to get her there.

Stephanie’s questions were straightforward and Kay’s answers were well ready. Kay was glad that it was going so smoothly. She tried not to stare at the digital clock on the wall, but found herself looking at it after nearly every answer.

This isn’t so bad. I don’t know why I got so worked up about this. Rosalie was right. This isn’t so uncomfortable and painful after all.

The interview was well underway by now. Kay had felt good about her answers and Stephanie kept giving her a thumbs up. She obviously thought it was going well, too. But then something happened that caught Kay completely off guard.

Well, Kay. It looks like we have a few minutes left. So, why don’t we take some questions from our listeners? Stephanie smiled at Kay and gave her another thumbs up.

All of the color drained from Kay’s face. But, before she could protest, the first caller was already on the line.

Hello caller. What’s your name and what’s your question for Kay?

Hi, this is Shawna. Kay, are your characters based on your own life experiences?

Great! And I was so hoping to avoid questions like these, Kay thought. No, not at all. I lead a pretty quiet life and enjoy getting lost in my characters’ worlds. Kay’s life wasn’t just quiet. It was boring.

She enjoyed being introverted and avoided crowds. With the internet and home delivery, she could buy nearly everything she needed without interacting with people at all. This was exactly the way Kay liked it. Besides calling her parents and younger brother, the only other person Kay interacted with on a regular basis was her best friend Rosalie.

Oh, Rosalie, you are going to have to buy me dinner if this gets any worse!

The second caller was a hang up. Kay couldn’t have been more relieved. She secretly hoped that time was up and there would be no other questions. There was no such chance of that happening. Stephanie answered and Kay heard a familiar voice on the line.

Hi, this is Rosalie. I’m Kay’s best friend. Rosalie was thrilled she was able to get through. She had been listening to the entire interview and had been so proud of Kay. But, she couldn’t resist also calling in and putting Kay on the spot. Stephanie took the bait.

"Ok, Rosalie. As Kay’s best friend, I’m sure you know all there is to know about her. What do you want to ask?"

Kay was bracing herself for what was about to come next.

Rosalie continued, Yes, I do know a lot about Kay, but your viewers don’t. So, why don’t you ask her why she’s never had a New Year’s kiss?

Kay was mortified. How could Rosalie do this to her? What was she thinking? In the same instant, Kay knew exactly why Rosalie asked that question. She wanted to put Kay on the spot. Rosalie was great at that. She knew exactly how to push Kay’s buttons.

From the time Kay and her family moved in with her grandparents, she and Rosalie had been the very best of friends. It was no thanks to Kay. She didn’t want to grow close to anyone, but Rosalie insisted. She wasn’t going to have it any other way. And from that time on, not only was Rosalie by Kay’s side, she was also the biggest thorn in it. Rosalie knew exactly what she was doing and Kay knew it, too.

Stephanie pressed, So, Kay, tell us. Why haven’t you had a New Year’s kiss?

Kay could feel her face getting warmer by the moment. Her hands were cold and clammy. Her mouth was dry. This was exactly the reason why Kay kept to herself. She wanted to be in control of every situation because the unknown was way too scary! And now, she had to explain herself in front of thousands of strangers. It was almost unbearable.

Kay closed her eyes, secretly cursed Rosalie, and began. Well, honestly, I just haven’t met the right someone to share that magical moment.

Stephanie was taken aback. She wasn’t exactly prepared for such an honest and romantic answer. Can you elaborate more on why you consider it such a magical moment? She was already captivated by Kay’s initial response.

Kay continued. Well, New Year’s marks the end of one year — good, bad, or indifferent and the beginning of a brand new year of limitless possibilities. That new beginning represents an opportunity to do things you have never done, go places you have never gone, and be a part of experiences you have never had. And when you share that moment that crosses from the old year into the hope and promise of the new year, I believe you should share that kiss with someone you deeply love.

It was completely silent in the booth and the adjoining rooms. The phones had eerily stopped ringing. You could have heard a mouse cough. Stephanie sat and just stared at Kay. Then, as if on cue, the phones rang mercilessly. Everyone who had been listening now wanted to call in and speak with Kay. Stephanie had a better idea.

Wow, Kay. That was one of the most beautiful and prolific explanations I’ve ever heard! I’m sure the rest of us see it as a celebration and something we do for fun. You’ve certainly given it a whole new meaning in a good way. We are going to take a short commercial break and come back with Best Selling romance author, Kay Merritt. As Stephanie hit her mute button and rolled the commercials, she took off her headphones and looked at Kay with a whole new appreciation.

She said, That was amazing, Kay! If it’s okay with you, I would like to give our listeners an opportunity to engage with you.

Kay was confused. She thought the listeners were already engaged since they were calling into the show. Aren’t they already engaging with me? Her voice a pitch higher than usual.

Well, I was thinking of them being more hands-on, so to speak. How about they help you find your first New Year’s Kiss? You know, they could help you find your special someone? Stephanie was nearly as excited as a five year-old who had gotten a puppy for Christmas.

Kay was appalled! Absolutely not! I am not going to put my life in the hands of complete strangers for something that is so personal for me. I won’t do it Stephanie, ratings or no ratings. Kay had even surprised herself at how steadfast her answer was.

I completely understand. It was just a thought. Even though Stephanie understood, the disappointment on her face was evident. However, she was a professional and took in all in stride.

Thank you to everyone who called in and a special thanks to our guest, best selling romance author, Kay Merritt! Kay, we have enjoyed getting to know you and wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And, I personally hope you find that special someone to share in your New Year’s kiss!

Thank you, Stephanie and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your listeners!

A line of sponsored commercials began to play,