She could make a little girl’s wish come true.

But her secret stands in the way.

Family’s all Ellery Marshall wants for Christmas. To connect with her long-lost brothers, she travels to Castle Falls and instantly falls for the innkeeper’s five-year-old granddaughter, Bea. Carter Bristow—Bea’s handsome father—has given up on love. But Bea hasn’t given up on him, and Ellery could be the answer to her holiday wish to make Daddy happy again.

KATHRYN SPRINGER is a lifelong Wisconsin resident. Growing up in a “newspaper” family, she spent long hours as a child plunking out stories on her mother’s typewriter and hasn’t stopped writing since. She loves to write inspirational romance because it allows her to combine her faith in God with her love of a happy ending.

Also By Kathryn Springer

Castle Falls

The Bachelor Next Door

The Bachelor’s Twins

The Bachelor’s Perfect Match

The Holiday Secret

Mirror Lake

A Place to Call Home

Love Finds a Home

The Prodigal Comes Home

Longing for Home

The Promise of Home

Making His Way Home

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

The Holiday Secret

Kathryn Springer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09754-3

THE HOLIDAY SECRET

© 2019 Kathryn Springer

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, 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 hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Note to Readers

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“I want your opinion on something.”

Ellery tried to hide her surprise.

“I did some very last-minute Christmas shopping. This is for Bea.” He withdrew a delicate silver bracelet from a box. A tiny silver horse dangled from one of the links.

“She’s going to love it, Carter.”

“I wanted to get Bea something just from me.”

Ellery felt tears burn the backs of her eyes as Carter opened the other box.

“What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful.” The bracelet was similar to Bea’s except for the tiny silver bell dangling from the chain.

“Anna said you can return it if you’d rather have something else,” Carter said.

It took a moment for the words to register.

“This is for me?”

Carter nodded. “I thought you might like a memory, too.”

“It’s the wishing bell. But...you said you didn’t believe that wishes can come true.”

Carter smiled and slipped the bracelet over Ellery’s wrist.

“I know. But lately I’ve been seeing more and more evidence that suggests otherwise.”

Dear Reader,

At the beginning of the series, I had no idea that Ellery Marshall, the Kanes’ missing sister, would end up with a story of her own. And of course it had to take place during Christmas, my favorite time of the year. And include a handsome, slightly Scrooge-like county deputy and his adorable five-year-old daughter.

Because sometimes it’s the gifts we aren’t expecting that turn out to be the most precious.

It’s my prayer that, like Ellery and Carter, you find peace and joy in knowing that God has already given us the greatest gift of all. The gift of His son, Jesus.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Castle Falls! Please drop by my website at kathrynspringer.com and say hello or check out my Facebook page at Facebook.com/kathrynspringerauthor.

Walk in joy,

Kathryn Springer

Every good gift and every perfect gift

is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

—James 1:17

This book is lovingly dedicated to my family for all the Christmas memories past, present and future!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Introduction

Dear Reader

Bible Verse

Dedication

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

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter One

A line from one of his daughter’s favorite picture books popped into Carter Bristow’s head when he rounded the corner and spotted a car parked on the side of the road.

There’s something here that looks out of place.

Hmm. Tough call. Especially when Carter had to choose between a red Lexus that stood out like a cluster of winterberry against the snow-covered landscape and the woman standing next to it, pointing her cell phone at the sky.

Even with her back to him, Carter doubted she was a local. Her paper-thin leather coat and spiked-heel boots looked about as suitable for a Michigan winter as the vehicle she drove.

He pulled onto the shoulder and parked a few yards behind her. The only traffic this late in the day tended to be the four-footed kind, but Carter followed protocol and flipped on the light bar before exiting the squad car.

“Ma’am? Is everything all right?”

The woman whirled around to face him, and Carter’s heart bumped against his Kevlar vest.

Definitely not a local. If they’d met before, he would have remembered. Her sleek, chin-length cap of espresso-brown hair had been strategically cut to emphasize sculpted cheekbones and a pair of eyes that Carter would have been hard-pressed to describe in a report. Not quite blue, not quite green, but a stunning combination of the two that instantly resurrected memories of the sea surrounding the Greek islands Carter had visited once while on leave.

And the flash of surprise in those eyes told Carter she hadn’t realized she was no longer alone.

“I... Yes.” Wind-kissed cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink. “Everything is fine, Deputy.”

That ruled out engine trouble. But a young woman on a deserted stretch of road at dusk, with the snow beginning to fall as rapidly as the temperature? Not exactly Carter’s definition of fine.

“Having problems with your GPS?” He turned his attention to the cell phone clutched in the woman’s hand. It wouldn’t be the first time Carter had stumbled upon a traveler trying to find their way out of the maze of backroads that wound through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

“No. I was...taking a picture.”

“A picture.”

“Of him.” She pointed to an enormous bird perched on one of the upper branches of a towering red pine.

The sight of a bald eagle surveying its kingdom was so commonplace here that Carter wouldn’t have given it a second glance, let alone stop to take a photograph. It wasn’t the explanation that caught him off guard, though. It was the smile that accompanied it.

Two tours in the Navy had taught Carter to look for potential danger in the most innocent of places. His brief but disastrous marriage had made him equally wary of the ones hiding behind a woman’s smile.

Even a smile warm enough, bright enough, to steal some of the chill from the air.

As if aware it had drawn an audience, the eagle took flight and performed an elegant figure-eight above their heads before it glided away.

The woman raised her cell phone again. Snapped another photo before it disappeared into the forest. “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”

Beautiful.

Carter tore his gaze away, not from the eagle, but from a single gossamer snowflake that had gotten tangled in her sable lashes and cast a pointed glance at the darkening sky.

“He also knows when it’s time to go home.”

The smile instantly faded, but Carter refused to feel guilty for his abrupt tone—or the suggestion that she follow the eagle’s example and do the same.

The individual snowflakes that appeared as harmless as thistledown were bonding together as they reached the ground, creating a thin but potentially hazardous film on the road.

Carter was nearing the end of his shift, but now he was duty-bound to make sure the woman ended up safely back on the main highway instead of in the ditch. Factor in the time he would spend entering reports and tying up the loose ends that inevitably happened at shift change and the chances of making it home before Bea’s bedtime were fading as quickly as the daylight.

This impulsive photo op had put them both at risk. And all because she’d wanted to...to what? Draw a flurry of attention from her followers on social media?

Old memories rushed in, leaving a bitter taste in Carter’s mouth.

His ex-wife had been the same way. Jennifer had done what she’d wanted, when she’d wanted, indifferent to the effects her decisions had on anyone else.

And if Carter was ever tempted to forget what those decisions had cost their family, all he had to do was picture the little girl patiently waiting at home for her daddy to read her a bedtime story.

The one who—thanks to the woman with the aquamarine eyes and designer sports car—would no doubt be sound asleep by the time Carter got home.

Ellery Marshall released a sigh of relief when the deputy turned left at the intersection instead of right.

For reasons Ellery couldn’t quite fathom, the squad car fixed in her rearview mirror for the last twenty minutes had generated more anxiety than driving on the slick, snow-covered road.

She’d been afraid he would escort her all the way to her destination.

Ellery glanced at her GPS and sent up a silent prayer for strength as she continued on her journey.

A quick online search of places to stay in the Castle Falls area when Ellery had stopped for gas had yielded only one result. Fortunately for her, the Evergreen Inn welcomed guests year-round and everyone who’d stayed there raved about the food and warm hospitality. What no one had mentioned in their review, however, was the location.

The inn was so far off the beaten path that when Ellery finally caught a glimpse of a lamppost glowing through the heavy veil of snow, she felt like she’d emerged from the wardrobe and ended up in Narnia. The bed-and-breakfast at the end of the long driveway turned out to be just as delightful. Not the rustic lodge Ellery had been expecting to find, but a charming, two-story farmhouse built out of fieldstone. With a candle burning in each of the frost-etched windows and an oversize wreath on the door, the Evergreen could have graced the front of a Christmas card.

Ellery parked the car and tried her best to dodge the snow drifts the wind had deposited on the cobblestone path.

Should she knock? Call the number on the website?

The door swung open as Ellery was pondering the complications of showing up well after dark, suitcase in hand but without a reservation.

“Come in!” A slender woman in her midfifties, wearing a white chef’s apron over jeans and a T-shirt, motioned for Ellery to come inside. “I saw the headlights when I was in the kitchen. Welcome to the Evergreen.”

Ellery balked. “My boots—”

“Don’t worry.” The woman brushed aside Ellery’s protest with a smile. “These floors have held up to Michigan winters for almost a hundred years. They can handle a little snow,” she assured her. “I’m just glad you got here before the storm.”

Ellery blinked.

Before the storm?

“I’m sorry for showing up this late in the evening,” she murmured.

Her apology was brushed aside, too. “When you own an inn, you get used to people stopping by at all hours of the day and night.” The woman extended her hand. “I’m Karen Bristow, by the way.”

Ellery recognized the name from the website.

“Ellery Marshall.” Ellery set her suitcase down as the innkeeper stepped behind a crescent-shaped cherry desk in the center of the lobby. “Do you have a room available?”

“I certainly do” came the cheerful response. “How many nights will you be staying with us, Miss Marshall?”

Ellery realized it was a reasonable question when one was checking into a bed-and-breakfast. If only she knew the answer.

“I... I’m not sure yet.”

Karen Bristow didn’t appear surprised by Ellery’s vague response. “Not a problem. Even with the Countdown to Christmas starting this weekend, there are plenty of rooms available if you prefer to go day to day.”

“Countdown to Christmas?” Ellery repeated.

“All the businesses in Castle Falls plan a special event on the days leading up to Christmas Eve. The official kickoff starts with a parade and the snow carnival this weekend. It’s the last community-wide celebration before the town goes into hibernation.” Laughter kindled in Karen Bristow’s hazel-blue eyes. “Our best-kept secret isn’t a secret anymore. Every year it draws more of a crowd.”

Ellery couldn’t tell the innkeeper that she was keeping a secret of her own. “I’m actually looking for...some peace and quiet.”

“Well, we have plenty of that, too,” the innkeeper promised.

The knot in Ellery’s stomach loosened a bit.

“Day to day sounds good.” She reached for her purse. “I’ll give you my credit card to hold the room.”

“Don’t worry about that now.” Karen patted Ellery’s hand as she fumbled with the clasp. “It’s getting late and I’m sure you’re tired and anxious to get settled. In the morning, I’ll take you on a tour of the inn and we’ll cover all the details then. How does that sound?”

Unbelievable. And...wonderful.

Because Ellery had passed “tired” a long time ago and was skidding straight toward exhaustion. Growing up, she’d stayed at some of the most exclusive hotels in the country but couldn’t imagine any of them delaying the check-in process for a guest.

Ellery’s grip on her purse tightened. “Thank you, Mrs. Bristow.”

“Karen,” the innkeeper corrected. “We have a saying here at the Evergreen. Enter as friends, leave as family.”

The tears that Ellery had successfully held at bay since she’d left Grand Rapids that morning banked behind her eyes. She turned and reached for her suitcase before they spilled over, only to discover someone else had already claimed possession.

“I’ll carry it for you!”

The tiny bellhop standing next to Ellery’s Louis Vuitton suitcase had golden-blond pigtails, Dresden-blue eyes and wore footie pajamas.

“My granddaughter, Isabella.” The affection in Karen’s tone belied the stern look she cast in the child’s direction. “Who, I might add, is supposed to be asleep by now.”

“I tried, Gramma, but my eyes wouldn’t stay shut,” the little girl said earnestly. “I was waiting for Daddy to get home.”

For the first time, the innkeeper’s smile slipped a notch. “I’m sure you’ll see him bright and early tomorrow morning, sweetheart. Now, can you say hello to Miss Ellery? She just checked in.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss El’ry.”

The polite greeting was accompanied by a gap-toothed grin that instantly melted Ellery’s heart. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Isabella.”

“That’s my real name,” she was informed. “But I like Bea better ’cause that’s what my daddy calls me.”

Tiny, active and adorable. Ellery decided the nickname was a perfect fit.

“I almost forgot to give you this.” Karen presented Ellery with an old-fashioned metal key, an accent Ellery found as delightful as the rest of the inn’s decor. “You’re upstairs in Wood Violet. Third door on the right—”

“Can I show Miss El’ry where it is, Gramma?” Bea interrupted, her pigtails practically vibrating with excitement. “Pleeease?”

Ellery sensed Karen’s hesitation and returned the kindness the woman had extended to her. “I don’t mind, but you’ll have to let me carry the suitcase.” She winked at Bea. “I might have brought too many shoes,” she confessed in a whisper.

“Okay!”

Before Ellery could blink, the little girl had taken hold of her free hand and was towing her toward a staircase leading to the second floor. Like the rest of the lobby, the banister was dressed in twinkling lights and festive greens. A wide landing at the top, furnished with floor-to-ceiling bookcases and comfy chairs, branched off into two corridors.

Her pint-size guide pointed to the one on the left. “My room is on that side.”

The comment piqued Ellery’s curiosity. Karen Bristow had been the only name listed as proprietor on the inn’s website. “Do your parents work here, too?”

“Just me and Daddy...when he’s not at his other job.” Bea skipped past several doors until they reached the one marked with a hand-painted violet. “You’ll like this one because the rug is nice and squishy,” she chattered on. “And there’s a picture of a pony on the wall. I love ponies. Do you have one?”

“No.” Ellery hid a smile as she set the suitcase down. “But I like them, too.”

“I put one on my Christmas list,” Bea whispered. “But Daddy said that Santa only has room in his sleigh for toys—”

“Bea?” Karen appeared at the top of the stairs. “Time for bed now.”

Once again, Ellery found herself on the receiving end of the child’s gamine grin. “I’ll see you in the morning, Miss El’ry. Gramma is making pancakes for breakfast!”

Bea skipped back down the hall, and Ellery watched Karen Bristow sweep the little girl into her arms. Heard giggles as the pair spun a graceful pirouette before disappearing through the arched doorway at the opposite end of the hall.

A familiar silence descended, pressed down on the tender places in Ellery’s heart. Almost a year had gone by since her parents had passed away but it was still difficult, being alone at the end the day.

Ellery fit the key in the lock, opened the door and immediately discovered the inn’s homey decor wasn’t confined to the lobby downstairs.

The down comforter on the antique poster bed looked as inviting as a cloud. Thoughtful little touches—sprigs of fresh balsam tucked in a vase and a quilt folded on the chair by the corner fireplace—offered a warm welcome. Encouraged Ellery to stay awhile.

Unlike a certain county deputy.

The memory of their brief encounter made Ellery wince.

It was a little humbling to admit she’d been oblivious to the squad car—and the handsome, albeit stern-faced, deputy who’d stopped to check on her and then escorted her back to the highway.

Oh, he’d been polite. Professional. But what Ellery hadn’t missed was the gleam of disapproval in the man’s slate-gray eyes when she’d pointed out the bald eagle in the tree.

The bird was beautiful, but Ellery couldn’t tell him that a photograph wasn’t the only reason she’d stopped on the side of the road. The deputy looked like a “just the facts” type of guy. He wouldn’t understand that as the number of miles to Ellery’s destination had begun to diminish, the doubts had only intensified. Swirling around her, clouding her vision, like the snow that had started to fall.

The eagle had offered more than a welcome distraction. Getting out of the car for a few minutes had given her a chance to clear her head. Pray.

Because contrary to what she’d told Karen Bristow, Ellery wasn’t looking for peace and quiet.

She was looking for the three brothers she hadn’t known existed until yesterday.

Chapter Two

“Daddy!”

The next morning, Carter had a split second to brace himself for impact as the bedroom door flew open and a tiny missile in pink flannel hurtled toward him. “You’re here!”

The guilt that had clamped around Carter’s heart like a vise after Jennifer ended their marriage tightened its grip. Like the duty belt he’d been issued after accepting a job with the sheriff’s department, Carter had adjusted to the added weight. If only it were as easy to set aside at the end of his shift.

He scooped Bea up in his arms, caught a whiff of something sweet. “Someone smells like maple syrup.”

“Gramma is making gingerbread pancakes for Miss El’ry.” Bea snuggled against his chest.

“Who?” Carter couldn’t remember his mother mentioning a new guest, but with all the overtime he’d been putting in lately, it wasn’t as if they’d had a lot of time to talk.

“Miss El’ry. She got here last night. I saw her out the window when I was waiting for you to come home.” Bea looked up at him, all big blue eyes and rosy, sleep-flushed cheeks, not a hint of reproach on her sweet face.

Which only added another layer of guilt.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Carter wished he could tell Bea that he’d be there to tuck her in tonight, but past experience had taught him not to make promises he couldn’t keep.

“That’s aw’right. Gramma read me a bedtime story.”

Carter made a mental note to thank his mom. Again. He didn’t know what he’d do without her.

Transitioning from Navy SEAL to full-time deputy had been easier than taking on the role of single dad. Fortunately for him, nurturing little girls seemed to come as naturally to Karen Bristow as welcoming people into her home.

Carter didn’t feel qualified for either one.

Dimpled hands patted Carter’s cheeks. “We said prayers for you, too, Daddy.”

He dredged up a smile. It was a good thing someone did, because prayer was beyond his skill set, too. Especially when the ones Carter had lobbed toward the heavens when he was deployed, when his marriage was falling apart, seemed to have fallen far short of their mark.

“How about you get ready for school and I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes?” Carter tweaked Bea’s button nose. “Someone has to make sure the guests don’t eat all those pancakes.”

“Okay!” His daughter bolted for the door the moment her feet touched the floor.

Carter finished getting ready and yanked on a pair of wool socks and hiking boots before he ventured from the room. His days of walking barefoot down to the kitchen had ended three years ago, when he’d moved back to the UP.

When it came to his daughter, though, he was willing to make some sacrifices. Living at the Evergreen gave Bea the stability she needed and Carter peace of mind.

His mom took care of Bea while he was at work and in return, Carter acted as groundskeeper and general handyman. A win-win situation for all three of them, but Carter wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to strangers traipsing in and out of the house...

“Good morning!”

The middle-aged couple who greeted Carter on the landing was a perfect example. Avid cross-country skiers, they’d dressed the part in matching ski pants and soft-shell jackets in a blinding shade of tangerine.

“Morning.” Carter paused to let the couple descend the stairs first and was about to follow when the sound of a giggle—a slightly muffled but very familiar giggle—snatched the breath from his lungs.

How many times had he warned Bea not to venture into the guest wing alone? It was the first rule Carter had established after they’d moved into the inn and one she’d never broken. Until now.

He strode toward an open door halfway down the hall, all of his focus directed on finding his daughter...

There.

In a chair by the fireplace. Dressed in her favorite red sweater and candy-cane-striped leggings. And smiling from ear to ear.

Safe.

The adrenaline surging through Carter’s veins dissipated a little—until he turned his attention to the other occupant in the room.

Aquamarine eyes locked with his and Carter felt the floor shift below his feet.

No. Way.

“This is Miss El’ry, Daddy,” Bea announced. “I gave her one of the snowflakes I made at the library.”

Daddy.

The word ricocheted through Ellery’s head as she stared at the man in the doorway.

But it was...him. The deputy she’d met on the road the night before. He’d traded his uniform for faded jeans and a long-sleeve thermal Henley, but even in casual clothes, he still managed to look intimidating.

It was the eyes, Ellery decided. Striations of silver and dark gray, the color—and temperature—of Lake Michigan during a winter storm. A muscle ticked in his jaw, the only outward sign he was as stunned as Ellery that their paths had crossed again.

She tried to push out a smile but the man’s attention had already shifted back to his daughter.

“You know this side of the inn is only for the guests, Bea.”

He didn’t raise his voice but the girl’s shoulders slumped and her sunny smile instantly disappeared. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

Given the fact this scene was unfolding in her room, Ellery decided she had the right to intervene.

“I thought it was very sweet of your daughter to bring me a welcome gift.” She held up the glitter-encrusted decoration to prove that Bea had been telling the truth. “I’m Ellery Marshall, by the way.”

The deputy didn’t look swayed by the evidence. In fact, his grim expression was identical to the one Ellery had seen on his face the day before.

A split second of silence preceded his response. And then a measured “Carter Bristow.”

“I made a snowflake for you, too, Daddy,” Bea said in a small voice. “Do you want to see it?”

Carter nodded. “Of course I do. Right after breakfast.”

His meaning was clear.

“Okay.” Bea slid off the chair, the bounce in her step noticeably absent as she shuffled out the door.

“Please don’t be upset with her,” Ellery said the moment they were alone. “Bea was the one who showed me to my room last night, so I didn’t think it would be a problem if I invited her in.”

Ellery’s explanation didn’t seem to satisfy Carter Bristow. Just the opposite, in fact.

“Bea showed you to your room?”

Way to go, Elle. Now she’d probably gotten Karen Bristow in trouble, too.

It explained the innkeeper’s hesitation when Ellery didn’t object to Bea accompanying her upstairs. Karen knew someone who would.

Carter Bristow might help out at the inn, but it was obvious he didn’t embrace Karen’s “enter as friends, leave as family” motto.

He stepped out of the doorway and into the room, which immediately seemed to shrink in size.

“I have rules in place for Bea’s protection,” he said tightly, confirming her suspicions. “She doesn’t always understand boundaries.”

Ellery hadn’t realized Carter was so tall. He was also broad in the shoulder and narrow in the waist, with a lean but muscular frame that Ellery guessed was the result of an active lifestyle, not a gym. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t on duty, either. Carter Bristow took command of his surroundings with an economy of words and motion.

And judging from the interaction Ellery had witnessed between father and daughter, it seemed he approached parenting in much the same way.

His daughter.

Ellery still couldn’t believe it. There was no physical resemblance between the two that she could see. Unlike her father, there wasn’t a hint of a cloud in Bea’s blue eyes. Her golden hair, freed from the pigtails she’d worn the night before, had framed her heart-shaped face in a riot of loose curls. Carter’s sienna-brown hair was cropped close to his head, effectively discouraging any rebellious behavior.

Ellery cast a discreet glance at Carter’s left hand. No wedding ring.

What had Bea said when Ellery inquired about her family?

Just me and Daddy...

Ellery opened her mouth, ready to apologize for her part in encouraging Isabella to break a family rule, but Carter didn’t give her the opportunity.

“The main roads will be plowed and salted by checkout time,” he said. “You shouldn’t have any trouble getting to wherever it is you’re going.”

Distracted by her thoughts, and, if Ellery was completely honest, the intriguing glints of mahogany scattered throughout the grain of stubble on Carter’s jaw—it took a moment for his words to register.

“I’m not checking out today.”

The temperature in the room immediately dropped several degrees. “I assumed you ended up here last night because of the weather.”

“No, coming to the Evergreen was always the plan.” An impulsive plan. But still.

“Why?”

The blunt question caught Ellery off guard. She could only imagine how many times Carter had employed that same tactic to extract a confession from someone.

“It’s the perfect place for a change of scenery, don’t you agree?” Ellery said lightly. For good measure, she punctuated the question with a bright smile.

Not only did Carter Bristow not smile back, some undefinable emotion crackled in his eyes, there and gone as swiftly as a flash of summer lightning.

“Enjoy your stay, then.”

Before Ellery could respond, he was gone. The door closed with a soft click behind him.

Ellery collapsed into the closest chair.

In spite of the fact that Carter Bristow had seemed all too ready to send her on her way—again—the urge to confide in him had been surprisingly strong.

He was a county deputy who lived five miles from Castle Falls. Wouldn’t he know the people who lived in the town on a personal basis as well as a professional one?

But Ellery had already broken one of the promises she’d made to Jameson.

As if on cue, her cell began to ring.

Ellery dragged in a breath, exhaled a silent prayer for strength, and reached for her phone.

Ignoring Jameson Ford’s call would only postpone the inevitable.

“I know it’s early,” the attorney said without preamble, “but I made some phone calls and found a private investigator who has a reputation for being thorough and discreet. I explained the situation and Dwayne Howard agreed to make the case his top priority.”

Ellery’s hand tightened around the phone. “That won’t be necessary.”

“You decided not to pursue the matter?” The relief in Jameson’s voice was almost palpable. Which only made what Ellery had to admit even more difficult.

“No...because I’m already here. In Castle Falls.”

Silence.

Ellery could almost see Jameson pacing the floor of his office the way he did the courtroom when new information called for a change in strategy.

“I thought we agreed it would be best not to rush into anything, Ellery,” he finally said. “You need more facts before you let these people into your life.”

By these people, Jameson meant the siblings that Ellery had been separated from for the past twenty-five years.

Brendan. Liam. Aiden.

Those were the signatures she’d seen on the document. Names without faces.

Brothers.

Ellery had been in Haiti, visiting one of the many orphanages the Marshall Foundation supported, when the Kane brothers had contacted the private agency that had handled her adoption. And no matter what happened in the future, Ellery’s life had changed the moment Jameson had given her a copy of their letter. A piece of her past that Ellery hadn’t even known was missing forty-eight hours ago.

Ordinarily, she would have taken Jameson’s advice. More than a respected attorney, Jameson Ford had been her father’s closest friend. But in this situation, Ellery knew she couldn’t sit back and wait for a private investigator to complete an investigation.

“I don’t want to read about them in a report.” Ellery wanted to see where they lived.

Wanted to see them.

“I understand,” he said. “But your parents insisted on a closed adoption to protect you. It could be they were afraid something like this would happen down the road.”

A familiar ache bloomed in Ellery’s chest at the mention of her parents.

She’d always known she was adopted. According to Ray and Candace Marshall, Ellery was a dream they’d carried in their hearts until the moment she’d become part of their lives. What they’d failed to reveal were the details surrounding Ellery’s birth—or the fact she’d once been part of a larger family.

“I know Mom and Dad thought they were acting in my best interests at the time,” Ellery said softly. “But I’m an adult now.”

“Exactly,” Jameson agreed. “And that’s why the timing of their letter troubles me. The Kanes could have reached out to you long before now.”

Before she’d inherited a sizable estate is what he really meant.

“You said that my brothers cited ‘unique circumstances’ when they contacted the adoption agency and asked that my records be opened,” Ellery reminded him.

“That doesn’t mean their motives are trustworthy,” Jameson muttered.

“I appreciate your concern...but do you trust me?”

Jameson’s sigh funneled through the speaker. “Of course I do. Most of the time you’re a very levelheaded young woman.”

Ellery smiled. “A levelheaded young woman with an advantage. I know my brothers’ names but they don’t know mine. I’ll observe, not engage,” she said. “You’ll get a full report when I come back and we’ll figure out the next step.”

“You promise you won’t tell anyone why you’re there?”

“I promise.”

“In a town that size, you won’t exactly blend in.”

Jameson still sounded skeptical, but Ellery sensed a softening in his attitude and pressed her advantage.

“I’m staying at an inn a few miles outside of Castle Falls,” she told him. “There’s a festival starting this weekend that draws people from outside the community, so I doubt anyone will notice one more visitor. It’s a good plan, don’t you think?”

“I think I made a mistake when I let you sit in on some of my closing arguments,” Jameson retorted.

It was, Ellery knew, as close to a blessing as she would get from the attorney.

Her smile expanded to a full-blown grin.

“I’ll see you soon, counselor.”

Chapter Three

After dropping Bea off at school, Carter returned to the inn to get started on his to-do list.

He cut through the dining room to grab a pastry and had to duck to avoid a ball of mistletoe hanging from the chandelier. One he was sure hadn’t been there the day before.

Based on past experience, Carter knew it was only the beginning. Not a single nook or cranny escaped the assault of pine garlands, twinkling lights and shiny ornaments during the month of December.

Now that Bea was old enough to help her grandmother with the annual transformation, she was all-in. A herd of plastic ponies grazed next to the sheep in the nativity set on the coffee table and Carter could barely see outside through the flurry of paper snowflakes covering the windows.

It’s Jesus’s birthday, Daddy. And birthdays are special.

Because the star that Carter dutifully placed on top of the tree every year wasn’t half as bright as his daughter’s outlook on life, he kept his feelings about Christmas to himself.

Pretended that things like peace and joy weren’t far beyond his reach these days.

The double doors that separated the kitchen from the dining room swung open and his mom breezed in. With her dark blond hair woven into a neat braid and a pristine white apron over her navy wool sweater and jeans, there was nothing pretentious about Karen Bristow.

Most of the guests didn’t know that their innkeeper, who’d gained a reputation for serving mouthwatering comfort food, had studied at a prestigious culinary institute on the East Coast.

“You must be in stealth mode today,” she teased. “I didn’t hear you come back.”

“What can I say? I take my duties as a silent partner very seriously,” Carter said.

His mom chuckled. “The light in the atrium burned out yesterday and I couldn’t find the ladder. Do you know where it is?”

As a matter of fact, Carter did. But it was safer to dodge the question than admit he’d hidden it after he’d spotted Karen teetering on the top rung, feather duster in hand, attacking a cobweb on the ceiling.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Your to-do list is already a mile long,” Karen said. “And this is supposed to be your day off.”

“Cutting firewood is relaxing.”

His mom smiled and shook her head. They’d had variations of this conversation in the past but Carter couldn’t convince her that spending time outdoors, no matter what he was doing, didn’t fall under the category of work.

“You skipped breakfast.” Karen lifted the coffee carafe and tested its weight. “We have a new guest and I was hoping you’d have a chance to meet her before you disappeared into the woods.”

“Bea already introduced us,” Carter said curtly. And Ellery Marshall was the reason why he planned to stay as far away from the house as possible. “She decided to stop by Ellery’s room and give her one of the snowflakes she’d made at the library.”

Karen didn’t appear nearly as shocked by his daughter’s unsanctioned visit to the guest wing as Carter had been.

“You know Bea. No matter what craft project Maddie assigns to the children, she always makes extras to give away.”

“To a woman she’d never laid eyes on before last night?”

“Ellery Marshall is close to Maddie’s age and you know how much Bea likes her. Maybe that’s why they bonded so quickly.”

True. The local librarian and Ellery Marshall were both in their midtwenties, but as far as Carter could tell, that was the only thing the two women had in common. Maddie Montgomery had grown up in the area and her recent engagement to Aiden Kane, a man as fiercely devoted to the family business as he was to his shy fiancée, proved that Maddie was content with life in a small town.

Ellery reminded Carter of a rare butterfly that had briefly lit in Castle Falls. Looking for, in her own words, a change of scenery. And when she grew tired of the view from her upstairs window, she’d go back to where she belonged.

Like Jennifer had.

Which meant the last thing Carter wanted was for Bea to “bond” with his mother’s newest guest.

“How long is she planning to stay?”

“I’m not sure,” Karen admitted. “Ellery decided to go day to day.”

She wouldn’t even commit to an entire weekend.

The thought pushed Carter toward the door. “I’ll plow the driveway before I cut wood, so if there’s anything you need, let me...”

Know.

The last word got caught in Carter’s throat when he spotted Ellery standing beside the desk in the lobby. It was a little unsettling to admit that a pair of ocean-blue eyes could be so...unsettling.

“You mentioned a tour...” Ellery’s gaze slid back to Karen, who glided past Carter with a warm smile. “Is this a good time?”

“I have to call about a delivery, but it won’t take long.” Karen’s smile expanded to include Carter and before she said a word, he knew his mom was about to take him up on his “if there’s anything you need” offer. “I’m sure Carter won’t mind taking my place. It will give you two a chance to become better acquainted.”

Um. Carter did mind. A lot, actually. And he knew everything he needed to know about Ellery Marshall. But he couldn’t admit that without jeopardizing the inn’s five-star hospitality rating.

“Sure.” He pushed the word out. “Not a problem.”

“Wonderful! I’ll catch up in a few minutes.” Karen slipped the cell from the pocket of her apron and retreated to the kitchen to make the call.

Leaving Carter alone with Ellery for the second time that morning, the wary expression on Ellery’s face a clue she wasn’t looking forward to spending time with him, either.

Fine with him.

“The common areas all have names.” Carter pointed at the French doors off the lobby. “That’s the gathering room. Mom keeps it stocked with games and puzzles, so people like to hang out there in the evening.

“You’re already familiar with the dining room, so we’ll start down here.” Carter strode through the lobby, bypassing both the kitchen and the parlor he’d converted into the family’s private living room and opened a door at the end of the hall.

“The atrium.” Carter turned and almost bumped into Ellery, who’d positioned herself in the doorway for a better look.

“I love the windows.” She took a step forward and the fragrance of something exotic and floral—jasmine, maybe—teased his senses.

“You may want to come back later.” Carter tried unsuccessfully to block both the scent and Ellery’s attempt to enter the room. “I haven’t started a fire yet and the room gets pretty cold.”

Cold.

Ellery decided the description fit her tour guide, too.

Karen probably hadn’t noticed the wintry look in Carter’s eyes when she’d drafted him to take her place, but Ellery certainly had.

Was the man this abrupt with all the guests? Or just her?

She tried to peek around Carter, and she could almost feel his impatience as he moved to the side.

In spite of Carter’s reluctance to linger any longer than was necessary, Ellery couldn’t help but step into the room.

A couch upholstered in emerald-green velvet and two matching chairs curved around the hearth like a smile. A light glowed in a rustic crèche on the mantel, illuminating a small band of shepherds gathered around the holy family.

Ellery’s gaze moved to the balsam tree in the corner and a lump instantly formed in her throat.

This would be her first Christmas alone.

Like Karen, Ellery’s mom had decorated every room in the house. Miles of lights, rooms scented with bayberry and cloves and exquisitely wrapped gifts underneath the tree.

The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas had been filled with laughter and a steady stream of guests. Candace Marshall had understood that entertaining was more than simply sharing the same space—it meant sharing your life.

A legacy Ellery had continued after the private plane her parents had rented had gone down on their way to a medical conference.

For the last eight months, Ellery had poured all of her time and energy into starting a foundation that bore the Marshall name. Caring for people gave her a purpose. Something that filled the empty spaces in her heart when she returned to an empty house at the end of the day.

Still... Christmas.

Ellery couldn’t imagine celebrating the Savior’s birth without her parents.

She walked across the room, each step giving her a precious moment to collect herself.

Mullioned windows framed the peaceful scene outside. When Ellery had arrived, travel weary and white-knuckled from maneuvering through the snow-covered back roads, all her attention had been focused on the inn itself, not her surroundings.

Now she could see a weathered barn and a cluster of tiny stone outbuildings with arched windows and sloping rooflines dusted with snow.

“It looks like a gingerbread village.”

“I’ve always thought the same thing.” Karen appeared at Ellery’s side. “It’s been suggested that I have those old buildings torn down, but I can’t quite bring myself to do it yet.”

“No!” The word rolled out before Ellery could stop it. “They’re part of the inn’s history.”

“But not as practical as a parking lot,” Carter interjected.

Ellery should have known. The person who’d “suggested” that Karen level the outbuildings was the same one who’d voiced his opinion on how best to utilize the empty space.

But a parking lot? Really?

Karen turned toward Carter with a smile, unaware of the tension that had been crackling in the air since the beginning of the tour. “I’ll pick up Bea after school today. A package we ordered was shipped to the post office, and we can swing by to get it on our way home.”

Carter shook his head. “More decorations?”

“Christmas,” Karen responded cheerfully, summing up the reason for the festive environment with a single word. She winked at Ellery. “We do tend to go a little overboard this time of year.”

“The tree is beautiful,” Ellery murmured.

“Carter and Bea found it on the property,” Karen said. “Cutting down the tree has become a tradition.”

Carter cleared his throat. “And speaking of cutting down trees...”

“I believe that is my cue to take over and let my son get back to work.” Karen linked her arm through Ellery’s. “Carter keeps some trails open for the guests, so feel free to explore the grounds. I also have a map of cross-country ski trails near Castle Falls, if you’re interested.”

Ellery was interested in the people who lived there.

And more than ready to escape the chill in the air.

She could practically feel Carter’s watchful gaze as she and Karen left the room.

“There’s a full breakfast every morning, but in the winter, I discovered that people don’t like to venture very far from the inn,” the innkeeper told her as they retraced their steps down the hall. “You’ll find a pot of homemade soup and bread in the dining room for lunch, but supper is on your own. There’s also a grocery store in Castle Falls if you prefer to stash a few things in the minifridge in your room.”

Karen retrieved a colorful flyer from a wire basket next to the computer and slid it across the desk. “Compliments of the Chamber of Commerce. If you decide to stay through the weekend, you might want to watch the parade.” Her eyes sparkled with humor. “I can’t guarantee peace and quiet, though. Most of the town shows up.”

Ellery’s mouth went dry.

In a small town, didn’t the majority of conversations revolve around the people who lived there? If Ellery kept her eyes and ears open, it was possible she could learn more about her brothers’ character from the people who saw them on a daily basis than she would from a private investigator.

Ellery studied the collage of tiny photographs on the flyer. A family sharing a picnic in a gazebo. The silhouette of a man paddling a red canoe down the river. Slices of life that made up the town her brothers called home.

“There’s a calendar of events inside,” Karen continued. “The Happy Cow—that’s the ice cream parlor on the main street—introduces a new flavor during their open house, and that always draws a crowd. The local businesses get pretty creative.”

“What do you do here, at the inn?”

“The pastor of a local church asked if I would host the live nativity this year. I’ve been looking for ways to connect with the community more and it seemed like the perfect opportunity...” Karen’s voice trailed off and she glanced in the direction of the gathering room.

Ellery couldn’t prove it, of course, but she suspected that the handsome, gray-eyed Scrooge who preferred concrete parking lots to quaint stone outbuildings didn’t approve of live nativities, either.

Chapter Four

The next day, Carter spent the majority of his time in the heated garage, fixing the ancient plow that Karen had inherited when she’d bought the inn. The thing was as temperamental as an old mule, but there wasn’t enough money in the budget to replace it, so Carter did his best to coax the engine to life after every snow.

On his way out, he grabbed the bucket of salt by the door. Making sure the sidewalk didn’t double as a skating rink was the last item on his to-do list for the day.

A flash of color in the center of the yard caught Carter’s eye and he walked over to investigate.

Bea had informed him that she was going to make a snow “horse” after school, but it had undergone a transformation since the last time Carter had seen it. The snow sculpture now boasted button eyes, a shaggy white mane recycled from the head of a dust mop and reins fashioned from a scarf that looked as if it had been spun from cotton candy.

Carter wasn’t all that savvy when it came to fashion, but thanks to Jennifer’s high-end taste in clothing, he could tell the difference between wool and cashmere.

Considering there were only two female guests in residence at the moment, he had a pretty strong hunch who the scarf belonged to.

How it had ended up in Bea’s possession, though, was a mystery.

In his mind’s eye, Carter saw his daughter blithely skipping across yet another invisible boundary. There were two rows of hooks in the back hallway, one designated for family and one for guests, but to a five-year-old, a scarf was a scarf. Especially when said five-year-old was in a hurry. Or when the article of clothing that caught her eye happened to be in her favorite shade of pink.

Carter wasn’t completely sure if either theory was correct, but there was one thing he did know. If he didn’t remove the scarf before the temperature plummeted, it would be permanently welded to Bea’s snow horse come morning.

Carter’s careful attempt to loosen it stirred a hint of jasmine into the night air, providing yet another clue about the owner’s identity.

The temptation to place the scarf on one of the hooks in the hallway and go about his business was strong. But if Bea had taken it without permission, an apology might be in order, too.

He took the stairs two at a time to the second floor, rapped on Ellery’s door and waited. And waited some more.

It suddenly occurred to Carter that he hadn’t seen Ellery all day. A thin layer of snow still blanketed the Lexus, which meant she hadn’t driven into Castle Falls.

Feel free to explore the grounds.

His mom extended the same offer to all the guests, but Carter couldn’t imagine Ellery Marshall taking her up on it, let alone helping herself to one of the extra pairs of snowshoes or skis and striking out on her own.

Then again, this was the woman who’d stopped along the road during a snowstorm to take a picture of a bald eagle.

Karen Bristow kept a motherly eye on everyone who stayed under her roof, so it was possible she would know where Ellery was.

Knowing his mom usually prepped for breakfast this time of the day, Carter retraced his steps to the first floor and walked into the kitchen.

“Have you...” The rest of the sentence snagged in Carter’s throat.

Because Ellery Marshall sat on a stool at the butcher block island, one foot tapping to the lively beat of “Sleigh Ride,” both hands wrapped around a coffee mug.

His coffee mug.

Ellery took one look at Carter’s expression and knew there was a reason this particular room hadn’t been included on her tour the day before. She wasn’t supposed to be here.

Growing up, though, the kitchen had been Ellery’s favorite room in the house. The air seasoned with her mother’s laughter, a tangle of fresh herbs in terra-cotta pots on the windowsill and whatever soup was bubbling away on the stove.

Even now, when she was alone, Ellery found the simple task of kneading bread dough or chopping vegetables more relaxing than a day at the spa.

And Karen Bristow’s kitchen, with its canopy of gleaming copper pots and splashes of daffodil yellow and periwinkle blue, had invited Ellery to linger.

Ask God to reveal what her next step should be.

No. That wasn’t quite true.

What Ellery needed was the courage to take the next step and actually spend some time in the town her brothers called home.

The reason she’d driven to Castle Falls in the first place.

Carter’s gaze lit on the chunky ceramic mug in Ellery’s hand and she made another impulsive decision.

“Would you like some coffee? I just made a fresh pot.”

“There’s always a coffee bar set up in the dining room,” he said slowly. “My mom is pretty strict about guests wandering into the kitchen—”

“Unless that guest knows her way around a French press.” Karen glided into the room, Bea bouncing along at her heels, and smiled at Ellery. “And is willing to share.”

Ellery returned the woman’s smile as she slipped off the stool. As tempting as it was to linger, she didn’t want her presence to be a source of friction between Carter and his mother. “I’ll take this upstairs to my room.”

“Wait...” Carter stepped into Ellery’s path. Dipped his hand into his coat pocket and produced an enormous ball of fuzzy pink yarn. “Does this belong to you?”

Bea recognized it first. “Those are Snowflake’s reins, Daddy!”

“I gave the scarf to Bea, Deputy Bristow,” Ellery said quickly, in case Carter had assumed his daughter had taken it without permission. “When we put the finishing touches on Snowflake, I was the one who suggested she needed reins.”

“We?” Carter repeated.

Ellery should have known that a man trained in investigative techniques would zero in on that particular word!

Bea danced across the room and landed at Carter’s feet. “Miss El’ry helped me! And tomorrow we’re going to find a blanket and make Snowflake a saddle and—”

“Miss El—Marshall—is here on vacation,” Carter interjected when Bea paused to take a breath.

“I know that, Daddy, but I heard her tell Gramma that she needs some peace and quiet.” She looked up at him, her expression earnest. “And snow horses are very, very quiet.”

Ellery suddenly witnessed an amazing transformation take place. A mixture of love and tenderness kindled in Carter’s eyes and the corners of his lips rustled, sparking what looked to be the beginnings of an honest-to-goodness smile.

One that Ellery felt all the way down to her toes.

And if only a hint of a smile could wreak havoc with her pulse, she could only imagine what kind of lasting damage a real one would do.

“I’m sure they are.” Carter scooped Bea up and parked her on the narrow ledge of his hip. “But Miss Ellery might be checking out tomorrow.”

Either Karen had mentioned that Ellery’s reservation was day to day or Carter had pulled up her name on the computer and done some investigating on his own.

Which reminded Ellery why she was here.

“Actually,” Ellery heard herself say, “I’ve decided to stay a little longer.”

A little longer.

What did that mean?

Two days? Three? Ten?

Carter didn’t have a chance to ask for clarification. Because Ellery Marshall, with a smile, a graceful turn and his favorite coffee mug, swept out of the kitchen.

“Time to check your backpack and get ready for supper.” Carter set Bea down on the floor but tiny arms clamped around his leg like a vise.

“And then we can play a game?” Bea asked hopefully. “I don’t have school tomorrow.”

“I think we can fit one in before bed.”

Bea’s grip tightened. “Are you going to be here when I wake up in the morning?”

These were the kind of questions that tore Carter up inside. “That’s the plan.”

A plan that was always subject to last-minute changes, but a five-year-old didn’t understand the complexities of a career in law enforcement.

She released him long enough to break into a happy dance. “We can go to the parade!”

Carter had been trying not to think about the Christmas parade.

“Ready to beat your record?” He looked at his watch. “Ten. Nine...”

Bea squealed and shot out the door.

“I realize this time of year is...difficult,” Karen said slowly, proof that no matter how skilled Carter had gotten at concealing his thoughts over the years, a mother never lost the ability to read minds.

But difficult?

Carter’s lips twisted.

The word wasn’t quite accurate.

Three years ago, he’d crossed multiple times zones to surprise Jennifer with what he’d thought would be the perfect Christmas gift. Spending it together as family. The first of many, because Carter had done a lot of soul-searching and decided not to reenlist.

Even half a world apart, he’d known that Jennifer was unhappy. And after Bea came along, things hadn’t gotten any better. Jennifer seemed to find motherhood as difficult as marriage to a man whose career took him away for months at a time.

Carter had made a commitment to serve his country, but he’d made a commitment to his family, too. He’d applied for and accepted a job as a deputy with the sheriff’s department.

Carter couldn’t wait to tell Jennifer they’d be able to return to Castle Falls and start over.

Jennifer, Carter had discovered, was more than ready to start over, too. With someone else. A wealthy, jet-setting entrepreneur who’d promised Jennifer the world had proven irresistible—even if that world that didn’t have room for an active toddler.

So instead of spending the holiday together, Carter had driven back to Castle Falls with a little girl who’d only seen her father twice since she’d been born. One who didn’t understand that when her mother had walked away from Carter, she’d been left behind, too.

So, yeah. Christmas was tough.

“Don’t you think it’s time to start replacing the bad memories with some good ones?” Karen asked softly. “Not only for Bea’s sake, but for your own.”

She was probably right.

But the holiday that brought families together only reminded Carter that his had fallen apart.

Chapter Five

“But I want to go, Gramma!”

The tearful declaration echoed around the lobby as Ellery came down the stairs on Saturday afternoon.

Bea was looking up at her grandmother, arms crossed, her stricken expression a dramatic change from the happy little girl Ellery had spent time with over the past few days.

Ellery slowed down, unsure of what to do. She didn’t want to interrupt the conversation but she didn’t want it to appear like she was eavesdropping, either.

“I know you do, sweetheart, but your daddy was called in to work and I have to wait for our new guests to arrive.” Karen looped her arm around her granddaughter’s shoulders and gave them a comforting squeeze. “But we can still do something fun. Why don’t you pick out a game and I’ll make some popcorn, okay?”

“Okay.” Bea’s sigh stirred the wisps of golden bangs on her forehead. She trudged toward the door, feet scraping the floor with every step, so downcast she didn’t notice Ellery standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Karen did. “I’m sorry, Ellery.” Her smile looked a little rueful. “When there’s a five-year-old in the house, life isn’t always contained to the family suite.”

“And it shouldn’t be,” Ellery said swiftly. “The inn is also your home.”

“Boundaries can be tricky, though.” Karen sighed. “Carter and I chose different careers but in some ways they’re very similar. We’re both on call 24/7. Most of the time we can make it work with some creative juggling...”

“But not today?” Ellery guessed.

Karen glanced at the doorway, making sure Bea was out of earshot.

“Carter planned to go to the parade with Bea, but his supervisor said they needed him tonight. And then fifteen minutes ago, a woman called and reserved two rooms. She guessed their party would arrive between six and eight, so I can’t take his place. I realize plans change, of course, but I hate to disappoint her.”

Ellery knew she might be overstepping, but it had bothered her to see Bea looking so dejected, too.

“She can go with me.”

“Ellery... I can’t ask you to do that,” Karen protested.

“You didn’t. I offered.” Ellery smiled. “I enjoy Bea’s company.”

Karen’s expression clouded suddenly, and Ellery realized the innkeeper’s hesitation didn’t stem from concern for her granddaughter. It was for her son.

“I don’t want to put you in a difficult spot, though,” Ellery said quickly. “Carter—”

“Trusts me to decide what’s best for Bea when he’s at work,” Karen interjected firmly. “And I think that going to the parade with you this evening falls into that category.”

Ellery wasn’t sure he would agree, but it was too late to retract the offer. Nor did she want to.

Karen thought that Ellery was helping her, but it was the other way around.

The night she’d arrived at the inn, Ellery had been looking for a “base camp.” A place to stay while she gathered information about her brothers. But God, as always, had given her so much more.

Karen’s warm hospitality reminded Ellery of her mother and Bea’s giggles healed the tender places in a heart still rubbed raw from grief.

“Do you want to finish getting ready while I round up Bea’s snowsuit and boots and tell her the good news?” Karen asked.

Finish?

“I’m ready.” Ellery paused. Glanced down at the outfit she’d chosen. “Aren’t I?”

“Well...” Karen cleared her throat. “You’ll be outside a few hours and the air always feels colder when you’re standing in one place.”

A tactful way of saying that no, she wasn’t.

“I didn’t think I would be spending a lot of time outdoors while I was here,” Ellery admitted.

In fact, she hadn’t thought much about her wardrobe at all. After Ellery made the decision to go to Castle Falls, she’d tossed a few things into her suitcase and was on the road before she could change her mind.

“No worries.” The familiar twinkle stole back into Karen’s eyes. “I’m sure we can find something to keep the cold at bay.”

A few additional layers might insulate Ellery from the falling temperatures, but Ellery doubted they would protect her from the chill in the air whenever her path crossed with Carter’s.

His attitude was confusing.

But what Ellery found even more confusing was why it bothered her so much. Her life was complicated enough without adding Carter Bristow to the mix.

Ten minutes later, Ellery was buckling Bea into the booster seat she’d borrowed from Karen.

“Are you excited, too, Miss El’ry?” Bea piped up from the back seat.

“Yes, I am.” Excited. Nervous.

Really nervous.

The butterflies that had taken up residence in Ellery’s stomach after her decision to go to the parade weren’t fluttering. They were performing acrobatics.

And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not forsake you.

The verse Ellery had leaned on, rested in, clung to, after her parents died rose in her mind. Calmed her heart and the butterflies.

Nothing happened that took God by surprise. No path His children walked where He wasn’t at their side.

And sometimes—Ellery smiled as Bea chattered on about story time at the library—He provided another companion for the journey.

The wrinkles in the winding ribbon of road smoothed out as Ellery passed a large wooden sign that welcomed visitors to Castle Falls. A barricade across the road prevented people from continuing down the main street, but Ellery caught a glimpse of brick storefronts that gave the town an appealing turn-of-the-century feel.

Like the inn, the town was dressed in its holiday best. Strings of colorful lights graced the lampposts and fresh greenery filled the oversize planters stationed at the crosswalks, but Ellery imagined that Castle Falls would look beautiful no matter what time of the year.

She turned down a side street near the park and spotted an empty parking space. Bea bounced out of the back seat, eyes shining, and slipped her hand into Ellery’s when they crossed the street.

Heads began to turn in their direction as they wove their way through the people gathered together on the sidewalk.

When Ellery assured Jameson that a lone visitor in Castle Falls wouldn’t draw more than a passing glance, she hadn’t considered that people would recognize Bea. And judging from the open curiosity on their faces, they were trying to figure out the connection between Ellery and a local county deputy’s adorable daughter.

“I hear music, Miss El’ry!” Bea would have plunged off the curb if Ellery hadn’t taken hold of her hand. “The parade is going to start!”

Ellery’s heart began to thump, matching the staccato rhythm of the drums in a marching band.

Everyone’s attention turned toward the music but Ellery found herself scanning the faces of the people on the opposite side of the street, looking for...strangers.

Ellery tamped down a sigh.

Everyone was a stranger.

But what did she expect? That three men she’d never laid eyes on before would be easy to spot in a crowd?

“There’s Daddy!” Bea pointed a chubby finger at the squad car cruising down the street.

“I don’t think...” Ellery started to say, but the words died in her throat.

Because Carter was leading the parade.

Carter would rather chase bad guys than be the opening act for a high school marching band decked out in fake antlers and red plastic noses.

Not that he’d been given a choice.

Carter had had no idea when he’d been called into work for a “special assignment,” it would involve the annual parade. A parade Carter should have been watching from the sidelines, with Bea.

It’s your hometown, Bristow, Carter’s supervisor had said. Consider it an honor.

An honor? No. More like a punishment.

Riverside, the town’s main street, was only three blocks long and yet it was crowded with moments he’d rather forget.

He’d been home on leave for the first time when he’d met travel blogger Jennifer St. John. She’d checked into the Evergreen Inn on her way to the Great Lakes Circle Tour, seeking out “backwoods beauty” on her latest adventure. To say that Carter was flattered when Jennifer had asked him to show her some of the sights around the area was an understatement.

Jennifer was stunning and vivacious—and Carter had fallen hard. In his pursuit of her attention, it didn’t matter they’d been raised in different environments. Had very different goals.

Carter’s mom had expressed some concerns about the relationship, but he’d brushed those aside, as well. Sure, Jennifer came from a wealthy family, but she was assertive, not entitled. Goal driven, not self-centered.

And the most amazing thing? She seemed to be wild about him, too. Delayed her trip so they could spend more time together.

Carter had been devastated when Jennifer announced it was time for her to move on. Earning a coveted spot with the SEALS meant going off the grid for months at a time, and he had no doubt there would be guys lined up to take his place at Jennifer’s side.

A week before Carter was deployed again, though, she’d shown up at the inn to say goodbye. Carter’s fear of losing Jennifer was stronger than any misgivings he’d had about marrying a woman he’d known less than a month. He’d stumbled through a proposal and wonder of wonders, Jennifer accepted.

It wasn’t until Carter had begged her not to give up on their marriage only a few years later that he’d found out why.

Unbeknownst to Carter, Jennifer had posted a photograph of her local “guide” on one of their outings and her popularity had skyrocketed. As she began to document their romance, her followers had clamored for more. Carter had unwittingly provided it in the form of a proposal.

Jennifer had never loved him. Not really. She’d loved what Carter had done for her career. He’d been convenient. And their child was collateral damage when Jennifer decided a family didn’t fit her long-range goals.

Three-quarters of the people waving at the squad car weren’t privy to all the gory details, but there was no hiding the fact Carter’s marriage had crashed and burned.

One more reason he avoided the town.

You have to replace some of the bad memories with the good ones, his mom had said.

But it was difficult when the bad ones had become embedded in his heart like shrapnel.

A flurry of movement on the sidewalk caught Carter’s eye.

A six-foot-tall Dalmatian wearing a gaudy plaid tuxedo was handing out candy canes along the parade route. Dash, the animal shelter’s official mascot, was a fixture at events like this and never failed to attract a crowd of his own.

Carter watched Dash pause in front of an attractive young woman and two little girls. Everyone who’d turned out for the parade boasted more layers than Karen’s beef Wellington, but Carter recognized Anna Leighton and her twin daughters immediately. The Leightons were the only family in town with hair the color of a newly minted penny.

Anna reached for a candy cane, but Dash was faster. In a daring move, he planted a kiss on the back of Anna’s hand...and instantly blew his cover.

Liam Kane.

Carter still hadn’t sent back the response card for the couple’s Christmas Eve wedding. Maybe because he was still trying to figure out why he’d been invited.

Liam and his brothers ran Castle Falls Outfitters a few miles outside of town, but their paths hadn’t crossed until Aiden, the youngest of the three, was involved in a hit-and-run.

Aiden had a reputation for being a daredevil, so his claim that a vehicle had forced him off the road had been met with skepticism in the community...and in his own family.

Carter had believed the guy, though. There were times when his own survival had been dependent on his ability to discern whether or not a person was telling the truth, and something in Aiden’s story had pushed Carter to do a little more digging.

When the driver of the vehicle turned out to be the younger brother of one of the teens Aiden had been mentoring, he’d decided not to press charges.

Carter had heard that both Justin and Tim Wagner had been spending a lot of time with the Kane family since then, learning how to build canoes and maybe some valuable life skills, as well. A risky move on Aiden’s part—believing in second chances—and Carter hoped the boys wouldn’t take advantage of it.

His role in the case had officially ended when he’d filed his report, but apparently the Kane family thought they owed him something for doing his job. Hence the invitation to the wedding.

But as far as Carter was concerned, weddings ranked right up there with Christmas.

If it were up to him, he’d happily skip them both.

Dash moved to the next family and Carter did a double take.

The child standing next to the Leightons looked familiar, too.

Because it was his child...

Thank you, Mom.

Relief poured through Carter as his gaze cut to the woman standing next to Dash. He choked back a laugh.

Not only had she brought Bea to the parade, his mom must have taken his daughter’s advice on what to wear for the occasion.

The knee-length down coat Karen insisted would never go out of style had, at least a decade ago. A leather bomber hat, complete with fur-lined earflaps, had been a Christmas present from Bea the previous year. The gaudy purple-and-red scarf that covered her face from nose to chin, a thank-you gift from a knitting group that had stayed at the inn.

Carter glanced in the rearview mirror just in time to see the woman standing next to Anna’s twins lift her face toward the sky. The scarf slipped a few inches and Carter almost stomped on the brake, which would have made him responsible for a massive pileup of reindeer and musical instruments he would have been hard-pressed to explain to his supervisor.

Several people in the crowd shifted position, blocking Carter’s view, but he knew he hadn’t been imagining things. A delicate profile. A swatch of hair as dark and glossy as a coffee bean.

Ellery. Incognito.

Carter’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.

Why had she brought Bea to the parade?

A question you’d probably know the answer to if you’d listened to your mom’s voice mail, an inner voice chided.

But Carter had been helping a young mother locate the car keys her toddler had tossed in a snowbank a few minutes before the parade started and then a guy had tried to drive around the barricade...

Now he wished he’d taken the time.

It wasn’t that Carter didn’t trust his mom’s judgment. He did. What he didn’t trust was the tiny spark of something that flickered to life whenever Ellery was nearby. Like finding an ember in the ashes of a fire you thought had been stamped out.

He’d been burned once before, though, when he’d listened to his heart and not his head.

“Look, Miss El’ry.” Bea’s voice dropped to an almost reverent whisper as they strolled down one of the snowy paths fanning out from the pavilion after the parade. “Ponies!”

Ellery followed the little girl’s gaze to a sleigh parked under a nearby lamppost. She smiled at the description. Not ponies, but a matched pair of coal-black Friesians. The team stood shoulder to shoulder, their breath creating plumes of frost in the air. The bearded driver, clad in a buffalo-check flannel shirt and bib overalls, resembled the lumberjacks in the sepia photographs on display in Karen’s gathering room.

Ellery was about to suggest they walk over and say hello, but Bea had already changed direction. Ellery’s feet almost slid out from under her as she struggled to keep up.

The driver flicked the brim of his wool cap when they approached. “Good evening, ladies. Stanley Potter at your service. Are you ready for a little jaunt around the park?”

Bea clapped her hands over her mouth and the only sound that slipped out was a tiny squeak.

Ellery laughed. “I think that means yes.”

“Up you go, then.” Stanley held out a gloved hand and helped them onto a narrow wooden bench behind the driver’s seat. “Diamond and Opal will be happy to take you on a scenic tour of the town.”

He clicked his tongue and the team lurched forward, the rows of tiny silver bells attached to their leather harnesses playing a merry tune.

She studied the storefronts as the sleigh turned onto main street, hoping to see her brothers’ last name on one of the signs. Ellery’s brief online search before she’d left home hadn’t yielded any clues as to what her brothers did for a living, nor did they show up on any of the popular social media sites.

But then again, Ellery didn’t, either. Her parents had stressed the importance of connecting with people face-to-face and encouraged Ellery to do the same.

But what if there’d been more to it than that? What if they’d been afraid that her biological family would somehow find her?

Even as the thought sprang into Ellery’s head, it felt like a betrayal.

Lord, I’m questioning everything these days...

“Whoa!”

Ellery grabbed Bea’s hand as Stanley pulled back on the reins.

The team tossed their heads in response to the abrupt command but obeyed. The center of the street seemed like an unusual place to stop, so Ellery leaned forward.

“Is something wrong?”

“I’m not sure,” came the cheerful response. “We’ve never been pulled over before.”

Chapter Six

Pulled over?

Ellery twisted around. Felt her stomach drop all the way down to the toes of her boots when she saw Carter’s lean frame unfold from the driver’s seat of the squad car.

Karen had assured Ellery that she would let Carter know about the change in plans, but apparently, he hadn’t received the memo.

Bea, whose gaze had been riveted on the horses, let out a squeal of delight when she saw the man striding toward them.

“We saw you in the parade, Daddy!” Bea said, pride shining in her eyes. “Can I go with you next time? Hannah got to ride on a float with her daddy.”

“I’m afraid it’s against the rules, sweetheart,” Carter explained. “You have to have a badge like mine to ride in the squad car.”

Bea deflated against the seat. “Okay.”

Ellery saw something flash in Carter’s eyes. Guilt? Regret?

Life, Ellery had learned in the past year, was too short for either one. Bea might not be able to ride in the squad car, but that didn’t mean father and daughter still couldn’t make another special memory.

And just like that, her mission changed.

Ellery’s father, a renowned neurosurgeon, had worked long hours and been on call, too, so her parents had had to be creative and flexible when it came to spending time together. Ellery treasured those memories even more now that they were gone.

“Maybe your daddy can ride with us in the sleigh,” she heard herself say.

Carter’s expression was much easier to read this time.

Disbelief.

In for a penny, in for a pound, as Ellery’s mother used to say. “When are you off duty?”

“Five minutes ago,” Carter admitted slowly, eyes narrowing on her face as if he was searching for an ulterior motive behind the question.

Ellery preferred to think of it as taking advantage of a memory-making opportunity.

“Mr. Stanley won’t mind, Daddy!” Bea was already scooting over to make room on the bench. “It’ll be fun!”

Fun looked like a completely foreign concept to the man.

“A moonlight sleigh ride with two pretty gals?” Stanley mused out loud to no one in particular. “I would call the man who gets that opportunity blessed.”

Ellery could see that Carter wanted to refuse. He slid a look at Bea and that tender look—the one that told Ellery a soft heart beat behind the shield—stole into his eyes again.

“Fine. I’ll park by the bank,” he told Stanley. “You can pick me up over there.”

The driver grinned, snapped the reins, and the sleigh glided down the street again.

Carter arrived first and Ellery felt that now-familiar uptick in her pulse at the sight of him. Like the bluffs that lined the shores of Lake Superior, there was a rugged beauty in the clash of angles and planes that made up the deputy’s austere features. An appealing contrast between slate-gray eyes and sun-bronzed skin.

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