Publication Date: November 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Novella

Not the Same Season, a Christmas Novella

Two broken hearts embarked on a holiday season in a way they never had before. Divorced.

Mitch had been badly burned by love, but was willing to take a chance . . . with the right woman.

Hannah had lived everyday with the grief love had brought her and followed her everywhere.

Can two hearts find love and heal each other during the most difficult season of the year?

Excerpt

Mitch raced down the stairs after Hannah, both fully dressed at that point. He caught her around the waist as she made it to the first floor. They laughed in each other’s arms as he peppered kisses all over her face and neck.

A knock at the front door interrupted their moment of bliss. Mitch pulled her along, his arm securely around her waist. She couldn’t contain her giddiness as he opened the door until she caught a glimpse of the shocked face on the other side.

“Trina?” Mitch let out a high-pitched squeal. He coughed to clear the imaginary squeak box from his throat. “What are you doing here?”

Hannah took it as her moment to pay Mitch back for his performance with Jack the night before and wrapped both her arms around his waist.

“I...” Trina sputtered. “The painting. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t forget to have it delivered.”

“It was wrapped and picked up yesterday. It is supposed to be at your place by three this afternoon.” He pulled Hannah in front of him, his arms wrapped just under her breast, his chin resting on her shoulder. “Oh, you know Hannah, right?”

“Yes.” Trina looked her over to notice the wet hair pulled up in a tight bun and her wrinkled dress. It was more than obvious that she had spent the night. “I didn’t know you knew each other and aren’t you married?” she said with such disgust.

“Ken introduced us after Jack and I filed for divorce. We just spent last night celebrating.” Hannah turned her head just enough to kiss his cheek.

“And this morning.” He kissed her neck not feeling a bit sorry about shoving it in Trina’s face.

A sharp, loud honk brought them out of their reverie.

“My cab,” Hannah pouted. She really didn’t want to say goodbye in front of Trina, but she knew she had to catch her train on time. She grabbed her purse and coat from the chair next to the door. Mitch helped her slip the coat on before taking her in his arms.

“Text me when you get home?” He tightened his arms around her and gave her a soft, sensual kiss.

“I will.” She reluctantly made her way down the front steps and into the cab, back to her life without Mitch in it.

“What the fuck was that?” Trina literally spat as she huffed and stamped her foot.

Mitch was taken aback at his ex-wife’s anger. “My girlfriend. Why the hell do you care? I don’t tell you who you can and can’t fuck.”

“But it’s Hannah Stone.”

Mitch shook his head and raised his brow. “So?”

“I replaced her at Schmidt and Klein.” She looked at him like he had done something incredibly crazy.

“And?” He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“That’s not strange that your girlfriend used to be my boss?”

He shook his head with a short snort. “No. I didn’t know she was your boss until after we got together.” If he counted their dinner as when they got together, it was the truth.

“Aren’t you stepping backward? I thought you were supposed to go for someone younger and hotter than your ex. She’s two years older than I am!”

Mitch was more than a little confused at her anger but entertained all the same. “So what? She’s thirty-one. I could care less. She’s definitely hotter and much better in bed.”

She gasped in utter shock and held her hand to her chest.

“And in the shower.” He wiggled his eyebrows to irritate her even further.

“Mitch! This is so wrong on so many levels.” She crossed her arms tightly under her breasts.

“I could give a shit how this looks for you. Neither she nor I call this city home anymore. We don’t give a fuck what you or anyone else thinks. After today, I’m sure you can see she’s here to stay.” His chest huffed at the exertion from his rant.

“Well, maybe she’ll get a few more million out of your bank account.”

“Of course.” It dawned on him. “You’re worried that you’re not going to get your money.”

“Well...” She primped her hair. “That woman is capable of many things. It wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Get out!” He pointed to the door.

“Fine!” She turned on her heel and opened the door then closed it behind her with all the strength her tiny body could muster.

“Ding dong. The witch is gone!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, the echo reverberating throughout the entire brownstone.

Holiday Cure for the Cursed, a Christmas Novella

Daniel Digby is cursed by his good looks. After years of sexual harassment, he’s convinced wearing a wedding ring is the answer to fending off unwanted attention.

CiCi Newport is cursed by her family’s money. When men look her way, all they see are dollar signs. After two years, her “no dating” rule is still in place.

After a chance meeting, they’re entwined for the holidays. What starts as attraction might just be the holiday cure they’re looking for.

Excerpt

CiCi was nervous. She wasn’t sure her dark, skinny jeans and chocolate-colored sweater with her knee high brown boots was her best casual outfit. After changing three times, she’d ended up wearing the outfit she had on in the first place. In all of her twenty-seven years, she could not remember putting so much effort into her appearance to attract a specific man.

The front door of Villanova’s opened, and she realized it was too late to worry any longer.

He had entered the building.

The elusive He noticed her right away and held up a finger, signaling he would get a drink and be right over. She continued to take deep breaths until he came over to join her. He took off his coat and made himself comfortable in the chair across from her.

“No rushing off today?”

“No.” He sipped his drink and sighed. “I don’t have any meetings until mid-morning, so I have a little extra time. What about you? No portfolio today?”

“No. I had a meeting yesterday, but the project is basically finished, so I have a couple weeks off.” She took a long, luxurious sip from her own cup.

He smiled and nodded. “With all this free time on your hands, I suppose having coffee with strange men is out of the question?”

The introduction she had been dreading. As soon as he heard her last name, either the dollar signs would glow in his eyes, or he would run away from the lady who wrote children’s books for a living. Maybe it was time to try something different.

“I’m CiCi. And you are?”

His Adam’s apple bounced when he swallowed. “Daniel.” “Okay, Daniel. Now we’re not strangers.”

He smiled. “CiCi. Not strangers now. Might I be so bold as to ask what you might be doing with all this free time?”

“Besides meeting you for peppermint mochas?” she asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

“Well, that’s a given at this point,” he said with a dimpled grin.

“Maybe see a show. There is an exhibit at the Natural History Museum I wanted to check out.” He raised an eyebrow at her answer. “Or I’ve heard about this roller derby tournament this weekend. Maybe do a little Christmas shopping. Oh, and I’ve been invited to a club opening. I might drop by.”

“Roller derby sounds promising.” He laughed before taking another sip.

CiCi’s heart fluttered, and her stomach flipped at the melodious sound. She knew it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

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About the Author

Lindsey Gray typed her first complete novel at the age of twelve and dreamed of making her writing into a career. When her eighth grade class wrote a twenty year reunion story, casting her as a mystery novelist, she wasn’t sure she could make it a reality. After years of writing off and on, she decided to make a go of it. In December of 2010 she finally made her dream come true with her first published novel, Lies Inside. Five years and thousands of written words later, Lindsey is releasing her seventh published work, Nerdy Girl Nation.

When Lindsey takes a break from writing, she spends time with her husband of thirteen years and their two children, reading all kinds of romance novels, and hosting her own weekly radio show, Gray Matters, on TMV Cafe Internet Radio.