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Chapter 37
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2022-06-15 14:02:46Related chapters
Christmas Cove Chapter 38
"You added the bit at the end, but I like it," she whispered.He held the pose for a moment, enjoying the feel of her in his arms a bit too much as he looked into her eyes. At that moment, he could see a life with her. Caden could see eternity in her eyes, as well as their future. He never wanted the moment to end. In that moment, he felt more love for her than he had for any other woman."Caden?""Yes?""Are you going to let me up?" she asked, breaking the spell of the moment."Oh! Yeah- if I must," he teased. And then helped her up."Thanks." She started to skate away, but he took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Caden, no," she said, her voice merely a whisper.He nodded and let her hand go. "So, are you hungry?"She shrugged. "I could eat. What do you have in mind?""Santa's Café?"Jocelyn laughed. "I thought you said nothing too Christmassy.""In this town?" He held up his hand. "We'd have to try real hard not to do something Christmassy.""Sounds good. Let me go in
Last Updated : 2022-06-15Christmas Cove Chapter 39
"What can I get you this afternoon?" Angela asked. It was two o'clock in the afternoon, between lunch and dinner. He couldn't believe they had skated all morning, but it was another memory to add to the many he had of Jocelyn."Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob for me," Jocelyn replied, closing her menu. Then she looked over at Caden and stage whispered, "They have the best."Caden's stomach growled at the thought. "Make it two." He closed his menu and handed it to Angela. "Will do!" Angela tucked the menu behind the other. "I'll be right back with your meals.""So, what are you doing tomorrow?" Jocelyn took a sip of her hot chocolate.He shrugged. "I'm not sure." He didn't tell her, but he knew that talking to Mallory to break things off was definitely on the list. "I might volunteer at my parents' tree lot.""That would be nice." Jocelyn wrapped her hands around her mug of hot chocolate.Caden sighed and then took a sip of his hot chocolate and swa
Last Updated : 2022-06-15Christmas Cove Chapter 40
As they were driving, he made a mental note to take back the ring he had bought for Mallory and exchange it for another ring for her. He knew he wanted to marry Jocelyn, but he didn't know how she felt about him. But then again, when he kissed her in the limo, she had kissed him back. So, maybe-At the movie theater, Caden paid for their tickets and they walked inside. "Popcorn and soda?" he asked her."Sure. Even though we just ate, you can't watch a movie without popcorn." Jocelyn shoved her hands into her coat pockets.He placed a hand on the small of her back and walked with her up to the concession stand. "Two large Cokes--""Diet for me," Jocelyn added.Caden chuckled. "Correction: One large Coke, a large diet, and one large popcorn." In the mood for something sweet, he looked over the candy counter. "Candy?" he asked Jocelyn. She laughed. "Where do you put it all?"He shrugged, ignoring the question, and turned to the teenage boy behind the counter. "A bag of M&Ms and a
Last Updated : 2022-06-15Christmas Cove Chapter 41
"Caden, no," Jocelyn whispered. "Let's go.""Yeah, do as your woman says and get out of here, why don't you?" Henry catcalled as Mona cringed."Jocelyn, take the popcorn and wait for me in the lobby," Caden instructed.Just then, a skinny, teenage usher with bad skin walked up the aisle and then looked back and forth between the four of them."It all started when I threw a piece of popcorn at my- friend," Jocelyn tried to explain, "and then he threw one back at me without looking. But he missed, and accidentally hit that obnoxious jerk." Suddenly, the obnoxious jerk was standing on the other side of her."Hey! Wait a minute!" Henry roared, disturbing everyone in the theater."Yes, he's drunk, and he verbally attacked my friend," Jocelyn explained."If I wanted to attack him--" Henry began, but Mona cut him off."Henry, stop!""Mona, I've got this!" He turned around and accidentally knocked her back into the seats. "Okay, mister," the skinny usher with bad acne said, his voic
Last Updated : 2022-06-15Christmas Cove Chapter 42
Jocelyn stood to the side of the window, watching Caden, fighting the urge to go to him. But she couldn't do that to Mallory. She shook her head, knowing that she had just betrayed her sister.Her bedroom door flew open, slamming hard against the wall. "How could you?" Mallory demanded as she marched into her room. "How could you do this to me?""Mallory, drop the martyr act." Jocelyn took a step closer. "You never cared about him.""He was in love with me!""But you never loved him!" Jocelyn yelled, clenching her fists at her sides. "You never cared about anyone but yourself!""I did to!""Mallory, you broke up with Caden because he wouldn't take you with him! You wouldn't even wait for him!" Jocelyn couldn't stop herself as the years of enduring her sister's unwitting torture came flooding out. "And look at you! For the past eight years, you've talked of nothing else but leaving- but you're still here! Why?""I'm trying!" Mallory yelled back. "I'm trying to go to California to
Last Updated : 2022-06-15Christmas Cove Chapter 43
He grabbed his coat and headed out the door. On the way over to her house, he thought of Jocelyn and how he would rather be spending the day with her. But this was his own fault. He should have talked to Mallory before now. Even if he weren't having feelings for Jocelyn, he would have broken it off with Mallory anyway. Jocelyn really had nothing to do with it.When he arrived, he pulled the car to a stop in front of the house and turned off the engine. When he looked over at the driveway, Jocelyn's car was gone. He sighed, wishing she was here. But what he needed to say to Mallory, he needed to say alone. Squaring his shoulders, he slid out of the car, but looked up at Jocelyn's bedroom window, where she had stood crying in the window the night before."What are you waiting for?" Mallory asked, standing on the porch, wrapping her cardigan sweater around herself. "Come on in. It's cold out here.""Mallory, we have to talk." He looked her square in the eye, but didn't move."Then com
Last Updated : 2022-06-15Christmas Cove Chapter 44
"I was hoping that you could bring them down from the attic for me," she said in a flirtatious voice. "You mean, we can bring them down. I'll hand them down to you." He let out a deep breath. "Mallory, just be yourself and stop flirting."She sighed. "I don't know how.""Well- try. Or there will never be any hope for us even being friends.""Fine." She had obviously been hoping that she could just bat her eyes and get him to do all the work for her, as he did years ago. But he was a man now and was no longer a foolish boy who would fall for her flirtations."Where's the attic?" he asked, headed up the stairs."It's right this way." She stepped in front of him and stood in the center of the second floor. He had always liked their house. The upstairs must have been an apartment at one time and had a sitting room in the center, with bedrooms jetting off from it. Then toward the right had been a kitchenette and to the left, a bathroom."Where's the attic?" Caden asked, looking arou
Last Updated : 2022-06-15Christmas Cove Chapter 45
On the way home from work that afternoon, Jocelyn wondered if Mallory was going to be waiting for her when she got home. If so, Mallory was sure to start in on her again. But Jocelyn didn't want another confrontation. She just wanted to go home, relax, and destress. Roxanne had been on a roll again, complaining that the store was a mess and that if Jocelyn wanted to keep her job as manager, then she had better start taking her job more seriously.Of course, Jocelyn had reminded her that she had told her to take the day off when Caden carried her out the door. She also reminded her that she was off the next day. Roxanne just waved her hand dismissively and went back to complaining.Jocelyn had been glad when her work day finally came to an end.As she drove along, she tried to push the thought of Caden from her mind. How was she going to survive him? She had given her heart to him long ago, but his visit this time had sealed the deal. He had texted her throughout the course of the da
Last Updated : 2022-06-15
Latest chapter
Christmas Cove Chapter 111
The fresh aroma of flowers wafted toward her as Kiki walked into the doorway of the ballroom in The North Pole Lodge. She wrung her silk-gloved hands as she looked around the room. All eyes were on her, but there was only one person she wanted to see. Then she looked over at a group of people and her heart stopped. For standing beside his coworker was Taren, looking dashing in a black tuxedo, white shirt, and black bowtie, his dark blond-streaked hair combed to perfection, looking as if he had stepped out of a fashion magazine or a fireman's calendar.Kiki's heart leapt when their eyes met, but his expression was unreadable as he crossed the room to her. Taren stopped in front of her, and she could smell the fresh scent of his cologne, his muscles bulging beneath his tux."Why are you here?" he asked, his eyes soft and kind.Of all the things she expected him to say, that wasn't it. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come." She turned to leave, but he caught her hand."No- please stay."
Christmas Cove Chapter 110
Taren stepped out of her reach and adjusted his tux. "What are you doing here?"Through the doors to the ballroom, Dylan, Patrick, Erica, and other firefighters watched, ready if he needed them. Although he appreciated their concern, he just wished they would stay out of it."You invited me." Scarlett pushed out her lower lip. But he was no longer a child, and her silly games no longer worked on him."No, I didn't." Taren shrugged out of her grasp and tried to walk past her, headed toward the ballroom, but she grabbed his arm and swung him around. "Scarlett, just leave. No one wants you here." He turned to walk away."I'll go to court for Abby!" she shouted behind him.Taren stopped and slowly turned around. He walked toward her and stopped just inches from her. "Never threaten me with my daughter again."Scarlett smirked as she folded her arms across her chest. "Besides, my lawyer says we have a good chance of winning the case.""Oh yeah, Scarlett? What lawyer?" He waited for a
Christmas Cove Chapter 109
Later that night, Taren looked into the full-length mirror in his room, adjusting his bowtie once again. Then he smoothed a hand over his tux and pulled the vest down into place. Although he had given her a ticket, his heart sank, knowing that Kiki probably wouldn't be there. After brushing his hair into place, he laid the brush down onto the counter."Well, I guess this is as good as it's going to get."If it wasn't for the fact that he was obligated to go because it was his turn to host, he wouldn't be going. He just hoped that Scarlett wouldn't make too big of a scene. Although his friends and coworkers knew what kind of person she was, he still didn't want her to embarrass him in front of them. He sighed, knowing it was inevitable. But this time, he wasn't going to let her hold his daughter over his head to get what she wanted."Daddy!" Abby ran to him when he walked into the living room and he scooped her into his arms. "You look nice! Are you going to see Kiki?"Pain gripped
Christmas Cove Chapter 108
"Okay. What's wrong?" Jocelyn asked, her arms folded across her chest."Nothing." Kiki went back to rearranging the case. But she knew that Jocelyn wouldn't let up until she told her. She was a bulldog when she suspected that something was wrong.Jocelyn's hand appeared in front of her and slid the door of the case shut, the engagement ring prominent on her hand. "Come on. Spill."Kiki leaned against the glass case, her back toward the door. "Jocelyn, I'm fine.""No, you're not."Kiki let out a deep breath, letting her hands fall to her sides. "What do you want from me, Joce? I screwed up and I don't know what to do about it! I jumped to conclusions when I saw Taren with Scarlett, and I hurt him. You should have seen the look on his face." Kiki's eyes filled with tears, threatening to spill over. "He even said 'as for how I feel about you, I guess you'll never know'.""I can tell you right now that he cares deeply for you," a voice came from behind them.Jocelyn turned around an
Christmas Cove Chapter 107
At work the next day, Kiki held a set of rings that a young couple had been looking at."Are you sure this is the one you want?" the young man asked his future bride.She nodded, but bit her lip and released it. "Yes, but it's too much.""Would you like to see another set?" Kiki asked the young woman.The woman nodded, smiling. "Yes, please.""No, this is the one," the young man interrupted. "Could you hold them for me? Then I'll come by and make payments on them until they're paid off."Kiki looked between them and smiled. "Yes, of course." Kiki let out a deep breath. "I'll tell you what. Ten dollars should hold it for now. That is, unless you'd like another amount?"The young man returned her smile. "No, that will be fine. Thank you." He opened his wallet and handed her a ten dollar bill. "Thank you.""What's your name?" Kiki asked."Jared. Jared Thomas." Then he looked over at his fiancée. "And this is Rochelle Hall."Kiki smiled as she wrote down their names. "So, when's
Christmas Cove Chapter 106
"Daddy! You're here!" Abby yelled as he walked into the house the next morning, New Year's Eve. She ran toward him and he scooped her up into his arms. "Want to go sled riding?"He gave her a smile. Abby was the one thing that he and Scarlett had done right, and he was grateful for every second he had with her."We will in a little while. It's a little too early yet. Let Daddy rest for a bit." He carried her into the living room and sat with her on his lap as the bright morning sunshine streamed in through the windows. It was rare that the sun was so bright this time of year.She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. "I love you, Daddy."His mother walked in, carrying a cup of coffee and sat on the chair kitty-corner from them.Taren pulled his daughter close and gave her a hug. "I love you, too, pumpkin." Then he set her on her feet. "Now, go play and I'll take you sled riding in a little while.""Yeah!" she shouted, running off to her room to play.His mot
Christmas Cove Chapter 105
After Scarlett left, he had to grow up fast. Forced to become both father and mother overnight made him grow up quickly of necessity. He was just lucky that his mother had helped him. He'd have no idea what he would have done if it hadn't been for her. He pulled down the drive leading to The North Pole Lodge and evergreens dotted with snow lined both sides of the road. But as much as he tried, he couldn't push Kiki from his mind.Taren pulled his Jeep Cherokee to a stop in the parking lot and cut the engine. Even though he knew she wasn't there, he couldn't help but scan the parking lot looking for her familiar blue Mustang. Seeing that her car wasn't there, he forced her from his mind, knowing it was over between them even before it had really begun. Now, he had business to take care of.He locked up the car and shoved his hands into his pockets as he hurried toward the glass, double front doors. Even though it was still cold out, at least it wasn't snowing. He just hoped the weat
Christmas Cove Chapter 104
As she was combing through the rubble, a car pulled up in front of what was left of the house. She had just found her mother's jewelry box and her father's rifles in the glass case that was still locked up, so she didn't pay attention to who it was."You know you really shouldn't be here alone."Kiki's heart sank. She would know that voice anywhere. She flipped around and she was right. Taren was standing just behind her in all his golden good looks, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her. "Well, I just got off work and I thought I'd come over and see what I could salvage."Taren nodded and then pointed to the gun case with the rifles, now laying on its side. "Do you have a key for that?""Yes, of course." She fumbled with her keychain until she found the right one. But her hands were shaking so badly that it was hard for her to manage. Finally, she gave up and stared at him. "What are you doing here, Taren?"He stepped toward her, but she backed away. He let his arms fall to his
Christmas Cove Chapter 103
On the way back to the station, Taren had texted Kiki over and again, but she hadn't returned his texts. It was just as well. Taren shrugged, knowing it was better if she left now instead of waiting until he--and Abby--were in too deep."What's wrong?" Dylan asked, taking his time driving back to the fire station after the call."Oh, it's Kiki," Taren replied. "She won't return any of my texts."He shrugged. "Maybe she's just busy."Taren raised an eyebrow. "All day?""Hey! Carrie gets busy with the kids sometimes and doesn't even hear the phone ring, let alone text me back. Stop being such a girl and call her." Over the years, Dylan had become Taren's best friend on the fire department.Taren clicked his phone off. "Not right now." He looked out the window, watching as the scenery passed by in the dark. "I don't know, Dylan. After what happened with Scarlett, I can't help but think that maybe Abby and I would be better off without anyone in our lives."Dylan smirked. "You can't
