The Bride’s Christmas Miracle Read online

  The Bride’s Christmas Miracle

  A Seven Brides Of Christmas Short Story

  Elisa Leigh

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Elisa Leigh

  The Bride’s Christmas Miracle

  A Seven Brides of Christmas Novella

  By Elisa Leigh

  © Elisa Leigh 2018.

  All Rights Reserved

  By the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for brief quotations used in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows and song titles/lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as an advertisement. Trademark names are used editorially with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

  This book is intended for adults only. Contains sexual content and language that may offend some. The suggested reading audience is 18 years or older. I consider this book Adult Romance due to language and sexual situations.

  ASIN:

  Cover created by: KL Fast using Picmonkey. Photo from Adobe Stock.

  Created with Vellum

  To those who love Christmas time and falling in love.

  Prologue

  Jasmine Richards

  My cell phone buzzes in my apron for the third or fourth time in the past half hour. The diner is slammed with the Sunday church crowd, and I have had no time to check it. What bothers me most is that only a few people have my number, and they all know I’m working. If they’re calling, something had to of happened.

  “Tim, I need a minute,” I call to my manager working behind the counter. He looks around at the controlled chaos and gives me a nod. I quickly walk through the kitchen and out the back door to sit outside where it’s sweltering but blessedly quiet. Pulling out my cell I see my sister has called me and texted me multiple times. I immediately call her back hoping she’s okay. Ellie is not only my baby sister, but she’s also my best friend, and if anything ever happened to her, it would break me.

  “Hey.”

  “You called and texted me more than once El, you gotta give me more than ‘hey.’”

  “Mom’s gone.” She says flatly.

  “So. She’s always gone. She’ll be back tonight or tomorrow.” I say trying to reassure her. Since dad left when I was five, she kind of gave up on being a mom. Instead, she focused more on herself and finding a man who wouldn’t leave. She hasn’t found him yet.

  “No Jas. She’s really gone this time. She gave me some money and said they were going out towards California and she would call when they found a place to stay. Then she picked up her packed bags, got in Jimmy’s truck and drove away.”

  “It’s Johnny.” I blurt out the only thing that I think to say.

  “Whatever, it could be any number of guys she’s been with, the fact is she’s gone, Jasmine. CFS is going to come and take me. They are going to put me in some home with a strange family who doesn’t want me or maybe even some girls home because I’m almost sixteen.”

  “Calm down. That’s not going to happen, I’m not going to let that happen.”

  “You’re going to school in three weeks Jas. It’s not like you can defer your scholarship another year. What am I going to do when you’re gone?”

  “El, no one is going to separate us. I will never let anyone tear us apart, I promise.”

  Chapter 1

  Ford Stone

  Standing at the bar, I look around the ball at the many single men and women hoping to find love tonight. I have to give it to her, Delilah can plan a party. The place is set perfectly to lure people in and entice them to let down their inhibitions. When my brother Theo and I were younger, we would attend events like this with our parents, but it has been years since we’ve been.

  The only reason I’m here tonight is that I let my mother guilt me into coming. Apparently, her friends have been sharing about the joys of being a grandparent. I guess she’s ready for her grandbabies since she sent my information to Elite Matchmaking Services and scheduled a consultation with the owner Delilah Rothschild, who is supposedly the best matchmaker in Atlanta.

  If Theo could see me standing here in a suit I will never wear again, he’d laugh. Usually, I’m a jeans and graphic tee kind of guy. I feel so out of place in the company of all these people. This is my mother’s thing, not mine. In Theo’s last email, he had a lot to say about making sure the woman I ended up with was vetted properly and wasn’t out to steal the family fortune. He has nothing to worry about. There have been women in the past who have tried to lure me in, but I wasn’t interested. I doubt I’ll find someone here tonight. Damn, it’s been too long since he’s been home. I can’t wait until my little brother gets back from the middle east and we can hang out instead of emailing back and forth.

  While at the meeting with Delilah I told her I wasn’t interested in finding someone. “You’re telling me if the right woman came along, one that was absolutely perfect for you, that you wouldn’t snatch her up?”

  She had a point. I’ve never looked for love, was never interested in finding someone before, hell I’ve never been out on a date or had a girlfriend. When I was younger, I was consumed with learning everything I could about computers. I never gave having a family a serious thought, always putting it off until I was older. Now here I am almost thirty and doing well in my career as head of technology in my father’s company, Stone Enterprises.

  After my meeting with Delilah, I got to thinking, what if on the slim chance that one woman happened to come into my life? There is no way in hell I would give her up. I called Delilah back a few hours after I had told her I wasn’t interested. She guaranteed that she would find me my match if I gave her two weeks of my time. I didn’t have anything to lose.

  Here I am a week later and no closer to finding anyone to call my own. I’ve met with Delilah a handful of times going over the things I find important, and a million other things that I wouldn’t have thought to find out about a person. She showed me a few women she thought I would be interested in, and while they seemed like a good match, there wasn’t any interest on my part. No one in this room looks the least bit interesting or worth my time either. I’d rather be at home designing my next app than listening to another woman looking entirely too hungry for the money in my bank account. I shoot back the rest of my whiskey and set the glass down on the bar.

  “What can I get you beautiful?” Leon, the bartender drawls, using a smooth southern twang he didn’t have when getting my drink order a few minutes ago.

  “A glass of champagne?” Comes a husky, but timid voice.

  My dick immediately hardens in my slacks, and I look over to find a petite, yet deliciously curvy woman standing to my left. Jackpot!

  “You’ve got it doll.”

  “Thank you.” She says when he h
ands her a glass filled halfway with the good stuff.

  “You need anything else beautiful, my name is Leon, I’d be happy to help you in any way you need.” He says coming on strong.

  “Another whiskey,” I say gruffly setting my drink down hard, making sure to grab his attention. I’m getting pissed watching how he’s looking at her.

  “Yes, Mr. Stone,” Leon says immediately becoming the professional bartender he was not five minutes prior.

  Once I get my drink, I sip it slowly, keeping my eye on the dark-haired beauty who looks scared out of her mind, yet determined to be here. The woman is trembling where she stands in a black dress that comes to right above her knees but is a bit lose on her. The longer I stare, the more I realize how out of place she looks compared to the other women at this event. Her long curly hair is worn down the middle of her back, while others have there’s in some fancy updo they probably spent hundreds of dollars on earlier today. Every other woman is sporting a full face of makeup, but she’s wearing very little, turning me on even more. Who is this woman and where the hell did she come from?

  “Mr. Stone, please stop staring at me. You’re making me nervous.”

  “I’m sorry. Where are my manners?” Reaching out my hand, I wait for her to place her hand in mine. “I’m Ford Stone, and you are?”

  She stares at my hand, and after a few seconds, she shakes it firmly, surprising me. “I’m Jasmine.”

  “Jasmine, you have a very beautiful name.”

  “Thank you.” She says blushing then turns to watch the people mingling around us. I follow her line of sight and see that she’s watching a woman, beautiful by most men’s standards, throw herself at yet another man tonight. She turns back to me and shakes her head. “How can she do it?”

  I shrug and look back at the woman, flirting heavily with a man who doesn’t seem the least bit interested. “I guess she’s looking for what we all are, she’s just going about it in an obvious way.”

  “Not me. I don’t need love.”

  I quirk my brow. “No? Then why are you here?”

  She sighs. “You’re going to think it’s ridiculous.”

  “Try me,” I smirk, curious as to what has brought this beautiful creature here tonight. Whatever it is, I’m thankful.

  Setting her barely drank glass of champagne on the bar, she takes a breath and turns her body to face me. Fuck me, she’s beyond beautiful. As long as she’s not a serial killer I don’t give a damn why she’s here. The only thing I need to know is she’s mine.

  She nibbles on her lip, and I can tell she’s nervous to tell me. “Have you ever heard of a marriage of convenience? Like you’re married on paper for whatever reason people need to do that sort of thing. You agree to be married for a certain amount of time and-”

  “So you want to find a man who wants a fake marriage?” I ask, extremely repulsed by the idea.

  She frowns. “It sounds dumb when you put it that way. I just want an equally benefitting partnership.”

  I take a step closer to her. “Whatever happened to finding that one person you are meant to be with?”

  Her sad eyes give her away before she speaks. “Fairy tales aren’t meant for girls like me Ford. I’m not worried about falling in love right now. There are more important things than happily ever afters in my world.”

  Taking another step closer, I’m only inches from her soft skin. I reach up and push some hair behind her ear. “What is more important than spending the rest of your life with the person you love?”

  Her breath catches in her throat and her pink tongue darts out of her mouth to wet her lips, and I know at that moment that I am gone over this woman, wholly and utterly.

  Chapter 2

  Jasmine

  “It doesn’t matter,” I say, not wanting to get into the details.

  He’s no longer that happy, carefree man he was a few minutes ago. “It matters to you. Matters enough that you’re willing to throw away part of your life with a man you don’t love.” He snaps, staring down at me like he owns real estate on my soul.

  God, he’s gorgeous with his dark hair, searing blue eyes and just enough facial hair to make me want to rub my face against. The man looks impressive standing there in his well-fitted suit. Even in my heels, he’s got to be over a foot taller than me, and I’m at least five eight in these shoes.

  “Jasmine, I’ve been looking for you. Excuse us, Ford, I have someone I need to introduce her to.” Delilah interrupts, rescuing me from telling him my sad life story.

  “It was very nice speaking with you Ford. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” I manage to get out before Delilah pulls us away. The last thing I want is for him to find one of these women attractive or think she’s right for him. Silly me can’t help but picture being that woman, but I don’t have time for what ifs and maybes. I need to meet a man who knows what he’s getting into. This marriage will be nothing but a business decision plain and simple.

  “That looked intense.”

  I nod. “It was getting to be, but you saved the day.”

  She looks back at Ford and then turns back with a frown. I look back to see him watching us closely.

  “I went over my client list and invited two men who I felt would be a good match and are only interested in a marriage on paper. While I’ve vetted these men and know they would follow through on the contract, I have to warn you, this is not a love match.”

  “I understand Delilah. You know why I’m doing this. I need to be married, the sooner, the better.”

  She smiles at me sadly. “I know, but damn I hate setting up couples when they aren’t going to last. That is not why I do this job. If you only had more time, I know I could find you someone that would be perfect for you.”

  “I’m just thankful you didn’t think I was a crazy person when I came in for my interview last month wearing my diner uniform and smelling like grease. Most people would have taken one look at me and shown me the door.”

  “That’s not who I am Jasmine. Come on, Jackson O’Leary is waiting, and he’s quite the catch, if only he weren’t still hung up on his high school sweetheart that is happily married with four babies.”

  “That’s sad.”

  “It is. He needs a wife as a companion and to show that he’s a serious family man. He’s looking to make partner at his law firm, and they’re only looking at people who can show they are committed.”

  Walking up to a handsome man that is staring down at his phone, Delilah clears her throat.

  “Jackson this is Jasmine, the woman I spoke to you about.”

  His smile brightens when he really looks me over. “Oh, I think this arrangement could work out very well for both of us.”

  My stomach twists the moment he grabs my hand and kisses the back of it. I smile politely, but on the inside, I’m wondering if it would be rude to wipe off his kiss. He starts rambling on about business dinners and how I’d feel about hosting parties at our home. I start tuning him out, already bored with everything that is coming out of his mouth.

  “Of course, you’ll need a new wardrobe, strike that, you’ll need a new look altogether. I’ll have my secretary make you an appointment at the salon in my building and then I’ll have my personal shopper meet us at my condo. I’d also like to introduce you at my firm’s New Year's Eve party so we will need to be married before then.”

  The more he talks, the more I feel as though I’m suffocating. I can’t do this. I thought I could, but there is no way I can spend the foreseeable future tied to a man like him. “Excuse me, I need to use the ladies room,” I say interrupting whatever it was he was going on about.

  Backing away, I spare Delilah a quick glance and see she’s frowning. Shit, I hate disappointing people, especially people like her who have been so nice and have given me a chance when most wouldn’t. With tears pricking my eyes, I rush out of the hall not paying any attention to where I’m going. I walk quickly, needing to get away from here as soon as possible. When I’m f
ar enough away from all the noise, I look up only to find the man from the bar leaning against a wall glaring at his phone.

  I’m about to turn around before he sees me when I stumble over the heels I borrowed from Christine, one of the servers at the diner I still work at. She’s gorgeous but is a tad bit curvier than me and taller.

  “Jasmine?” He calls as he nears me, but I’m too embarrassed to look up. What girl wants to trip in front of a man she finds sexy and has been thinking about since she saw him? If I ignore him will he just walk away and leave me to my pity party?

  Ford crouches right beside me and lifts my chin, so I’m looking up at him. “Beautiful girl, look at me.” Damn, if I were looking for love, he would be the exact kind of man I would be looking for.

  “That’s better. Here, let me help you up.” Standing, he grabs my arms to help me up, but the pain is too much, and I cry out and fall unable to support my weight on an ankle I didn’t realize was twisted. Before I hit the ground, Ford sweeps me into his arms, one arm around my back and the other under my knees.

  “Well, that won’t do, will it? Let’s get some ice for that ankle, hmm?” He asks staring into my eyes.

  I nod and allow him to carry me into an elevator. When the doors close, I start wondering where he’s taking me. “Where are we going?”

  “To get ice, in my room.”

  He has a room? Of course, a man that looks like him does. Probably so he could bring some woman up. I struggle in his hold not liking the thought of him and another woman one bit. “Easy tiger, I’d hate to drop such precious cargo because you were moving all over the place.”

  “Let me down,” I demand, but the second I do, the bell dings and the doors open to his floor. Instead of letting me down, he strides swiftly down the hall with a smug grin across his face. Stopping in front of a room, he deftly pulls a keycard from his pocket and flashes it in front of the sensor unlocking his door. He has us in the suite and me on the bed in seconds, propped up against the pillows.