Coming Home to Christmas Cove

nt glistening in the early morning sun. He wanted to get an early start while the sun was

end, gave him a manly slap on the arm. "Stop when

d Christmas." He pulled back and his lips curled into a

guys who couldn't go home, either. He had been Caden's best friend as soon as he arrived in NAB (Naval Amphibious Base) Coron

ven his worth when he saved Brock from sniper fire one day when they were o

come home with me?" Caden asked,

n't have as much time off as Caden. "No, no

, well, I have a bi

Including basic training and BUD/S, he had been in the Navy for eight long years. And although he love

o visit him and stayed in town. But when they begged him to come home for Christmas, he had always found an excuse not to go. Over time

eaned against his car, ready to go, too. "You'll

llory. Lately, he hadn't talked of anything or anyone else b

ed," Broc

ry? You wouldn't say

's t

n shrugged. "She wanted to get out of Christmas Cove just as much

devilish smile. "Model, huh? Well, who kn

. Well, I gotta go." He pulled him in

r. Believe it or not, Brock went out with them when his parents came to town and h

and rolled down the window. "Hey!

that leaves me wide

oment to appreciate the power rumbling through the steering wheel and under his seat. As he watched Brock pull a

hing so flashy... until he thought of Mallory. Then when he saw the Corvette, he just couldn't re

ator. He was tempted to open it up, but knew it was too dangerous and didn't want to chance fate. The car had more power than just about any other car he

ake her with him, tugging at his heart. But he had to go to boot camp first. When he had asked her to wait for him, she told him to forget it.

And would it have killed her to wait for him a few months, maybe even a year, until he cou

ght Mallory broke up with him, she had told him that she didn't love him and that she never had, saying cruel things that she knew would hurt him. But he thought that it was only the anger

till wanted to move, he could take her with him, even if he decided to leave the Navy. But knowing his luck, she had probably already moved to California and achieved h

s tired, there was snow on the ground, it was dark out, and he was getting hungry. After h

at four o'clock. Good. The jewelry store would still be open. When he used to live t

the North Pole... or what he had always dreamed it would be. Even the gazebo in the center of town was decorated. The living Christmas tree had grown taller over the years and was decorated for the holiday. And as if ordered especially for the town, snow covered the park lawn. But the festiv

parents later. Then he walked into the jewelry store and a beautiful blonde woman stood behind the counter. When she looked up,