In the sunny playground of Palm Springs, growing up was something confirmed bachelor and bad-boy chef Joel avoided at all costs—until a close friend’s death made him reevaluate his priorities. Ever since, he’s been dedicated to helping his widowed friend Perry get back on his feet by teaching him to cook and providing a shoulder to cry on. But when Perry announces that he’s ready to start dating again and then begins receiving gifts from an anonymous secret Santa, Joel is forced to confront the feelings he’s suppressed for so long.
As Joel struggles with jealousy and guilt amid the holiday season, he must decide if he’s ready to grow up and reach for what he’s always wanted but never thought he could have.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar "Stocking Stuffers."
Joel has avoided serious relationship commitment all his life but now that his friend has passed away and he's been looking out for the husband left behind, has his thoughts changed on love? Having harbored feelings for the grieving husband for years will he take the leap now that Perry has decided he's ready to start dating again?
I'm going to jump right in and start by saying I loved that Joel and Perry are older and more mature than the norm in romance tales. I'll admit that I haven't really reached the point where I want to read that generation on an every day basis but its refreshing when you find one so well written. Add in the holiday element and Chris Scully has brought a wonderful, loving novella sized journey of friendship, second chances, and new beginnings. Throw in secret Santas, jealousy, and some self-denial and you are looking at a lovely holiday gift from the author that will warm your heart and leave you smiling. What more can a reader ask for?
RATING:
WHEN CHANGE arrives, it may unfortunately come as a shock.
“I THINK I’m ready to start dating again.”
Perry’s bombshell almost made me drop the tray of crispy samosas I was pulling from the oven. I blamed my misstep on the hot baking sheet and pretended I hadn’t heard him. Not a stretch given the music and the laughter that rippled like a warm breeze across Simon’s million-dollar backyard to the outdoor kitchen.
“How would you feel about that, Joel?” Perry probed, raising his voice a little. The mirrored glass of his aviators caught the afternoon sun and blinded me with the reflection.
I blinked. “About what?”
“About me dating again.”
“Looking good, Perry,” someone called from the pool. “Come on in—the water’s warm.” My heart sunk as Perry waved his hand in acknowledgment. He was looking good, and I wasn’t the only one noticing how the turquoise polo shirt set off his thick silver-threaded hair and the camel-colored chinos hugged his ass. He’d regained most of the weight he’d lost while Dale was sick, and since he’d started jogging again, he glowed with good health.
“So,” he said, returning to our conversation.
Head down, I arranged the golden triangles onto the serving platter next to the potato croquetas and dusted them with a pinch of finely chopped coriander. “Why ask me? You don’t need my permission.”
Silence. “Well, because you were Dale’s friend first. It might be weird for you.”
What I wouldn’t have given to strip off my clothes, hop in the crowded spa with a drink in my hand, and avoid this conversation. But it was my first time working one of Simon’s parties in a professional capacity, and I wanted to make a good impression. After a year of struggling, my personal chef business was finally taking off, and Simon’s recommendation would take it even further. I just wished he hadn’t elected to go with the menu of hors d’oeuvres and small plates. It was far more complicated than a sit-down dinner, and I was already tired and stressed.
“Here.” I thrust the plate of appetizers into the hands of a tanned waiter who materialized at my side, barely glancing at the Santa hat and matching red bikini he wore.
“Do you think they’re cold, dressed like that?” Perry murmured in my ear. “Or should I say undressed? It’s barely seventy degrees today.”
“Who? The waitstaff? Judging by the size of that guy’s package, he’s not cold in the least.”
Unique characters. Heartwarming stories. Chris Scully lives in Toronto, Canada and grew up spinning romantic stories in her head. When the tedium of her corporate day job grew too much, she took a chance and found her escape in writing. Now she longs for the day she can make writing a full-time career. Her stories feature everyday characters falling in love. She hopes to write across multiple genres, but you can always count on a happy ending.
EMAIL: cscully@bell.net
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