The Hideaway Holiday: A Hideaway Lake Novel, #8

By Terri Lorah

A Hideaway Lake Novella

Welcome to Hideaway Lake for another holiday filled with love, laughter and heartwarming stories. Join the people that you've gotten to know and love for a season of fun with a tree lighting ceremony, the Hideaway Lake Holiday Trail Run, Parade of Lights and lots of warm fires with hot cocoa and interesting conversations.

 

And drama. There's always drama somewhere in Hideaway Lake.

Laura and Joe are concerned about his younger brother who was badly injured in a horrific car wreck. After months of rehabilitation, he is released home to battle not only physical scars, but emotional as well. Will he accept help from his family and friends or be like Scrooge and turn them all away? How can he join in the holiday spirit all around him when his soul feels empty?

Hideaway lake is once again the Hallmark setting of the season even with the troubles that some of the families are dealing with. Join the Myer family and friends once again for a season of love and friendship, laughter and joy in this small town setting.

The Hideaway Lake series:
The Hideaway Inn
The Hideaway Cafe
Christmas at Hideaway Lake
The Winter Retreat
The Sisters of Summer
The Healing Cottage
The Hideaway Equinox
The Hideaway Holiday

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lorah Publishing
• Release date: Oct 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215149287

Book preview

The Hideaway Holiday

A Hideaway Lake Novella

by

Terri Lorah

Copyright © 2023 Terri Lorah. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.

Illustrated by EDH Graphics

Dedication

I’d like to dedicate this book to my BETA team; Sandy, Cindy, Marcia, Rosa and Charlene. All of you help make my books better and we have fun along the way. I appreciate each one of you so much.

Chapter 1

I’m not staying with my daughter. Sorry, Savannah!

Joe frowned. What about the Mansion on the Hill? It has everything you may need for a full recovery. Your own private suite, a pool, a spa? We can have your therapist work with you there. Do you remember when James had to recover? It worked great for him.

Joshua stared at his older brother. He respected Joe so much but no one was going to convince him to stay in a resort hotel where all the holiday festivities were going on and the crazy amount of guests would annoy him to no end. It was best if he stayed by himself. I’ll be much happier at home, Joe. He shared a condo about ten miles from Hideaway Lake with his twin brother Jonathan. They were in their early forties and single so it made sense. There was nothing wrong with going there. He didn’t understand why everyone was on his case.

Jonathan is not going to be back for another two weeks. They’re discharging you from this rehab tomorrow but you can’t stay by yourself. Your accident was bad, Josh. It almost killed you. Now you have to recover and you need some help with that.

Joshua didn’t care much what anyone said. He was a grown man. I’m fine on my own, Joe. You worry too much.

Savannah, his only daughter that he found out about a year ago placed both hands on her hips when she stood to confront him. If you don’t want to stay in my little cottage with me, I understand. It is small and you’d probably be unhappy there. The steps are a bit draconian and we don’t want you to fall in your weak state.

Joshua knew she was being over dramatic. Enough, Savannah. I’m perfectly capable of walking or going up stairs even if they are a bit crooked.

Laura gave Joshua an understanding smile. He loved his brother’s choice for a wife. Laura owned the Hideaway Inn and married Joe last year in a ceremony at the Mansion on the Hill Joe had bought and restored. She had become another sister to him, visiting him at the hospital when Joe wasn’t there. Every single one of his siblings had made sure he wasn’t left alone during his stay at the hospital or in rehab. They all had done more than their share but now he just wanted to go home and be alone.

A head peeked in the door. Warning! Your sister is on her way down the hall. No, she’s marching down the hall. You have been warned!

The nurse on dayshift had been with him throughout his ordeal. She also knew how Julia had thrown her weight around like a General in a battlefield. It made Joshua smile. His older sister was the one person he didn’t argue with, most of the time.

The moment she turned the corner and stood in his doorway, her presence was known by all. Joshua! She marched over to him, nodding to Joe, Laura and Savannah, then directed her full attention on him.

I guess you’re here to rescue me from the rest of the family, Julia?

She didn’t blink or move a muscle. I’m here to make sure you don’t sabotage what has been done for you. Do you realize that you died five times while we sat outside of ICU for three days waiting to see if you’d make it?

Joshua sighed. Look, Julia. I know I’m lucky to be alive. You don’t have to swoop in here and tell me how lucky I am. To be honest, he didn’t feel lucky at all. He felt empty inside.

I would never do that.

I could be wrong, but I think you just did.

Hmm, well, that’s not why I am here.

You’re here because Savannah texted you that I wasn’t cooperating with what they wanted me to do.

You’re not wrong, Julia told him. That’s what he liked about her. She was the one family member who doesn’t beat around the bush. Her bluntness was harsh at times, but most people would admit later they needed to hear it. That’s why she’s now the CEO of Russel Enterprise after Joe took a back seat.

Your doctor just informed me that he put you on a new medication and it may take a few weeks of adjusting.

I know that. He was here earlier this morning. So what? Joshua wasn’t going to rehash this. It wasn’t that important.

What you failed to tell your brother or your daughter is that you had a few seizures a few days ago. Even though they were mild, the medication has to be adjusted over a period of time until they find out why this is happening. It might be the after effects of the bad accident you were in, but until they stop or they find the cause, you have to be careful. That means you can’t drive on your own, you shouldn’t be alone for long periods of time and living in your condo without your brother there is absolutely forbidden.

Forbidden by who? I’m a grown man, Julia! He never raised his voice to her but she was being unreasonable.

Julia placed both hands on either side of his chair and stared him straight in the eye. I don’t care, Josh. You know that I can wear you down and I’ll stand here all day if I have to until you agree to go somewhere safe so we don’t have to worry about you, something we have been doing for the last few months. Give us a break, how about it?

Her words drained all the fight out of him.

She was right.

As always.

Julia knew what to say and the bitter truth always won out. He was being selfish by insisting that he go home, knowing no one was close by in case he had problems. There were a few times that he was glad the nurse was close by.

He glanced around the room, seeing the love in Joe’s eyes that only a big brother could have for a sibling. His daughter’s tears were real. They had bonded over the last year and become so close even though she was an adult and making her own way in life. She was silently begging him to make the right choices. He’d never do anything to hurt her, but wasn’t he doing that by refusing to listen to good advice.

If he agreed, it wasn’t for him, it was for them. Okay, I’ll do whatever you want me to do.

Julie gave a stern nod. "That’s the smartest thing you said in months. Where do you plan to stay? Here? At Savannah’s place? I’m too far out to stay at the farm, and there are times when I