Snowed In For Christmas: A Fun Feel-Good Holiday Romance Novel - Kimberly Krey Page 0,4

out. I’ve always been told I’m easy to talk to. I feel like this kind of confirms it.”

“Yeah, Nancy, you’re something special.” She hated the sarcasm in her own voice. Ivy had to hand it to her—Nancy was good at what she did. “I better get going,” she added. “We’re getting ready to step off the plane.”

“You back home for the holidays now?” Nancy asked.

She wished. “Not yet. I just landed in Denver, but I fly back out this evening after my final interview. A really handsome guy named Easton—”

“You’re crapping me, right?”

Another overhead announcement picked up—some caution about an incoming blizzard. “Crapping you about what?” she asked, covering her other ear to block out the noise.

“You’re actually in Denver right now? You’re never going to get out of there today. Or tomorrow. Heck, you’re probably going to be stuck there for the whole week. Bye, bye Christmas with the family. Hello to a holiday at the airport with stranded strangers and—”

“I’ve really got to go, Nancy. Talk to you soon.” Ivy quickly disconnected the line. That woman was an instigator if she’d ever known one. Ivy had never met someone so desperate to toot their own horn. It was pathetic. On and on and on she went about how wonderful she was. As if no one in her life had ever done it for her.

A small but stinging ache snuck into Ivy’s heart at the thought. That was probably true. And didn’t Ivy, as wonderful as her family might be, relate to that very thing? She was the youngest, after all; every accomplishment she’d made was old hat. There were always bigger and better things happening.

If she were being honest, it’s what made this promotion so important. Ivy had been dying to share some spectacular news with her three siblings—the pediatrician, the lawyer, and the dental hygienist.

Which reminded her of all the texts she’d missed.

Ivy hurried through them, hoping to get the gist without having to read each and every text. Danny, her oldest brother, had set things into motion with a picture of the twins in matching Christmas PJs. Ronny sent a family pic, complete with his wife Joelle, their baby, and an ultrasound to represent the one on the way. Her only sister, Jackie, sent pics of her and her new husband, Paul, a staged kiss beneath the mistletoe. Happiness and Christmas joy oozed off each photo. Each family was, in a word, perfect.

This was yet another demonstration of how…behind Ivy was in the game of life.

Her shoulders slumped. Her chest ached. Oh, no. This is how her slumps began. If she let it, this very moment could disrupt that neatly stashed fear of hers. A fear based on years of dating experience—a practice she’d hit pause on over the last year and a half. It was just that, in her experience, men were only interested in the beginning.

Once she let them in, once she really opened her heart to them, they lost interest. The most recent and traumatizing example was her relationship with Matt Shields from Channel Two—he’d thoroughly broken her heart. He’d told her, of course, that he didn’t want to be tied down, but then he’d gone on to marry just six months later.

The fear was then, that if she ever let anyone see that deeper side of her, they’d lose interest.

Which is why you’re not even dating right now, Ivy, so get over it.

That was true. She’d hold tight to her no-dating-until-she-got-her-promotion policy, which took any shred of pressure or false hope off her back. So…back to the texts.

A deep sigh slipped through her lips as she scrolled past dozens of oohs and ahhs over the pictures until she spotted her name in the mix.

Danny: Where’s Ivy?

Ronny: Probably working.

Jackie: She is. But she said she’ll be here in time for the Christmas Eve party.

Dad: She better be.

Mom: She will be. She’s just trying to get that promotion. Let’s all send prayers and good thoughts her way while she travels.

Danny: Is that real mistletoe, Jackie? Taya says she wants some.

The conversation went back to the mutual adoration of everyone and their families. Even Mom and Dad got in on the action and sent a picture of the two cuddled up with hot cocoa, the old Christmas tree with its handmade ornaments in the distance.

Ivy ignored the small prick of loneliness she felt while scrolling past the images. She had a career to focus on before she even thought about love, she reminded herself. To