Page 14 of A Winter's Miracle

“It’s intimidating,” Anna agreed. “Both of my grandparents are writing novels right now. And my mother, well…she’s up to her ears in other people’s stories.”

Smith winced. “Sometimes I don’t know why she took a chance on me.”

Anna felt immediately tender toward him. It wasn’t every day that a man like Smith revealed such a sensitive piece of his heart. She had to fight the instinct to throw her arms around him and assure him everything would be all right.

“My mother says you’re a brilliant writer.”

Smith’s cheek flinched. “And I say you’re brilliant,” he said. “But you’re writing for the wrong publications. You’re too good for them. I hope the right ones come along and scoop you up soon.”

Anna’s jaw dropped. Hearing her thoughts echoing in a stranger’s voice was bizarre. “You read my stuff?”

But just then, a flash of pain wrapped around her lower stomach like a belt. Anna crumpled forward, crying out. The moon disappeared behind the clouds again, shrouding them in darkness. And as Smith moved toward her, his face was etched in fear.

Something was happening. A change was imminent. And Anna wasn’t sure she was strong enough to face it.

Chapter Six

Julia was surprised to see a missed call from Smith on her cell. It was late, after eleven, and she’d just spent the better part of the past few hours up to her ears in wedding plans on Charlie’s couch. Even still, Julia was no event planner. The pieces were still fragments and hardly coming together.

“What’s up?” Charlie asked as he deposited two beer cans into his recycling bin, returned to the living room, and ruffled his hair. Their conversation about place settings and what food to serve now seemed hilariously frivolous.

“Smith called,” Julia explained.

“He can wait till tomorrow, can’t he?” Charlie asked, drawing his arms around her and cradling her close.

“He’s nocturnal. He’ll be asleep tomorrow.”

“You can catch the little vampire when he wakes up,” Charlie assured her, kissing her ear gently.

A shiver of desire raced down Julia’s spine.

“You know what I keep thinking about?” Charlie asked.

“Hmm?”

“I keep thinking about our initial plans for our wedding,” Charlie said. “Back when we were teenagers.”

Julia’s smile widened. “Didn’t you want a cotton candy machine?”

Charlie cackled. “Did I?”

“You said you wanted it to be part carnival, part wedding,” Julia teased.

“I don’t remember that.” Charlie shook his head.

“Okay. What do you remember?”

“I remember we wanted to rent a powder-blue convertible to leave the ceremony in,” Charlie said. “And we were going to invite everyone across Nantucket for a big beach bonfire afterward. And that after the party, we planned to go skinny-dipping in the sound.”

A blush crawled across Julia’s cheeks. She imagined them as they’d once been—beautiful teenagers with their entire lives in front of them. If only they hadn’t moved to Manhattan. If only Charlie’s mother hadn’t gotten sick, requiring him to leave Julia alone in the city. If only they’d been allowed this other reality.

But before she could answer, her phone buzzed with another call from Smith.

“This must be a heavy case of writer’s block,” Charlie quipped.

“I have to take it. He literally never calls.” Julia rolled her eyes as she answered the phone. “Hey, Smith. What’s up?”

Smith was breathing heavily, and his voice rattled through the speaker. “Julia? Um. I don’t know how to tell you this.”

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