C.C. Coburn - Colorado Christmas

“Yes, Mr. O’Malley?”

“Would you have dinner with me tonight?”

Becky blinked. Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly. “Excuse me?” she said, and tried to ignore the warm flush climbing up her chest.

“I asked if you’d go out with me tonight.”

The court audience leaned forward, eagerly anticipating her response.

Will O’Malley was, without a doubt, the best-looking defendant who’d ever stood before her. The fact that he’d pleaded guilty straight up—rather than offer a host of excuses—impressed her. But he was a defendant and strictly off-limits.

Furious that her body was telling her one thing, while her brain told her another, Becky answered him more harshly than she’d intended. “No, Mr. O’Malley, I won’t,” she said and slammed down her gavel. “Get out of my court!”

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Dear Reader,

This is my debut novel for Harlequin American Romance. I loved creating this “opposites attract” story about an unconventional hero, Will O’Malley, who is hauled into court by his law-abiding brother. Will takes one look at the judge and decides he’s going to marry her. So begins his tale of winning straitlaced judge Becky McBride’s love.

Will’s story started many years earlier when I was writing his brother Matt’s romance. I learned that Sheriff Matt had brothers—four of them—and the one who was most insistent about having his story told was Will. But Will’s story wasn’t so easy to create. He was an unconventional hero who needed a lot of taming! I detail his journey to winning Becky’s heart—and this book’s journey to publication—in a research paper that you can read, if you wish, on my Web site, www.cccoburn.com. I hope it will help provide a guide to unpublished authors.

As you can see from the cover, Colorado Christmas is part of THE O’MALLEY MEN miniseries, so watch for Will’s other brothers’ stories of finding love in the mountain town of Spruce Lake.

Happy reading! Healthy lives! And a Merry Christmas to all!

Love,

C.C. Coburn

C.C. Coburn married the first man who asked her and hasn’t regretted a day since—well, not many of them! She grew up in Australia’s outback, moved to its sun-drenched Pacific coast, then traveled the world. A keen skier, she discovered Colorado’s majestic Rocky Mountains and now divides her time between Australia and Colorado. Home will always be Australia, where she lives with her husband, three grown children, a Labrador and three cats—but her heart and soul are also firmly planted in Colorado. When she isn’t writing or skiing, C.C. loves to sculpt, paint, surf and play with her Lab. She loves hearing from readers. You can visit her at www.cccoburn.com.

I would like to thank the members of Romance Writers of Australia; my wonderful critique partner, Kelly Hunter; the members of my local Romance Writers Support group: Helen Bianchin, Noela Cowell, Louise Cusack, Helen Lacey and Lesley Millar and my Masters in Writing cohort: Sandra Barletta, Lisa Barry, Marilyn Carey, Louise Ousby, Melynda Genrich and our supervisor, Dr. Glen Thomas.

I received invaluable insights into law enforcement in Colorado and offer my heartfelt thanks to Summit County Judge Ed Casias and Captain Erik Bourgerie and Deputy Ron Hochmuth of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office—who gave me a most interesting tour of the County jail—and Craig Simson of Keystone Ski Patrol for his help with avalanche rescue.

I would especially like to thank my editor, Paula Eykelhof, to whom I (badly) pitched this story, but who managed to see its potential and supported me through two long years to publication. I value our friendship forged through this journey and am deeply indebted to her faith in me.

My children, Catherine, Holly and Jock, without whom this book would have been finished many years earlier.

And last, my husband and best friend, Keith, who has always been my greatest supporter and fan, even though he’s never read a word I’ve written.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Epilogue

Will O’Malley stomped the snow from his boots before entering the courthouse in Spruce Lake, Colorado.

His brother Matt collared him as he stepped inside. “Where the hell have you been?”

Will grinned at his arresting officer, unfazed by his angry demand. “Delivering flowers for Mrs. C.”

Matt could be such a stuffed shirt sometimes—so could his other three brothers—but Matt was the one who worried most about what people thought of the O’Malleys. To make amends, he caught Matt in a bear hug. “Thanks for coming along to support me, buddy.”

Matt shrugged him off, saying through clenched teeth, “I’m not here to support you. I’m here to make sure you don’t get in any more trouble.” He led the way into the courtroom, then spun around. “You’re aware that I might run for county sheriff, aren’t you? Your antics last night won’t help my chances.”

Will doubted the residents of Peaks County thought any less of Matt or the rest of the O’Malleys after last night, considering most of the courtroom audience—Will noted with pleasure—were with him at the time. “Sure. In fact, I’ll be your campaign manager.”

“Over my dead body,” Matt growled as Will stepped up to the podium and turned toward the bench.

Wow! was his first reaction as he studied the judge. Her dark red hair was pulled back in a severe style that went with her suit and gavel. A few tendrils had worked themselves loose, softening her face and contrasting with her otherwise flawless presentation. She looked serious in a strangely attractive way and would probably send him to the slammer, if she could guess his thoughts. She looked up, trained her green eyes on Will and he felt something hit him deep in his gut.

Every year at their wedding anniversary party, Mac O’Malley told the story of how he vowed he’d marry their mother, Sarah, the moment he laid eyes on her. Until now, Will had believed that was just Irish blarney.

Convinced he was gazing at the woman he’d marry and needing to share his feelings with Matt, he murmured, “I’m going to marry that woman someday.”

JUDGE REBECCA MCBRIDE had finished her previous case concerning a pig called Louella who’d run amok in a dress boutique. Feeling as though she was caught up in reruns of Green Acres, she wondered yet again, Why on earth did I take this job?