Book 15: A Small Town Christmas Reunion
Love in Harmony Valley Series
A small town romance with quirky characters about the healing power of unexpected love from USA Today Bestselling author Melinda Curtis.
She took his name and disappeared.
When Jill desperately needed a father for her baby, Vince Patrizio gave them both his name. Then Jill walked out of his life without even asking Vince's opinion. Now, years later, it’s Vince’s turn to have his say.
This Christmas will be different.
Arriving in Harmony Valley, Vince has plans to turn this convenient marriage into a real one. But small towns, love, and the joy of a child at the holidays might just change Vince’s plans.
Fans of marriage of convenience romance will love this fun, heartwarming romance with a happily ever after.
Excerpt:
Vince Patrizio got out of his favorite sports car—a new, red Ferrari.
Looked around the Railroad Stop Retreat in Harmony Valley—a run-down, two-story motel on a pine-filled mountain top.
Spotted a small group decorating the exterior grounds, including his wife—the woman who’d bolted after they sealed their wedding vows nearly twelve years ago.
And told Jill, not without some frustration, “You served me with divorce papers?”
Predictably, Jill took one look at Vince and hot-tailed it into the retreat’s office, a separate structure that looked like a small house. Her exit coincided with the opening verse from The Chipmunks’ Christmas Don’t Be Late.
Vince drew a calming breath.
I should have anticipated this.
Jill was a runner, always had been. Of all the things Vince loved about Jill, avoiding conflict wasn’t one of them.
With a nod to the Christmas decorating crew, all of whom he was familiar with, Vince headed toward the office. There would be time to talk to them later.
But the crew wasn’t to be put off.
“Dad!” Teddy ran toward Vince, putting a hold on his plans. Jill’s son was all smiles and gangly legs. Tinsel mingled with his walnut brown hair. “Are you here for Christmas?”
My son.
“I’m here.” Vince smiled warmly, not entirely sure how to respond in more detail than that. Teddy was the reason Jill had proposed to Vince at the end of their senior year. Her date had drugged her on prom night and…
Vince’s fingers curled into fists. Jill hadn’t told him the details. And he hadn’t asked. Because while their teenage friendship had bloomed in the year they’d gone to school together in Las Vegas, he’d fallen in love with her.
Marry Jill? Heck, yeah! Be a father to her unborn child? Absolutely!
He’d eagerly stood with Jill at the altar in Vegas, ready to create the safe, loving family unit he’d never been a part of. And when the wedding vows were finished… When he’d received the invitation to kiss his bride… Vince had taken Jill into his arms and kissed her the way a man kisses the woman he’s lucky enough to spend the rest of his life with. And wonder of wonders, she’d kissed him back, as if she felt the same way.
For a brief moment, everything in Vince’s life was the way it was supposed to be.
But after the kiss was over… When they’d stared into each other’s eyes for a handful of heartbeats… After that, Jill ran, taking his ring, his name, and his heart with her.
And although Vince had kept tabs on Jill from afar for over a decade, he hadn’t seen or talked to her until a few weeks ago.
She’d asked him to meet her at the funeral of Brian Salazar, the man who’d drugged her and gotten her pregnant. Grieving, Brian’s family had wanted to meet his child. Scheming, they’d wanted to establish their rights to a relationship with Teddy, despite the crime that had created him. They’d had a lawyer present to press the point home—at their son’s funeral!
It was then that Vince learned it wasn’t the first time the Salazars had tried to lay claim to the boy. They’d offered Jill money to give up her son before she’d even given birth!
Imagine that. The slimy Salazars were the reason Jill had proposed to Vince!
Without a second thought, Vince had lived up to his wedding vows at that funeral and told those vipers that Teddy was his son. Lacking distinctive features, they looked enough alike to pull it off—Teddy’s dark brown hair to Vince’s black, Teddy’s dark brown eyes to Vince’s black.
But the Salazars weren’t easily scared off. Their lawyers were taking this to court. Jill still needed the protection and power of Vince’s family. His grandfather owned a large, luxury casino on the Vegas Strip—the Bella Vista. They had a team of cut-throat lawyers.
Jill still needs me. If only for legal reasons.
Ignoring her situation wasn’t an option. Running away wasn’t an option. Divorce wasn’t an option.
Me. I’m her best option.
“Dad?” Teddy stood before Vince, smile falling into a look of uncertainty since Vince hadn’t greeted him with more than two words.
Having only met at Brian’s funeral, the boy had every right to feel insecure. They didn’t know each other.
But that’s going to change.
Vince shoved urgency and exhaustion to the back of his mind. In his desire to get to Harmony Valley, he hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours. But this boy—my son, he reminded himself—needed a proper father figure. And fast, in case the court requested Teddy appear in court
Vince laid a hand on the boy’s shoulder, trying to put him at ease. “Teddy, I bet you’re trying to decide if we should hug, shake hands, or acknowledge each other with a nod.”
Despite his best intentions, Vince’s gaze strayed to the office and its big, front window. A Christmas tree with white blinking lights obstructed his view of the interior. He didn’t know if Jill was inside watching or not. But he did know that didn’t matter. Teddy was his. It was far past time that Vince proved that to everyone.
And made this marriage real.
Vince returned his attention to Teddy. “What do you think we should do?”
Teddy regarded Vince with a serious expression Vince normally associated with a much older soul.
This boy has been through something, something that chipped away at his innocence.
Vince could relate. His childhood hadn’t been idyllic either.
Teddy needs me, too.
Vince picked the tinsel from Teddy’s hair as he waited for the boy’s answer. He tucked the glittery strands in the pocket of his dress slacks.
Teddy wore a black hoodie imprinted with the words: Railroad Stop Retreat. It was too big for his slight frame. His blue jeans were too short for his long legs. His feet were too large for his body. Here was a boy in the midst of a growth spurt. Soon, he’d be a tall teenager in need of a father figure. An ever-present father figure.
“When we first met, we shook hands,” Teddy said slowly, referring to Brian’s funeral. “But I still don’t know why you haven’t been around and…”
“A fist bump then.” Vince extended his knuckles. “It’s not as formal as a handshake and not as familiar as a hug.”
Teddy looked relieved as he tapped his knuckles to Vince’s. “Nice.”
“You’ll get your answers,” Vince promised him.
As soon as I get mine.
Vince took another step forward, only to be waylaid by a small family unit, all of whom wore blue jeans and the same black hoodie with the retreat’s name on it.
“Your car is red like Christmas.” Little blond Maddy spoke first, her hands full of the tinsel she’d been layering on an outdoor fir tree when Vince drove up. She was six, a numbers whiz, and possibly the reason for the tinsel Vince had removed from Teddy’s hair. “There are nine letters in Christmas.” Maddy proceeded to spell the word while counting the letters on her fingers.
“Smart girl.” Vince hadn’t been around many kids. He patted her on top of her golden head and tried to ease past.
Sam thwarted his progress next, enveloping Vince in a bear hug.
Vince wasn’t a hugger by nature. But he and Sam were best friends. They’d served in the Marines together, taken enemy bullets on the same day from kids barely older than Teddy, and spent the past few years leaning on each other, confiding in each other, prodding each other to get well. Vince with his bullet-riddled limp. Sam with his kid-triggered PTSD.
Lately, they’d both been doing better. Case in point: Sam was interacting with both Teddy and Maddy and he didn’t look pale, stumble, or pass out. As for Vince… His limp was never going away. But with exercise and a weight regimen, it was practically impossible to notice.
I hope anyway.
When Sam was done pounding Vince’s back, the taller man released Vince, dark eyes taking inventory. “This is a surprise. I was just on the phone with your grandfather. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“I didn’t realize it myself until last night.” Vince had been served divorce papers late, got in his car, and driven straight from Las Vegas to Harmony Valley, California, a place he’d never been but checked on regularly because this little place was where Jill had run to after their wedding ceremony. She had family here, including her cousin Annie, Sam’s fiancée.
Annie moved into Vince’s way next, her short, wispy blond hair fluttering in the chill, late afternoon breeze. Her hug was brief, awkward even. Then Annie fixed Vince with a searching stare. “Are you going to need a place to stay?”
“I hope not.” But there’d been those divorce papers. Vince glanced toward the small house containing the retreat office in what looked like a former single-car garage.
Why divorce after eleven years, seven months, and three days of marriage?
Yep, he’d counted. He’d driven fifteen hours over some of the most boring highways Nevada and California had to offer. What else was he going to do but look back on the mess he and Jill had created of their lives?
Of our chance at true love.
“My dad is staying with us,” Teddy said to Annie with a mixture of pride and possessiveness. “Because we’re family.”
Vince nodded. “That’s right. We’re family.”
He broke free of his welcome party and went off to find his wife.
And somehow prove just that.
The Story Behind the Story
I have a fond spot in my heart for Vince. He was in love with Jill in high school and he married her when she asked in the hopes that she’d fall in love with him. But she didn’t. She disappeared. And he - bless him - didn’t divorce her. And he’s a military hero. What’s not to love?
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