Love's in the Cards
by Becky Lower
Penny Beedle’s outlook on Christmas as her favorite
holiday was destroyed by a messy breakup years earlier and a botched wedding
last year—both on Christmas Eve. But since she and her sister now own a
greeting card store, and the holidays are their crazy selling season, she has
to put on a happy face.
Del Madison has loved Penny since kindergarten. Commissioned
by a big greeting card company for a line of Christmas and Valentine’s cards,
he has to emerge from behind his alter ego and unveil himself to the public. He
chooses Penny Beedle’s shop for the big reveal. If he plays his cards right, he
just might gain Penny as part of his life.
Excerpt:
Penny sighed softly. Abbey made sense. They had to do
everything possible to compete with the other shops, all chasing the same
tourist dollars. Even if doing so meant having six-foot-tall nutcrackers
flanking the door for the next six weeks. Penny’s eyes smarted with sudden
tears, but she blinked them away quickly, telling herself the moisture merely
came from a reaction to the cold weather. “I think we need new names for these
boys, especially after last year’s debacle. I now have two reasons to despise
the season.”
As she wiggled her nutcracker to his final position on one
side of the entrance to their shop, Abbey grunted. “This is our make-or-break
season, so your attitude has to shape up, Penny. I had hoped a year would give
you enough time to get over last Christmas’s aborted wedding.”
Penny jerked her big statue a bit too hard to the left
before she squared him with the frame. She bit her lip at the chastisement as
she glanced at Abbey. Anyone could tell they were from the same family, with
their dark hair, blue eyes, and slender builds. Often, they were mistaken for
twins, even though Abbey had been born two years earlier. The only noticeable
difference was Penny could sing in key, but Abbey had a tin ear.
“Even though I’m over both Max and Ricky, their betrayals
still hurt. And the fact they both screwed up my Christmases makes me hate the
season.”
“Well, if getting your head back on straight this year means
we rename Hans and Gunther, let’s do so. What’d you have in mind?”
Penny squinted up at the lifelike plastic statues towering
over them. “I don’t mind Hans, but I’ll name mine Solo, since that’s what I
am.”
Abbey grinned and wrapped an arm around Penny. “Well then,
may the force be with us as we head into our peak season. The weather’s finally
turned cold, perfect for putting folks into the holiday gift-buying mood. Let’s
get inside. I’ve got something exciting to show you.”
Author Bio:
Amazon best-selling author Becky Lower has traveled the
country looking for great settings for her novels. She loves to write about two
people finding each other and falling in love, amid the backdrop of a great
setting, be it on a covered wagon headed west or in present day small town
America. Historical and contemporary
romances are her specialty. Becky is a PAN member of RWA and is a member of the
Historic and Contemporary RWA chapters. She has a degree in English and
Journalism from Bowling Green State University, and lives in an eclectic
college town in Ohio with her puppy-mill rescue dog, Mary. She loves to hear
from readers. Connect with her at:
beckylowerauthor@gmail.com
Buy Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment