This Christmas Novella is available as an e-book on Amazon and other platforms such as Kobo and Smashwords. The paperback version is available on Amazon.
Snowflakes swirled and tapped on the windowpanes of Spruce Canyon Lodge, eerily asking to come inside. Frost along the edges of the glass gave a winter wonderland ambience to the banquet hall where a huge Christmas tree sat in the corner. Gifts circled the base of the tree, adding a bit of mystery and anticipation about what they might hold inside. It was Christmas Eve, a special and sacred time.
But for Ashley Chen, this Christmas Eve was dark and ugly. She sat staring out the window, the organza billows of her wedding dress piled around her like the snow drifts that were forming on the deck. Her long-planned wedding was in ruins. Buried under two feet of snow and a mound of betrayal.
The storm had partly spoiled her wedding. The worst blizzard in the last forty years hit the Colorado mountains last night. Wedding guests were stranded in Denver because of icy roads or at home because of cancelled flights. Both of her sisters had made it to Denver on the last flights in, but were stuck at their parents’ house, unable to drive to the lodge. The groom’s brother couldn’t fly in from the East Coast.
Soft footsteps sounded behind her. If she ignored them, maybe the person would go away. She didn’t want to see anyone. She didn’t want to be pitied. She didn’t want someone trying to make her feel better.
Her fingers caressed two beads on her bodice, fighting the urge to rip them off. Her wedding was off. Why shouldn’t the beads be off too? Her anger might be assuaged if she gave them a mighty pull and flung them across the room. If she hit whoever was walking up behind her, the person might get the hint that she wanted to be alone. Her dark mood was about to force her into action.
“Ashley?”
The gentle voice of her uncle patted her bruised ego. Her favorite relative was the one exception to her rule. His wisdom was welcome any time, except now.