Merry Little Wishing Spritz

By Cherie Colyer

Modern-day witch Cassie Moore's cozy life turns upside down when her friend foresees the wrecking ball that threatens to destroy Cassie's home and workplace. But Cassie isn't giving up without a fight. She casts a well-intended spell meant to save her apartment and her job. But magic is unpredictable, especially when her friend casts a little charm of her own that has Cassie lusting after the man she desperately wants to despise.

Jack Quinn has had his eyes on Lakeside Books for years. He has big plans for the cozy waterfront property, but he didn't expect to care about the store or its employees. And he never imagined he'd be drawn to a certain brown-eyed saleswoman.

Almost as if by magic.

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Nov 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781509238200

Cherie Colyer

Professional network technician by day, novelist by night, Cherie lives a quiet life in the Chicago suburbs with her charming husband. She has four amazing sons who she loves dearly. Cherie magically weaves together stories with a paranormal twist. She’s an award-winning author of fiction with a paranormal twist. Her published works include the Embrace series, Challenging Destiny, Damned When I Didn’t, Friends to the End, and Atticus Everheart Fifth Grade Tutor and Monster Hunter. She waltzed into the adult novel world with Merry Little Wishing Spritz and Salted Caramel Bliss and a Wedding Kiss. To learn more about Cherie and her novels visit www.cheriecolyer.com.

Book preview

I’m sorry. I smiled sweetly, hoping to appeal to his sense of chivalry. But I believe it’s the other way around.

Huh. He wet his lips, hand still gripping the tin, smirking mischievously. We obviously both want this tin. So what do we do?

I don’t know, I said in an equally good-natured tone. Why do you need this particular treat?

He shifted so his hip rested against the display and bent closer. Well, you see, he said, dramatically, I have one last Christmas gift to buy, and Sara Winter’s peppermint bark is her favorite holiday treat. She’ll never forgive me if I come back from Mystic Creek without it. It might sever our relationship forever.

He was ridiculously charming. That I had the thought at all amazed me. I wasn’t looking for a relationship and even if I were, I didn’t date mortals. Since I didn’t get any witchy-vibes—a magical shock when our fingers touched or a feeling we’d met before—it was a safe bet that this man with the clear hazel eyes and teasing smirk didn’t have a drop of magic in him.

You don’t say, I said, grinning.

Oh yeah. We’re talking war on a biblical level.

Praise for Cherie Colyer’s

Merry Little Wishing Spritz

I started reading this book with high hopes and I wasn’t disappointed! Cherie Colyer expertly crafted a bewitching story with magic, surprising twists and turns, and a charming hero. The tension between the characters kept me holding my breath, at least until the flip-flop of rivalry and friendship had me busting a gut. Merry Little Wishing Spritz is a perfect holiday romance that will make you laugh, smile, and perhaps even swoon.

~Sydney Winward, author of The Bloodborn Series

Merry Little Wishing Spritz is a warm and enchanting holiday romance, featuring a charming hero and an endearingly magical heroine. Just perfect for curling up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate, and maybe a cookie or two!

~ Laura Strickland, author

Merry Little Wishing Spritz

by

Cherie Colyer

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.

Merry Little Wishing Spritz

COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Cherie Colyer

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 Abigail Owen

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 978-1-5092-3820-0

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

To those who believe in magic.

Acknowledgments

A book isn’t complete without taking a moment to thank the people who helped along the way.

Thanks to Eilidh MacKenzie, my wonderful editor at The Wild Rose Press. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Eilidh on a few projects. Her expert eye for detail helped polish Merry Little Wishing Spritz and escort the book through edits. Additional thanks goes out to the many others at TWRP who had a hand in bringing this book to you, and to the talented cover artist, Abigail Owen, who did an amazing job of capturing the tone of the book.

Much appreciation to my closest author friends Kym Brunner, Katie Sparks, and Kathleen Reitmann for their continued support and feedback. These girls are amazing! And Smudge wouldn’t exist without them.

On the home front, thanks to Vince. He encouraged me so many years ago to write the stories I talked so much about, and he remains my sounding board, offering thoughts, suggestions, and ideas when needed. To my boys, Kyle, Cory, William, and Ethan, for their continued support. And to Kate, for always being there to cheer me on.

I’d also like to thank my readers. You’re awesome, and I hope you enjoyed this holiday romance.

Chapter 1

I poured Peyton and myself another glass of wine, glad for my oldest friend’s company during this crazy day after the unexpected news threatening to close the book (no pun intended) on my future.

How can she sell the building? I asked. It was a rhetorical question, seeing as the she mentioned wasn’t baking cookies with Peyton and me. I like Mystic Creek, Massachusetts, and I like living above the bookstore.

The idea of packing up and moving made me sick to my stomach. I had everything in my studio apartment set up the way I liked it. The walls were a subtle shade of white that appeared lavender when the sun hit it, which was most of the day. I had polished the wood floors and slid the perfect plush throw rug under the coffee table. The place was cozy and quaint, and the location provided plenty of privacy where I could practice magic unseen.

I glanced out the large picture window. The sun glistened off the lake and snow-covered trees. Maybe the new owners will let me stay here?

Peyton cringed visibly, a hot cookie sheet in one hand and a spatula in the other. The rich aroma of vanilla and butter wafted through the apartment.

What?

Um… Peyton peered at me through wisps of dark blond and red bangs. Her nose scrunched—a telltale sign she knew something I didn’t.

I guzzled half my wine, having the sneaking suspicion I didn’t want to hear what she had to say. Tell me?

With a wave of the spatula, the spritz cookies glided one at a time off the cookie sheet to the cooling rack. Peyton sighed. Cassie, you know I hate to be the harbinger of bad news.

Which could only mean one thing. You had a vision. Is that why you jumped on a plane and hurried over?

Well…yes, and I missed you. She stuck two new cookie sheets studded with raw cookie dough wreaths and Christmas trees into the oven. The vision came to me when I touched the silver bracelet you gave me. She held up her wrist, showing it off. "Remember what’s engraved on it? When you can’t see the light—"

"I’ll sit with you in the dark," I said, finishing the quote. It was one of my favorite sayings and very true of our friendship. Her vision must have been horrible if she was reminding me of the