Melissa McClone - Sweet Holiday Wishes

SWEET HOLIDAY WISHES

Indigo Bay Sweet Romance Series

by

Melissa McClone

Copyright 2017 Melissa McClone

ALL RIGHT RESERVED

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work, in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, is illegal and forbidden, without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Characters, settings, names, and occurrences are products of the authors imagination or used factiously and bear no resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, places or settings and/or occurrences. Any incidences of resemblance are purely coincidental.

Cover by Najla Qamber Designs

www.najlaqamberdesigns.com

Cardinal Press, LLC

October 2017

ISBN-13: 978-1-944777-04-3

For Kay Correll, Jean Oram, Danielle Stewart,

and the other Indigo Bay series authors!

December 22 nd

You cannot kidnap Lizzy, dude. That would be a huge mistake. Not to mention illegal.

What are you talking about, Dare? U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Mitchell, aka Mitch, Hamilton sat in his car across the street from an apartment building. He appreciated his team leader Sergeant Darragh ORourkes early morning phone call, but the guy had it all wrong.

Im surprising my wife with a trip to Indigo Bay for Christmas, Mitch explained. Thats not kidnapping.

It is if she doesnt want to go.

Shell want to go. The words, however, rang hollow.

Once upon a time, Mitch would have been certain Lizzy would say yes to a surprise getaway on the South Carolina coast. Now, not so much. He hated how the truth gnawed at him.

Rangers lead the way!

Mitch hoped he got the chance.

Whats your plan B if she says no? Dare asked.

Plan B? Mitch had spent weeks figuring out how to get his wife back after she left him in October. Shed said she needed someone to take care of her for once. He thought he was doing that already.

He dragged a hand over his tired face. Uh

This is too important. You need a backup plan. The words flew from Dares mouth like artillery fire. I had one when I wanted Jenny to give me another chance. Didnt need it, but it was worth renting that Bigfoot costume just in case.

Dare and Jenny Hanford, a bestselling thriller author, had become an official couple in September while Dare was recovering from serious injuries after a helicopter crash. The two hadnt been together long, but they seemed perfect for each other.

Mitch had thought the same thing about him and Lizzy when he married her three years ago.

I dont need a backup plan. He glanced at Lizzys empty parking space. Her overnight shift as a registered nurse had ended nearly an hour ago. Where was she? Lizzy has wanted to go to Indigo Bay since we met. She wont say no.

If you say so. Dares uncertain tone matched the way Mitch felt.

I do. My bag is in the truck. The gas tanks full. Mitch wanted to sound confident. His guys counted on him to lead. He needed to appear strong and capable.

And he was those things when it came to him being a Ranger.

Hed faced terrorists and insurgents while deployed with his platoon from Fort Benning. Hed been ambushed, caught in firefights, and battled for his life. But waiting for his wife was taking his nerves to an all-time high.

He missed Lizzy.

He wanted her back in their house and in their bed.

Youve got this. Dares serious tone suggested the younger sergeant understood what was at stake. Remember, this vacation is about Lizzy. Show her how much she means to you. Make sure she doesnt feel taken for granted.

Lizzy had told Mitch shed felt like nothing more than the person who took care of the house and his sexual needs. He didnt understand because he thought their marriage was perfect. Ill do whatever it takes.

Failure wasnt an option.

Hed escaped from impossible situations before. Reconciling with Lizzy should be easier than getting himself and his guys home in one piece. She was his family. The most important person in his life. Maybe he shouldnt have walked out of that stupid marriage counselors office in June, but what else could he do when Lizzy was blaming him for nonexistent problems? He hadnt done anything wrong.

Have fun wooing your wife. She wont know what hit her. Sincerity filled Dares voice. Call if you need me. Ive got your six.

Right back at you. Enjoy the holidays.

The gifts are packed, and the engagement ring is in my pocket. Dare sounded like he was smiling. Given he was spending the holidays in Berry Lake, Washington with Jenny and a recently adopted kitten, he was probably grinning from ear to ear. Have a Merry Christmas.

Mitch tucked his phone into his back pocket. The silence in the trucks cab pressed down on him.

A marriage takes two people to succeed. I cant keep holding everything together any longer. I want a divorce.

Remembering Lizzys words made his shoulders sag as if he were wearing body armor and a seventy-pound pack.

Divorce wasnt the solution. Mitch loved Lizzy. He needed her. No one had ever loved him like she did. As soon as they arrived in Indigo Bay, he would show her their marriage was fine and they belonged together.

Stifling a yawn, Lizzy drove into her apartment buildings lot. Up on the Housetop played on the radio, but she didnt sing along. Her ho-ho-ho had gone up and went. She didnt have it in her to act jolly or full of holiday spirit. She parked in her spot and got out of the car.

After working fourteen hours at the hospital, all she wanted was a shower, breakfast, and seven hours of uninterrupted sleep. Lizzy entered her studio apartment and kicked off her shoes.

A minute or so later, a knock sounded.

Who is it? she asked.

Mitch.

Huh? She opened the door.

Her husband stood there in a pair of faded jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. His high cheekbones seemed sharper, but he was as handsome as the night theyd met at a party. His brown hair was short, and stubble covered his face. The dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadnt been sleeping much.

Hey. The edges of his mouth curved upward. Sorry I didnt call before stopping by.

The gold wedding ring on his finger made her stomach churn. Shed taken off her matching band when shed moved out two months agoan act of self-preservation to keep her from crying each time she noticed it.

She clutched the door handle. Whats up?

Can I come in?

Okay. She had no idea what was going on, but they were still married. After he was inside, she closed the door.

What do you want? Her words sounded impatient, harsher than shed intended.

Stupid. Mitch wasnt a bad guy. He just hadnt been able to give her what she needed. Not surprising given their whirlwind romance had led to a wedding right before he deployed to Afghanistan. They hadnt known each other well enough. Shed had no idea how much hed be away or that theyd handle the times apart differently.

Sorry, she said. Long night.

His gaze narrowed. You look tired.

So do you.

Ill make this quick. He rocked back on his heels. What are you doing for Christmas?

Nothing. Im skipping it.

No plans?

Not unless you count hanging out with friends. Which was so unlike her since she loved Christmas, but this wasnt a usual year. Im off until the night of the twenty-sixth.