Dear Santa(50)

Adam nodded, and scooted off Santa’s lap and hurried back to Lindy.

“Thanks, Santa,” she said.

“You’re welcome, Lindy.” And then, with a twinkle in his eye, he winked.

The three left the store and headed across the street for hot cocoa before heading to Lindy’s parents’ for Christmas Eve.

“Did you hear Adam say he wanted a little brother?” Billy asked her after delivering the cocoa to the table.

    “I did.”

Adam looked from his mom to his dad. “Can I have a brother real soon?”

“I’d say in about eight months,” Lindy told him.

Billy’s eyes grew wide. “Did you say eight months?”

Lindy’s face broke into a big smile. “I did.”

Billy started to laugh, pausing only long enough to take hold of Lindy and kiss her.

“Daddy,” Adam asked, “what do you want from Santa?”

“I already have everything I could have ever wished for,” he told his son.

For that matter, so did Lindy.





To Patt and Steve Boothe,

   wonderful neighbors

   and even better friends





BALLANTINE BOOKS FROM DEBBIE MACOMBER


It’s Better This Way A Walk Along the Beach Window on the Bay

Cottage by the Sea Any Dream Will Do

If Not for You

A Girl’s Guide to Moving On Last One Home





ROSE HARBOR INN


Sweet Tomorrows

Silver Linings

Love Letters

Rose Harbor in Bloom The Inn at Rose Harbor





BLOSSOM STREET


Blossom Street Brides Starting Now





CHRISTMAS NOVELS


Dear Santa

Jingle All the Way A Mrs. Miracle Christmas Alaskan Holiday

Merry and Bright

Twelve Days of Christmas Dashing Through the Snow Mr. Miracle

Starry Night

Angels at the Table





ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Debbie Macomber, the author of It’s Better This Way, A Walk Along the Beach, Window on the Bay, Cottage by the Sea, Any Dream Will Do, If Not for You, and the Rose Harbor Inn series, is a leading voice in women’s fiction. Fourteen of her novels have reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller lists, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel, including Mrs. Miracle and Mr. Miracle. Hallmark Channel also produced the original series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, based on Macomber’s Cedar Cove books. She is as well the author of the cookbook Debbie Macomber’s Table. There are more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide.

debbiemacomber.com

Facebook.com/?debbiemacomberworld

Twitter: @debbiemacomber

Instagram: @debbiemacomber

Pinterest.com/?macomberbooks





Love can transform even the best-laid plans in this heartfelt Christmas novel from the queen of Christmas stories, #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.


   Jingle All the Way


   Continue reading for a preview.





CHAPTER ONE


Everly Lancaster was ready to explode. Her assistant, Annette, the very one Jack Campbell, her business partner and CEO, had highly recommended she hire, who also happened to be his niece, had made yet another crucial mistake. One in a long list of costly errors. This time, however, this Gen Z, spoiled, irresponsible, entitled young woman had gone too far.

Annette Howington had mortified Everly in front of five hundred real estate brokers.

“It’s really not that big a deal,” Annette insisted, smiling as if to suggest this had all been a small misunderstanding. “You did fine without your speech.”

The awards banquet held in the posh Ritz-Carlton Hotel, half a block off Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, honored the top brokers for the online real estate company Easy Home. As Everly stepped onto the podium to deliver her carefully crafted speech, she discovered that her empty-headed assistant had downloaded the wrong talk and graphics. As a result, Everly had been forced to stumble through what she remembered of it. To her acute embarrassment, she’d sounded ill-prepared, fumbling over words and names.

    Everly was always at the top of her game. She did not stand up before a crowded banquet room and make a fool of herself.

“Not that big a deal?” Everly repeated, after the banquet. Annette had tried to escape without Everly noticing. No such luck. Everly had the assistant in her sights, and no way was she letting Annette sneak out.

“This is the last straw,” Everly said, managing to keep her anger under control. “I’ve given you every opportunity. I’m afraid I’m going to have to let you go.”

“You’re firing me?” Annette asked in utter disbelief. “But I’m doing the best I can.” For emphasis, she added a loud sniffle. “You’ve never liked me. From the day I started you’ve been demanding and critical.” Her eyes filled with tears, as if that would be enough to convince Everly to change her mind. She sniffled again for extra measure, her shoulders making dramatic shudders.