“I already have everything I could have ever wished for,” he told his son.
For that matter, so did Lindy.
To Patt and Steve Boothe,
wonderful neighbors
and even better friends
BALLANTINE BOOKS FROM DEBBIE MACOMBER
It’s Better This Way A Walk Along the Beach Window on the Bay
Cottage by the Sea Any Dream Will Do
If Not for You
A Girl’s Guide to Moving On Last One Home
ROSE HARBOR INN
Sweet Tomorrows
Silver Linings
Love Letters
Rose Harbor in Bloom The Inn at Rose Harbor
BLOSSOM STREET
Blossom Street Brides Starting Now
CHRISTMAS NOVELS
Dear Santa
Jingle All the Way A Mrs. Miracle Christmas Alaskan Holiday
Merry and Bright
Twelve Days of Christmas Dashing Through the Snow Mr. Miracle
Starry Night
Angels at the Table
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debbie Macomber, the author of It’s Better This Way, A Walk Along the Beach, Window on the Bay, Cottage by the Sea, Any Dream Will Do, If Not for You, and the Rose Harbor Inn series, is a leading voice in women’s fiction. Fourteen of her novels have reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller lists, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel, including Mrs. Miracle and Mr. Miracle. Hallmark Channel also produced the original series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, based on Macomber’s Cedar Cove books. She is as well the author of the cookbook Debbie Macomber’s Table. There are more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide.
debbiemacomber.com
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Twitter: @debbiemacomber
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Love can transform even the best-laid plans in this heartfelt Christmas novel from the queen of Christmas stories, #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.
Jingle All the Way
Continue reading for a preview.
CHAPTER ONE
Everly Lancaster was ready to explode. Her assistant, Annette, the very one Jack Campbell, her business partner and CEO, had highly recommended she hire, who also happened to be his niece, had made yet another crucial mistake. One in a long list of costly errors. This time, however, this Gen Z, spoiled, irresponsible, entitled young woman had gone too far.
Annette Howington had mortified Everly in front of five hundred real estate brokers.
“It’s really not that big a deal,” Annette insisted, smiling as if to suggest this had all been a small misunderstanding. “You did fine without your speech.”
The awards banquet held in the posh Ritz-Carlton Hotel, half a block off Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, honored the top brokers for the online real estate company Easy Home. As Everly stepped onto the podium to deliver her carefully crafted speech, she discovered that her empty-headed assistant had downloaded the wrong talk and graphics. As a result, Everly had been forced to stumble through what she remembered of it. To her acute embarrassment, she’d sounded ill-prepared, fumbling over words and names.
Everly was always at the top of her game. She did not stand up before a crowded banquet room and make a fool of herself.
“Not that big a deal?” Everly repeated, after the banquet. Annette had tried to escape without Everly noticing. No such luck. Everly had the assistant in her sights, and no way was she letting Annette sneak out.
“This is the last straw,” Everly said, managing to keep her anger under control. “I’ve given you every opportunity. I’m afraid I’m going to have to let you go.”
“You’re firing me?” Annette asked in utter disbelief. “But I’m doing the best I can.” For emphasis, she added a loud sniffle. “You’ve never liked me. From the day I started you’ve been demanding and critical.” Her eyes filled with tears, as if that would be enough to convince Everly to change her mind. She sniffled again for extra measure, her shoulders making dramatic shudders.
No way was Everly going to allow Annette to turn this on her. “Your best isn’t good enough. You don’t possess the skills I need in an assistant. First thing Monday morning I’ll explain to your uncle that you will no longer be working with me or Easy Home.” Everly couldn’t think of a single position this ditzy girl could handle in the entire company. She’d even managed to mess up answering the phone on more than one occasion.
Annette’s tears evaporated and a cocky expression came over her. “Uncle Jack won’t let you fire me. I’m his favorite niece.”
Everly gritted her teeth. “We’ll see about that.”