As they went to the till to pay for the tree, Garen came to a sudden stop beside a display of assorted greenery.
Simon looked up to see what he was staring at. In the corner of the display, beside a column of holly wreaths, hung several sprigs of mistletoe.
“Shall we get some of that?” Garen asked.
Simon cleared his throat. “It might add a touch of…” Extreme awkwardness. “Fun?”
“Definitely.” Garen grabbed the biggest mistletoe garland, bunched with painted-snow pine needles and cones. “Something for guests to kiss under at our party.”
Simon took the mistletoe so Garen could push his wheelchair over the dirt path toward the till. He ran his fingers over the white berries, his mind blending memories and fantasies of their mouths melding in passion. He was strong enough now to stand on his own beneath this mistletoe, strong enough to hold Garen in his arms while they kissed.
He was strong enough now to do a lot of things.
***
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Garen McLaren is a bit of a mess. But so what? His curling teammates adore his manic energy, and so do the kids he teaches. And nobody does Christmas like Garen. (Snow globes in October? Why not?) He’s vowed to make this year’s holiday the best ever, despite his hot but Scrooge-y new flatmate.
Simon Andreou is a bit of a control freak. The pressures of a new job in a new city are making his head spin. The last thing he needs is an agent of chaos like Garen for a flatmate—much less the memory of their single naked night together.
Just as this odd couple are fumbling toward friendship, a debilitating setback steals Simon’s precious control over life and limb. To be there for Simon, Garen must learn to stop running away when things get tough. And Simon must learn that accepting kindness can be a gift in itself—at Christmas and all year through.
This holiday season, treat yourself to this heartwarming stand-alone novel where love defies fear and gingerbread defies gravity!
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