Spend the holidays in Magnolia, North Carolina, where two lonely hearts find exactly what they need for Christmas. Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Michelle Major’s Mistletoe Season, which releases on October 26th 2021.
SYNOPSIS
Anji Guilardi needs a man for Christmas—at least, according to her mother. What she really needs is to grow her fledgling catering business. Partnering with Magnolia’s Wildflower Inn holds promise, but when her mother falls ill, Anji’s drawn back to the responsibility of the family restaurant. Balancing work and her eight-year-old son, she has no time for romance…until Anji runs into Gabriel Carlyle.
Temporarily helping at his grandmother’s flower shop, Gabriel doesn’t plan to stick around, especially after he bumps into Anji, one of his childhood bullies. Sure, she’s all grown up and gorgeous now, and when they find themselves under the mistletoe, their chemistry is undeniable. But it’ll take more than a Christmas miracle for Anji to break through the defenses of Gabriel’s well-guarded heart and find a love built to last.
EXCERPT
Angi burst through the back door of the Wildflower Inn on Friday night, her gaze darting between Emma and Mariella Jacob, the former famous wedding dress designer who handled most of the inn’s marketing and branding. From the website to social media to selecting the aromatic diffusers in each bedroom, Emma rightly trusted Mariella to choose the best. Somehow, the cool blonde also managed to source amazing deals on everything from high thread count sheets to locally made toiletries for the bathrooms.
Plus, Angi had noticed the steady foot traffic in and out of Mariella’s secondhand store a couple of blocks over from the restaurant. The dress designer might have left her society life and fast-track career behind in New York City when she’d moved to Magnolia, but there was no denying her talent for design and marketing. Some people were just built to be successful.
Too bad Angi wasn’t one of them.
“What’s wrong?” Angi demanded. Having responded to an SOS text from Emma, she expected to find some sort of crisis playing out with guests or the last-minute details for tomorrow’s wedding.
Both Emma and Mariella had the good sense to look sheepish.
“We thought you needed a break,” Emma said, then pointed a finger at Mariella. “I told you this was a bad idea.”
“It’s a great idea.” Mariella smiled and handed Angi a glass of white wine. “Just one quick drink and you can go back to wallowing in your self-pity.”
Emma nudged Mariella. “The idea was not to make her even more stressed.”
“Can you get more stressed?” Mariella asked Angi, almost as a challenge.
“Perhaps if the local sheriff locks me up for beating the crap out of you,” Angi answered with a sweet-like-candy smile.
Mariella shrugged. “I’m scrappier than I look. Have a drink and talk to us. We’re your friends.”
The words made Angi’s irritation deflate like a popped balloon, but she still couldn’t bring herself to admit how much she missed them and her work at the inn. “I’m sure Emma filled you in, so we’re all on the same page.” She downed the wine in two big slugs. “Nice seeing you both.”
“What do you think about frozen puff pastry cups?” Emma asked suddenly. “Ham and cheese or spinach?”
“Neither.” Angi glanced at the refrigerator that she’d stocked with appetizers for the reception. “I stayed up half the night last weekend making homemade stuffed mushrooms and spanakopita. What happened to them?” Her annoyance had returned full force.
“After the guests were asleep last night, I invited Cam over for a visit.”
“A booty call,” Mariella stage-whispered.
Angi rolled her eyes, although she really couldn’t blame Emma. Cam Arlinghaus, Emma’s fiancé, was tall, dark and handsome- plus he wore a tool belt better than any man Angi had ever seen. Unlike Emma, Cam had grown up in the area, but he’d become a recluse when his wife died in a car accident years prior. Through a strange twist of fate, he’d ended up helping Emma with repairs on the inn before its opening. Although they didn’t seem like a match on paper, the two had fallen madly in love. Angi was glad for her friend and not the leas bit jealous. Okay, maybe the teensiest smidgen jealous, but she let that go because she loved them both.
“I missed him,” Emma said with a shrug. “I’ve been busy this week. He committed to work with Dylan Scott on the new headquarters for that sportswear company moving to town, so his schedule is just as packed as mine.”
“What does Cam being here have to do with my appetizers?”
Emma cringed. “A few of the guests got the late-night munchies and raided the fridge. Unfortunately, they left the trays on the counter and Cam’s dog pulled them down.”
“The dog ate my appetizers?” Angi felt her mouth drop open.
“Not all of them,” Emma said quickly. “We heard the noise in the kitchen and came out. I thought he was closed in the laundry room for the night. I’m so sorry, Ang. They spilled all over the floor, and Toby got excited and . . . “
“He stress peed on them,” Mariella finished with wide eyes. “Couldn’t salvage a thing.”
“We can’t serve guests stuffed mushrooms that have potentially been peed on,” Emma explained as if it weren’t obvious.
“You also can’t serve them prepacked mini quiche.”
Angi spoke through clenched teeth. She tapped a finger on the rim of her empty wineglass. “Was the plan to get me liquored up to soften the blow?”
“No,” Emma and Mariella said at once.
“The appetizers weren’t even on the agenda.’ Mariella gave a pointed look at Emma. “You weren’t supposed to mention them.”
“I don’t know which ones to go with,” Emma argued, throwing her hands up before sending a beseeching glance at Angi. “It’s just this once, I swear. We didn’t want to upset you or stress you out any more.”
“This must be what rock bottom feels like,” Angi muttered, then dug in her purse for her keys. “I need to go get supplies. I’ll have new appetizers here tomorrow- noon at the latest. What time is the wedding?”
“Two,” Mariella said at the same time Emma stepped forward. “No, it’s fine. You don’t have to redo anything.”
“Of course I do. My reputation is synonymous with the food the inn serves at its events.”
“I thought you were done with our partnership,” Emma said quietly.
“We seriously invited you over to make you feel better,” Mariella added. “Not so you could swoop in and save the day.”
“Sleep is overrated,” Angi said with a weak smile.
