Holiday Kisses - Week 1

I'm so excited to be offering a free holiday read to my readers. For the next few Thursday's, I will be posting small parts to my story. Each week will pick up where the last weeks ended. Then, December 3rd, my story, along with several other Beachwalk Press authors will release for free in a downloadable anthology. :)

Tara won’t be spending Christmas with her family this year, but she’s not entirely alone. Her roommate, Brad, who's currently single, is also at home with her. Tara goes to bed Christmas Eve with hopes Santa might bring her what she most desires. After hearing a loud crash, she goes to investigate, and underneath the tree, she finds the present she’s been dying to unwrap.

The Gift Beneath The Tree

Tara took a long drink from her glass of wine. It was Christmas Eve, and she was alone. Well, not really. Her roommate Brad was there, and to her surprise, this year he was single too. Brad was one of those gorgeous men who was never without a girl hanging around. Though, her being alone…that was nothing new. She’d been having a dry spell the past six months. Perhaps she was too picky, but she liked to think it was just high expectations.

“Are you going to your mom’s tomorrow?” Brad asked as they sat in the dimly lit living room.

Tara glanced around at the decorations. This year they’d gotten a real tree. Nothing huge, but it reminded her of her childhood. Each day when she came home, she enjoyed the smell of the pine welcoming her. “Not this year. She’s got a new boyfriend, and I don’t really want to hang out with them.”

“I guess that would be weird.”

“You think? Mom and Dad have only been divorced six months. I can’t see her with someone else yet.”

Even in her mid-twenties, her parents getting divorced had been hard on her. They had waited until her little brother left for college and then separated. Tara assumed they’d made it work for them, so once all the kids left the nest, they went their separate ways. But thinking back, it never seemed as though they were unhappy. Then again, she was young and had no reason to look for those types of things.

“You know eventually you’ll have to, right?” Brad said.

“Maybe not. If I play it right, I may never have to.”

Brad laughed. Tara always liked the way he sounded when he did. He had one of those laughs that was animated and contagious. She couldn’t help but smile, even as she tried her best to suppress her own giggle.

“So, what about you? Plans?” Tara winked at him.

“Yup, very special ones.”

“Ooo, sounds promising. Are you going to share?” Maybe she was wrong about him not having someone in his life.

He shook his head and smirked. “Nope, you’ll find out soon enough.”
Tara picked up the wine bottle and topped her glass off. She held it out to see if he wanted more, and he leaned forward for her to add the white liquid to his glass. “Sometimes you’re so secretive.” She set the bottle down.

“Don’t you like that about me?”

There was a lot Tara liked about Brad, but that was her own secret. She’d had the hots for Brad from the moment she’d met him five years ago, but they’d always stayed in ‘friends’ territory. Often she wished she was more outgoing and could just offer herself to him, but if he rejected her, their friendship would go out the window. Tara wanted to at least be friends with him. So, she settled with where their relationship was, even though it was pure torture when he brought a woman home for a wild night.

Thank God for earplugs.

“I guess we better put out the cookies and milk for Santa,” Tara joked.

Brad leaned back in his chair and asked, “What are you hoping the jolly ol’ man will bring you this year?”

“Hmmm, let me think. How about a pony? I never did get one of those growing up.” Tara giggled.

“Would you settle for a stallion?”

Did you enjoy what you read so far? If so, come on back next Thursday! Also, today Kaylie Newell is posting her story, Winter Break.

Tomorrow, Ashlynn Monroe will be posting an part from her story, Reunion. Don't miss it. 

See you next Thursday!