Mary Ellen Porter - Off The Grid Christmas

HOLIDAY HIDEOUT

When computer expert Arden DeMarco hacks secret files and discovers evidence of treason, a price is put on her head. What started as a mission to help a friend is now a fight for her life with assassins and the FBI tracking her down. There’s no time to get distracted by her brother’s best friend, Kane Walker, but the security expert promised Arden’s family he’d bring her safely home for the holidays. Instead they’re dodging bullets—and fighting their growing feelings—while Arden races to break the encryption and find out what’s hidden in the files she stole. But as they’re hunted by armed henchmen determined to make sure those secrets are never uncovered, keeping Arden safe is the only Christmas gift that matters...

“Are you crying?” Kane asked.

She wasn’t a crier. She’d never been a crier. Even when she’d discovered the truth about Randy, she hadn’t cried. She certainly wasn’t going to cry now. She sniffed again, trying to prove that truth to herself.

“Why would I be?” she asked, not opening her eyes because she was afraid a tear might slip out.

“Because you’ve been running for weeks? Because you’re tired? Because it’s almost Christmas and you’re far from home?”

Yes. To all those things.

“I’m this close to decrypting that file, Kane. I just want to get somewhere where I can concentrate on doing it,” she responded.

He didn’t say anything. Just let the truck fill with their silences.

That was fine.

She was fine.

Or, she would be.

Once she fulfilled her promise to Juniper and made it back home.

Please, God, let that happen. Please, she prayed silently, her eyes still closed as the truck descended the mountain.

Dear Reader,

Off the Grid Christmas was especially fun to write because it gave me the opportunity to take a quirky, socially awkward genius and have her save the world and find true love in the process—and who doesn’t like it when the underdog saves the day and gets the guy?

At its core, Arden and Kane’s story is about embracing the things that make you different and understanding that it’s those differences that make you distinctive in God’s eyes. This doesn’t mean you can’t change or evolve; it simply means you should recognize that you have been made uniquely capable of fulfilling the purpose God has for your life.

It’s also a story about faith and forgiveness. God offers forgiveness to those who seek it, yet—like Kane—some of us struggle with letting go of our mistakes. Forgiving is not about forgetting; it’s simply about putting the past behind us and moving forward in God. We must fix our thoughts on what is good because dwelling on regrets drains us of the strength we need to become the person God wants us to be.

Mary Ellen

MARY ELLEN PORTER’s love of storytelling was solidified in fifth grade when she was selected to read her first children’s story to a group of kindergartners. From then on, she knew she’d be a writer. When not working, Mary Ellen enjoys reading and spending time with her family and search-dog-in-training. She’s a member of Chesapeake Search Dogs, a volunteer search and rescue team that helps bring the lost and missing home.

Off the Grid Christmas

Mary Ellen Porter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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I am the Lord. I am the God of every person on the earth. You know that nothing is impossible for Me.

—Jeremiah 32:27

To my parents, Ed and Shirley Porter, whose constant love and encouragement have guided all my life choices and underpinned my successes. Thank you for your unfailing support and for giving me a strong foundation of faith and family.

And to my in-laws, Eldridge and Joyce Grady, for embracing me as your own from the first day we met. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect extended family.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

ONE

The Christmas tree had been Arden DeMarco’s undoing.

Or, to be more accurate, the decorations on it had.

Not that accuracy mattered. What mattered was that she had to leave. Quickly.

She shoved her sweatshirt into her backpack, the scent of Tide detergent and lavender fabric softener reminding her of her childhood home. She’d hoped to be there for Christmas, reveling in the beautiful predictability of Christmas Eve service, ham dinner, new pajamas worn on Christmas morning.

She was twenty-five years old and she still loved those things.

Unfortunately, in this instance her nostalgia had been her downfall.

She sighed.

What was done was done. For twelve days she’d been safe in this secluded cottage just outside of Lubec, Maine. Now she wasn’t.

She hadn’t planned to leave, but staying was no longer an option. She’d have to find another place to go to ground. With a quick look around the room, Arden was satisfied she was leaving nothing important behind. No clues as to what she’d been working on, where she planned to go or what her next step would be.

Zipping her pack, she gave the surveillance monitors one more glance.

All clear.

For now. But the odds weren’t in her favor.

Grabbing the wearable pet carrier from the hook behind the door that separated the kitchen from the cozy living room, she fastened it around her chest.

“Sebastian? Time to go,” she called.

As was Sebastian’s way, he didn’t answer.

She crossed the room to check his favorite spot, knelt down and peered under the sparsely decorated Christmas tree. Sure enough, he was there, batting at a red bulb.

“Did you learn nothing from the tinsel incident?” she muttered.

He looked at her, blinking large blue eyes and meowing as she scooped him up and placed him in the carrier. Where most cats would have yowled and struggled, he settled in without a fuss, the tips of his dark brown ears barely visible as she pulled the drawstring on the carrier to secure him inside. Like Arden, he was quirky. It was one of the reasons she’d adopted him.

He purred happily against her chest. Poor guy had no idea that he’d brought danger down on their heads.

She’d been so careful when she’d dropped off the grid. Covered all the bases: cash transactions only, no contact with family, prepaid cell phone for emergencies only. There’d been no way anyone could trace her movements.

Or so she’d thought.

Unfortunately, in her panic, she’d forgotten about Sebastian’s microchip. Truth be told, if Sebastian hadn’t eaten his body weight in tinsel, she’d still be none the wiser. Okay. It hadn’t been that much tinsel. After administering an ultrasound, the vet had assured Arden that the cat would be just fine. She’d been happy and relieved until the vet had called an hour ago to check on Sebastian and used Arden’s real name.