Christmas Wish Come True. Jaimie Admans

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СКАЧАТЬ slowly navigated the mountain road, trying not to think about the dangers, focusing instead on her mission. But as the path narrowed with the rapid snow accumulation, Isabella began to think she should stop, turn around. She hadn’t passed anyone on the drive up, and she had the sinking feeling that she was already too late.

      She mentally scolded herself again, then saw twinkling lights through the trees about half a mile up. Yes! She would deliver the letters, then head for home before the roads became too icy.

      Isabella inched her car toward the Christmas lights. The Toy Shop came into view as she got closer. Festive Christmas decorations adorned the painted glass windows of the lodge-style structure. Near the entrance, a huge lighted Christmas tree captured her attention. Through the heavy snowfall, the enchanting scene beckoned. But, as Isabella’s eyes scanned for human activity, her gaze came to rest on the red CLOSED sign in the front window. Her hopes sank.

       The letters would have to wait.

      Isabella softly cursed as she reversed the car. She steered the tires around, then felt a sudden bump. Looking behind her, she realized she’d nearly knocked over a large red mailbox. The gold lettering painted on it indicated ‘Santa Mail’. Of course – it was outside!

      Relieved, Isabella put the car into park. She hurriedly stepped out, taking the letters from her purse. She opened the box and stuffed them inside. Except hers. Snowflakes landed on the envelope that housed her wish. She wondered who, if anyone, would read her words, and she was beginning to regret writing them. She certainly wasn’t looking for what – or who – she’d asked for. In her attempt to engage Tyler, she’d gotten carried away by a fantasy she’d once believed in – until her ex fiancé, Phillip, showed her how cruel real life could be.

      But surely no one would recognize the name of the new girl in town, who’d asked for lightning to strike – for a gallant hero to swoop into her life and love her. She shrugged her concerns away and shoved her letter into the box with the others, before she changed her mind. What she wished for didn’t matter. Anyway, not even ‘Santa’ magic could conjure up the kind of man she could take a chance on again.

      The wind blew harder and Isabella turned up the collar of her coat as she hurried into her car. She started the engine, thankful she’d fulfilled her promise to Tyler. Now, home. She stepped on the gas, spinning the tires on the new-fallen snow. With a sinking heart, she realized she’d backed herself into a ditch. She tried every trick her father taught her to maneuver the vehicle onto the road, but nothing worked. She checked her cell phone, but there was no signal. She looked behind her at the Toy Shop, seeing no signs of people. Still, she had to try.

      She left her car again and walked toward the Christmassy shop, her chin tucked in against the wind. She was awarded some shelter on the wraparound porch as she knocked on the front door. After a few moments, she tried again, then checked the handle. The door was locked. It dawned on her that she was stranded. She swallowed her panic as the sky became darker and the wind picked up. It was about a mile down the mountain road to the main street.

       I’m in good shape. I can make it.

      But a few minutes later, Isabella could barely feel her frozen feet, even though she’d replaced her heels with her snow boots before leaving the school. She urged herself to keep going, and prayed it wouldn’t take long to walk to safety. She was almost more embarrassed for getting herself into this predicament than worried about surviving it. But then she looked ahead of her, horrified to find she’d ventured off the main road.

      She stopped, suddenly frightened. Every direction looked the same. She turned to follow her footprints back the way she’d come. But the snow had already covered them up. On reflex, she cried, “Help!” The howling wind was all that answered back. “Help, help!” she yelled again, falling to her knees in a moment of defeat.

      I’m going to die out here…mailing letters to Santa. So much for getting what she asked for.

      “Hello…” The deep voice of an angel was carried on the wind, reaching Isabella’s ear. “Miss Stevens…” it called. She shook her head, thinking it was a hypothermia-induced hallucination. Then the dark figure of her rescuer emerged through the blinding snow. Isabella struggled to stand as he reached her. He grabbed her shoulders and lifted her onto her feet. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist and burrowed her head into his chest as relief, and his strong arms, enveloped her. She found comfort in his steady breathing as he brushed his hand over her hair.

       She was going to live… He had saved her.

      “Miss Stevens.” The man’s voice was urgent, concerned. He was too good to be true, an answer to a prayer, and Isabella tingled all over. She huddled closer to his warmth against the wind. When she came to her senses enough to realize he’d said her name, she looked up. Her breath caught as her gaze connected with those unmistakable green eyes…

       Jordan Butler.

      “Lady, when you make a promise, you really deliver on it, don’t you?” His expression was relieved and furious at the same time. “Your foolish sincerity nearly got you killed!”

      Before she could respond, Jordan scooped her into his arms and carried her a surprisingly short distance to his truck. He deposited her into the leathery plush passenger seat, then slammed the door shut with a force that startled her. Isabella watched, dazed, as he went to her car and retrieved her groceries and purse. When he got into his truck next to her, she asked, “What about my car?”

      “I’m taking you home, Miss Stevens. You need to thaw out and get a good night’s sleep. First thing in the morning, I’ll pick you up and we’ll come back for it.”

      “But…tomorrow is Thanksgiving,” Isabella reminded him softly.

      He briefly glanced her way, then turned his eyes back to the road. “I guess you’ll have to put up with me for part of the holiday then.”

      Pushing back the pathetic thrill she got from the prospect of not spending all of Thanksgiving Day alone, she asked, “How did you know…?

      “I dropped Tyler off with a friend, who asked me to run a last-minute errand in town.” Jordan shook his head, his eyes glinting down at her. “I thought I saw your car turn toward Reindeer Ridge, so I decided to come out – to make sure you were okay.” His voice held a hint of impatience, but his words warmed Isabella to the core. Gallant.

      “Thank you,” she whispered.

      He nodded but said nothing more. When they’d reached the main road, Isabella softly stated her address. Then she closed her eyes and breathed again, as Jordan carefully maneuvered the big warm truck through the storm.

Chapter Two

      Isabella awoke before dawn. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, swinging her legs off the bed. She felt for her slippers on the cool wooden floor and tucked her feet into them. After a restless night, sleep now eluded her. The frightening experience she’d had in the storm had unnerved her, causing her to toss and turn half the night.

      She had only herself to blame. She could have avoided the whole episode on Reindeer Ridge by simply fibbing to Tyler, then dropping the letters off at the post office on Friday morning. But, she was honest to a fault. So much so, it could’ve cost her life – as her handsome rescuer had correctly pointed out.

      She СКАЧАТЬ