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      Dear Reader,

      Christmas inspires us all. There is something about the month of December that encourages people to give of their hearts, their time and their money. For causes, big and small. And to the benefit of friends and family and the people in their lives that they love most of all. But what do we do when a child asks for something we just can’t give?

      Travis Carson is in that predicament. His daughters, four-and-a-half-year-old Sophie and three-and-a-half-year-old Mia, want a mummy for Christmas, and they expect Santa to bring them one. Travis explains this isn’t possible. And, because he wants his two little girls to be happy, begins looking for other ways to give them more of the feminine influence they need in their lives.

      His best friend and neighbour, Holly Baxter, does not have that problem. Her three-and-a-half-year-old twin sons, Tucker and Tristan, have never really known the father who deserted them shortly after birth, and they don’t seem to particularly want a daddy, either. The problem is, their dad is suddenly interested in seeing them again. And Holly isn’t sure if this is a gift or a calamity in the making.

      Travis and Holly tackle these two problems the same way they approach every other challenge in their single-parent families—together! And before they know it, the Christmas season is bringing them one very wonderful gift, too.

      Happy holidays to you and all your loved ones!

       Cathy Gillen Thacker

      About the Author

      CATHY GILLEN THACKER is married and a mother of three. She and her husband spent eighteen years in Texas, and now reside in North Carolina. Her mysteries, romantic comedies and heart-warming family stories have made numerous appearances on bestseller lists, but her best reward, she says, is knowing one of her books made someone’s day a little brighter. A popular author for many years, she loves telling passionate stories with happy endings, and thinks nothing beats a good romance and a hot cup of tea! You can visit Cathy’s website at www.cathygillenthacker.com for more information on her upcoming and previously published books, recipes and a list of her favourite things.

      Chapter One

      Travis Carson did not know what he would do without his next-door neighbor, Holly Baxter. And frankly, he did not ever want to find out. The divorced single mom was always on hand to help him out with his two young daughters. And he did the same for Holly and her twin boys. Their kids attended the same Fort Worth, Texas, preschool. Weekdays, they shared a nanny. Weekends, depending on their individual schedules, a little more.

      But most of all, they were friends. And right now he needed a friend with a mother’s heart—and accompanying wisdom.

      “So what’s the problem?” Holly dodged a Christmas piñata and slipped into the booth of the popular Tex-Mex restaurant. She shrugged out of her trendy red wool coat and gloves, then leaned across the table to be heard above the festive strains of “Feliz Navidad,” playing in the background. “I assume it has something to do with the kids?”

      Travis nodded. He reached into the pocket of the black down vest he wore to ward off the chill at the construction site, and handed over an envelope addressed to the North Pole. “Read it and weep. I did.”

      Clearly debating whether to take the situation seriously or not, Holly wrinkled her nose, and worked open the seal.

      Across the aisle, a tableful of guys in suits were staring admiringly her way. Travis couldn’t blame them. At thirty-three, Holly seemed to get more beautiful by the day. Her long golden-brown hair was silky, soft and incredibly glossy. Her skin held the warm glow that came from living in a sunny climate, her five-foot-six frame the sleek, sexy look of a woman who worked out regularly. There was a lot to admire about her lovely girl-next-door features, but it was the genuine trustworthiness radiating from her wide-set aquamarine eyes that really drew him in. It wasn’t just that they were friends—Holly seemed accessible to him in a way no other woman ever had. Which was what made all that ogling from that group of guys all the more annoying. Travis turned and gave them a look.

      They got the hint and turned away.

      Meanwhile, Holly was transfixed by at the letter she had unfolded. With a curious lift of her elegant brow, she read out loud the words that had haunted him since breakfast.

      “Dear Santa,

      “We have been very good this year so please bring us the only thing we want this year—a mommy. “Hugs and kisses, Sophie and Mia.”

      The bottom and margins of the page were decorated with childish scrawls, stickers and lots of X’s and O’s.

      Holly set the letter down. “Wow.” She rummaged in the canvas carryall that served as her handbag. “It’s almost as good as the letter Tucker and Tristan dictated to me last night.”

      Travis kicked back in his seat, enjoying their usual camaraderie. “You can’t beat that.”

      Grinning, she handed over the letter. “Read it and weep.”

      In the margins of the boys’ letter, were crude drawings of airplanes and trucks.

      “Dear Santa,

      “We want a spaceship big enough to fly away in.

      “Love, Tucker and Tristan.”

      The waitress appeared with a basket of crisp tortilla chips, still hot from the fryer, and some freshly made salsa. She stayed long enough to take their orders, then disappeared.

      “So what are you going to do?” Holly asked.

      Travis

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