Her Christmas Billionaire (The Joy of Christmas Series Book 1) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Book Giveaway!

  Copyright

  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

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek!

  Her Christmas Billionaire

  Genevieve Goodwin

  Other Books Available

  Wedding Charade Series

  How to Wed a Billionaire

  How to Wed a Quarterback

  How to Wed a Country Music Star

  How to Wed a Movie Star

  Wedding Charade Box Set

  Undercover Hearts Series

  Saved by Her Ex

  Saved by her Secret Hero

  Saved by Her Protector

  The Joy of Christmas Series

  Her Christmas Billionaire

  Click here to get a free copy of The Wedding Date!

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locals is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher and author. For more information regarding permission, contact the author.

  Copyright © 2019 Genevieve Goodwin

  All rights reserved.

  Silver Gate Press

  Chapter One

  “Those are absolutely gorgeous.” Hannah Carter stood in the shop surrounded with every form of Christmas décor imaginable. “I’ll take two boxes. No, make that four.”

  She gave Charlene, her childhood friend and shop owner of The Christmas Box a laugh. “I’ve forgotten what it’s like to decorate an entire house. It’s been years,” Hannah said.

  Charlene piled on four more boxes of the colorful lights on top of the four boxes in Hannah’s cart. “No kidding,” she said. “It is going to take a lot more lights to decorate the Clearview Inn. That is no city apartment.”

  “I know. I can’t believe it has only been two years since I’ve been gone. It feels like so much more.”

  Charlene put her arm around Hannah and hugged her to her side. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to come back. Love Valley needs you and the Clearview Inn. It hasn’t been the same without you here the last couple of years, not to mention at Christmas time.”

  Hannah laid her cheek against her best friend’s shoulder. “Thanks. I just couldn’t come back right after Gram passed away. I needed time before I could be in that house again. It took Henry dumping me just before Thanksgiving to realize the city wasn’t for me. To be honest, Chicago never felt like home anyway.”

  “Of course, it didn’t,” Charlene said as they walked through the aisles of endless Christmas decorations. “Because that windy city wasn’t home. Colorado is home. Love Valley is where you belong. Now let’s get you some new ornaments for the tree. Are you going to be ready to open for Christmas?”

  Hannah blew a loose curl out of her eye. “Gosh, no. I’ve only been back a month. I’m not going to be booking guests until after Christmas. I may have a small Christmas party and invite some old friends though. I hope to be ready for Valentine’s day, as much as I despise that holiday,” Hannah added.

  Charlene chided Hannah with a click of her tongue. “Cupid is a good guy. Don’t hate the messenger. And really, not all guys are jerks. Did Henry tell you why he was breaking up?”

  Hannah rolled her eyes just thinking about it. “He said I wasn’t wife material. That I was too scattered. And I wasn’t ambitious enough. Can you believe it?”

  Charlene shook her head. “He just wasn’t for you. That’s all. You know, Clay Turner has been asking about you. Maybe there are still sparks there?”

  Hannah furrowed her eyebrows together and glared at her friend. She was really rethinking their long-time friendship. “My high school boyfriend? Really Charlene?”

  Charlene shrugged innocently. “He’s all grown up now. Besides, high school was years ago. All I’m saying is there is someone else out there for you. Keep the faith, girl.”

  “I’m too busy right now to be thinking about men anyway,” Hannah said.

  “Are you sure you can’t open the Inn for Christmas? It would be so fun to have a houseful of guests for Christmas. I don’t want you staying all alone in that big ole house on Christmas day.”

  “Gosh, no. Christmas is only a few weeks away. The place has been closed up for two years. It needs a good scrub down and lots of repairs, I’m sure.” Hannah mustered up a smile. “I’ll be fine at Christmas,” she said.

  “My Mom and sister are coming over in the afternoon. Promise me you’ll spend it with us. Come over first thing Christmas morning, okay?”

  “Sure thing,” Hannah said. “Now, let me pay for these lights and gorgeous decorations. Once I decorate, I’m going to take photos for the website. I want it up and running by the new year. We’re going full blown online this time.”

  She followed Charlene to the cash register and piled her Christmas decorations and boxes of lights on the counter. Charlene bagged up her decorations and ornaments.

  “She’d be proud of you,” Charlene said. “She always wanted you to take over the Inn.”

  “I know,” Hannah said sadly. “I just wish I would have done it when she was still here.”

  “You’re doing it now, that is all that matters,” Charlene said.

  Hannah hugged her friend and promised to stop by on Christmas day. Charlene handed her the bags of decorations and helped her stack the lights in her other hand. “Are you sure you don’t need help? I can lock up for a few minutes and help you carry everything to your car.”

  “Thanks, but I’m fine,” Hannah said. She held the bags in one hand while she balanced the boxes of lights in the other. Charlene held the door while she pushed through the doorway and walked out onto the street. A rush of cold air hit her face. Gosh, she didn’t realize how much she’d missed Colorado until she’d arrived two weeks ago. The fresh air, the crisp, mountain wind on her face. The snow-

  Bam!

  Hannah found herself sprawled out on the cold, icy sidewalk with her Christmas boxes and decorations scattered all around her. She looked up to see what had hit her, veiling the bright sun from her eyes with her hand.

  Her heart nearly stopped when she saw what was looming over her.

  ~

  Blake Bradley had been minding his own business, walking down Main Street in the tiny Colorado town he’d planned to spend the dreaded holidays this year when- boom!

  “What the-?”

  A reckless woman who wasn’t watching where she was going nearly plowed him over. He scrambled to grab his phone, which had gone airborne when she so rudely sent him flying across the sidewalk. He looked over to see his phone shattered into pieces. He cursed under his breath. Now, not only was his rental unavailable, he had no way of calling to make other arrangements for a place to stay.

  He
looked over at the woman, ready to give her a piece of his mind. But his anger softened as he saw her sprawled out on the sidewalk, packages and boxes scattered around her. He pushed himself off the ground, then gathered the remnants of his phone together. After stuffing them in his pocket, he stretched out his hand to her.

  “Let me help you up,” he said, noticing the pretty dark curls that had fallen across her cheek.

  The stare she gave him was beyond daggers. It was more like an army of swordsmen, with their weapons raised in battle. He recoiled instinctively.

  She looked around her, while brushing the ice from her pants. “You’ve broken all my Christmas decorations. All my lights,” she said in an angry tone. “You need to watch where you’re going, instead of staring at your phone while walking down the street. You phone addicts are a hazard to civilized people.”

  Blake was more than a little taken aback. Fine. He’d have no trouble ignoring her pretty face and those glittering blue eyes. Pretty girls were nothing but trouble.

  “Excuse me? You were walking with a stack of packages blocking your view,” he said.

  She shoved up off the street, continuing to attempt to brush the melting ice from her clothes. “I knew exactly where I was going. I know this street like the back of my hand. You were the one who ran into me while glued to your cell phone. That’s exactly why it’s in pieces in your pocket now.”

  So, she’d seen him tuck his phone pieces away? He wasn’t sure whether to smile or frown. She was very attractive, if you liked a woman in a bright red coat that screamed Christmas with a scornful expression plastered across her face. He decided he didn’t. He had enough on his mind without having to deal with this hot-headed lady. He bent down to help her pick up her packages, despite the bear-like snarl that emitted from her lips.

  “Don’t,” she muttered. “Just don’t.”

  “At least let me help you,” he said.

  The huff she let out did not disguise her frustration as she bent down to gather her packages. “Not necessary,” she said.

  The wave of her hand resembled swatting away an annoying fly. “I’m quite capable of gathering up my broken Christmas lights and throwing them in the trash.”

  He winced at the backhanded comment. She was trying to goad him and guilt-trip him. Well, that reverse psychology was not going to work on him. He’d offered to help, despite her running into him. Despite breaking his phone into a thousand pieces, for which she had not even bothered to apologize.

  He’d give it one last go. “I don’t mind helping you,” he said in what he thought was a measured, reassuring tone.

  “Helping me? Do what? Clean up the mess you made when you plowed over me and my Christmas decorations? Why is that helping me?”

  This was not going well. “I just meant…”

  She waved him away. “I’m fine. Please, just go along your merry way and don’t worry about me or my Christmas lights.”

  “I’ll be happy to pay to replace them,” Blake said against his better judgement. For some odd reason, he just wanted to win her over and dissipate her anger.

  She rolled her eyes at his suggestion. “That’s not necessary,” she said.

  He felt uncomfortable leaving her to pick up her packages, but he’d tried to help, hadn’t he? He turned to go but a twinge of guilt needled him. He whirled back around, now fully irritated with this very stubborn woman. Despite her protests, he helped her gather her packages, taking note that most of the packages seemed well insulated from breaking.

  “Where’s your car?” he asked as he piled a few boxes in his arms.

  She pursed her lips together, as if weighing the dangers of letting him know where she’d parked.

  “I promise, I don’t bite,” he said.

  “It’s not your bite I’m worried about,” she said as she began down the street with the remaining packages.

  He followed along, feeling like a lost puppy at her heels as she rushed ahead of him. And he didn’t like it one bit. “Not my bite? Then what?”

  She ignored his question as she stopped at a tiny red sports car that matched her sweater, parallel parked in a no-parking zone. So, she was a rebel, huh? No surprise there. Her choice of car should not have surprised him, but it was out of place in this small town in the Colorado mountains, far from even a modest size city. “Nice wheels,” he said. “Another Christmas decoration?”

  The expression she gave him threw some serious shade. “It’s a car. I use it to get from one place to another. What do you have against Christmas anyway?”

  “I don’t have anything against Christmas. I’m just not into frenzied shopping, insane traffic everywhere, nightmare airport travel, sappy Christmas movies on all TV channels, and most of all, annoying Christmas songs playing continuously for at least thirty days straight.

  Her eyebrows shot up with surprise. “So, what you are saying is that you really hate Christmas?”

  Blake watched her as she opened the trunk of her car. He set some of the boxes of lights he held inside. “Hate would be too strong a word. I just don’t buy into all the hoopla. Let’s face it, Christmas is nothing more but a commercial holiday nowadays. It is all a ploy to get people to spend lots of money they don’t have, to buy lots of things they don’t need.”

  He picked out a talking Christmas Santa doll from one of her shopping bags. It instantly began to chuckle ‘Ho-ho-ho’. He grimaced at the artificial cheer. “See what I mean?”

  “That explains a lot,” she muttered under her breath.

  Blake had that feeling you get when you know you’ve said something you will later regret, but it is too late to backtrack. “What did you say?”

  She plunked down her packages in the trunk. She turned and snatched the Santa doll from his grasp, then took the rest of the boxes from his arms. “Thank you, again,” she said sweetly.

  He waited for the hammer to drop as he knew it would. He gave her a practiced smile that had worked wonders with its charm on other women. It would prove ineffective.

  “Thanks for plowing me over and breaking my brand-new Christmas lights and decorations, Mr. Grinch,” she said with false cheerfulness.

  Blake’s eyebrow arched reflexively before utter irritation flooded him. She was no longer being cute. She was acting like a spoiled brat, plain and simple. “My pleasure,” he said in a clipped voice.

  She turned away from him dismissively and slid into the cramped interior of her absurdly impractical car. Meanwhile, he did an about face and marched away from the impossible woman and her ridiculous red car. He couldn’t get out of this town fast enough. Friendly small towns? Bah!

  He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets where the remains of his cell phone reminded him he’d have to buy a new one before doing anything else. He resisted the urge to look behind him when he heard the screech of tires, no doubt the crazy Christmas woman leaving her mark. He shrugged off the urge to laugh as he made his way back to Main Street, hoping he’d find a shop to buy a new cell phone and maybe get some coffee. As the snow began to fall, he got a niggling sense it was going to be a long morning.

  Chapter Two

  Hannah Carter’s heart was racing nearly as fast as her little sports car as she sped down the country highway. Clearview Inn, her grandmother’s home and business she’d inherited over two years ago, came into view but gave her little comfort.

  “Impossible man!” she muttered under her breath, refusing to even think about those gorgeous green eyes that had stared out at her from beneath dark silky hair. It didn’t matter if he looked like a model off the runway in Paris or New York; he was rude, had knocked her over without so much of an apology, and worst of all, had probably smashed all her Christmas lights and decorations into confetti.

  She pulled her treasured car into the driveway and killed the engine. “Tall, dark and handsome strangers are totally over-rated,” she huffed as she shoved the car door open. She was grateful to find Mary Howard, the Inn’s longtime caretaker and cook, preparing some
thing that smelled wonderful in the kitchen.

  “You won’t believe what just happened,” she said as she dropped the bags and boxes on the large antique breakfast table. “I just met the most annoying stranger ever.”

  Mary looked up from an iron skillet full of crispy bacon. “Stranger? Sounds intriguing,” she said with a smirk. She slid the cooked bacon onto a plate covered in yesterday’s newspaper.

  “I can promise you, Mary, he was anything but intriguing.”

  Mary clucked her tongue in the way wise women with far more experience in life silently admonished young, foolish women. “He must have made an impression,” she said.

  “Mary Howard, please wipe that smile off your face. He was arrogant, and entirely ungallant.”

  May’s smile widened. “But was he handsome?”

  Hannah grabbed one of Mary’s infamous butter pecan muffins off the marble counter of the large island that dominated the kitchen. She took a bite and let it melt in her mouth, for the moment forgetting the handsome, but most definitely rude stranger.

  Mary set the bacon on the counter and began to break eggs into a mixing bowl. “Well?”

  Hannah rolled her eyes at Mary. “All handsome men are jerks.”

  Mary shook her head. “Of course not.” She gave Hannah’s hand a playful slap as she reached for the bacon. “Those are for my bacon, cheese and jalapeno muffins,” she said.

  Hannah still managed to steal a slice of bacon while Mary measured out the flour. “Sounds wonderful. The guests will love it,” she said.

  The savory bacon was crisp on her tongue. “I’d really like to put an elegant café on the property somewhere. And a massive vegetable garden so we can do a garden to table themed restaurant. I hope we can find room for it all.”

  “There is a lot more to running a bed-and-breakfast than you realize, Hannah. Get that part down first, and then you can think about the café and vegetable garden down the road.”