The Gingerbread Lodge

By Vicky Burkholder

Gisele Reid returns to the Gingerbread Lodge to help her aunt, but without paying guests, she's afraid the lodge will have to be sold. An event she vows to stop. When an old friend shows up, she is astonished to find Max has turned into a man who makes her knees and heart tremble.
Max Oakley, a developer, has a client interested in buying land around the lodge. He has fond memories of the resort, as well as the girl who left him behind. When he runs into Gisele again, she's even more beautiful than ever. A woman who could make him forget everything—even his job.
Plumbing problems, electrical outages, and the return of Gisele's family throw a wrench into Max's plans to woo Gisele. But when the truth comes out, she believes he's betrayed her trust, and it will take a Christmas miracle to make everything right again.

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Nov 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9781509237548

Vicky Burkholder

Vicky has been married forever to the one person who accepts that she lives in a fantasy world most of the time. She’s even been seen at the beach building worlds for her stories. In addition to creating fun characters, fantasy worlds, and suspenseful situations, she also enjoys and is very good at things like writing policy and procedures manuals and setting up continuity and organizational spreadsheets, both of which she has actually earned money doing. She has a master’s degree in library science so likes things organized. Okay, so her family thinks having the spice rack alphabetized it a bit much, but she has no trouble finding what she needs when she needs it. And just because her extensive library is cataloged and organized, that doesn’t mean she’s obsessive. Honest. When not writing, Vicky can be found in the kitchen whipping up gluten-free, lactose-free, other allergy-free meals. Or watching the world go by from her front porch swing.

Book preview

Gisele’s breath caught in her throat. She found herself falling backward in time as she stared into a dark, penetrating gaze. It had been twelve years, but she knew those eyes, that look, his voice, she knew him.

His hair shone a shade of gold found in ripened wheat fields, not the pale color from her memories. Now the strands curled around his collar instead of being held captive in a short buzz cut. He wore jeans, boots, and the light jacket over a shirt, but no hat or gloves. He was also a lot bigger than the boy she remembered.

Let the young man in, Gisele, Minerva said.

Gisele startled out of her reverie and stepped back. Oh. I’m sorry. Yes. Please, come in.

Minerva stepped forward. Welcome to the Gingerbread Lodge and Campgrounds. I’m Minerva, and the young woman with her tongue caught between her eyeteeth is my niece, Gisele, the co-owner. Would you like some hot cider to warm you up?

Gisele gave Minerva a double take. When had she become co-owner? But now was not the time for that discussion.

The man gazed at Minerva and Gisele, then nodded. Thanks. That would be nice. His gaze came back to Gisele as he gave her a studied look, like he was trying to figure something out. Then, as if coming to some type of conclusion, he grinned. Gigi?

Max. Is it really you?

Praise for Vicky Burkholder

Aleksia Matthews and Jason Cole have a common goal, stop the pirates. They should be able to work together but there are secrets on both sides as danger and tension ramps up. There were few surprises for me as I knew who was good and who was bad but the read was still enjoyable. Nice world building and interesting backstory kept the plot moving. I loved both Aleksia and Jason but my favorites were two of the more interesting side characters.

~ Jo from Mixed Book Bag

The Gingerbread Lodge

by

Vicky Burkholder

Christmas Cookies Series

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either 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.

The Gingerbread Lodge

COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Vicky E. Burkholder

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

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Tina Lynn Stout

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Edition, 2021

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-3754-8

Christmas Cookies Series

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

To my own hero, Bob. And my Bootsquad. You know who you are.

Chapter One

Gisele slid the last tray of cookies out of the oven. Ten dozen snickerdoodles already lined the cooling racks. What had made her use up the last of their flour and sugar for the treat? It wasn’t like there was anyone at the family lodge and campgrounds she helped her aunt run to share them with besides her aunt. Almost Christmas and they had no guests.

Actually, Gisele knew exactly why she’d spent the last two hours in the kitchen. Baking was what she did when she was stressed out. Putting together flour, sugar, spices, and other ingredients calmed her. She loved the aroma of baking goodies, but what was she going to do with all the cookies? There were way too many for her and her aunt Minerva. Maybe she could take them to the market in town and sell them. That would bring a little money in.

She picked up one of the cooled cookies and bit into the soft, sweet confection. Eating her creations was even better than making them. A knock thudding against the front door startled Gisele, putting an end to her thoughts. Gingerbread Lodge and Campgrounds wasn’t exactly on any main traffic route, and they weren’t expecting any guests, though signs along the road occasionally brought a late-night visitor. She blew out a long breath and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Aunt Minerva? she called to the darkened lodge. Aunt Minerva? Can you get that?

Come to think of it, where was Minerva? She hadn’t seen her aunt since lunchtime. And it was well after dark, nearly ten at night.

Another knock echoed throughout the lodge. Gisele headed toward the door, wondering who would be coming here at this time of night, her nerves making her wary. Minerva was an early-to-bed person, but not this early, so she should be around. Gisele wrapped the sweater she’d abandoned in the heat of the kitchen around her shoulders. The chill in the room felt like the ancient heating system was on the fritz again as well.

She flicked on the porch light and peeked through the side window to see a woman standing on the steps. Tall, swathed in dark garments, looking like someone dressed for Victorian England and not modern Pennsylvania. Her long braid shimmered pale gray in the light. She wore an ankle-length, black wool skirt decorated with Christmas trees around the bottom and a puffy white blouse under a hip-length scarlet sweater-vest. Gisele couldn’t see the woman’s face but knew immediately who the visitor was. Her aunt personified Mother Christmas. She even smelled like a mixture of cinnamon and vanilla. Gisele unlocked the door and ushered her aunt in. Her fifty-five-year-old relative had an eclectic style that defied description and yet worked for her.

Aunt Minerva? What are you doing out front? And where is your hat? She noted her aunt was clutching her oversized bag to her chest and looked a little wild-eyed. Gisele grabbed her sweater off her own shoulders and wrapped her aunt in the warmth. Are you all right? Here, let me take that. She reached for the bag, but Minerva only clutched the tote tighter.

I’ve got this. And I’m fine, dear. I had that meeting with the lawyer and then stopped at the store. We needed more flour and sugar and some other things. And then your mother called while I was at the store, and we had words.

Gisele snorted. She could just imagine what kind of words her mother spewed out. But how had Minerva known they’d be out of cookie ingredients? She shook her head. Gisele had forgotten about her aunt’s gift of sometimes doing or knowing something before anything happened or needed to be done. And she didn’t need all afternoon and well into the evening to run into town. Unless…their small town of Middle Creek was only five miles away, but Harrisburg was at least a half-hour drive. More depending on where you were going.

You sure you’re okay? You were gone a long time and Mom…well, I can imagine.

Minerva chuckled as she took off