by: Katherine Garbera
Series: The Rossis of Whiskey River
Genre: Contemporary Christmas Romance
Release Date: November 10, 2022
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Sometimes a fresh start requires a Christmas miracle…
Angelica Rossi moved to Whiskey River, Texas, for a true second chance. As Christmas approaches, she’s ready to rebuild her reputation and help her community by launching a nonprofit aimed at providing resources to the town’s underserved residents. To pull off this miracle, she’ll need to grab the attention of billionaire Max Parrish who’s offering business grants. How? By crashing his holiday party.
Max Parrish is a successful entrepreneur who prides himself on seeing through people’s characters and ulterior motives. When Angelica approaches him during his business Christmas party, he knows she’s not on his carefully curated guest list. Still, he lets her make her pitch. Her beauty and confidence intrigue him, and her proposal is nearly as tempting as she is. Max knows firsthand how important second chances are, so he agrees to fund Angelica’s grant with strings…him.
Max and Angelica find themselves collaborating over her business plan during the town’s festive holiday traditions. But Max has been fooled before. Will Angelica’s good intentions last beyond the holiday?
Age: 30
Date of birth: March 6, 1992
Physical Description: From Angelica’s POV: There was no mistaking that thick, dark curly hair, those bright blue eyes and the formidable jawline. His mouth was full and though his lips were curled in a genial smile she knew that he wasn’t all laid-back and easygoing.
Occupation: Runs a number of investment groups and the charitable foundation Second Start
3 likes in no particular order: Boldness, Honesty, Second Chances
3 dislikes in no particular order: Addiction, Lies, Weakness
Drink of choice: Doesn’t have one.
Favorite food: Anything he doesn’t have to cook.
Favorite song: That sappy one J.T. Williams wrote about his wife—it was the first song I danced to with Angelica.
Choice of transportation: Anything fast.
Favorite way to spend an evening: On the couch with Angelica eating her parmesan and garlic popcorn.
Favorite holiday tradition: Anything with Angelica. Prior to meeting her my family didn’t really have any traditions.
Best memory to date: The moment I saw Angelica for the first time…
He heard the tinkling sound of laughter. Skimming the crowd he tried to find the source of it. He was surprised when the woman with the smiling eyes and joyful laughter wasn’t what he expected. She wore a white wool suit that hugged her slim figure. She had on a pair of Christmas red heels and her blondish-brown hair was pulled back tightly at the back of her head. Her skin was white like alabaster, but her brows were thick and brown, and her lips were the same shade of red as her heels. She put her arm around the woman next to her who wore a sparkly sleeveless dress and had her hair pulled back in a bouncy ponytail.
Max would never have guessed the two of them were together. They intrigued him. He waited and saw them bend their heads close together again, then she laughed. A jolt of sensual energy went through him and he didn’t feel bored anymore or sick of these kinds of parties.
He went down the stairs determined to meet the woman with the enchanting laugh. There was something about her...
If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently? Give my brother one more chance.
What’s something you’ve said you would never do, but in fact have done? Start to believe in miracles
Words to live by: You can’t stop someone from making bad choices, you can only be there when they reach out.
JAX AND J.T. Williams played a great set after dinner. The tables were cleared and a dance floor set up. Angelica took off the jacket of her white wool suit and set it on a chair when Max asked her to dance. She wore a cream-colored silk camisole underneath it. There was no way she was going to dance in that wool suit. She saw a woman in a gold sequin sheath and regretted that she wasn’t wearing something like that.
Well sort of regretted it. Her heart felt different tonight as she looked around the party. When Max had challenged her at the table, she’d almost let herself sink into the guilt and moroseness that she’d been living in since she’d had to leave New Orleans. But then she’d felt a little spark of her old self. She wasn’t a quitter.
She’d left New Orleans behind when she’d realized she was starting to tear apart the community she’d been a member of. People were choosing sides and lines were being drawn. The video might have been edited to only show her rant at Veronica but the truth was Angelica owned her part of it. She’d screwed up but she was ready to move on. And dancing with Max was a definite step in that direction.
She liked him and instead of denying herself as she’d been doing, she was going to take his hand and see where the evening led them. Max had arched one eyebrow at her as she’d taken off her suit jacket but then he did the same and even went so far as to take off his tie and undo the top button.
“I hate to disappoint Roxanne but I’m really not feeling very Scroogey tonight,” she said as Jax started playing one of his classic hits. A hard-rocking country song about good times and no regrets.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said, as he took her hand in his and led her to the dance floor.
Cosima and Reg joined them a minute later and soon they were part of a larger group of Whiskey River partygoers who were enjoying the music. Angelica felt someone dancing close behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see that it was Roxanne. The other woman met her gaze and then looked away and for a moment Angelica was tempted to keep the dance circle closed and not let the other woman in. But that felt mean and didn’t suit her.
She reached out her hand and touched Roxanne’s wrist as she moved to make space for her. Roxanne seemed surprised but then smiled and joined their group. Angelica knew that gesture was something that she’d been afraid to make until tonight. She’d been so closed to everything, so afraid of rejection that she stopped being the woman she was. The woman who tried to include everyone.
When the song ended J.T. stepped up to the mic.
“This song was written for my wife Zara Mitchell. So grab someone special as we slow things down.”
Angelica looked around for Cosima but her cousin was already in the arms of a man that Angelica didn’t know. She sort of turned to make her way off the dance floor when Max stopped her. “Want to dance with me?”
“Yes,” she said. This was one of those awkward party moments that happened when you were with a stranger and had been hanging out but weren’t really special friends.
The song was sweet and sensual, describing how J.T. had met his wife on the side of the road when her car broke down and how they’d fallen in love. She’d heard the story before because he was married to Angelica’s sister-in-law’s best friend. But the song made her teary-eyed and wish that she could find a man who would love her like that.
It didn’t matter that she wasn’t looking for and didn’t need a man. Just to hear someone cared that deeply...that’s what she wanted. Cosima might have said they needed a miracle but the truth was it wasn’t the two of them or the store that needed it. It was Angelica. She needed to feel worthy again.
“That song. Damn. I don’t know that I ever want to need someone as much as J.T. needs his wife,” Max said as the song ended. He had his arms around her and she could smell his expensive cologne.
The heat of his hand on the small of her back made her wonder what his touch would feel like on her naked skin. She tipped her head back so that their eyes met. “I don’t know, I think it must be very special to have someone in your life like that.”
“Do you believe in love?” he asked.
“About as much as I believe in miracles,” she retorted. He gave a shout of laughter and sort of hugged her closer for a second. “You keep surprising me, Ms. Not Scrooge.” “That’s the plan. Keep you off your guard.”
“Really? Then what?”
She had no idea. Out of nowhere she realized that she wanted more than this dance. She’d thought she’d see where things went but she wanted to know if the passion that had stirred in her from talking to him and dancing with him had legs. Could it go any further? Or was it just a bit of flirtation? Either way she wasn’t going to question it.
“You’ll have to wait and find out.”
He narrowed his eyes as he looked down at her, his mouth held tight, she thought, to keep from smiling. “You’re teasing me.”
“I am,” she admitted. “I don’t think enough people do.” “Why?”
“Probably because you could make or break them and they are too intimidated,” she said. “But you’re not?”
She shook her head and a bit of reality crept into her. “I’m already broken.”
“Not broken, just bent, and I think you’re finding your way back.”
She wished she had his confidence, but the truth was to- night had restored a bit of it. “I’m trying...maybe I am looking for that miracle Cosima talked about and maybe...well, you might be the one to deliver it.”
“Miracles aren’t my specialty but second chances are,” he said. “I think you’re worth taking a chance on.”
Max would never have guessed the two of them were together. They intrigued him. He waited and saw them bend their heads close together again, then she laughed. A jolt of sensual energy went through him and he didn’t feel bored anymore or sick of these kinds of parties.
He went down the stairs determined to meet the woman with the enchanting laugh. There was something about her...
If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently? Give my brother one more chance.
What’s something you’ve said you would never do, but in fact have done? Start to believe in miracles
Words to live by: You can’t stop someone from making bad choices, you can only be there when they reach out.
JAX AND J.T. Williams played a great set after dinner. The tables were cleared and a dance floor set up. Angelica took off the jacket of her white wool suit and set it on a chair when Max asked her to dance. She wore a cream-colored silk camisole underneath it. There was no way she was going to dance in that wool suit. She saw a woman in a gold sequin sheath and regretted that she wasn’t wearing something like that.
Well sort of regretted it. Her heart felt different tonight as she looked around the party. When Max had challenged her at the table, she’d almost let herself sink into the guilt and moroseness that she’d been living in since she’d had to leave New Orleans. But then she’d felt a little spark of her old self. She wasn’t a quitter.
She’d left New Orleans behind when she’d realized she was starting to tear apart the community she’d been a member of. People were choosing sides and lines were being drawn. The video might have been edited to only show her rant at Veronica but the truth was Angelica owned her part of it. She’d screwed up but she was ready to move on. And dancing with Max was a definite step in that direction.
She liked him and instead of denying herself as she’d been doing, she was going to take his hand and see where the evening led them. Max had arched one eyebrow at her as she’d taken off her suit jacket but then he did the same and even went so far as to take off his tie and undo the top button.
“I hate to disappoint Roxanne but I’m really not feeling very Scroogey tonight,” she said as Jax started playing one of his classic hits. A hard-rocking country song about good times and no regrets.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said, as he took her hand in his and led her to the dance floor.
Cosima and Reg joined them a minute later and soon they were part of a larger group of Whiskey River partygoers who were enjoying the music. Angelica felt someone dancing close behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see that it was Roxanne. The other woman met her gaze and then looked away and for a moment Angelica was tempted to keep the dance circle closed and not let the other woman in. But that felt mean and didn’t suit her.
She reached out her hand and touched Roxanne’s wrist as she moved to make space for her. Roxanne seemed surprised but then smiled and joined their group. Angelica knew that gesture was something that she’d been afraid to make until tonight. She’d been so closed to everything, so afraid of rejection that she stopped being the woman she was. The woman who tried to include everyone.
When the song ended J.T. stepped up to the mic.
“This song was written for my wife Zara Mitchell. So grab someone special as we slow things down.”
Angelica looked around for Cosima but her cousin was already in the arms of a man that Angelica didn’t know. She sort of turned to make her way off the dance floor when Max stopped her. “Want to dance with me?”
“Yes,” she said. This was one of those awkward party moments that happened when you were with a stranger and had been hanging out but weren’t really special friends.
The song was sweet and sensual, describing how J.T. had met his wife on the side of the road when her car broke down and how they’d fallen in love. She’d heard the story before because he was married to Angelica’s sister-in-law’s best friend. But the song made her teary-eyed and wish that she could find a man who would love her like that.
It didn’t matter that she wasn’t looking for and didn’t need a man. Just to hear someone cared that deeply...that’s what she wanted. Cosima might have said they needed a miracle but the truth was it wasn’t the two of them or the store that needed it. It was Angelica. She needed to feel worthy again.
“That song. Damn. I don’t know that I ever want to need someone as much as J.T. needs his wife,” Max said as the song ended. He had his arms around her and she could smell his expensive cologne.
The heat of his hand on the small of her back made her wonder what his touch would feel like on her naked skin. She tipped her head back so that their eyes met. “I don’t know, I think it must be very special to have someone in your life like that.”
“Do you believe in love?” he asked.
“About as much as I believe in miracles,” she retorted. He gave a shout of laughter and sort of hugged her closer for a second. “You keep surprising me, Ms. Not Scrooge.” “That’s the plan. Keep you off your guard.”
“Really? Then what?”
She had no idea. Out of nowhere she realized that she wanted more than this dance. She’d thought she’d see where things went but she wanted to know if the passion that had stirred in her from talking to him and dancing with him had legs. Could it go any further? Or was it just a bit of flirtation? Either way she wasn’t going to question it.
“You’ll have to wait and find out.”
He narrowed his eyes as he looked down at her, his mouth held tight, she thought, to keep from smiling. “You’re teasing me.”
“I am,” she admitted. “I don’t think enough people do.” “Why?”
“Probably because you could make or break them and they are too intimidated,” she said. “But you’re not?”
She shook her head and a bit of reality crept into her. “I’m already broken.”
“Not broken, just bent, and I think you’re finding your way back.”
She wished she had his confidence, but the truth was to- night had restored a bit of it. “I’m trying...maybe I am looking for that miracle Cosima talked about and maybe...well, you might be the one to deliver it.”
“Miracles aren’t my specialty but second chances are,” he said. “I think you’re worth taking a chance on.”
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The Rossis of Whiskey River Series:
USA Today bestselling author Katherine Garbera writes emotionally sexy contemporary romances. An Amazon, BN & iBooks bestseller, she is also a two-time Maggie winner and has more than 9 million copies of her books sold worldwide.
Places to find Katherine Garbera:
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When we have extra money, I like to donate to a homeless organization. My last boss used to be heavily involved with this organization. They got people off the street, rehabilitated them and got them jobs. We had several people from the program who worked for the company.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your release of Texas Christmas Magic, Katherine, it sounds like a wonderful holiday read for me! I don't ever have a lot of extra money, but I find little ways to help, like at a check out line, if some is short, or putting stuff back, if at all possible I'll give them what they need or buy what they put back! After all, a little bit goes a long way! Have a magical holiday season!
ReplyDeleteI donate all the kids clothes to Big Brothers Big Sisters and other stuff to Goodwill. I try to help donate at the holidays, so no kids goes without a present.
ReplyDeleteI participate in The Giving Boxes with my church.
ReplyDeleted
I wish we could afford to donate more to our local shelter, especially this time of year when they need more blankets and warm clothing
ReplyDeleteDonating and just being nice to strangers you never know when they need it!
ReplyDeleteI frequently donate food and clothes to the shelters and churches in my area, I wish that I could do more but my own resources are limited
ReplyDelete