Read the first chapter of A Daughter For Christmas.
If Jacqui Williams never saw Xavier Washington or Madison Porter again for the rest of her life, it would be too soon. Unfortunately for her, not only was she stuck at the exclusive Cerulean Hideaway Resort with them, but she was also a member of the couple’s bridal party.
Jacqui stabbed her straw into her virgin mango daiquiri and scowled at the couple a few feet away. They were so engrossed in each other that they hadn’t noticed her.
How would they react if she climbed onto the bar counter and belted a song about being brokenhearted?
She eyed the glossy counter. It seemed sturdy enough to bear her weight. Was that the reason Xavier had overlooked her twice? Because she wasn’t rail-thin like the women he preferred?
Her lip curled at his shallowness.
“Careful.”
Her gaze snapped up at the murmur. The bartender swiped a rag over the counter near her. He was a couple of inches taller than her, which wasn’t saying much since she was only five feet six inches tall. He was broad-shouldered with the build of someone who used to play football but hadn’t maintained his workouts. Solid but not muscle-bound.
“Are you talking to me?”
He hadn’t glanced at her, but no one else was on her side of the bar.
“Yes. Didn’t your parents tell you not to make faces for fear it would become permanent?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Or why this man felt the need to comment on it.
He snorted. “Oh, please. You’ve been glaring at that couple since they came in.”
Uh-oh. She was doing a poor job of hiding her disdain if a stranger detected it so easily.
“Which is odd,” he angled his head, “since I’m certain I spotted you with them earlier. Let me guess,” the bartender abandoned the pretense of cleaning the counter and leaned across it instead. “You were friends until she stole your boyfriend.”
The faint scent of coconut and sea salt lingered in the air, mixing with the sweetness of her daiquiri.
“Are you hoping to win him back?”
He met her gaze, and his amber eyes arrested Jacqui. The light brown was so startling against his dark skin that she couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t even breathe.
“Is that it?”
“What? No.” Jacqui shook her head to reclaim the threads of the conversation.
“Hmm, I used to be good at this.” He tapped his chin. “You’re coworkers and she got the coveted promotion and the guy everyone’s half in love with?”
She pursed her lips. “Are you a failed playwright or something?”
He smirked.
“A down-on-his-luck author? An actor trying to become a director?”
“Excellent guesses, but I’m just a guy tending a bar.”
“And doing a lousy job, in my opinion.”
“Why do you say that? Was the drink not to your liking?” He reached for the blender. “I can make you another.”
“No.” Jacqui reached toward him, already regretting her snarky comment. “It was delicious.” One of the best she’d ever tasted. “I was being rude and wondering what I’ve done to earn your single-minded focus.”
His smirk widened into a grin, and she noticed how handsome he was.
“You’re my only patron.” He waved at the deserted bar.
She scanned the dimly lit space. “Where did everyone go?”
“There’s a party at the main villa.” He gathered the ingredients for a daiquiri and tossed them in the blender. “Maybe now you’ll feel comfortable telling me why you glared at that couple earlier.”
Spill her deepest secrets? Reveal the humiliation she’d lived with all these years to a stranger? She mentally shrugged. Why not?
It’s not like she had anyone to confide in. Besides, after this week, she’d never see this bartender again.
“He’s my sister’s husband.”
The bartender’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say a word.
“No,” she rubbed her eyes. “It’s not what you think.” She took a deep breath and tried to explain without sounding like a loser.
“My sister’s dead.” Jacqui winced at her blunt words. “She died four years ago. The woman with him is his fiancee. They’re getting married this week.”
“Ah,” the bartender nodded. “I see.”
She got the feeling that he did understand. Her shoulders slumped, and she propped her elbow on the counter, dropping her chin into her palm. “I saw him first.”
She’d met Xavier in high school when she joined the IT Club. He’d been the president and the nicest person on the team.
“I introduced him to my sister.”
She never expected Alicia, her beautiful, outgoing sister, to fall for Xavier, the nerd, but that’s what happened.
“You thought after she died he’d turn to you for comfort.”
Jacqui’s entire body flushed. That sounded dreadful—as if she was a sicko willing to settle for being a replacement wife in Xavier’s life.
Aren’t you?
Her inner voice’s contribution to the conversation was unwelcome.
Yet, wasn’t that what she had done? For three years, she’d kept Xavier’s house. She’d cooked, washed his clothes, cleaned up after him, and cared for his child—hoping he’d see her as more than Alicia’s little sister.
If he hadn’t moved to Orange Valley and insisted she stay in Idlewood, she would have remained his unpaid slave.
“It wouldn’t have worked.” The bartender’s voice was surprisingly gentle. “Relationships with an uneven division of power often fail.” Pain flashed across his face, and Jacqui felt compassion for him.
“The woman who let you go was a fool.”
The words slipped out of their own volition, but she sensed the truth. Any man who could listen to a stranger spill her pathetic story with kindness had a core of decency.
He gave her a close-mouthed smile. “And one day you’ll meet a man who appreciates you.”
“Ha.” She laughed without humor. “Who’ll fall in love with a woman like me?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He bit off the words, his expression fierce.
“Look at me.” She gestured to herself.
Usually, she didn’t care about her appearance, preferring loose clothing that hid her unwanted extra pounds. Ten seconds with the women she would spend the week with had given her an inferiority complex.
They weren’t all thin like the Porter twins, but everyone was gorgeous.
“The only thing wrong with you is that your attitude stinks.”
“My attitude?” Jacqui recoiled. “You’re the one snarling at me.”
“You’re right.” He brought himself under control with visible effort. “Men appreciate women who appear to have everything together. You lack confidence.”
Her eyes darted away, unable to bear his scrutiny.
“That’s what I’m talking about. Look me in the eye.” He leaned across the counter, daring her. “Come on,” he cajoled. “You know you want to.”
Jacqui bit her lip and contemplated his statement. Was he right? Her eyes scurried around the room, searching for an excuse not to accept his challenge.
He was telling the truth. She was a twenty-eight-year-old woman afraid to make eye contact with a man.
She forced herself to look at him, eyes traveling up the broad nose to rest on his amber gaze. Her breath hitched. She wanted to break the contact, which felt too intimate, as if he saw past the facade she donned around others.
“There you go.” His approving murmur stirred up emotions she couldn’t name.
Jacqui pinched herself on the thigh, willing herself to stare at him, although it killed her.
“You have beautiful eyes.”
“No, I don’t.” Her denial was swift.
His lips curved. “I’m the one looking at you. A man wants someone who can meet his gaze without fear. It inspires confidence in us. Self-confidence is the most beautiful thing a woman can wear.”
A Daughter for Christmas (Christmas with the Porters Book 4)
Table of Contents
He’s hiding behind a false name; she’s hiding behind her insecurities—can Christmas bring them the love they both deserve?
Jacqui Williams never thought she’d spend Christmas as a bridesmaid watching her secret crush marry someone else—again. But things take a surprising turn when she meets a charming bartender at the luxurious Cerulean resort.
“Gray Isaacs” offers advice on what men want, and in exchange, Jacqui helps him bond with his daughter. She doesn’t know that Gray is actually Graham Isaacson, the billionaire owner of the resort, hiding behind a secret identity and a heart full of wounds.
Jacqui’s makeover—Christmas magic and a little matchmaking from Graham’s daughter—sparks a connection neither expected. But when his true identity is revealed, Jacqui’s insecurities threaten to tear them apart. Can a Christmas miracle—and faith in a love greater than their pasts—bring them together?
A heartwarming holiday romance about finding beauty within, unexpected love, and the gentle nudge of God’s grace.
Read the other books in the series