No Ordinary Christmas

Book 1: Mistletoe, Maine

by Belle Calhoune

Genres: Clean & Wholesome Romance; Holiday Romance; Small Town & Rural

Synopsis

Mistletoe, Maine, is buzzing and not just because Christmas is around the corner! Dante West, local cutie-turned-Hollywood hunk, is returning home to make his next movie. Everyone in town is excited . . . except librarian Lucy Marshall. When Dante took off for LA without warning—or even a goodbye—he broke Lucy’s heart. She swore not to spend one more minute thinking about her ex, but Dante makes an offer Lucy’s struggling library can’t refuse: a major donation to film on-site.

Dante is thrilled to help boost his hometown’s economy and finally begin making amends to the people he hurt years ago when he left, starting with Lucy. But seeing his former best friend on set every day feels a lot less like closure and more like a fresh start. It’s one thing for Dante to fall for Lucy all over again, quite another for a famous movie star and a small-town librarian to find lasting romance. Can the magic of the holiday season give Lucy and Dante’s first love a second chance?

Release date: September 28, 2021

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Print pages: 368

Sample

Chapter One

Mistletoe, Maine

Lucy Marshall straightened her glasses and peered out the window of the Free Library of Mistletoe. As head librarian for the past four years, she had gazed at this same view of the town square hundreds of times. But this was the very first occasion she’d been spying on the man who had broken her heart into a million little pieces. Some folks might find her boycotting the parade an act unbefitting of a librarian, but for Lucy, staying inside was her only option. She had her pride after all, and she had no intention of letting bygones be bygones.

At least she had a fantastic view of the unfolding spectacle. And she wasn’t freezing her buns off outside. As the sun set, the sky lit up with glorious shades of pink and orange.

The entire town of Mistletoe, Maine, was decked out in tinsel and candy canes and shiny ornaments to herald the arrival of Christmas in four weeks. Six-foot-tall nutcrackers stood at the entrance to the town hall across the way, providing a dose of holiday cheer. Mugs of peppermint hot cocoa were being served around the clock at the Starlight Diner. Every shopwindow in town was decorated in keeping with the holiday season. Normally it was her favorite time of the year, but she wasn’t feeling very merry at the moment.

Her past had risen up to greet her like a scene from A Christmas Carol. The Ghost of Christmas Past and all that. Bah humbug!

Lucy couldn’t remember the last time she had seen such a commotion in her hometown. Hordes of people had gathered in the town square to welcome the hometown hero who’d made good in Hollywood—Dante West. Action-star extraordinaire. One of the highest-paid actors in Tinseltown. Townsfolk held banners and posters bearing Dante’s likeness. Flags with his face and form on them were being enthusiastically waved by dozens of kids. One teenaged girl held up a sign asking, WILL YOU MARRY ME, DANTE? Everyone appeared to be giddy with excitement. She was probably the only person in town who wasn’t in attendance at the celebration. Even though it made her feel like a four-year-old, she stuck her tongue out at the scene unfolding before her eyes.

A moment later she felt thankful no one was paying any attention to her childish gesture, since it would probably make her look petty. Everyone’s interest was focused on the return of the hometown hero. She couldn’t really blame them. From where she was standing, Dante looked pretty eye-catching. With his warm brown skin, striking features, and an athletic physique, he was smoking hot, pure and simple. On more than one occasion, Lucy had found herself getting lost in his deep-set, russet-colored eyes. But that was a long time ago. If she was being honest, sometimes it felt as if it had been yesterday.

She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. For good measure, she let out a ragged sigh. It annoyed her to no end to see so much hoopla directed toward Dante simply because he’d become a superstar in Hollywood. Humph! It wasn’t as if he had been awarded a Pulitzer Prize, cured cancer, or run into a burning building to save people. He acted in action movies and dated empty-headed starlets.

Hadn’t she just seen him plastered all over one of the scandal-rag tabloids with Missy North, the famous reality star? That in itself spoke volumes. Missy was known for being as deep as a kiddie pool. She happened to be drop-dead gorgeous, Lucy conceded. She imagined most men would jump through hoops to be the special someone in Missy’s life.

Even though Dante had been a big celebrity for at least five years now, Lucy still couldn’t believe he’d come back to their hometown to film his next movie. It was probably one of those action flicks with a testosterone-laced name like Maximum Overdrive or Total Impact. Lucy had done her best to tune out all the fanfare surrounding Dante’s return, a near-impossible feat in a town that had gone crazy over Mistletoe’s golden boy.

Mistletoe wasn’t exactly a happening place like Los Angeles. And, to her knowledge, he’d avoided his hometown like the plague ever since leaving for the big lights of Hollywood. He’d only come back briefly for his father’s burial. Lucy had gotten a glimpse of him that day at the cemetery. It had been easy to avoid coming face-to-face with him since she’d deliberately remained in the background and skipped the reception.

Dante West! Movie star. Mistletoe’s favorite son! Her former BFF. The only man she’d ever truly loved. She felt a little pang in her heart as his face flashed before her eyes. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, reminding herself that she’d buried their relationship firmly in the past. Revisiting it only brought her pain. Seeing the town of Mistletoe celebrate the man who’d ripped her heart to shreds felt like a betrayal. After all, she’d been a loyal resident while he’d made a life for himself far away from the shores of Maine. Celebrity was a hard thing to ignore, Lucy realized, and she shouldn’t expect an entire town to harbor resentment against Dante for the way he’d treated her.

She remembered all the mayhem that erupted a few years ago when Dante landed on the cover of People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive issue. Every red-blooded woman in the United States had been drooling over him. Sure, he was eye candy, but he didn’t have a loyal bone in his body. The way he’d turned his back on his family and his hometown didn’t sit well with her.

And you, a little voice buzzed in her ear. Don’t forget the way he treated you.

She shook off the bad thoughts, determined to focus on the things that truly mattered for the duration of Dante’s stay in Mistletoe. She’d built a nice life for herself—one she could be proud of. Her job as a librarian fulfilled her. It meant so much to her that she’d spent every waking hour trying to find a way to save it from town cutbacks and a downturn in donations. In addition to loving her career, she also had great friends and family. Sure, her family was a bit all over the place at times, but when push came to shove they stood together as a united front. Which was why it was somewhat surprising to see her parents, Walt and Leslie, along with her little sister, Tess, standing in the throng outside hailing Dante as a conquering town hero. Lucy sputtered at the sight of her close friend Eva Langston bundled up in a pink parka and matching hat.

“Traitors one and all,” she whispered. “Trust me, he’s not that special.”

Problem was, he had been. Once upon a time, Dante had been the sun, moon, and stars in Lucy’s life. She knew she was being petty, but it hurt to remember how things had been before he’d hightailed it off to Hollywood without a word of goodbye. At certain times it seemed like she’d dreamed it all. But Lucy knew she hadn’t made up all the memories she couldn’t seem to shake—sledding down McArthur’s Mountain, splitting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with him in school, or their first kiss on Christmas Eve out at the lake. Or his promise to take her with him to California. That one hurt the most. He’d bailed on Mistletoe and left her in the dust. After only a few years, he’d achieved megastar status in Hollywood. In the end, he’d soared without her in his life. She couldn’t ignore how badly it still stung.

Hiding in the library while the town celebrated Dante was an act of self-preservation if nothing else. She didn’t want to know if being in his presence still made her weak in the knees. It wouldn’t be good for her psyche.

“I knew I’d find you in here.”

Lucy turned around at the sound of her sister’s honeyed voice. Stella stood there with her hands on her hips, gazing at her younger sister with a sympathetic expression etched on her perfectly rounded face. With her long brown hair, full lips, and mocha-colored skin, Stella was a beautiful woman who turned heads everywhere she went. Somehow she never seemed to be aware of her huge appeal to every male in Mistletoe who had a pulse.

“Hey, Stella. Why aren’t you outside with the rest of this town?” Lucy asked.

Stella wrinkled her nose as she walked toward Lucy. “I’m not really into ticker tape parades.”

Lucy let out an indelicate snort. “One would think they were giving out gold bars or something, judging by all the commotion.”

“I wanted to make sure you were all right.” Her sister’s eyes radiated compassion. Lucy didn’t want pity, not even from her sister. Stella’s good heart made moisture well up in her eyes.

Lucy’s throat felt as dry as sandpaper. Her older sister knew her better than anyone else in the world. Separated by only a year, the two of them had been as thick as thieves their entire lives. Stella knew more than anyone what Dante’s return meant to her. “I-I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, sis. I put my big-girl panties on this morning. I’ve known for weeks this was coming.”

Stella patted her back. Ever since they were kids, her older sister had been taking care of everyone in her orbit. She was the most nurturing person Lucy had ever known. No wonder she’d followed her heart and become a second-grade teacher. Lucy wanted to be just like Stella when she finally grew up.

Stella’s voice softened. “I know this can’t be easy for you, Lucy.”

Lucy shook her head. “It’s fine,” she said in a clipped tone. “I’m all right.” The very last thing she wanted was to be an object of sympathy. Been there, done that. And she’d vowed never to go down that road again.

Stella eyed her with visible skepticism. “There you go again, shutting down your feelings. It’s okay to admit you’re a bit rattled by Dante coming back to town. It’s been a long time since you’ve seen him. The two of you were besties for so many years. Not to mention the period when you were romantically involved. It’s bound to sting a bit.”

Even though she knew Stella had picked up on her discomfort over the Dante situation, Lucy didn’t want to acknowledge it. Perhaps if she could mask her feelings, it wouldn’t bother her so much on the inside. Perhaps it wouldn’t feel as if her hometown had turned into enemy territory. Maybe the ache inside her would ease up a little bit so she could breathe normally again.

Lucy squared her shoulders and stood up straight. “I’m not upset. And I’m not hiding out in here either. I just think it’s silly to close down the library simply because Dante finally decided to come back home.” She sniffed. “Everyone here in town is acting as if he’s giving out wads of cash or something.”

“You have to admit, it is kind of a big deal,” Stella said, shifting from one foot to the other. Her sister’s expression was sheepish. “He’s really famous now. I was just reading an article about him in Us Weekly. He’s one of the—”

Lucy held up her hands. “I don’t want to hear it.” She shook her head vigorously back and forth. “I’m already sick and tired of hearing Dante’s name.”

Stella made a face. “Sis, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re going to have to go live under a rock for the next few weeks if you can’t bear it.”

“Why should I have to go hide? So what that he’s making a big-time movie here? Mistletoe is my hometown. He’s the one who left! He’s the one who turned his back on everyone.” Stella’s eyes widened at the sharp sound of her voice. Lucy winced. Her tone sounded strident and biting to her own ears. Normally, that wasn’t who she was at her core. She hadn’t meant to sound so bitter, but all these feelings were bubbling up inside her, and it was becoming nearly impossible to hide them. Here it was, a few weeks before the most wonderful time of the year, and she was filled with angst and hostility. It wasn’t who she wanted to be, especially at Christmastime.

“Maybe it does bother me a little bit,” she confessed, lips trembling. Try as she might, she couldn’t seem to put a lid on her emotions. “I can’t believe I’m letting him get to me after all of these years.”

Stella reached out and wrapped her arms around Lucy, pulling her sister into a tight hug. Lucy nestled against Stella’s comforting embrace. “It’s understandable. You never really had any closure with him. He was here one day and gone the next. Dante made you a lot of promises he didn’t keep. And he never gave you any real answers. Believe me, I know how you feel.”

Stella was probably one of the only people in her orbit who could relate to her situation. Lucy hated that her older sister had also been jerked around by someone she loved.

“No, he didn’t. After he left town I didn’t hear from him for months,” Lucy admitted, her lips trembling with emotion. “By the time he finally reached out to me, I didn’t want to hear a single thing from him. What could he possibly say at that point anyway?”

Lucy reminded herself to breathe. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t allowed herself to vent about Dante for such a long time. She’d worked hard over the past eight and a half years to become a strong, independent woman. Time hadn’t stood still, and she was no longer crying herself to sleep over Dante West.

“Why don’t we get some ice cream at the diner? That’ll make everything better,” Stella suggested with a wide grin.

Lucy sniffed back tears and dabbed at her eyes. “That sounds scrumptious. You always know what I need to put a smile on my face. Let me close up the library. We can head out the back entrance so we don’t get swallowed up by the crowd.”

“Sounds good,” Stella said, shooting Lucy an encouraging smile.

As Lucy turned away from Stella, she found herself blinking away more tears. A sharp pang of loss seized her. She pressed a hand against her chest and inhaled a deep breath. She could do this! Lucy could hold her head up high and act merry and bright. She could smile and act as if Dante West was nothing more than a memory. It wouldn’t be too hard to pretend as if she hadn’t missed his friendship. She’d been doing it brilliantly for the last eight and a half years.

They didn’t call her Little Miss Sunshine for nothing. Planting a smile on her face, she turned off the main computers and began flicking off the lights. Lucy ushered Stella out of the back door of the library, then let out a surprised sound as cold wet flakes began to fall on her face.

“Ugh. More snow,” Stella said with a groan.

“It’s fantastic, isn’t it?” Lucy asked, ignoring her sister’s annoyed expression.

“If you like slipping and sliding all over the roadways,” Stella grumbled. “One of these days I’m going to spend the winter in Hawaii.”

“Hawaii is beautiful, but Maine is magical,” Lucy said as she performed a pirouette.

An unexpected snowfall was the best thing to turn Lucy’s mood around. She loved snow almost as much as she adored the Christmas season itself. There was something about the white fluffy stuff that instantly took her back to the joys of childhood. Sledding. Tubing. Skating. Making a snowman in the backyard and drinking steaming mugs of hot cocoa. Growing up here in Mistletoe had been idyllic.

Lucy turned her face toward the heavens and twirled around as fat snowflakes began to drift down from the sky. For the moment, at least, she could rejoice in the simple pleasures of a New England winter and not dwell on Dante’s return. There would be plenty of time for that in the hours between darkness and dawn when she tossed and turned in her bed and battled thoughts about the man she had once adored like no other.

*  *  *

Dante West stood in the town square and looked around him with awe. He was finding it hard to wrap his head around the fact that his hometown was treating him to a full-on celebration. There had even been confetti and streamers. And there was a huge cake with his likeness on it. He felt like a conquering hero. When he’d left Mistletoe eight and a half years ago he’d never imagined this would ever happen.

Growing up he’d always been the mischievous kid who’d been up to his ears in trouble, from skipping school to go crabbing at Blackberry Beach or joyriding in his grandfather’s Buick before he had a license. No one back then would ever have predicted his triumphant return. Not even himself. He had to admit it felt really good to be here despite his reservations about coming home.

There were so many ghosts in this town, ones that threatened the peaceful existence he’d built for himself during his years in Los Angeles. But he knew in order to move forward he had to deal with the issues he’d been trying to bury for so many years. He needed closure.

He felt a huge grin overtake his face as he spotted familiar faces in the crowd. Laura Jean Samuels, his elementary school crush. Mrs. Scarborough, his third-grade teacher. She looked exactly the same, except her hair had turned completely white. Matt Delacroix, who’d been a fellow Boy Scout in his troop. From the looks of it, he was a father now. The little boy he cradled in his arms bore an uncanny resemblance to Matt.

Dante felt a pang of regret slice through him. Even though Dante knew he’d never even been close to tying the knot with anyone, he found himself wishing he was that type of guy—one who could have the white picket fence, a house full of kids, and an adoring wife. He’d strayed so far away from those ideals. His life had been focused on his acting career and nothing else for years.

From the moment the limousine had deposited him at the town square, Dante had been scanning the crowd in search of big brown doe eyes and a heart-shaped, tawny-colored face. He felt a stab of disappointment. Lucy was nowhere in sight. After the way things had ended between them, he was foolish to think she’d show up. She didn’t owe him a single thing.

From what he’d heard over the years, she was the head librarian at the Free Library of Mistletoe. He looked over at the ornate, colonial-style building, imagining Lucy sitting at a desk inside or digging through the stacks trying to locate a book. It wasn’t hard to imagine, although he hated the thought of her stuck in a building all day. Someone like Lucy needed to be out in the world spreading her special brand of sunshine and good cheer.

The town mayor, Wilhelmina “Billie” Finch, held up her hands and motioned for the crowd to settle down. “Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for coming out today to give one of our own a rousing welcome.” She turned toward Dante and flashed him a pearly grin. “Or should I say welcome back? We are truly delighted by your return to Mistletoe and overjoyed that you’ve decided to pump some money into the local economy by making your next film here. In deep appreciation, we are extending to you a key to the town of Mistletoe in the hopes that you won’t be a stranger in the future.”

Dante grinned at Mayor Finch and nodded in her direction. “Thank you, Mayor, for welcoming me back with open arms. I can’t wait to start filming in my hometown and catch up with friends and family. It’s great to be home!”

The mayor patted him approvingly on the shoulder. “We’re happy to have you here, Dante. And now, without further ado, I’d like to introduce Mimi West, Dante’s mother, so she can present her son with the key to the town of Mistletoe, a place we all know and love.”

Dante felt a tightness in his chest at the sight of his mother standing offstage. He’d missed her terribly and seeing her in person caused his emotions to rise to the surface. She’d expressed such joy and pride upon finding out he was being honored in their hometown and that he would be back in Mistletoe to film his next movie. Having you back will be such a gift to our family. The words she’d spoken to him a few weeks ago washed over him. Family was important, and he intended to make his a priority.

He would bet his last dollar that his brother wouldn’t be in attendance today. Too much water had flowed under that particular bridge. His sisters, Melanie and Abbi, no longer lived in Maine, so he knew it wasn’t likely they’d flown home for his hero’s welcome. He would have to wait until Christmas to see both of them.

Suddenly, his mother was being ushered onto the makeshift stage. She walked toward him, her shoulders shaking with emotion, tears sliding down her face. Words couldn’t express what it meant to him to be in her presence again. He didn’t consider himself to be an emotional person, but tears welled up in his eyes at the sight of her. Her long, dark hair had been cut into a pixie style. With her sepia-colored skin and almond-shaped eyes, his mother was an attractive woman who looked years younger than her actual age. It was nice to see her looking so well after losing his father. For better or worse, they had been married for almost thirty years. High school sweethearts. Despite their issues, they’d loved each other deeply.

Dante stepped away from the microphone, not wanting their conversation to be broadcast to the crowd. Once his mother reached him, she threw herself against his chest, all five foot two inches of her. “Dante! Pinch me. I can’t believe you’re actually here. I’ve been praying and dreaming about this day for months.”

“Mama,” he said, choking out the single word. “It’s so good to see you.” The last time he’d seen his mother had been at his father’s funeral a little over a year ago. Two years ago he’d flown her to Los Angeles for a lengthy visit and they’d been able to spend precious moments together. That had been before his father’s leukemia diagnosis and quick decline. Being back in Mistletoe would provide them with quality time to hang out and reconnect.

“My son,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace that seemed to go on for an eternity.

When they finally separated, Dante reached out and wiped away the tears from his mother’s face. “You know I hate to see you cry,” he said, trying not to think about all the times he had seen her crying in her bedroom when he was a teenager, courtesy of his father’s ill moods and sharp tongue. John West had been a difficult man at times. Loving yet implacable.

“These are happy tears,” she said, pressing a kiss against his cheek. The mayor motioned them to come back toward the center of the stage. Once they reached Mayor Finch’s side, Mimi stepped up to the microphone. “Here it is, son. The key to the town of Mistletoe.” She held the key up high and then pressed it into his palm. The crowd roared with approval. The key felt solid and reassuring in his hand. Despite all his shiny awards and movie contracts, Dante had never felt a sense of validation from his hometown until this moment. His own father hadn’t ever wanted to give him accolades or acknowledge his success. The truth was, he’d never really thought it was possible to be honored in Mistletoe, not after the way he’d left.

It humbled him to realize that despite his mistakes, there was a chance at redemption. Truth be told, it w. . .