Katherine Garbera - One Hot Christmas

A Last Chance Christmas

Vicki Lewis Thompson

Under the Mistletoe

Katherine Garbera

Ignited

Kimberly Van Meter

Where There’s Smoke

Liz Talley

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Contents

Cover

Title Page A Last Chance Christmas Vicki Lewis Thompson Under the Mistletoe Katherine Garbera Ignited Kimberly Van Meter Where There’s Smoke Liz Talley www.millsandboon.co.uk

A Last Chance Christmas

Prologue

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Epilogue

Under the Mistletoe

About the Author

Dedication

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Ignited

About the Author

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Where There’s Smoke

About the Author

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Endpage

Copyright

Contents Cover Title Page A Last Chance Christmas Vicki Lewis Thompson Under the Mistletoe Katherine Garbera Ignited Kimberly Van Meter Where There’s Smoke Liz Talley www.millsandboon.co.uk A Last Chance Christmas Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Epilogue Under the Mistletoe About the Author Dedication 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Ignited About the Author 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Where There’s Smoke About the Author 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Endpage Copyright

Vicki Lewis Thompson

Prologue Contents Cover Title Page A Last Chance Christmas Vicki Lewis Thompson Under the Mistletoe Katherine Garbera Ignited Kimberly Van Meter Where There’s Smoke Liz Talley www.millsandboon.co.uk A Last Chance Christmas Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Epilogue Under the Mistletoe About the Author Dedication 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Ignited About the Author 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Where There’s Smoke About the Author 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Endpage Copyright

Christmas Night, 1990 From the diary of Eleanor Chance

MY BROTHER SETH called tonight from Arizona, and we spent a good amount of time bragging about our grandchildren. Seth and Joyce ended up with four kids—three sons and a daughter—while Archie and I only had Jonathan. So it’s not surprising that Seth has ten grandchildren to my three.

Not that I’m comparing or complaining. In fact, ten grandchildren on Christmas Day had worn Seth to a frazzle, even though he’d never admit it. I can only imagine.

We had enough ruckus with Jack, Nicky and Gabe trying out their new games. And don’t get me started on the subject of NERF footballs. Yes, they’re soft and supposedly can be played with in the house, but they inspire all manner of tackling and running and throwing. Archie bought them each one without consulting me.

Seth got a kick out of the NERF football drama. Then he had to tell me about his three-year-old granddaughter, Molly, who spent the entire day dressed as a princess, complete with tiara. About the only thing I envy Seth is that he has granddaughters as well as grandsons. Molly sounds like a pip, smart and funny. According to Seth, she has her two older brothers buffaloed.

Maybe next spring Archie and I can fly down to spend time with the Gallagher clan. We haven’t visited in quite a while. Seth and Joyce came up to Jackson Hole two years ago, but I haven’t seen my three nephews and my niece since they were kids. Now they have kids of their own.

According to Seth, everyone’s doing great except his daughter Heather. She married a hard-drinking rodeo man, which means they travel a lot. Seth doesn’t think they’re very happy. They have one son, Cade, who’s the same age as little Molly. Seth is worried about what will happen to that tyke as he’s tossed from pillar to post.

Makes me thankful that my grandkids are all right here where I can see them every day. I cherish that most of the time. All right, I cherish it all the time, even when they’re playing NERF football in the living room. I didn’t need that vase anyway.

1 Contents Cover Title Page A Last Chance Christmas Vicki Lewis Thompson Under the Mistletoe Katherine Garbera Ignited Kimberly Van Meter Where There’s Smoke Liz Talley www.millsandboon.co.uk A Last Chance Christmas Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Epilogue Under the Mistletoe About the Author Dedication 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Ignited About the Author 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Where There’s Smoke About the Author 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Endpage Copyright

Present Day

AFTER BATTLING ICY roads all the way from Sheridan, Ben Radcliffe was cold and tired by the time he reached Jackson Hole and the Last Chance Ranch. But adrenaline rather than fatigue made him clumsy as he untied the ropes holding a blanket over the saddle he was delivering to Jack Chance.

Jack, the guy who’d commissioned it for his mother Sarah’s seventieth birthday, watched the unveiling. The two men stood in a far corner of the ranch’s unheated tractor barn in order to maintain secrecy. They’d left their sheepskin jackets on and their breath fogged the air.

This gift would be revealed at a big party the following night, so to keep the secret Ben was masquerading as a prospective horse buyer. It was a flimsy story because buyers seldom arrived in the dead of winter. But the combination of Christmas next week and a major birthday tomorrow had kept Sarah from questioning Ben’s arrival.

The entire Chance family, including a few people who weren’t technically related to Sarah, had helped pay for this elaborate saddle. Jack’s initial reaction was crucial. Ben hoped to God he’d made something worthy of the occasion.

The last knot came loose. Ben’s heart rate spiked as he removed the rope and pulled the padding away.

Jack’s breath hissed out. “Wow.”

“Good?” Ben dared to breathe again.

“Incredible.” Jack moved closer and traced the intricate pattern on the leather.

That tooling had taken Ben countless hours, but he thought it showed well against the walnut shade of the leather. Even in the dim light, the saddle seemed to glow. Silver accents he’d polished until his fingers ached were embellished with small bits of hand-picked turquoise from his best supplier. He’d put his heart and soul into this project.

Jack stepped back with a wide smile of approval. “She’ll love it.”

“That’s what I’m hoping.” Ben’s anxiety gave way to elation. The biggest commission of his life and he’d nailed it—at least, in Jack’s opinion, and that counted for a whole lot.

“I have no doubt she will. It looks like her—the deep color of the leather, the classy accents, the tooling—she’ll go crazy over this. Everyone will.” With a smile, Jack turned and held out his hand. “You were the right choice for the job. Thank you.”