Free A Little Bit of Holiday Magic by Melissa McClone Page A

she wasn’t going to be here long or he might do something he would regret. “Make your snow angel.”
    “I’m going to get all wet.”
    Oh, boy. He could have fun with that line. But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t with Liam within earshot. Bill would watch out for the kid the way he wished his dad would have cared for him. That was the least he could do until the two Wilcoxes left Hood Hamlet. “It’s only water. You’ll dry.”
    See? He could be good. Even though he would rather be bad.
    “Last night you were worried about hypothermia,” she said.
    “Today I’m not.” He hit the record button on the video mode. “Show your mom what to do.”
    Liam instructed her with enthusiasm. The two made a set of mother-and-son figures, then another and another. Snow covered them until they looked like yetis from the Himalayas. Happy ones. Smiling ones.
    That pleased Bill.
    He filmed them and took pictures. She would have memories for her book or wall. A few to tuck away in her heart. He would have some, too. Memories were all he could afford from this time with them. No matter how much he was enjoying himself. A day or two of being a family guy was his limit. At least that was how long his dad could last at home.
    “Enough angel making for me.” Grace stood, brushing the snow off front and backside.
    Bill enjoyed the show, then handed her the camera. “I only cut your head off in a few shots.”
    She made a face.
    He raised his hands. “Kidding.”
    Liam made his way toward them.
    “Are you ever serious?” she asked.
    Oh, Bill could be very serious, especially in the horizontal position. “Sometimes when I’m on a call or a mission.”
    “Only sometimes?”
    “Life’s short. It’s meant to be enjoyed. Let’s just say I’m glad you knocked on my door.”
    “Us, too.” Grace walked to the three-feet-tall Santa decoration with a lightbulb inside the molded plastic figure. She brushed off the light cover of snow. “The least I can do is clean up this jolly fellow, who showed us the way to your house.”
    Liam threw snowballs at Frosty.
    Bill joined her on that side of the yard. “What do you mean?”
    “It was so dark and snowy I couldn’t see anything, until I glimpsed Santa glowing like a lighthouse.”
    “I put him out in the yard yesterday.”
    “Lucky timing.”
    Of course someone not from around here would chalk up good fortune to luck, but he knew better. “Not luck. Christmas magic.”
    “Right. Flying reindeers and dancing elves.”
    He recognized the doubt in her eyes. “You mock, but Christmas magic exists in Hood Hamlet. I’ve seen it myself. Things happen on the mountain this time of year—accidents, lost climbers—that should end in tragedy but end happily instead. Even my skeptical best friend, Leanne, now believes.”
    Grace’s forehead creased. “Your best friend is a woman?”
    He nodded. “Since we were nine.”
    “What changed your friend’s mind?”
    “Love.”
    Grace straightened.
    That had gotten her attention. But not surprising. Women wanted to find love.
    “Leanne is getting married on Saturday. Her gift is under the tree,” Bill stated.
    “Falling in love? Getting engaged? Those things changed her mind?”
    He nodded. “Christmas magic is a big deal around here. The town’s second annual Christmas Magic Festival was held on Saturday.”
    “Guess the magic kept the snow away until Sunday so the celebration could go on.”
    “It sure did,” he said. “Maybe Christmas magic brought you to Hood Hamlet last night.”
    “Maybe.” She spoke with a wistful expression on her face. “Or maybe it was an angel.”
    “Christmas is a time for miracles, but I haven’t had much experience with angels except the snow kind,” Bill said. “I’ll stick with magic.”
    “You do that.” She glanced at Liam. “I’m going to stick with my angel the next time I need a Christmas miracle.”
    Bill wouldn’t mind sticking with her.
    Whoa. Where had that come from?
    He