A Family for Christmas
Helen Scott Taylor
A
heartwarming tale for Christmas.
heartwarming tale for Christmas.
A
lonely career woman stranded in a blizzard, a disillusioned man who has cut
himself off from women. When he rescues her from the snow and takes her into
his home, the spirit of Christmas and his little girl’s love work their magic.
lonely career woman stranded in a blizzard, a disillusioned man who has cut
himself off from women. When he rescues her from the snow and takes her into
his home, the spirit of Christmas and his little girl’s love work their magic.
Excerpt
Eve
grabbed her coat from the back seat and struggled to put it on in the confined
space, buttoning it up to the neck. She pushed open her car door and gasped as
the icy wind whipped snow into her face. Quickly, she climbed out and shut the
door to keep in the warmth. Freezing water trickled into her shoes and bits of
snow stung her skin. She trod cautiously over the slick surface, a hand on her
car to stop from slipping.
grabbed her coat from the back seat and struggled to put it on in the confined
space, buttoning it up to the neck. She pushed open her car door and gasped as
the icy wind whipped snow into her face. Quickly, she climbed out and shut the
door to keep in the warmth. Freezing water trickled into her shoes and bits of
snow stung her skin. She trod cautiously over the slick surface, a hand on her
car to stop from slipping.
In
the road, a tiny lamb stood shivering, bleating plaintively, wire tangled
around its legs. No wonder the poor little thing hadn’t moved. Narrowing her
eyes against the icy flakes, she crouched and tried to unravel the wire caught
in the creature’s woolly coat. A spike gouged her hand, but her fingers were
nearly numb from cold so she hardly felt it. She sucked away a drop of blood
and continued working to untangle the lamb.
the road, a tiny lamb stood shivering, bleating plaintively, wire tangled
around its legs. No wonder the poor little thing hadn’t moved. Narrowing her
eyes against the icy flakes, she crouched and tried to unravel the wire caught
in the creature’s woolly coat. A spike gouged her hand, but her fingers were
nearly numb from cold so she hardly felt it. She sucked away a drop of blood
and continued working to untangle the lamb.
Her
teeth chattered and she shivered inside her coat. Eventually, she was able to
lift the tiny creature out of the twisted strands. After kicking the bunch of
wire to the edge of the road, she hurried back to her car with the lamb in her
arms. She opened her car door, getting a shoe full of icy water in the ditch,
then deposited the small animal on her passenger’s seat and followed it into
the welcoming warmth.
teeth chattered and she shivered inside her coat. Eventually, she was able to
lift the tiny creature out of the twisted strands. After kicking the bunch of
wire to the edge of the road, she hurried back to her car with the lamb in her
arms. She opened her car door, getting a shoe full of icy water in the ditch,
then deposited the small animal on her passenger’s seat and followed it into
the welcoming warmth.
“You
poor little thing.” Eve started her car engine and turned the heater up
full, rubbing her hands together in the hot air. The tiny creature stared at
her with innocent dark eyes, its hooves leaving dirty skid marks on the cream
leather car seat. She released a sigh and hoped the animal didn’t decide to
relieve itself.
poor little thing.” Eve started her car engine and turned the heater up
full, rubbing her hands together in the hot air. The tiny creature stared at
her with innocent dark eyes, its hooves leaving dirty skid marks on the cream
leather car seat. She released a sigh and hoped the animal didn’t decide to
relieve itself.
Bleating,
the lamb pressed its nose against the window. “You’re better off inside,
little guy. Believe me.” Eve stroked its damp curly fur, feeling its bony
body beneath. The poor thing couldn’t be more than a week or two old. How had
it ended up out here all alone? And what was she going to do with it?
the lamb pressed its nose against the window. “You’re better off inside,
little guy. Believe me.” Eve stroked its damp curly fur, feeling its bony
body beneath. The poor thing couldn’t be more than a week or two old. How had
it ended up out here all alone? And what was she going to do with it?
The
time was only three thirty, but the sky was already darkening. She didn’t like
her chances of trying to walk to civilization, so it looked as though she would
be spending the night in the car. With a farm animal. She smiled ruefully. At
least the situation would give her an entertaining story to tell her brother,
Connor, at Christmastime. If she saw him.
time was only three thirty, but the sky was already darkening. She didn’t like
her chances of trying to walk to civilization, so it looked as though she would
be spending the night in the car. With a farm animal. She smiled ruefully. At
least the situation would give her an entertaining story to tell her brother,
Connor, at Christmastime. If she saw him.
The
sadness she usually held at bay by occupying herself with work welled inside
her. If Connor’s wife, Lilly, had her way, Eve wouldn’t get to see her twin
brother at Christmas, or any other time. The family had fallen apart when her
parents died. Her eldest brother, Ed, had moved to Germany with his job, but
she’d at least thought she still had Connor. She hadn’t bargained on Lilly
being so possessive and jealous of their close relationship.
sadness she usually held at bay by occupying herself with work welled inside
her. If Connor’s wife, Lilly, had her way, Eve wouldn’t get to see her twin
brother at Christmas, or any other time. The family had fallen apart when her
parents died. Her eldest brother, Ed, had moved to Germany with his job, but
she’d at least thought she still had Connor. She hadn’t bargained on Lilly
being so possessive and jealous of their close relationship.
For
a moment, Eve wondered why she was so anxious to get home for Christmas next
weekend when she would probably spend it alone and working. But she enjoyed her
work. There were a lot of people worse off than she was.
a moment, Eve wondered why she was so anxious to get home for Christmas next
weekend when she would probably spend it alone and working. But she enjoyed her
work. There were a lot of people worse off than she was.
Huge,
bright headlights suddenly blinked on about a half mile away, jolting her from
her musings. With a burst of hope, Eve leaned forward, squinting to see what
sort of vehicle was coming. A truck, no…a tractor.
bright headlights suddenly blinked on about a half mile away, jolting her from
her musings. With a burst of hope, Eve leaned forward, squinting to see what
sort of vehicle was coming. A truck, no…a tractor.
Maybe
she wouldn’t have to spend the night in her car. If the tractor towed her to
the main road, she might reach her hotel in Plymouth tonight. She chewed her
lip as the mammoth vehicle crawled closer through the snow, the drone of its
engine rumbling. It halted a short distance in front of her car. The door
opened and a man climbed down from the cab and came towards her.
she wouldn’t have to spend the night in her car. If the tractor towed her to
the main road, she might reach her hotel in Plymouth tonight. She chewed her
lip as the mammoth vehicle crawled closer through the snow, the drone of its
engine rumbling. It halted a short distance in front of her car. The door
opened and a man climbed down from the cab and came towards her.
She
was pleased to see him, but it didn’t hurt to be careful. She locked all her
doors and cracked the window open. He bent and looked inside. “You
okay?”
was pleased to see him, but it didn’t hurt to be careful. She locked all her
doors and cracked the window open. He bent and looked inside. “You
okay?”
She
caught a flash of blue eyes beneath the wool hat pulled low on his head.
caught a flash of blue eyes beneath the wool hat pulled low on his head.
“I’m
not hurt, but my car’s stuck,” she said.
not hurt, but my car’s stuck,” she said.
He
tried the door handle and she quickly made a decision and unlocked it. Caution
was all very well, but right now she needed help. He crouched down, so wrapped
up with a scarf and upturned collar that all she could see was his nose.
“Where’d you find Pickle?”
tried the door handle and she quickly made a decision and unlocked it. Caution
was all very well, but right now she needed help. He crouched down, so wrapped
up with a scarf and upturned collar that all she could see was his nose.
“Where’d you find Pickle?”
“Pickle?”
Eve stared at the man blankly.
Eve stared at the man blankly.
“The
lamb. I’ve been searching for him for hours.”
lamb. I’ve been searching for him for hours.”
“Ah.”
Eve glanced at the woolly creature lying happily beside her. “He’s what
put me in the ditch. He was tangled in some wire in the middle of the
road.”
Eve glanced at the woolly creature lying happily beside her. “He’s what
put me in the ditch. He was tangled in some wire in the middle of the
road.”
“Oh.”
The man rubbed the back of his gloved hand over his face. “Sorry about
that.”
The man rubbed the back of his gloved hand over his face. “Sorry about
that.”
“Can
you tow me out with your tractor and help me reach the main road?”
you tow me out with your tractor and help me reach the main road?”
“Not
now. It’s getting dark and the weather’s closing in.”
now. It’s getting dark and the weather’s closing in.”
Eve
thought the weather had already “closed in” but she didn’t say so.
thought the weather had already “closed in” but she didn’t say so.
“You’d
better come home with me tonight. It’s the least I can do after Pickle put you
in the ditch. I’ll tow you out in the morning if the snow stops.”
better come home with me tonight. It’s the least I can do after Pickle put you
in the ditch. I’ll tow you out in the morning if the snow stops.”
Eve
stared at the man’s dark silhouette against the glowing white landscape. She
wouldn’t normally go home with a stranger, and she certainly didn’t want to,
but her choice was that or sleep in the car. “Thanks, Mister…?”
stared at the man’s dark silhouette against the glowing white landscape. She
wouldn’t normally go home with a stranger, and she certainly didn’t want to,
but her choice was that or sleep in the car. “Thanks, Mister…?”
“Tom
Millington.”
Millington.”
To
her surprise, he extended a hand. She grasped his cold, leather-gloved fingers
and shook.
her surprise, he extended a hand. She grasped his cold, leather-gloved fingers
and shook.
“I’m
Eve Scott.”
Eve Scott.”
“Well,
Eve, you’d better bring anything valuable with you,” he said, standing.
“It’s unlikely a thief will come along, but you never know. Even up
here.”
Eve, you’d better bring anything valuable with you,” he said, standing.
“It’s unlikely a thief will come along, but you never know. Even up
here.”
While
she gathered her laptop bag, handbag, and the small overnight suitcase, Tom went
around to the other side of her car, opened the passenger door, and gently
picked up the lamb. He unbuttoned his coat and tucked the creature inside so
only its head stuck out under his chin. With one hand supporting the animal, he
picked up her suitcase and headed for the tractor.
she gathered her laptop bag, handbag, and the small overnight suitcase, Tom went
around to the other side of her car, opened the passenger door, and gently
picked up the lamb. He unbuttoned his coat and tucked the creature inside so
only its head stuck out under his chin. With one hand supporting the animal, he
picked up her suitcase and headed for the tractor.
Eve
followed him, wading through the snow that had grown a lot deeper, even since
she climbed out to bring Pickle into the car. Surely farmers didn’t normally
name their sheep? She wondered about it for a moment, then turned her attention
to climbing into the massive blue tractor. Tom went up the metal steps on the
side of the vehicle and stowed her suitcase, then held a hand down. She passed
him her laptop bag and purse, drawing a fortifying breath. “Here
goes.”
followed him, wading through the snow that had grown a lot deeper, even since
she climbed out to bring Pickle into the car. Surely farmers didn’t normally
name their sheep? She wondered about it for a moment, then turned her attention
to climbing into the massive blue tractor. Tom went up the metal steps on the
side of the vehicle and stowed her suitcase, then held a hand down. She passed
him her laptop bag and purse, drawing a fortifying breath. “Here
goes.”
She
grabbed the icy metal handhold and wedged the toe of her pump on the bottom
step, then climbed to the next one. Tom’s hand gripped under her arm and she
found herself hauled unceremoniously into the small cab beside him. She hadn’t
realized how big he was until she was jammed in the snug space with him.
grabbed the icy metal handhold and wedged the toe of her pump on the bottom
step, then climbed to the next one. Tom’s hand gripped under her arm and she
found herself hauled unceremoniously into the small cab beside him. She hadn’t
realized how big he was until she was jammed in the snug space with him.
He
leaned around her to close the door, his coat brushing her front. She came face
to face with Pickle who looked snuggly and content cocooned against Tom’s
chest. She had the strange random thought that she wouldn’t mind being snuggled
into a warm chest herself right now, but immediately put the idea out of her
head. Tom Millington might be her knight in shining armor—or in his case,
knight in a wool hat and rather scruffy coat—but she was attracted to
professional men. Men who put farm animals inside their jackets were definitely
not her type.
leaned around her to close the door, his coat brushing her front. She came face
to face with Pickle who looked snuggly and content cocooned against Tom’s
chest. She had the strange random thought that she wouldn’t mind being snuggled
into a warm chest herself right now, but immediately put the idea out of her
head. Tom Millington might be her knight in shining armor—or in his case,
knight in a wool hat and rather scruffy coat—but she was attracted to
professional men. Men who put farm animals inside their jackets were definitely
not her type.
GIVEAWAY: Helen Scott Taylor has offered up a copy of this book. To be eligible for this book, leave your favorite Christmas memory of you and your significant other. If you don’t have a significant other, leave your favorite Christmas romance movie/book. You must provide an email so Ms. Taylor can email you with your book.
Sarah’s Review:
I had this one hidden on my Kindle for a while and finally got around to reading it. I am glad I found this story when I did because I really needed an uplifting romance and one that involved Christmas. There was something about this story that hit my soul to its core. I can’t explain it either.
What I love most about this story is how a snow storm, a lamb and a little girl all came together to lead two people to fall in love. This story gave me hope for the future and that sometimes fate has a way of changing how you view your life.
