Page 3 of Mistletoe and Magic

Felicity's mind raced as she tried to piece together what was happening. And then she saw it—a full-length mirror hanging near the door. With hesitant steps, she approached it and gasped at the reflection staring back at her.

It was her, but different somehow. The reflection had her same curly blonde hair cascading over her shoulders, an oversized sweater hugging her curvy frame... but there was a radiant glow to her cheeks and a sparkle in her blue eyes that hadn't been there before—not just lately, but ever.

She approached the window, reaching up tentatively with her hand to touch the cold glass pane as she leaned against the window, her breath fogging up the glass as she looked out at the winter wonderland below. The street was blanketed in a thick layer of freshly fallen snow, just like the one in her unfinishedmanuscript. She could almost see the characters from her story walking along the sidewalk, their footprints creating a path through the pristine white snow. The scene outside mirrored the one in her mind, and for a moment, she felt like she was living inside her own imagination.

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she whispered in disbelief, "No way."

She stepped away from the window, shaking her head before looking around the room and then moving back to gaze at the street below. There was no way this could be possible. This couldn't be happening. She recognized the town that was laid out before her. As she scanned the charming main street, she knew without a doubt this was Christmas Valley.

2

JACE

Boston, Massachusetts

The lawyer’s office in downtown Boston smelled of leather-bound books and freshly polished wood, the kind of space designed to make clients feel important and just a little bit intimidated. Jace Winterborne leaned back in the oversized leather chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him and his arms folded across his chest. Despite the lawyer’s polished words and sympathetic tone, Jace still felt like he’d been sucker-punched.

“So,” Jace said slowly, rubbing a hand across the stubble on his jaw, “just to be clear... my uncle—the one I haven’t seen since I was a kid—left me the family ski lodge?”

The lawyer, an older man with graying hair and gold-rimmed glasses, gave a polite smile. “Yes. The Northwind Lodge in Christmas Valley, Vermont. Your uncle, Peter Dalton, passed away last month. He listed you as his sole beneficiary.”

Jace nodded, trying to process the information. His mother’s brother. Uncle Peter. A man Jace remembered only in fleeting images—like the warm scent of pine and the sound of boots crunching through snow. There had been visits to Vermont when Jace was little, but the family had drifted apart over theyears. His parents had moved to Boston, life had gotten busy, and those visits to Christmas Valley had become nothing more than memories tucked into the back of his mind.

“Why me?” Jace asked, more to himself than to the lawyer. He couldn’t imagine why Uncle Peter would leave the ski lodge to someone he hadn’t seen in over two decades.

The lawyer cleared his throat. “From what I understand, your uncle was rather reclusive in his later years. He never married, had no children. And, well, I suppose he thought you might appreciate the opportunity.”

Opportunity.The word echoed in Jace’s mind. He leaned forward, his interest piqued in a way he hadn’t expected.

Ever since his engagement had blown up—spectacularly, at that—he’d been in a rut. He was subletting a friend’s place in South Boston and moving through life in a kind of fog, too burned out to commit to anything or anyone other than his job as a chef de cuisine at a Michelin-starred restaurant. He hadn’t even bothered to unpack. But this? The idea of escaping the city, starting over in the quiet, snow-covered hills of Vermont... It stirred something in him.

“I’ve got to admit,” Jace said, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth, “this might be exactly what I need.”

The lawyer nodded with approval, shuffling the paperwork neatly into a folder. “Of course, there are some financial concerns,” he added. “The lodge has been struggling for the past few years—declining tourism, maintenance issues, that sort of thing. I know your Uncle Peter had received a generous offer from a resort developer, but he was hoping to keep the lodge in the family. If you’re up for the challenge...”

If I’m up for the challenge?Jace rolled the words over in his mind. A grin slowly spread across his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d tackled a really good challenge. Maybe it was just what he needed.

“Sounds like fun,” he said, standing and extending his hand to the lawyer. “Let’s do it.”

Jace’s mood remained light as he drove back to the South Boston apartment to finish packing. The thought of Christmas Valley—snow-covered mountains, crisp air, and the crackle of a fire—was enough to lift his spirits in a way they hadn’t been for quite some time. He needed this. A fresh start. Something outside of Boston, where every street corner held a reminder of his ex-fiancée.

The apartment was empty when Jace stepped inside, the faint smell of old pizza lingering from the night before. Boxes were stacked by the door, most of his things already packed. He grabbed his duffle bag off the couch and made his way toward the small bedroom, where the last few items waited.

It didn’t take long to throw the remainder of his clothes into a suitcase, but when he reached for the nightstand drawer, something gave him pause. A framed photo stared up at him—his ex-fiancée, Heather, beaming as if she hadn’t shattered his heart six months ago.

Jace clenched his jaw. Just looking at her made his stomach twist. Heather, with her perfect smile and bright eyes. Heather, who had promised him forever and then cheated on him with her boss.

The photo frame felt heavy in his hands as the memories—good and bad—rushed through his mind—confronting her, the excuses, the anger. But now, all that remained was a hollow sense of relief that it was over. He was better off without her. He knew that. Still, it didn’t make the betrayal sting any less. And Brad, her boss? What the hell was up with that? Surely if she wasgoing to cheat, she could have done something better and less of a cliché.

“Good riddance,” he muttered under his breath, chucking the photo into the trash without another thought. He slammed the duffle shut, zipped it with finality, and tossed it onto the bed.

A fresh start. That’s what Christmas Valley could be. No ghosts from the past. No cheating exes. Just snow and mountains. Maybe there he would find something worth holding on to.

Down on the street, Jace loaded his boxes and tossed his duffle into the back of his Range Rover and slammed the tailgate shut. The December air nipped at his skin, sharp and bracing, but it felt good. A new beginning was just hours away, waiting in Vermont.

As he climbed into the driver’s seat, a wave of bittersweet nostalgia hit him. He hadn’t thought about Uncle Peter in years, but now, memories of those childhood winters flooded back—learning to ski for the first time, hot chocolate by the fire, and his uncle’s booming laugh echoing through the lodge.

It felt right going back, like coming full circle.

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