Holiday Bells & Magic Seashells, page 1
Holiday Bells & Magic Seashells
Naomi Valkyrie
Kaleidoscope Romance / Naomi A. McDonald
Holiday Bells & Magic Seashells by Naomi Valkyrie
Copyright © 2023 Naomi A. McDonald
All rights reserved.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without express permission from the author. The only exception is in the case of brief quotations for reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
This author does not consent to any Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarize, or otherwise replicate any part of this creative work, via any means: print, graphic, sculpture, multimedia, audio, or other medium.
Contents
1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four
5. Chapter Five
6. Chapter Six
7. Chapter Seven
8. Chapter Eight
9. Chapter Nine
10. Chapter Ten
11. Chapter Eleven
12. Chapter Twelve
13. Chapter Thirteen
14. Epilogue
Books by Naomi Valkyrie
About Naomi Valkyrie
Chapter One
You would think I'd be excited to have a month off of work, but not this year. Unlocking the door to my office, I look over the pre-vacation to do list. It's all of three things. Make sure the cleaning staff did a last minute run through of the building. Go over the shared schedule with Evie so everything is on track when my boss gets back in January. And leave the building by noon. My boss is serious about us taking time off at Christmas.
While tossing my keys in the bowl on the corner of my desk, I move the mouse, bringing my monitor to life. Pulling up the schedule, I glance over it and see nothing has changed. I hadn't expected it to. Evie and I are a well-oiled machine when it comes to managing our boss's life. First item checked off the list.
I wonder if there's any way I can drag out going through the building to check up on the cleaning staff. I'm not ready to go home to an empty house – outside of my cat, Mercury, that is. By thirty-two, I thought I would have found love. I don't need the whole white picket fence and kids ideal that so many people seek. It'd be nice to have someone to come home to, though.
Sighing, I shove the unnecessary checklist in my pocket, and set out to inspect the common areas. I know I will find everything in order. Our cleaning service is one of the best, but it doesn't hurt to check. One year someone from the old cleaning service forgot to take out a bag from the breakroom trashcan. It took months to get the smell out. We haven't had an incident since we hired the new company, but our boss insists we do a run through just be sure before the offices close for the holidays.
My check is done within an hour since the building isn't that big. Going back to my office, I pick up some holiday cards and goodies from co-workers, and put them in a bag to take home. Glancing around the room one last time to make sure I haven't forgotten anything, my eyes fall on a ratty looking stocking hanging from the coat tree. I swear that wasn't there before I left on my rounds. Walking over, I carefully pull the stocking off of the peg. The thing looks like it's held together by sheer luck. Noticing a note pinned to it, I open the folded paper.
Charity, A magic stocking just for you. If you put your wish in, it will come true.
There's no signature on the paper, or any other indication of who may have left it. I wonder if anyone else got one of these?
It's been ages since I felt a sense of holiday wonder, probably since the year my parents died, but something about this dilapidated stocking peaks my curiosity. Going back to my desk, stocking in hand, I pull a sticky note from the pad and grab a pen from the holder. Laying the stocking gingerly on the desk, I write my wish.
I want to find my true love by Christmas.
Let's see Santa grant that wish. True love and happily-ever-afters are for books and movies. Folding the sticky note, I carefully tuck it inside the stocking, then hang the tattered material back where I found it.
With nothing left to keep me here, I gather my keys and things, then head out to my car. As I'm putting everything in the plastic bin in my trunk to keep it from being tossed all over while I'm driving, I notice the clouds are promising a winter storm. Hopefully, I make it home before it hits.
Chapter Two
Sighing, I push my chair back from the desk in my den, and turn it to look out the window. Splatters of rain and sleet make it difficult to see clearly, but from the look of things, it won't be letting up anytime soon. Three days of this wintery mixture haven't helped my mood at all. I thought the weather might set the atmosphere for a good writing session, but no such luck.
Mercury stands up and stretches, then saunters over, jumping into my lap. Absentmindedly, I stroke her soft, silvery fur, letting my mind wander a few minutes before deciding to give up on writing for the day and try to get some reading in. But before settling in to read, I need to acquire some hot chocolate and cookies. Maybe that'll get me more into the holiday spirit. Setting Mercury on the floor, I turn back to my desk, make sure my file saved and backed up to the cloud, then put my computer to sleep. Mercury follows me to the kitchen, meowing the entire way.
"I'll get you a treat, my queen. Relax, would you?" Pulling down a container of cat treats, I take out a couple and set them on the mat next to her food and water bowls.
After washing my hands, I open the pantry to get some cookies and discover there's only four left in the tin. Looks like I'm baking cookies. It'll give me something to do, if nothing else. Turning on some holiday music, I gather all the ingredients I need for classic sugar cookie dough. While I'm mixing, shaping, and baking, I think about how nice it would be to have someone else to share these types of moments with.
When the timer goes off, I'm no closer to being in the holiday spirit than when I started, but I do have some delicious cookies to comfort me. On to the hot chocolate.
Fresh cookies and liquid chocolate excellence in hand, I go to the living room and set everything on the coffee table so I can get a fire going for some atmosphere. Once the fire is burning nicely, I turn back to my setup to make sure I have everything I need before I sit down.
Cookies? Check. Hot chocolate? Check. Phone on the end table where I left it before I started writing? Check. Blanket on the back of the couch? Check. Fire going? Check. EReader on the end table by my phone? Check.
Getting myself situated on the couch, I grab my eReader and scroll through book options. Why is it always so difficult to choose a book? Not finding anything I'm interested in, I turn off the eReader and pick up my phone. Maybe going through one of my social media book groups will give me a good recommendation.
After typing in my passcode, the screen lights up and I see a new email notification. I'm off work for the month, so it's not likely to be work related. I don't know many people outside of the office, so it's probably spam that slipped through the filter. Still, I click on the notification and nearly drop my phone after I read the introduction.
You're invited to spend a week at a private ocean-side estate. Everything you need will be provided outside of your clothing and any personal items you may wish to bring.
The email goes on to give more details about the location and provides a number to call if I have questions. Of course, I have questions. Is this a scam? It has to be, right? People don't just give away all-inclusive trips to private estates. I don't recognize the name on the signature of the email either, so it's not someone I know – unless one of my co-workers is playing a prank on me.
Dismissing the email, I close out of it and go to the social media group I got on my phone for in the first place. I scroll through book recommendations, not absorbing them. That blasted email keeps tugging at the back of my mind. What if it's legit?
Don't be foolish, Charity.
But my brain won't be silenced by logic. There's only one thing to do – call the number and start asking questions.
Chapter Three
Disconnecting the call, I stare into the flickering flames of the fireplace. Who in the world would gift me an expensive vacation like this? I can't believe it, but it's not a joke or a scam. I've got a free vacation. Maybe a change of scenery is what I need. I'm not in the holiday spirit enough to enjoy the cold weather. Perhaps the mild weather in the south at this time of year will suit me better.
After looking up the weather for the location of the beach house, I open a note on my phone and start making a list of things I need to pack. I'll be traveling light, but it'll be a two and a half day drive, so I want to be comfortable. The one thing I'm not sure about is how Mercury will do in the car. But I'm not about to leave her at a boarding place. She would hate me for life.
Looking out the window, I hope there's a break in the weather by the day after tomorrow when I'm supposed to leave. I am definitely not going to miss this wintery crap. Bring on the sun!
"I know. I know. You're tired of being in the car," I say to Mercury as she yowls while I pull up the driveway to the house we'll be staying in for the next week. She did surprisingly well up until the last couple of hours. I can't say I don't understand. I'm stiff as hell from the drive and ready to be done with it. Parking the car, I get out and raise my arms over my head, joints popping.
Once I've had a good, long stretch, I take in the scenery. The beach is practically right outside the back door. The landscaping is immaculate with several kinds of tropical plants and colorful flowers. It's about the furthest thing from feeling like Christmas as you can get, outside of a desert. And I'm totally okay with it.
Opening up the passenger door, I pull out Mercury's cat carrier and walk up to the front door of the house. Typing in the code, I pull the key out of the box when it opens, then unlock the door. As I step inside, I freeze from sensory overload. The place looks like a beach-going Santa threw up in it – beach themed lights, ornaments, and two decorated palm trees. I'm damn sure the trees are fake. At least I hope they are. I have no business taking care of any type of plant. No way I want to be held responsible for murdering a tree.
Shaking my head, I close the door and go in search of a bedroom to let Mercury loose in while I haul in my luggage, praying the decorations are concentrated in the living room. When I locate the main bedroom, I'm glad to see that the beach Santa didn't make it this far into the house. Seeing the curtains drawn, I set the carrier down and open them. There's a double door leading straight out onto a private patio with a spectacular view of the ocean.
Mercury's yowl lets me know in no uncertain terms that she's reached the end of her patience.
"Alright. I hear you." Walking back across the room, I shut the door. "Let's get you out of your cell." When I open the car carrier, Mercury darts out and runs straight to a pool of sunlight where she proceeds to flip onto her back and flop about.
With the cat occupied, I slip out of the room, making sure the door is secure, and head back out to the car to get my suitcase and other odds and ends. As I'm hauling everything inside, my stomach growls like an angry lion. Several days of fast food on-the-go means I'm ready for a good meal with real food. Stowing my luggage in the bedroom, I pick Mercury up and take her with me to the kitchen. At the doorway, I let her go before setting her food and water bowls on a mat, filling them while she cautiously sniffs around the room. Eventually, she makes her way to the food and starts eating. Satisfied that she's going to settle in fine, I begin my hunt for human food.
The pantry is fully stocked, as is the refrigerator. There are so many options to choose from, I almost don't know where to begin. Finally, I settle on a chicken salad and set about putting it together, pulling off tiny pieces of meat and tossing them into Mercury's bowl every now and then. When the salad is ready, I pour a glass of wine to go with it and take everything out to the back patio. Making sure the doors are closed to keep Mercury inside, I sit down at the iron patio table facing the ocean and start eating.
From what I understand, the section of beach directly behind the house is private, but there are other residents that have connecting sections. Supposedly, it's pretty quiet this time of year. I don't know if I'm happy about that or not. Something a lot of people don't understand is that I'm fine being by myself. I've been alone for a long time and I enjoy my own company. But that doesn't mean I don't get lonely sometimes.
For some reason, if I ever mention being lonely, people give me the whole 'you need to learn to be happy on your own' speech. Seriously? Human beings get lonely. It has nothing to do with me not being able to be alone with myself. Eventually, I decided to stop talking about it because I cannot listen to one more person give me that line of bullshit.
Realizing I've let my thoughts wander to things that angry up my blood, I take a deep inhale, then exhale slowly, letting my shoulders relax down. Leaning back, I sip my wine, and watch the rhythmic motion of the waves, enjoying the way it calms me.
Once I finish my food, I take the dishes inside and rinse them off, loading them straight into the dishwasher. Pouring another glass of wine, I decide to spend more time on the patio. There's not much of the day left, so it doesn't make sense to go do anything. Plus, I'm tired from all the driving. After making sure Mercury knows where her litter box is, I grab my eReader and spend the rest of the evening reading and watching the sunset, curious to see what the rest of this surprise vacation will bring me.
Chapter Four
For the first time in, I can't even remember when, I sleep in – awakened only when Mercury sits on my chest and meows.
"I'm awake, Your Highness. No need to repeat yourself."
Mercury jumps down onto the floor, giving me an expectant look. Knowing I won't get any more sleep until she gets her breakfast, I toss off the covers and sit up. "We're on vacation, you know. I could have slept for at least another hour."
I guess I didn't notice how hard I've been pushing myself lately, but now that I've slowed down, I can feel the exhaustion creeping in. Still, I don't want to sleep my entire vacation away, so I pull myself up to standing and head toward the kitchen.
After getting the coffee going, I fill Mercury's bowl with food and top off her water. The way she attacks the food, you'd think I starve her. Deciding on something quick for my own breakfast, I pour a bowl of cereal, then get my coffee. Taking everything out onto the patio, I enjoy the scenery for a while before picking up my phone to see what there is to do in the area. I'd skimmed through some things before I came, but nothing stood out to me. Maybe now that I'm here, I'll have better luck.
Ten minutes later, I haven't found anything I feel like doing. I'm supposed to be relaxing, so I should probably go with the flow and take things as they come anyway. Hauling my dirty breakfast dishes to the kitchen sink, I stare out the window while I rinse them. There's an entire ocean in my backyard, I don't need to go anywhere to find entertainment. A walk on the beach sounds like a good way to ease into the whole relaxation thing.
Once the dishes are in the dishwasher, I go to the bedroom to change out of my pjs and into some shorts and a tank top. Brushing my blonde hair back into a ponytail, I wonder if I need sunscreen for the little amount of time I'll be outside. Looking at my fair skin, I figure it's best not to risk it. I don't want to spend the bulk of my time here recovering from a sunburn. After slathering on lotion that makes me smell like I fell in a vat of coconut oil, I step into a pair of sandals and grab an over shirt just in case I need an extra layer of protection.
Slipping on some sunglasses, I put the house key and my phone in my pocket and step out onto the patio, twisting the lock on the door knob and closing it behind me. Leaving through the back gate, I walk down to the beach, the sun making the white sand bright, even through my shades.
Currently, there is no one else around, so I close my eyes and let my senses take in everything around me – the scent of the saltwater, the feel of my sandals sinking into the sand, the breeze on my skin, the gentle ebb and flow of the waves. I haven't been this in tune with my environment for quite some time. Usually I'm blocking out the sounds of traffic, phones ringing, and people talking.
After a few minutes of simply enjoying being still, I open my eyes and look around to see which direction I want to walk. It's a long stretch of beach either way, but something pulls me to the right. Taking off my sandals, I walk to the water's edge and follow it along, the cool water washing over my feet. Periodically, I pick up a seashell to look at, pocketing the ones that fascinate me.
A shout draws my attention. I look up to see a small group of people ahead, coming down toward the beach with a cooler and some other items. There looks to be some couples among the group. One more reminder that I'm eternally single. You'll never meet someone special if you never put yourself out there, my brain reminds me. Well, why not give it a go? As I get closer to the group, I notice they're all much too young for me. It's a bit of a let down now that I made up my mind to take a chance, but it's not the end of the world. I'm no worse off than I was before.
