One Lonely Christmas Eve, by Tim Smith

My blog guest today is fellow Extasy author Tim Smith, here with a holiday romance you won’t want to miss:

I’m pleased to share my most recent holiday Stocking Stuffer romance from Extasy Books, One Lonely Christmas Eve. This is a bittersweet love story about two friends who try to come up with a cure for the holiday blues.

This story was inspired by some real experiences. I’ve always looked forward to the holidays, but when I came up with this idea, I found myself in a dark place. I was between relationships, and quarantine overshadowed a family Christmas gathering, I was still making the adjustment to early retirement, and I dreaded the idea of spending the holiday alone. Thanks to a good friend I didn’t have to, but that was the jumping off point. I also used this to relive some past holidays, because I was feeling nostalgic. This opening scene is based on an actual occurrence that happened to me a few years ago

BLURB

Christmas can be a lonesome time of year, especially when you have no one special to share it with. Alex March stops at his favorite diner on Christmas Eve to avoid going home to an empty apartment, but that isn’t the only reason. He really wants to see Denise Del Florio, the attractive widow of one of his best friends, who is dreading her first solo holiday. In the year since her husband was killed, Alex has been there for her, and they’ve developed a close friendship. He feels a nostalgic longing for holidays gone by and thinks that together, he and Denise can provide a remedy for their mutual loneliness. Will they still be besties when the holiday is over, or will they have moved on to something more serious?

EXCERPT

Alex sipped his coffee, then glanced at the clock mounted on the wall behind the cash register in the nearly empty restaurant. He stared at his reflection in the front window and absently raked his fingers through his thick brown hair. 6:45, and it’s pitch-black outside. Not that much traffic, either, especially in here. Guess most people have had their pre-holiday dinner and gone to church, or decided to pack it in for the evening to wait for Santa by the fireplace. I should do the same, but I don’t really want to go home to an empty apartment.

Denise Del Florio approached inside the counter, with a glass coffee pot in hand. “Refill, Alex?”

Alex’s gaze traveled from her head to her feet then back up again, taking in her trim form encased in snug black slacks and a white shirt with a name tag. Her light brown hair with blonde highlights was pulled into a ponytail and a few wisps carelessly hung over her face. Her hazel eyes seemed to take on an extra bit of sparkle when she looked at him. “Thanks, but I’ve had enough for one night.”

She exhaled a deep breath. “Good decision. We’re getting ready to close, and this stuff would take the paint off your car.” She stretched. “I’m definitely ready to get off my feet after today.”

“I’m surprised you aren’t busier.”

Denise poured herself some coffee, then took a sip. “You should’ve been here earlier. It was non-stop from lunchtime on. People stopped in for their holiday pie orders and decided to eat while they were here.”

“Sounds hectic.”

She shrugged. “I didn’t really mind. It kept me busy, and I made a fortune in tips.”

Alex laughed. “I figured that’s why you volunteered to work the holiday shift.”

Denise gave a shy smile and cast her gaze downward briefly. “I keep forgetting what a good detective you are.”

He finished his coffee. “It wasn’t hard to figure out, Denise. I suspected you didn’t mind working tonight for the same reason I’m not going home yet.”

She looked into his eyes for a moment. “I’m not ready to face an empty house, especially this holiday.”

“The first one alone is always the hardest.”

She was silent for a few moments. “How long did it take for you to…”

“Still working on it,” he finished. “I’ve been divorced for eight years, and there are some holidays I don’t look forward to. But I know it’s different in your case.”

She drank some coffee. “Yeah, you could say that. Divorce is one thing to adjust to, but losing your life partner in the line of duty is something else.” She paused. “Is that why you’re here tonight?”

“Where else would I be?”

“I heard you’ve been seeing someone. Thought you’d be with them.”

“So happens the young lady is spending the holidays in Louisville with her family. Why do you think I only came here to check up on you?”

“Because I know you, Alex. You and Tony were close friends before you had to leave the police department. Even after you went private, you kept in touch and you were there for me when he got killed earlier this year.”

He cast his gaze down. “Guilty as charged. Maybe I was worried about you.”

Denise placed her hand on his and squeezed. “I appreciate that, more than you know. You gave me a shoulder to lean on when I needed it, and you’ve been there ever since. That means a lot.”

Alex felt embarrassed. “Come on, Denise. I was just doing the right thing. Tony and I were patrol partners before I became a detective, and we were fishing and drinking buddies. I always thought of him as one of my best friends.”

“He was.” She flashed a playful smile. “Hey, I’ve got an idea. I’m alone, you’re alone, and neither of us is in a hurry to get home tonight. Think we can find someplace where two good friends can have a drink?”

Alex brought her hand to his lips, then kissed it. “I think there must be someplace out there that caters to people with nowhere to go on a lonely night like this.”

BUY LINKS

Half off at Extasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/one-lonely-christmas-eve

Other retail sellers

Amazon https://www.extasybooks.com/one-lonely-christmas-eve

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-lonely-christmas-eve-tim-smith/1138520224

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/one-lonely-christmas-eve

BIOGRAPHY

I’m an award-winning, bestselling author of mystery/thrillers and contemporary erotic romance. I’m also a freelance writer/photographer and blogger. When I’m not writing I can often be found in The Florida Keys, indulging my passion for parasailing while seeking out the perfect Mojito.