Sweet Holiday Wishes Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  DEDICATION

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  About the Author

  Other Books by Melissa McClone

  SWEET HOLIDAY WISHES

  Indigo Bay Sweet Romance Series

  by

  Melissa McClone

  SWEET HOLIDAY WISHES

  Copyright © 2017 Melissa McClone

  ALL RIGHT RESERVED

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work, in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, is illegal and forbidden, without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Characters, settings, names, and occurrences are products of the author’s imagination or used factiously and bear no resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, places or settings and/or occurrences. Any incidences of resemblance are purely coincidental.

  Cover by Najla Qamber Designs

  www.najlaqamberdesigns.com

  Cardinal Press, LLC

  October 2017

  ISBN-13: 978-1-944777-04-3

  DEDICATION

  For Kay Correll, Jean Oram, Danielle Stewart,

  and the other Indigo Bay series authors!

  CHAPTER ONE

  December 22nd

  “You cannot kidnap Lizzy, dude. That would be a huge mistake. Not to mention illegal.”

  “What are you talking about, Dare?” U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Mitchell, aka Mitch, Hamilton sat in his car across the street from an apartment building. He appreciated his team leader Sergeant Darragh O’Rourke’s early morning phone call, but the guy had it all wrong.

  “I’m surprising my wife with a trip to Indigo Bay for Christmas,” Mitch explained. “That’s not kidnapping.”

  “It is if she doesn’t want to go.”

  “She’ll want to go.” The words, however, rang hollow.

  Once upon a time, Mitch would have been certain Lizzy would say yes to a surprise getaway on the South Carolina coast. Now, not so much. He hated how the truth gnawed at him.

  Rangers lead the way!

  Mitch hoped he got the chance.

  “What’s your plan B if she says no?” Dare asked.

  Plan B? Mitch had spent weeks figuring out how to get his wife back after she left him in October. She’d said she needed someone to take care of her for once. He thought he was doing that already.

  He dragged a hand over his tired face. “Uh…”

  “This is too important. You need a backup plan.” The words flew from Dare’s mouth like artillery fire. “I had one when I wanted Jenny to give me another chance. Didn’t need it, but it was worth renting that Bigfoot costume just in case.”

  Dare and Jenny Hanford, a bestselling thriller author, had become an official couple in September while Dare was recovering from serious injuries after a helicopter crash. The two hadn’t been together long, but they seemed perfect for each other.

  Mitch had thought the same thing about him and Lizzy when he married her three years ago.

  “I don’t need a backup plan.” He glanced at Lizzy’s empty parking space. Her overnight shift as a registered nurse had ended nearly an hour ago. Where was she? “Lizzy has wanted to go to Indigo Bay since we met. She won’t say no.”

  “If you say so.” Dare’s uncertain tone matched the way Mitch felt.

  “I do. My bag is in the truck. The gas tank’s full.” Mitch wanted to sound confident. His guys counted on him to lead. He needed to appear strong and capable.

  And he was those things when it came to him being a Ranger.

  He’d faced terrorists and insurgents while deployed with his platoon from Fort Benning. He’d been ambushed, caught in firefights, and battled for his life. But waiting for his wife was taking his nerves to an all-time high.

  He missed Lizzy.

  He wanted her back in their house and in their bed.

  “You’ve got this.” Dare’s serious tone suggested the younger sergeant understood what was at stake. “Remember, this vacation is about Lizzy. Show her how much she means to you. Make sure she doesn’t feel taken for granted.”

  Lizzy had told Mitch she’d felt like nothing more than the person who took care of the house and his sexual needs. He didn’t understand because he thought their marriage was perfect. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  Failure wasn’t an option.

  He’d escaped from impossible situations before. Reconciling with Lizzy should be easier than getting himself and his guys home in one piece. She was his family. The most important person in his life. Maybe he shouldn’t have walked out of that stupid marriage counselor’s office in June, but what else could he do when Lizzy was blaming him for nonexistent problems? He hadn’t done anything wrong.

  “Have fun wooing your wife. She won’t know what hit her.” Sincerity filled Dare’s voice. “Call if you need me. I’ve got your six.”

  “Right back at you. Enjoy the holidays.”

  “The gifts are packed, and the engagement ring is in my pocket.” Dare sounded like he was smiling. Given he was spending the holidays in Berry Lake, Washington with Jenny and a recently adopted kitten, he was probably grinning from ear to ear. “Have a Merry Christmas.”

  Mitch tucked his phone into his back pocket. The silence in the truck’s cab pressed down on him.

  A marriage takes two people to succeed. I can’t keep holding everything together any longer. I want a divorce.

  Remembering Lizzy’s words made his shoulders sag as if he were wearing body armor and a seventy-pound pack.

  Divorce wasn’t the solution. Mitch loved Lizzy. He needed her. No one had ever loved him like she did. As soon as they arrived in Indigo Bay, he would show her their marriage was fine and they belonged together.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Stifling a yawn, Lizzy drove into her apartment building’s lot. “Up on the Housetop” played on the radio, but she didn’t sing along. Her ho-ho-ho had gone up and went. She didn’t have it in her to act jolly or full of holiday spirit. She parked in her spot and got out of the car.

  After working fourteen hours at the hospital, all she wanted was a shower, breakfast, and seven hours of uninterrupted sleep. Lizzy entered her studio apartment and kicked off her shoes.

  A minute or so later, a knock sounded.

  “Who is it?” she asked.

  “Mitch.”

  Huh? She opened the door.

  Her husband stood there in a pair of faded jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. His high cheekbones seemed sharper, but he was as handsome as the night they’d met at a party. His brown hair was short, and stubble covered his face. The dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn’t been sleeping much.

  “Hey.” The edges of his mouth curved upward. “Sorry I didn’t call before stopping by.”

  The gold wedding ring on his finger made her stomach churn. She’d taken off her matching band when she’d moved out two months ago—an act of self-preservation to keep her from crying each time she noticed it.

  She clutched the door handle. “What’s up?”

  “Can I come in?”

  “Okay.” She had no idea what was going on, but they were still married. After he was inside, she closed the door.

  “What do you want?” Her words sounded impatient, harsher than she’d intended.

  Stupid. Mitch wasn’t a bad guy. He just hadn’t been able to give her what she needed. Not surprising given their whirlwind romance
had led to a wedding right before he deployed to Afghanistan. They hadn’t known each other well enough. She’d had no idea how much he’d be away or that they’d handle the times apart differently.

  “Sorry,” she said. “Long night.”

  His gaze narrowed. “You look tired.”

  “So do you.”

  “I’ll make this quick.” He rocked back on his heels. “What are you doing for Christmas?”

  “Nothing. I’m skipping it.”

  “No plans?”

  “Not unless you count hanging out with friends.” Which was so unlike her since she loved Christmas, but this wasn’t a usual year. “I’m off until the night of the twenty-sixth.”

  “Good, because I want to take you to—”

  “You shouldn’t want to take me anywhere.” She wasn’t trying to be cruel, just honest. “We’re no longer together.”

  “I know, but…” Mitch shifted his weight. “I don’t want to spend Christmas with only a bottle of whiskey to keep me company.”

  The image of him doing that twisted her insides. “Aren’t any of the guys sticking around?”

  “A couple, maybe. They aren’t sure yet. I could probably snag an invite to Christmas dinner somewhere, but after that…”

  She understood. Mitch had been raised in the foster system and joined the army after he graduated high school. Her parents had kicked her out when she turned eighteen, so they’d have more money to spend on cigarettes and alcohol. She and Mitch had been on their own for years before they’d met. They’d quickly become each other’s family.

  “You need more plans,” she said.

  “That’s why I booked a cottage at Indigo Bay. I know you’ve always wanted to go there. Come with me.”

  She felt a pang. “I didn’t think you remembered.”

  “I did.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “You said I never listened, but I heard you.”

  One time doesn’t count. That was what she imagined her friend Emma saying. Lizzy blew out a breath. “We…shouldn’t.”

  Wicked mischief lit his eyes. “That’s never stopped us before.”

  “No.” And look where that had gotten them.

  “You in?” Mitch defined the word confident. The man had swagger. Only now, he looked worried.

  Lizzy lifted her chin. “Do you really think us going somewhere together is a good idea?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “If it’s uncomfortable, we can do our own thing.”

  “That defeats the purpose of going away together.”

  “Trust me.”

  Say no. But the word seemed glued to her tongue. “I…don’t know.”

  “Please. Give us one more Christmas. We don’t have to celebrate.” His jade-green gaze pleaded with her. “I don’t want to be alone.”

  The unexpected emotion in his words tugged on her heart. Mitch didn’t discuss his feelings, while she wasn’t good about addressing her needs. They’d spent more holidays and special occasions apart than together, so she’d requested time off for Christmas months ago.

  “We’ll go as friends.” Mitch’s tentative smile matched the slight tremor of his voice. “We’re still friends. Right?”

  “I hope we always will be.”

  “Me, too,” he said. “Besides, I owe you for missing your birthday and our anniversary.”

  A jagged pain ripped through Lizzy.

  Not missing. Forgetting. Completely.

  For three years, she’d done all she could to make the marriage work. His not acknowledging either date in early October had made her face the hard truth—she didn’t matter to him, not the way a wife should matter to her husband. She’d had to stop making excuses and admit they’d married too soon. But maybe that wouldn’t bother her so much if she focused on the two of them remaining friends. Mitch needed more in his life than the army, and she needed more than the hospital.

  “I prepaid for four nights,” he added. “The vacation won’t cost you anything.”

  Spending time in a beach town decked out for the holidays didn’t appeal to Lizzy, but taking a vacation sounded heavenly. Work had been rough lately. Add in separating from Mitch…

  No. Common sense needed to prevail. “Going away could blow up in our faces.”

  “Or it could be amazing,” Mitch countered. “Why be on our own when we could be together at a beach cottage?”

  “Our impending divorce seems like a good reason.”

  “You work too hard and need a break.”

  That was true. A trip to Indigo Bay might be her last chance to go anywhere for a while. She made decent money, but living alone was expensive, and divorce attorneys weren’t cheap.

  “You’re thinking about it.” Mitch flashed a charming smile.

  Her breath hitched. “Maybe.”

  “Shower and pack while I make breakfast. We’ll leave after that.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “I didn’t say yes.”

  “You didn’t say no, which tells me you want to go.”

  She’d die before she admitted that. “It’s hard to turn down a free trip.”

  “Then don’t.” He made saying yes sound effortless.

  But maybe Mitch was right. She would have loved him planning something like this when they were together. She needed a vacation. Why not take one now? “Okay, I’ll go, but please don’t do anything to make me regret this.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  After checking in at the Indigo Bay Cottage’s Guest Services building, Mitch carried the lodging paperwork and keys to his truck and opened the driver door. Lizzy was still asleep in the passenger seat. A ball of warmth settled at the center of his chest.

  His plan to win her back was working. He hadn’t seen her look so carefree in…months. The divorce was adding stress to her life. She also needed time away from work. He was giving her a place to forget about everything and relax.

  Brown strands of hair had fallen out of Lizzy’s lopsided ponytail. The soft tendrils accentuated her high cheekbones. She hadn’t put on makeup after her shower, but she didn’t need any with her naturally long lashes and full, kissable lips. So beautiful. Her soft smile made him wonder who starred in her dream.

  Him?

  Mitch hoped so. Lizzy was always on his mind. He couldn’t lose her. Soon, she would forget the divorce nonsense and be ready to move home.

  He slid into the driver’s seat, closed the door, and backed out of the parking spot. Lizzy didn’t wake up. Nor did she stir as he drove to their cottage. Not surprising. She’d slept the entire five-and-a-half-hour trip from Columbus, Georgia.

  He parked at a bright pink cottage with white shutters that sat on a grassy dune with a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean. White lights were strung along the roof’s edge. Garland hung from the white staircase railing. A heart-shaped wreath with a fancy pink bow was attached to the front door.

  He’d booked the honeymoon cottage because his and Lizzy’s honeymoon had been one night at a three-star hotel after they’d been married by a judge. They’d wed after dating for two months because he was being deployed, and they hadn’t wanted to wait until he returned. If something had happened to him while he was away, she would have had support and benefits. If not, she’d be there when he got back. A win-win.

  Their wedding had been simple, yet perfect. She’d carried a single red rose for her bouquet. They’d exchanged matching wedding bands. He’d wanted to get her a diamond ring, but after buying a house, a ring seemed like a splurge since she’d never asked for one, but now…

  The list of things Mitch wished he could do over rolled through his mind like credits at the end of a movie. He couldn’t change the past, but he could show Lizzy she was his priority. She was his life.

  Mitch gently touched his wife’s shoulder. “Wake up, babe. We’re at Indigo Bay.”

  Lizzy blinked, rubbed her eyes, and yawned. “Already?”

  “You slept the entire drive.”

  A telltale V formed at the bridge of her nose.
He’d noticed the same thing earlier at her apartment. Stress.

  “Let’s get our bags out of the back.” Mitch opened his door. The sooner they started their vacation, the better. “Then we can take a walk around town.”

  She nodded before sliding from the truck.

  Mitch hopped out. A breeze blew off the water and rustled the long grass around the cottage. The scent of salt carried on the air.

  Before he could grab Lizzy’s suitcase, her fingers wrapped around the handle. “I’ve got it.”

  She carried the bag to the front stoop, touched the wreath’s pink bow with her free hand, and stepped to the side so he could unlock the door.

  He waited for her to say something, but she didn’t. Maybe she was tired from working three nights in a row. No problem. This was their first day in Indigo Bay. He had plenty of time to woo her.

  * * *

  Lizzy waited for Mitch to unlock the front door. The adorable heart-shaped wreath made her chest tighten. She couldn’t believe he’d booked this place. He wasn’t one to make dinner reservations—that was her job—but she was pleased. Except the various colored beach cottages seemed more suited for a romantic getaway than a vacation for two friends.

  He opened the door and stepped back. “You first.”

  A deep breath did nothing to calm Lizzy’s out-of-control pulse, but she stepped inside anyway.

  Whoa. She froze.

  Pink. Everywhere.

  Not the bright color of the exterior. The pastel shade made her think of melt-in-her-mouth cotton candy. A pretty watercolor beach print hung on the clapboard wall next to an overstuffed couch. Pink roses filled a glass vase sitting on the coffee table. A small present wrapped in white paper and tied with a pink ribbon lay between the flowers and a bottle of champagne chilling in a silver bucket.

  “They left us welcome gifts.” Mitch set his duffle bag on the floor. He pushed down on the couch cushions. “Comfy. What do you think of the cottage?”