Jingle Bell Magic: A Colorado Billionaires Christmas Story Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Blurb

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Regina's Books

  Regina's Bio

  JINGLE BELL MAGIC

  A Colorado Billionaires Christmas Story

  by

  Regina Duke

  Jingle Bell Magic: A Colorado Billionaires Christmas Story

  Copyright © 2015 Linda White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from Regina Duke. www.reginaduke.com

  This book is a work of fiction and all characters exist solely in the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any references to places, events or locales are used in a fictitious manner.

  Digital ISBN 978-0-9862903-6-7

  Formatted by StevieDeInk StevieDeInk.com

  Cover Design Copyright © 2015 StevieDeInk

  Cover images © Sakurako and Fotolia

  Mina is feeling a bit sorry for herself as her shop manager is about to be married. Little does she know, the man of her dreams is closer than she thinks. Can Santa Claus bring Mina a Prince Charming for Christmas? Find out in this charming Christmas story from USA Today Bestselling Author Regina Duke.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Two days before Christmas

  Mina stood at the door of her Boutique and watched the snow falling softly on the late afternoon shoppers. It felt strange to be running the sales and watching the clerks move decorations about the shop without Madlyn Lake at her side. But she couldn’t ask the girl to work when there was so much to do to get ready for her wedding. Kirby Banks was a wonderful man, and Mina was delighted that her shop manager had found the perfect mate while attending someone else’s wedding. They’d decided to get married on New Year’s Day, supposedly so Kirby would never forget their anniversary.

  Mina shook her head and smiled at the thought. Kirby never had to remember anything because his valet, Brewster Denton, kept track of everything for him. She marveled at the power of friendship. Brewster had inherited a healthy percentage of Kirby’s great-uncle’s fortune. As a result, he was in no way obligated to hang around, much less still serve as Kirby’s valet, assistant, financial advisor, and all the other things he took care of. But he was still there and working harder than ever. His current goal was locating some properties for Kirby and Madlyn to check out after their honeymoon. Madlyn’s parents were on a long visit to Florence, Italy and were going to attend the wedding via Face Time, so Kirby was arranging the appropriate tech setup for the ceremony, while Madlyn and her friend Vicky were taking care of a hundred other details.

  And Mina was feeling a bit sorry for herself.

  Oh, she knew she’d spend Christmas with her cousins, the McAvoys. Reese and Alice Kate always invited her, and their invitation had included Madlyn as well, ever since her parents had retired and started traveling all over the world. This year, however, Madlyn would be spending the holiday with Kirby and Brewster at Vicky and Jason Darby’s home. Not only was Vicky Madlyn’s best friend, but Kirby’s stepbrother, Ray, had married Jason’s second cousin, Maria, so they were practically family.

  Mina was the only one in her little group of friends who was still single.

  Except for Brewster, of course. But it wasn’t like he’d ever looked her way with interest of any kind. She sighed wearily. Maybe Santa would bring her a Prince Charming for Christmas. Wouldn’t that be fun?

  One of the shop girls cleared her throat loudly, ending Mina’s speculation.

  “Mina? Are these the scarves that we’re including as a special gift in purchases over fifty dollars?”

  Mina glanced at the Christmas-themed scarves. “Yes. And don’t forget to slip the tiny boxes of chocolates into the ones over a hundred.”

  “Okay. By the way, Mrs. McAvoy called to remind you about the sleigh rides tonight. They’re raising money for Sunny Finch’s animal rescue.”

  “Thank you. I won’t forget.” Mina watched the youngster move briskly back to the register and wondered if she’d ever moved that quickly. Probably. In her twenties. But not anymore. She felt suddenly old. She walked over to the register—plodded, she thought—and said, “Girls, I’ll be in the sewing room if you have any more questions.”

  The sewing room had once been a tiny closet next to the fitting rooms, but over the years it had grown, as customers requested more alterations. Now it was a generous ten-by-ten, but it looked much smaller with the sewing table, spool rack, wall stacked with bolts of fabric, and two dressmakers’ dummies. On the table was Mina’s Christmas gift to herself, a brand new Janome machine. She trailed her fingertips over the back of it on her way to the armchair and ottoman tucked into the far corner and sank gratefully into the soft cushions of the chair. The most sociable of her Siamese cats, Mrs. Hudson, jumped up to settle on her lap as Mina lifted her feet onto the ottoman. The other three adult cats—Sherlock, Watson, and the new mother she was fostering—rubbed against the chair and found comfy spots nearby. The four kittens were only a few weeks old, and were still wearing their white birth color. They mewed from their playpen until their mother rejoined them.

  Mina leaned her head back on the soft chair and closed her eyes. It would be a strange Christmas indeed without Madlyn at her side. On the tiny television on the table, the final credits of The Santa Clause were rolling, and the station was already announcing the next film, A Christmas Carol. Mina let the familiar opening music carry her off to sleep.

  * * *

  The bell over the shop door tinkled. Mina jerked upright. The cats turned to her expectantly. Her three mainstays and the fostered mama cat stood regally, staring at her, demanding to know why she wasn’t coming more quickly. The four kittens were nowhere to be seen.

  Mina was seized with a fear that someone might have accidentally let them out of the shop. She brushed off cobwebs of sleep and lumbered to the sewing room door, still half dozing. Her first reaction to the sight that met her eyes was relief. The four kittens were bouncing around in a circle, performing a cat ballet, imitating each other’s moves in a way that always made her laugh.

  But the laugh died in her throat when she realized that the kittens were the only things in the room! The shop was empty, every rack and shelf denuded of stock.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Through the shop windows, Mina saw that the snow had reached unheard of depths for Eagle’s Toe. It blocked half the view. And where were the shop clerks? Had something happened to her girls?

  Doubly alarmed, she trotted to the door to look for them, grateful that it opened inward. If they’d been robbed, the girls might be talking to the police.

  Outside, some kind soul was shoveling snow away from her door.

  “Excuse me,” Mina said. “I think I’ve been robbed.”

  The snow shoveler was bundled up in period costume, with a ruffled shirt, a knee-length black coat, and a black top hat. He looked like a character out of A Christmas Carol. She didn’t recall the local amateur theater offering that this year. Instead, they’d wrangled Vicky Darby into playing piano behind a rather meager children’s chorus.

  The costumed character wore a bright red scarf, which he flung over one shoulder as he turned to greet her. “Good evening, Miss Mina. I thought you might appreciate a bit of help with the snow re
moval. I’ve cleared the boardwalk all the way to The Muffin Man.”

  Mina blinked in confusion. “Brewster? Is that you?”

  Brew tipped his hat. “In the flesh.” He frowned. “Robbed, you say?”

  Mina stepped back and waved an arm at her empty shop. Just in the nick of time, she raised a leg to expertly discourage the kittens from bolting for the door. She needn’t have worried. They skidded to a stop as the cold air hit their little noses.

  “Perhaps I should come in,” said Brewster. He entered and closed the door carefully behind him.

  Mina turned in a circle, arms spread. “It’s all gone!”

  “But of course it is,” said Brewster. “You’ve had a wonderful season, and every single item was purchased. You were telling your cousin about it this morning, weren’t you? I was buying a loaf and having coffee at The Muffin Man while the two of you were having your cocoa.” He smiled brightly.

  Mina felt faint.

  Brewster took her gently by the arm. “Come sit by the fire. It’s just been too much for you, I think, all the excitement of the season and having sweet little Madlyn away on her honeymoon.”

  Mina nodded. At least that part made sense. Or did it? Weren’t they getting married at New Year’s? They hadn’t left for their honeymoon yet. She let Brewster steer her to a rocking chair by the old wood stove. She sat, grateful for its warmth. Then she jumped up, nearly knocking him backwards. “This stove is only for decoration! We can’t have a fire in it. We’ll burn the place down!”

  Concern and confusion battled for dominance on Brewster’s features. “Now, now, my dear. I say, have you had a tumble? Hit your head on something?”

  Mina reached out to touch the stove, but pulled her fingers back as it became evident that the fake stove was definitely the source of the heat filling the room. She lowered herself into the rocking chair, breathing heavily. Had she bumped her head? Then she remembered. She’d been resting her eyes in the sewing room. She must have fallen asleep. She was obviously dreaming. Or at least, she hoped she was, as she glanced again around the empty room. “I sold everything?”

  Brewster relaxed. “Yes, indeed. And of course that contract you struck with the big guy didn’t hurt.”

  “Contract?”

  Brew pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. “Are you quite all right? Shall I call for help?”

  Mina brushed away his offer, but a moment later realized there was no phone on the check out counter. She’d always insisted on maintaining a landline because, at her age, cell phones still seemed like magic. But there was no phone. She patted her pockets. Her smart phone was gone as well. She suddenly felt woozy. “Maybe you’re right, Brew. Maybe I need to talk to Alice Kate and Reese.”

  “I’ll go with you, if you like? Little elves have been shoveling snow like mad, and most of the walkways are cleared by now. May I?” He offered his arm.

  “Thank you.” Mina stood up. “I’ll need my coat.” She went into her sewing room to fetch her long down coat. She put it on and looked about, counting cats, making sure there was food and water down for them. All was as she’d left it, bobbins full of threads of all colors, bolts of cloth ready to become a quilt, and her sewing machine.

  Mina’s shriek brought Brewster on the run.

  “What’s wrong?!”

  Mina pointed an accusing finger at the antique Singer treadle machine sitting where her brand new Janome had stood before she fell asleep.

  “Did you see a mouse? Lazy cats, do your job,” he scolded.

  Mina said, “Never mind. I, I, I think maybe I need dinner. Something to eat. Let’s go over to Il Vaccaro.”

  “Excellent plan,” said Brewster.

  The street was quiet and dark. Mina wondered why the town had taken the Christmas decorations down so quickly. They usually stayed up until the middle of January. Then she realized there must be a power outage. All the shops were dark. But she’d had power in the Boutique. She glanced back. Not anymore, it seemed. Her windows were dark as well. That explained why she couldn’t see the big Cattleman’s sign or the lights from the new tower of rooms.

  As they drew nearer, she could see large oil lamps lining the entrance to the Cattleman’s Inn. Leave it to Reese and Alice Kate to make sure clients could find their way. She hoped there was still something hot on the stove in the restaurant kitchen. Try as she might, she couldn’t remember signing a contract for the sale of her inventory. She must need food.

  If it was all a dream, it didn’t matter. But if it was a dream, why was she still asleep? Didn’t people wake up when they realized they were dreaming? And where was everyone?

  In answer to her question, the sound of children’s voices singing carols drifted to her on the night air. Of course. It must be the last big performance of the Christmas program. She could hear the gifted Vicky playing piano in accompaniment. Oddly enough, the little choir sounded much more talented from outside than it had when she’d heard them in the theater.

  A line of wagons and carriages stood under the portico of the hotel entrance. Mina loved that part of living in a little town, especially one like Eagle’s Toe. It was surrounded by old family ranches and the rural estates of the nouveau riche. They would take every opportunity to show off their finely bred horse flesh, and sleigh rides were very popular in snowy weather. Maybe everything was fine. Maybe she was just having one of those passing forgetful moments she kept hearing about on the health channel. Maybe she should stop watching that stuff. Every time a program ended, she could swear she had all the symptoms mentioned during the hour.

  The interior of the Cattleman’s was strangely nostalgic by lamplight. She had to hand it to Reese for having all those storm lanterns on hand. Even the Christmas tree was lit with tiny little candles. She rubbed her eyes and blinked hard. Surely the fire department must have a regulation against candles on trees. Then she remembered the battery-operated tea lights that Alice Kate was using in the Itty Bitty as part of her table decorations. That must be it.

  Alice Kate’s voice greeted her from the entrance to Il Vaccaro. “Mina! I was wondering when you would get here. Come in, dear. We’re having a little celebration.”

  Mina hugged her cousin. “It’s so good to see you. Strange about the lights, isn’t it?”

  Alice Kate’s forehead crinkled in a question. She glanced at Brewster.

  Brew lifted his chin. “I was asking Mina if perhaps she’d bumped her head on something.”

  “Oh no,” crooned Alice Kate. “Come inside and sit down. I’ll bring you some sherry if you like.”

  “Sherry?” Mina cocked her head to one side.

  “Or Christmas punch if you prefer.” Alice Kate winked.

  “Definitely the punch,” said Mina.

  Brewster loosened his scarf. “Oh that sounds lovely. May I join you?”

  Alice Kate beamed. “Of course. Come in, come in.” She led the way into the restaurant.

  Mina let Brewster help her off with her coat. She was still dressed in the floor-length scotch plaid skirt and forest green cable-knit sweater she’d donned that morning. But her cousin had more contemporary tastes, and it was a surprise to Mina to see her wearing a long skirt and equally long apron, puffed sleeves, and a lace cap over her hair with a ribbon woven through it. She was about to ask her if they were dressing up for the guests when she heard Reese’s hearty laugh and turned to greet him.

  Reese was wearing the most glorious Santa suit Mina had ever seen!

  CHAPTER THREE

  Mina’s chin dropped. “I didn’t know you liked to play Santa!”

  Reese’s welcoming smile froze in place as he shifted a worried glance from Alice Kate to Brewster and back.

  Alice Kate laughed. “Mina, I’ve always loved the way you can get Reese’s goat. We’re having a staff party, and we’re just about to sit down to dinner. Your timing is perfect.”

  “Turkey?” asked Brew.

  Mina, Alice Kate, and Reese chorused, “Lasagna!”

&nbs
p; Brew looked delighted. He handed his top hat to an eager young fellow dressed in red, white, and green. Another short fellow laughed merrily as he lifted the coat in the air to keep it from dragging on the ground.

  Mina and Brewster shared a table with Alice Kate and Reese. As the lasagna was served, Mina remembered why she’d come over in the first place. “Oh my gosh! I came to tell you I’ve been robbed. I went into the sewing room for a few minutes and when I came out, everything was gone. All my stock! And they took my new sewing machine, too.”

  Alice Kate looked horrified. “Not your new Singer.”

  Mina’s brows knit together. “No, the Janome.”

  Alice Kate buttered her bread. “I don’t think I’m familiar with that gnome family. Where are they from?”

  Reese leaned toward her, his rosy cheeks and bushy eyebrows adding to his humorous appearance. “Alaska, my dear. A Juneau gnome.”

  Mina wondered if she’d fallen down Alice’s rabbit hole. “Not Juneau. Janome. It’s a brand.”

  “Ah.” Reese nodded as if he understood.

  Brewster held his glass to the side to allow a rather festive-looking young lady to fill it with punch. “Mina seems to have forgotten the contract you gave her. That’s why I was afraid she’d bumped her head. She was surprised that your people had come to take delivery.”

  “Oh.” Reese’s eyebrows rose in understanding. “I’m so sorry, Mina dear. I completely forgot to tell you that I’d moved up the delivery date so the wrapping department would have more time. Last year I had to leave almost twenty percent of my merchandise unwrapped.”

  Alice Kate said, “There, there, dear. No one complained.”

  Reese grumbled, “Maybe not, but it smacks of poor planning, and you know I like things to run smoothly.” He turned to Mina. “Let me make it up to you. How about I bring you a Prince Charming for Christmas?” He wiggled his ears.

  Mina rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers. “So you’re saying we had a contract for you to buy all my merchandise?”