A Heart For Christmas (Heartwarming Romance) Read online

  A Heart For Christmas

  Callie Timmins

  Copyright © 2019 by Callie Timmins

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organisations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination, or used fictitiously. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover design: Stunning Book Covers

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  “You might want to answer this.” Miriam poked her head through the door of Dr. Caleb Hunter’s office and waved a pager in her hand. “It’s been buzzing for the past fifteen minutes, and now they’re on the phone. Something about an urgent case.”

  “Tell them I’ve gone home.” Caleb wearily raised his head and eyed his silver-haired secretary hovering in the doorway.

  “They’ll call your cell.”

  “It’s on silent. Tell them I’m busy. Tell them I’ve another case to attend.” He ran both hands through his dark hair and sighed. “Tell them I was taken in the rapture. Honestly, Miriam, I don’t care. I’ve been here since ridiculous o’clock this morning. I’m just not interested in another case tonight.” And he certainly didn’t have the unwavering focus required to perform a cardiac procedure when he was utterly exhausted.

  His secretary of over a decade crossed her arms, the folds of her skin bulging beneath her fingertips, and tapped the toe of her beige-colored flat on the ground. Miriam Stewart had been by Caleb’s side since the early years of his private practice. She organized his life both at work and at home, had known both his children since they were born, and had supported him through the devastating loss of his wife after the birth of their second child. She was a petite woman who stood for no nonsense, and he’d come to love and respect her firm yet loving nature.

  Miriam peered over the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose and smiled softly. “You sound beat. You should go home and get some rest. And give those children of yours a big hug.”

  Caleb rubbed his hands over his face. He’d been at the Metropolitan Hospital since six that morning. It was now nearing five in the evening and the sun had almost descended behind the dull gray buildings of the hospital campus, reminding him that yet another day had all but passed without seeing his children, Lucas and Molly. He ignored the guilt and the real reason of his reluctance to leave the familiar surroundings of the hospital, and lifted his gaze to Miriam’s.

  “Would you mind telling whoever it is that I won’t take it? Not tonight. They can call Dr. Maloney or Dr. Abraham.”

  “No problem,” Miriam replied. “I’m glad you’re being sensible. But please promise me you’ll go straight home. No staying on and finding extra things to do.” A flicker of concern flashed through her blue eyes.

  “Yes, Mom.” He forced a smile as his loyal secretary returned to the reception area to tidy up. With all the overtime she clocked, she was well deserving of a Christmas bonus this year.

  Guilt gnawed at Caleb as he dropped his head into his hands. He needed to stop making excuses to stay late. All the other specialists managed to go home on time and be with their families at the end of each day. But the thought of being at home at night, alone, made his stomach knot.

  His children would be tucked up asleep, and he would go through the motions of checking in on them before he collapsed into his large empty bed, fighting insomnia and the painful memories tearing at his heart, reminding him of all they’d lost.

  Two hours later, Caleb pulled his silver Audi into the garage of the two level home in Upper Manhattan. The upstairs windows were darkened, while the internal lights sliced through the downstairs curtains, casting their beams across the manicured front lawn. Grabbing his briefcase, Caleb locked the car and slipped into the house almost slamming straight into Grace, the family’s nanny, as she strode out of the dining room.

  “Oh, Dr. Hunter. I’m so glad to see you.” Grace clutched one hand against her chest and the lines on her forehead deepened as she glanced up at him. Her dark hair, streaked with white, was pulled tight into a bun and she gnawed on her lower lip.

  “Is everything okay, Grace?” Caleb placed his briefcase on the hall table and unbuttoned the cuffs of his sleeves before turning his gaze back on the woman who’d been in his employ since the birth of Lucas. In her mid-fifties, Grace had been a godsend helping Camille while he worked long hours. A lump lodged in his throat at the thought of his late wife, and he undid the top button of his shirt to relieve its constricting hold around his throat.

  “Yes. Well, not really.” She twisted the hem of her blouse in her fingers and lowered her gaze. “The children are in bed, and your dinner is in the oven. But, I have to return home. It’s my mother.”

  Home for Grace was in Sydney, Australia. She’d moved to New York City thirty years ago, where she’d met and married her late husband, Robert. Being a nanny was her joy when she couldn’t have children of her own, and the love she poured out onto Lucas and Molly helped ease Caleb’s guilt at being a somewhat absent father.

  Caleb frowned and clasped Grace’s shoulders, holding her still. “What’s wrong with your mother?”

  Grace fanned a hand in front of her tear-filled eyes. “She’s taken ill. My sister is with her now, but they don’t know how long she has left. I need to go. I’m so sorry. I’ll send for my belongings.”

  “Of course.” Caleb stepped back, watching as Grace tucked a coat over her arm and picked up the small suitcase he hadn’t noticed earlier sitting by the front door. “No need to apologize. You go and look after your mother. Family is everything.”

  He choked on his words. Family was everything. Or it had been, until his had been torn apart. Family. It was something he needed to keep reminding himself day after difficult day. Even though Camille was gone, Molly and Lucas still needed him.

  After ensuring Grace had been safely deposited into a cab to take her to JFK, Caleb loosened his tie and pulled the plate of roast beef and vegetables from the oven. Sitting at the long oak dining table, he only managed a few mouthfuls of the home cooked meal before lowering the fork to his plate. He felt dwarfed by the expansive room with its nine foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. It was too lonely. Too quiet.

  Drumming his fingers on the table, he glanced around at the comfortable furnishings – the display cabinet against the far wall housing crystal and china he’d never used, the ornate pendant lights hanging from the ceiling, and the seven empty leather high-backed chairs around the table. Artwork and ornaments adorned the walls, all mementos from his travels overseas with Camille before they h
ad children. A deep pain of longing welled in his chest as he pushed back his chair and carried his barely touched meal to the kitchen.

  What was the point of owning such a large home and the finest things if he was never home to enjoy them? It was becoming quite the habit to eat by himself. How many meals had he wasted because food didn’t taste quite as good when eating alone? And what was he supposed to do now without Grace? Who would look after the children? Who would run the household?

  After downing a glass of water, he flicked off the lights and made his way upstairs. Coming off the back of an exhausting day at the hospital, it was all too much to think about.

  A nightlight glowed in the hall, and Caleb quietly nudged open Lucas’s door; his feet padded across the soft carpet to the bed. Running a hand over his son’s mop of dark hair, Caleb pulled the blanket over his shoulders and tucked it around his chin.

  “Good night, buddy,” he whispered before crossing the floor. He gently pulled the door partway closed before entering Molly’s room across the hall. A rainbow of colors splashed across the ceiling from the lamp on the nightstand.

  Clutching her favorite teddy bear to her chest, Molly’s blonde curls spiraled across her pillow, and small snores emanated from her mouth. Exactly like Camille. Leaning down, Caleb placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Molly stirred briefly as he straightened the bedclothes.

  “Sweet dreams, sweetheart.”

  Once in his own room, Caleb perched on the edge of the king-sized bed and removed his socks, balled them up and tossed them to the clothes hamper by the door. It was the same routine every night. Every single day to be exact. Get up at dawn. Go to work. Come home late. Eat alone. Miss seeing the children. And try hard to ignore the emptiness consuming him.

  How much longer could he go on like this? It had been easy to focus on his work when Camille died. His patients needed him, and he buried his grief in diagnosing and healing others.

  Grace, bless her, kept things running smoothly at home, shielding the children from his absence as he drowned in grief. He hadn’t needed to worry about anything except his work. But deep inside, he knew he was broken. And he couldn’t do a thing about it.

  Lying in bed, Caleb stretched out a hand and ran his fingers over the smooth sheets. The cold, empty space beside him taunted him and reminded him of what a failure he was. He was a leading cardiologist, for crying out loud. Over the course of his career, he had led innovative research into new heart valves and cardiac care in the elderly. He’d published numerous journal articles and offered treatment when other specialists had refused. And yet, he couldn’t save his own wife’s life when she’d had a cardiac arrest.

  Grace had found her in the living room, and he’d rushed home, shoving aside the paramedics in an attempt to save his beloved Camille. From his medical training, he knew she stood no chance against the pulmonary embolus that had only been discovered after the autopsy. But part of him argued he should’ve noticed the symptoms. He should have been at home instead of taking on an extra case at the hospital.

  His mind was a battleground; a constant wrestling between knowing the facts and believing the reality. And the guilt and constant loneliness refused to let him go. Flinging one arm over his eyes, he willed sleep to come before he got up and repeated the same soulless existence again tomorrow.

  * * *

  “Dad?”

  Caleb’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of Lucas’s voice. What day was it? He was never home when the kids woke up. Surely it wasn’t Saturday already. Glancing at his watch, he groaned. Wednesday. Darn! Somehow he’d slept through his alarm, and now he was going to be late for clinic.

  “What is it, son?” He tossed aside the bedcovers and lowered his feet to the floor.

  “I don’t know what to eat for breakfast. And Grace isn’t here.” Wide brown eyes followed his every movement as Caleb strode to the walk-in-robe and flicked through the neatly ironed shirts before selecting a pale blue business shirt.

  “Just …” Grace wasn’t there? She normally arrived early and prepared breakfast for the family before getting the children ready for school. Through his fog-addled brain, he recalled her frantic departure the evening before. Of course. No wonder Lucas looked lost. With a sigh, he tossed the shirt on the bed and clasped Lucas’s shoulder.

  “Go and wash up for school. Make sure Molly’s awake too. I’ll be downstairs soon.”

  “But what can I eat?” Lucas whined.

  “I’ll find something. Go and get ready. I’m already running late.”

  Pinching the bridge of his nose, Caleb drew a deep breath. He’d have to call Miriam to delay his first appointment while he drove the children to school and kindergarten. And then he’d ask if she would mind picking them up and looking after them until he got home that night. He knew what he was asking was way beyond her secretarial duties, but without any other options, he didn’t have a choice. She definitely deserved a Christmas bonus this year.

  Chapter 2

  Static filled the sky-blue hatchback as Kara Savell dialed the knob on the radio, trying to find a station that wasn’t full of early morning chatter. She didn’t need endless talk about climate change or politics droning through the car. She wanted, no, needed, music to distract her from the endless stream of negative self-talk filling her mind. The doubts. The insecurities. The self-pity. The wrestling with her decision to leave her hometown of Stonesville and start afresh in a new city.

  The gray light of dawn filled the sky, and the first hues of gold kissed the horizon as she focused on the endless stretch of highway before her. The lights of New York City twinkled in the distance, offering a glimmer of hope as she left the dark shadows of her old life far behind her.

  Glancing at the clock on the dashboard, Kara hoped she’d make it to Marie’s apartment before rush hour hit. That’s all she needed. To be stuck bumper to bumper with time to dwell on her humiliation.

  Admittedly, she should have been more excited visiting her cousin in the city that never sleeps. Heaven knew she’d fallen in love with the sights and sounds the previous times she’d paid a visit to the Big Apple. However, the circumstances of her visit, her escape if she were to be more specific, weighed heavy on her heart and left her uncertain about what the future held.

  A mere two weeks ago, she’d been living the dream. Or so she thought. The perfect life with a steady fiancé, a steady job and a steady group of friends in the town she’d called home forever. Perhaps that’s what the problem was. Everything was too steady. Too perfect.

  Everyone assumed Steve was the perfect gentleman, and it was a given that the two of them, sweethearts since high school, would marry and live their happily-ever-after. But that was before the perfect surprise for Steve turned into a nightmare for Kara. The fishing charter voucher she’d purchased for his birthday had been torn into pieces and tossed in the trash. A stark reminder of just how wrong she’d been about their relationship, and how humiliated she’d been when she discovered Steve cozied up with a gorgeous brunette perusing the lunch specials at the neighboring town’s bed & breakfast.

  Of course Steve denied anything was going on with the brunette; she was only a business acquaintance. Kara had laughed – and then burst into tears. She knew for a fact that business acquaintances never got that cozy over a meal; she shuddered at the thought of cozying up with her overweight, balding boss. She didn’t know what was worse – the betrayal after so many years together, the fact that she’d been so blind to any indication that all was not right in her world, or that Steve outright lied to her without any inclination of remorse.

  All of a sudden, her perfect life lay in tatters. Her job as a personal assistant at Ryerson’s Law Firm was boring and lacked direction. She couldn’t even go to the market or catch up for coffee with the few friends she had without people muttering their condolences.

  After a few weeks of feeling sorry for herself, sobbing herself to sleep and blowing her way through copious boxes of tissues, she packed up her apar
tment, returned the diamond ring and the new furnishings she’d purchased for their home, and tossed all mementos of Steve in the trash. She couldn’t continue to live with the shame of his betrayal, or the pitiful glances that followed her around town. So when her cousin, Marie, invited her to stay in her spare room for a break, Kara jumped at the chance to escape.

  And now here she was, on the interstate, with all her worldly possessions packed into the trunk of her car and empty coffee cups and mint wrappers strewn across the floor. She pushed aside the niggling doubts of an unknown future and gripped the steering wheel, convincing herself she was doing the right thing.

  The jingle of a ring tone cut through her thoughts. Holding back a yawn, Kara adjusted the hands-free set and answered.

  “Morning.” Marie’s voice croaked in her ear. “Where are you?”

  Kara glanced at the GPS. “Good morning to you too. I’m about half an hour out.”

  “Great! The kids will be off to school by the time you arrive. I’ve taken the day off work, so I can help you settle in.”

  “You don’t have to do that!” Kara protested, although she looked forward to enjoying a real cup of coffee, not some dirt-flavored water from a truck stop, and chatting with her cousin. It had been far too long since she’d seen Marie and her family.

  “I know, but I want to. Any excuse not to work, right?” Marie chuckled.