(previously published in the Sweet Talk Anthology benefiting Diabetes research)
Growing up in the mountains of Wyoming Trina and Dean had been childhood friends until the bitter feud between their families drove them apart. When the magic of Christmas Eve tips the star-crossed lovers together year after year, will they be able to make sure this holiday is not their last?
About the Author
M. O’Keefe can remember the exact moment her love of romance began—in seventh grade, when Mrs. Nelson handed her a worn paperback copy of The Thorn Birds.
Writing as USA Today Bestselling author Molly O’Keefe, she has written thirty novels, won two RITA awards and three RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards. Her books have been on numerous “Best Of” lists including Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus and NPR. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and two kids.
Chapter One
December 24, 2001
8:05 PM
It was snowing. An icy, dry snow, and in the porch light the drifts on the steps in front of Trina Crawford looked like piles of diamonds.
Oh, if only…
Trina pulled her gloved hands into her pink coat and blew into the sleeves. The blast of heat from her breath was a quickly fading comfort. So was the thought of diamonds.
Nothing is going to help me. Nothing.
“Enjoying the view?”
The voice made her jump. It wasn’t her mom’s voice, which was the one she wanted to hear, but it was a really nice voice all the same.
“Dean?”
“In the freezing flesh.”
Dean McKenzie came out of the dark at the edge of the house, wearing his serious snow gear. He must have driven an ATV the back way over the creek that ran along the border between their families’ properties.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, though she didn’t really care why he was here. It was like taking a sip of water only to realize how totally thirsty you are.
Seeing Dean was like that. She was never lonely until he showed up.
“My mom said your mom left. I figured you might want some company.” That was pity on his face. He tried to hide it, because he was her friend and he knew she hated pity, but she could still see it.
“She’s coming back.” Trina had to say that. She had to believe it. Otherwise it was just her and her dad forever, and she couldn’t wrap her head around a future so crappy.
“Totally.” He nodded, definitively on her side as he had been for the sixteen years they’d been friends. “But maybe…you want some company?”
“That’d be awesome.” She shifted over on the blanket she’d placed between her numb butt and the wooden porch.
“I brought you some supplies.”
“Supplies.”
“Yeah, you know. Stakeout supplies.”
“You think me sitting here is a stakeout?”
“Sit-in?” He collapsed next to her. “Strike?” Their arms touched for a moment, and even through the layers of their coats she could feel his arm—or thought she could—and that was enough to make her twitch away.
Jenny at school said that she and Dean broke up because Dean was secretly in love with Trina. Which was ridiculous. They were neighbors. Friends. And not at all into each other. Not like that.
And besides, their dads would KILL them. Like kill them dead. If they ever got together.
In fact, it would make her father so angry she actually considered dating Dean, just to watch Dad register any kind of emotion in her direction.
“Well,” Dean said. “Whatever it is. You need some food.” He handed her a plastic bag full of fancy party food: shrimp (gross!), olives (yay!), little cubes of cheese. Toothpicks sticking out of some of the stuff had pierced the bag, and olive juice was everywhere. “And I hope you’ll notice, I remembered you’re a vegetarian and didn’t bring you the elk sliders. Even though they were awesome.”
“This is so nice, thank you,” she said, ignoring the shrimp.
“And here’s something to drink.”
He opened the thermos in his hand and steam poured out. Hot chocolate and something minty. Probably schnapps.
Even better.
“Thanks.” She took a sip, and the heat and the booze burned down her throat.
“Where’s your dad?” Dean asked, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He opened the neck of his snowmobile suit and she saw a glimpse of a black tie.
He’d come right from the party. With olives. It was such a nice thing. Like…maybe one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for her.
“Inside.”
“Really?” For a second he looked panicked. Seriously, that’s how ridiculous it was between their fathers.
“Don’t worry, he’s passed out in the den. After he and Mom fought, he didn’t stay awake long enough to watch her go.”
“She’s left a lot of times before.”