Wreaths and Garland: The Perfect Interior Design Series, #4

By Lexy Timms

I've met the girl of my dreams…

 

It's Liam and Bailey's first Christmas together. Everything is supposed to be perfect, right?

 

Except it's not—work has kept them from spending time together, Liam is struggling to seal an important deal at a difficult time of year for him, and everything for the Christmas party Bailey is throwing for the Hope's House families is falling apart!

 

Will they be able to navigate the trials to see the true magic of the season in time to save Christmas? 

 

If Kisses Were Snowflakes, I'd Send You a Blizzard…

 

The Perfect Interior Design Series

• Book 1 – the Focal Point
• Book 2 – the Mood Board
• Book 3 – the Color Scheme
• Book 4 - Wreaths & Garland

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dark Shadow Publishing
• Release date: Nov 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223715382

Lexy Timms

"Love should be something that lasts forever, not is lost forever."  Visit USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, LEXY TIMMS https://www.facebook.com/SavingForever *Please feel free to connect with me and share your comments. I love connecting with my readers.* Sign up for news and updates and freebies - I like spoiling my readers! http://eepurl.com/9i0vD website: www.lexytimms.com Dealing in Antique Jewelry and hanging out with her awesome hubby and three kids, Lexy Timms loves writing in her free time.  MANAGING THE BOSSES is a bestselling 10-part series dipping into the lives of Alex Reid and Jamie Connors. Can a secretary really fall for her billionaire boss?

Book preview

Wreaths and Garland

The Perfect Interior Design Series, Volume 4

Lexy Timms

Published by Dark Shadow Publishing, 2023.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

WREATHS AND GARLAND

First edition. November 19, 2023.

Copyright © 2023 Lexy Timms.

ISBN: 979-8223715382

Written by Lexy Timms.

A black background with a black square Description automatically generated with medium confidence

The Perfect Interior Design #4

USA Today Bestselling Author

LEXY TIMMS

@Copyright 2023 By Lexy Timms

A person and person posing for a picture Description automatically generatedA person and person posing for a picture Description automatically generated

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to an actual person, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

All rights reserved.

Wreaths & Garland

The Perfect Interior Design Series Book #4

Copyright 2023

By Lexy Timms

Cover by: Book Cover by Design

The Perfect Interior Design Series

A row of books on a shelf Description automatically generated

Book 1 – the Focal Point

Book 2 – the Mood Board

Book 3 – the Color Scheme

Book 4 – Wreaths & Garland

Find Lexy Timms:

Lexy Timms Logo black aqua

Lexy Timms Newsletter:

http://www.lexytimms.com/newsletter

Lexy Timms Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/LexyTimmsAuthor

Lexy Timms Website:

http://www.lexytimms.com

Lexy Timms YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTr3Qw4JKDg_aHtkXkw3MYw

The Boss Box Set BOOKBUB Small1

Want to read more...

For FREE?

Sign up for Lexy Timms’ newsletter

And she’ll send you updates on new releases, ARC copies of books and a whole lotta fun!

Sign up for news and updates!

http://www.lexytimms.com/newsletter

Wreaths & Garland Blurb

A person and person posing for a picture Description automatically generated

I’VE MET THE GIRL OF my dreams...

It’s Liam and Bailey’s first Christmas together. Everything is supposed to be perfect, right?

Except it’s not—work has kept them from spending time together, Liam is struggling to seal an important deal at a difficult time of year for him, and everything for the Christmas party Bailey is throwing for the Hope’s House families is falling apart!

Will they be able to navigate the trials to see the true magic of the season in time to save Christmas? 

IF KISSES WERE SNOWFLAKES, I’d Send You a Blizzard...

A person standing next to a book Description automatically generated

Contents

The Perfect Interior Design Series

Find Lexy Timms:

Wreaths & Garland Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

The Perfect Interior Design Series

Dead Ahead FREE COPY

Find Lexy Timms:

FREE READS?

More by Lexy Timms:

A person and person posing for a picture Description automatically generated

Chapter 1

Liam

Present Day

INSTEAD OF A STRAIGHT line, the green goo came out as a glob, followed by something that looked more like lines down the center of a road than the outline of a cartoonish evergreen.

I groaned, looking at the Christmas tree cookie—or what was supposed to be a Christmas tree cookie, anyway. Outside of the outline with its vaguely tree-like shape, no one would know what it was supposed to be from the globs of green.

At a giggle, I raised my attention from the cookie to find two blue eyes crinkling at the corners in delight, sparks of amusement in their Prussian blue depths. Bailey's fingers were pressed into her lips, but she did a poor job hiding how they turned up at the corners.

For a moment, I felt a flash of frustration before her amusement and the ridiculousness of the situation had me chuckling, too, shaking my head in defeat. I give up.

Oh, come on. It’s not that bad. Bailey nudged my hip with hers as she came up beside me, peering at the mess of frosting and cookie, ready to join the others that looked like a six-year-old had done them.

Except our six-year-old was hard at work on an ornament cookie with skills that far exceeded mine. She raised her brown eyes to me, eyes that looked like the ones I saw in the mirror every day, and tilted her head, strands of hair, piece of frosting gluing the dirty blond pieces together, flopping across her forehead.

What’s wrong, Daddy?

Oh, nothing, I sighed, giving the cookie one last regretful look before I tossed it onto the plate with the other abject failures. My brothers and sister Sara would never let me live this one down. They never did.

Daddy has a lot of talents, Addie—Bailey scooped up one of the alien-looking candy canes and took a bite, her eyes still glittering with amusement—but decorating cookies is not one of them.

I thought this year was going to be the year, wasn’t it, Dad?

Dark hair, blue eyes, and her mother’s fine, delicate features curled up into a pre-teen smirk.

Hope, Bailey admonished our oldest daughter.

No, she’s right. I shook my head again, bracing myself against the countertop and glaring balefully at the cookies. I was absolutely sure this year was going to be the year I got it right.

I had, in fact, watched videos online, read tutorials, and even experimented to come up with the perfect frosting consistency for the designs I had hoped to do, running up a tab for ingredients that had caused Bailey to raise an eyebrow.

Bailey laughed, then nuzzled my cheek. Your daddy is brilliant and has many talents, guys. No one is perfect at everything.

You are, Mom.

Our middle child looked up from whatever he was making—it was either a video game character or a cookie in the shape of an ornament—to Bailey, the words creating an instant smile on my wife’s face. It was apparent he took after his father in the art department.

There are many things I’m good at and many things I’m not, she replied, patting his dark hair as she passed. I could tell from the gleam in her eyes that Bailey had nearly taken the opening to rib me further but instead used it as a teaching moment.

A moment later, however, it was apparent she couldn’t resist the former because her small smile became a teasing grin.

Your dad just wanted to go all out for Christmas this year. That’s why he used so much frosting.

I chuckled at the dig, matching her grin with one of my own. What else am I supposed to do? I want to celebrate that Grandpa is okay.

A heart attack had nearly taken my father from us. It had been a long, rocky road back to health, but he was here with us and on his way to the house to celebrate Christmas Eve with the entire family. He was getting up there in years, and though I couldn’t give him his youth back, I was just grateful to have him with us after the scare.

Bailey’s amusement dimmed at my words, pain seeping into her gaze, her smile becoming brittle at the remembered fear and distress—it had been a challenging beginning to the year. My heart grew cold and heavy at the expression, as it always did at any hint of distress in my wife.

He’s okay, Bailey, I soothed, reaching out a hand to her, which she took and let me draw her in. I held her to me, resting my chin on the top of her head, still reveling in the feeling of her in my arms, even after nearly 13 years of marriage.

And hey, I added, at least I’m not going as crazy as you did our first Christmas together.

Still pressed against me so I couldn’t see her face, Bailey’s shoulders began to shake. At first, I thought she was crying, but when she pulled back to peer into my face, she was laughing. At the sight, my heart warmed, the butterflies dancing in the center of my chest as they had since I had walked into my best friend’s home office and seen her there, glaring at the curtains.

Hey, I was just trying to make it special for you.

You certainly made it something, that’s for sure, I teased.

Oh, whatever. Bailey pulled away from me, swatting at my hands as I grabbed for her, unwilling to part from her warmth and giggling.

What’s this about your first Christmas? Hope asked, our antics pulling her entirely away from her cookie decorating to peer at us, one eyebrow curved upward.  

Bailey’s eyes met mine, one corner of her mouth turning up slightly as unspoken messages passed between us before she tipped her shoulders in a tiny shrug. I chuckled and met the three pairs of eyes wide with curiosity, even the pre-teen who feigned non-interest more often than not.

Well, our first Christmas together, Mom wanted to go all out to make it special for me and to honor your grandmother. But she went a little crazy—

I didn’t go crazy. Everything went wrong, Bailey corrected archly, moving across the kitchen to check on a casserole in the oven.

You definitely went a little crazy, I corrected fondly, my grin growing. But it was sweet.

She looked over her shoulder at me, a small smile on her face, our eyes meeting as we remembered.

14 Years Before: 9 Days to Christmas

Pulling into the short driveway, I was surprised to find the house lit up instead of dark—the busyness of the day had kept me at the office late into the evening. I had driven home expecting Bailey to have gone to sleep long before. I was, in fact, looking forward to it. Since making our relationship official, falling asleep beside Bailey and waking up next to her was one of the things I loved the most.

I hadn’t yet grown tired of the fact that Bailey was my girlfriend, hadn’t yet begun to take it for granted that she was in my life, that something so simple brought such joy and peace to my life as feeling her beside me in bed.

As I pulled to a stop in the garage, I wondered if she had stayed up to wait for me. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time—we tried our valiant best to stay awake if the other had a late night, which happened far more often than we would have liked. But time didn’t stop just because our life together had begun. We were both busy, our schedules packed, our businesses often taking precedence.

But Bailey wasn’t in the kitchen, the dining room, or even the living room, though all the lights were on.

Bailey? I called, one foot on the bottom step, my voice echoing up the stairwell.

Up here, came the muffled reply.

It sounded like it had come from the bedroom I had turned into her office as a welcome home gift when she had moved in with me six months ago. Well, I had given her the room. I wasn’t about to present a fully furnished office to my professional interior designer girlfriend. I might have the tech world figured out and firmly within my control, but home design was about as far from my wheelhouse as possible.

As I climbed the stairs and drew closer to her office, odd sounds reached my ears—shuffling, ripping, and... jingle bells?

I opened the door to the bright, ringing sound, only for the door to get stuck halfway open.

Oh, sorry, came the disembodied reply. Let me get that box out of the way.

A moment later, I heard a grunt and the sound of something sliding across the carpet before the door swung open, revealing a slightly disheveled-looking Bailey, her wealth of dark hair pulled into a messy bun out of which strands had fallen, wearing a pair of ripped leggings and an even rattier university sweatshirt that had at one point been mine until she had claimed it.

Sorry, she sighed, pushing a strand of hair out of  her line of vision. I know it’s crazy in here, but it’ll all be gone tomorrow. Hank is coming first thing to get them.

My eyes lifted from my girlfriend to the forest of brown boxes and packages that claimed the entire space. I couldn’t even see her furniture, much less the windows across the room that looked down onto the street and the trees in our front yard.

What— I started, found I was at an incredible loss for words, and tried again. What is all this?

All the decorations for the Hope’s House First Annual Holiday Party, Bailey chirped, her gaze moving around her not with shock at the sheer volume but with an eagerness that bordered on excitement. They delivered them a day early, and the place we rented wasn’t ready yet, so I had them delivered here. Well, it’s most of the decorations, she amended thoughtfully.

Most? I echoed, swallowing. I couldn’t even count the boxes packed tightly into the room.

Bailey slipped between two boxes to come toward me and wrapped her arms around my waist. They guaranteed they’ll be here before Christmas.

I wasn’t sure the party needed anything else, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. It