“Here we go, Mama.” Dr. Jenkins laid the baby on Tess’s chest.
The baby blinked up at her with wide blue eyes. She was so tiny, and the love welling up in Tess’s heart was so huge.
“Hi. Hi there. I’m your mama.” She looked up to find tears streaming down her new husband’s face. “This is your Daddy.”
He reached out a trembling finger to stroke the baby’s cheek. “Hey, baby girl. Hey there, Vivi.”
“Vivi?”
“I was thinking Vivi Anne. We’re big on using family names in the south.”
“Vivi Anne Campbell.” Tess tested the sound of it and smiled. “That’s perfect.”
“I think you can kiss the bride now—ow!”
“Shut up! They’re having a moment.”
Tess couldn’t tell who was talking and didn’t care. She was too focused on Mitch’s as he grinned down at her.
“The peanut gallery is not wrong. I love you.”
As he reached out to cup Tess’s cheek, bending to press his lips to hers, she realized they’d really done it. They got married. And she couldn’t imagine a more perfect beginning to the rest of forever.
Choose Your Next Romance!
Remember our sweet waitress Hannah Wheeler? She’s up next in the Wishful lineup. Her story, A Lot Like Christmas, features plenty of Casserole Patrol and is certain to brighten the heart of even the grinchest of Grinches—including Army Ranger Ryan Malone.
If you’d rather pop over and read Miranda’s story, then take a walk on the slightly shadowier side of Wishful with Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Book 3 in the Wishing for a Hero series. This one includes derring do, public serenading, and plenty of interfering Campbells.
Can’t decide? Keep turning the pages for a sneak peek of both!
Sneak Peek A Lot Like Christmas
Book # 11 Wishful Romance
Jaded Army medic Ryan Malone never expected his next mission would bring him back from Afghanistan to tiny Wishful, Mississippi. His great uncle's health is failing and the cantankerous old coot has pushed everyone in the family away. Ryan is their last resort to get Uncle Myron to move into assisted living before he breaks a hip--or something worse. He's looking to get in, get it done, and get back out. That definitely doesn't include taking time out for a sweet-faced waitress with a heart bigger than the Atlantic.
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Interior designer Hannah Wheeler is a long way from the high-powered clients of her old Atlanta firm. Despite the fact that she's currently spending her days waiting tables, she's discovered she really enjoys the small town life she found with her sister. This Christmas season, she's finally ready to introduce Wishful to her true capabilities by using her skills to spread some holiday spirit. But with the Malone men, she's definitely got her work cut out for her.
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Will Hannah's evergreen cheer thaw their frosty hearts and remind the two that the most important part of the holidays is family?
Chapter One
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“Sugar, are you tying utensils on that Christmas tree?”
Undeterred by the Girl, you crazy tone, Hannah Wheeler finished attaching the dessert fork to a branch with a short piece of jute and shot a look over her shoulder at Omar Buckley, official master of the kitchens at Dinner Belles Diner. Taking advantage of the mid-afternoon lull, he leaned against the counter and watched her with undisguised bafflement.
“You can’t judge until I’m done. Trust me.” By the time she finished with the tree, the whole thing would be cute, kitchy, and scream “diner.” It was just the first phase in her holiday plan to introduce Wishful to the skills she had besides carting trays and taking orders. The phase that would hopefully prove to them—and to herself—that she had the chops to pursue the rest of her revised dream.
Janelle Duncan, the other waitress on duty, was a lot more interested in checking out Omar and his former running back’s body than in Hannah’s efforts at decorating. Hannah wasn’t overly concerned with the lack of cheerleading. In her previous life, she’d had far more difficult clients to please, and she’d always come through in the end. She’d learned that people usually didn’t have any vision until someone showed it to them. And that was fine. Hannah had enough vision for all of them.
Grabbing a spoon and more jute, she turned back to the tree and jolted. A man stood on the other side of the window, peering inside. Hannah could hardly see his eyes past the scruff of a beard and the oily, matted hair. His shoulders were hunched against the unseasonably cold weather, and no wonder. The thin denim jacket—worn and stained—was hardly sufficient for the early December temperatures. Seeing the Army green duffle over his shoulder, her heart softened. She had a particular weakness for down-on-their-luck veterans. Offering a friendly smile, she waved for him to come inside.