Page 1 of Love for the Holiday

CHAPTER ONE

The world rained down on my parade with four simple words sent to me by my mother:Going on a cruise.Just like that, my holiday plans were ruined. I didn’t even have a backup plan. My circle of friends was small — almost non-existent — and those within the circle already had plans. For the first time in thirty-two years, my holiday would be spent alone and not with friends or family.

My thoughts on the holiday came to an abrupt stop when my feet began to slip back and forth. In my lost thoughts and holiday music blaring in my earbuds, I hadn’t been paying attention to the ice-slicked sidewalk I was walking on.

My feet came up from under me.

Swoosh!

A shriek escaped me as I flew into the air. For once, today, Lady Luck was on my side and I landed in the snow-covered grass. I still hit the ground with force, but it didn’t hurt near as much as it would have if I had hit the paved sidewalk.

Spots of different hues of red, green, white, and yellow blurred my vision. The night sky I could barely make out with all the dancing spots. The back of my head ached as did my tailbone. My earbuds had both fallen out. The blaring music was faint because of the holiday music being played out of the speakers that were scattered throughout the town.

“Are you okay, Miss?” A deep masculine voice asked.

I could hear the crunch of snow. It grew louder. Soon there was a shadow hovering over me. A large shadow. With the Christmas lights in the background, I couldn’t make out any details of the person. Only the size of the shadow and smell of cologne told me it was a man.

“Miss?” The man asked kneeling beside me. “Are you okay? Do you need me to call an ambulance?”

“No. That’s okay,” I said trying to pull myself up to a sitting position.

The man placed his hand around my waist and helped me sit up.

“Nice and slow,” he said softly. “You took quite a fall.” His husky, honey-like voice tugged at a part of me. His voice was heavenly.

“Am I dead?” I gasped without thinking.

“No,” he chuckled. “You aren’t dead. I promise.”

“Oh.”

It wasn’t like me to be shy but something about this man made me feel girly. I was like a damsel in distress and he was my knight in shining armor. Or in this case, my night in a winter coat.

“Do you feel nauseous? Dizzy?” He asked kneeling in front of me.

The light’s angle illuminated his face. He looked like a gorgeous angel. The hues caused a halo-like effect around him. His smile was like the people in toothpaste commercials. His jawline was chiseled and outlined with a five o’clock shadow. The only thing I couldn’t tell was the color of his eyes. I only knew his eyes were round and looked kind.

“Do you feel nauseous or dizzy?” he asked again.

The man probably thought I was a total ditz, who couldn’t walk or talk properly.

“No. I feel fine,” I stated scrambling onto my feet.

A sharp pain shot up from my tailbone causing me to scream. My knees grew weak and gave out from under me. I expected to hit the ground hard, except I never touched the ground. The angel-like stranger scooped me up in his arms.

“I gotcha,” he whispered. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”

“No. I’m okay. Really?” I said wincing through the pain. “Don’t trouble yourself.”

“It’s no trouble to me,” he smiled down at me. My body swooned unconsciously. The man had a great smile.

“I’m sure you have something better to do than worry —”

“Relax. I’m a doctor.”

“You are?” It came out a shriek. Not a shriek of fear but one of surprise. What were the odds that my knight in shining armor would be a hot doctor?

“Yes, ma’am. Doctor Jacob Holiday at your service,” he grinned.

---