As he hoped, he got a small smile out or her, but it was fleeting. She smoothed a hand over her kilt and blouse. “What if this goes horribly wrong?”
“Oh, it’s going to be weird and stilted and awkward as hell.”
This time he got a laugh. She slapped his arm. “You’re supposed to be encouraging and comforting.”
“You didn’t let me finish. No matter what happens, I’m here and not going anywhere and one day we’ll laugh about it all.”
The doorbell rang. Claire’s hand went to her throat on a gasp. Holt put a hand on her lower back and steered her to the door.
Her parents were on the other side wearing the same strained smile as Claire. They held a bottle of Glennallen Whisky. Holt shook her father’s hand. “Lewis. Mathilda.”
He’d been tasked earlier to call them by their given names, which seemed like a positive step. Claire gave them both kisses on the cheeks and ushered them inside. Holt led them into the den and introduced his parents. Holt’s dad cracked open the bottle of whisky and poured drinks for everyone.
Small talk ensued. Ms. Meadows and his dad had buried the hatchet, thankfully not in each other’s backs. Things went well until Lewis asked Holt’s dad if Glennallen was his favorite whisky.
“I can’t deny your brand has a nice finish, but there’s no better whisky than Jack Daniel’s for my money.”
Claire froze, and Lewis Glennallen’s face reddened like a fuse had been lit.
“Aw hell,” Holt muttered. “It’s Glennallen all the way for me, Lewis. I think the food is almost ready, isn’t it, Mom?”
Picking up on the undercurrents like the excellent hostess she was, his mother said, “Indeed. Robert, would you escort Ms. Meadows to the table? Holt, you lead the Glennallens to their places. Claire and I will bring the food to the table, and we’ll serve family style.”
The rest of the dinner was the typical ebb and flow of a conversation among relative strangers, but by the end the Glennallens were comfortable enough to stay for an after-dinner drink.
“Holt tells us you’re quite a singer, Claire. If I play, will you sing?” Holt’s dad sat at the piano and hit a note.
Claire nodded and the night ended with everyone joining in on several classic Christmas songs. It seemed to shrink the distance and differences between the two families. Claire saw her parents to their rental car. Their flight left the next afternoon, and it would be the last time she saw them for quite some time.
Holt waited in the entry for her. She returned with tears glimmering in her eyes but a soft smile on her face. He enfolded her in his arms. “Everything all right?”
“For the first time ever, I can answer yes to that question. I don’t know if I’ll ever be close with my parents like you are with yours—too many years have been squandered—but we aren’t estranged anymore. I’m happy about that.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I’m happy that you’re happy.”
Holt’s mom offered to put Ms. Meadows up for the night, but she demurred, needing to return to the assisted living facility for her medicine. Holt’s dad volunteered to take her back, offering his arm. The two old adversaries were almost chummy on their walk to his dad’s truck. Talk about Christmas miracles. Holt shook his head and smiled.
After cleaning up the kitchen, Claire and Holt walked hand in hand to his cabin in the dark. The scraggly tree that Claire had given him decorated with multicolored lights and colorful ornaments in the corner made him smile.
“Best Christmas ever,” he said against her temple. “I can’t wait to plant roots so deep, you won’t regret giving up Glennallen Whisky.”
“It was never even close. I will always choose you, Holt.”
And Holt would always choose Claire. He spent the rest of the night proving it.
Also by Laura Trentham
THE HIGHLAND, GEORGIA SERIES
A Highlander Walks into a Bar
A Highlander in a Pickup
THE COTTONBLOOM SERIES
Kiss Me That Way
Then He Kissed Me
Till I Kissed You
Candy Cane Christmas (novella)
Light Up the Night (novella)
Leave the Night On
When the Stars Come Out
Set the Night on Fire
THE FALCON FOOTBALL SERIES
Slow and Steady Rush
Caught Up in the Touch
Melting into You
About the Author
LAURA TRENTHAM is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance, including the six novels in the Cottonbloom series—now available from St. Martin’s Paperbacks. She is a member of RWA, and has finaled multiple times in the Golden Heart competition. A chemical engineer by training and a lover of books by nature, she lives in South Carolina. You can sign up for email updates here.
Thank you for buying this
St. Martin’s Press ebook.
To receive special offers, bonus content,
sign up for our newsletters.
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on the author, click here.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
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
Epilogue
Also by Laura Trentham
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
First published in the United States by St. Martin’s Paperbacks, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
A HIGHLANDER IS COMING TO TOWN
Copyright © 2020 by Laura Trentham.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
www.stmartins.com
eISBN: 9781250315069
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, ext. 5442, or by email at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition 2020