Christmas on 4th Street. Susan Mallery

pressed a hand to her stomach and told herself to think pure thoughts. Or at the very least, distract herself.

      “You picked a really good time to visit,” she said, knowing she was about to babble and not caring. Babbling was better than fainting. Or throwing up. “There are always festivals in Fool’s Gold, but more so during the holidays. There are a couple of parades and a live nativity. I can’t wait for that because there’s going to be an elephant.”

      “In a nativity?”

      “Don’t judge. You don’t know for sure there wasn’t an elephant at the birth of baby Jesus.”

      “I’m actually pretty confident there wasn’t.”

      “Priscilla is a part of a lot of celebrations in town. She’s a member of the community, too.”

      “Priscilla the elephant?”

      “Do you know any other Priscillas?” She risked opening her eyes and was pleased to see that there was no bloody bandage in her peripheral vision.

      “She would be the only one.”

      “Okay, turn there,” she said, pointing when they reached the bend. “Follow that road into town. You’ll turn right on Frank Lane.”

      “Who’s Frank?”

      “I have no idea. It’s by 4th, which is where my store is. But yeah, Frank. I guess there’s more town history I have to learn.”

      “You know about the elephant. That should count.”

      He was nice, she thought, wondering if there was a subtle way to ask him to coffee. Or dinner. She glanced at his large hands resting on the steering wheel and wondered how badly things would go if she mentioned a sleepover.

      She pointed to her store, and he pulled in front and parked the car.

      She turned to him, prepared to offer a heartfelt thank-you, only to realize there was a problem. “How are you going to get back to Gideon’s house?”

      “I thought I’d go find Felicia.”

      She risked a quick glance at his hand, then turned away before she got faint. “Are you up to it?”

      “I’ll be fine. Just point me in the right direction.”

      She looked into his eyes and smiled. “I thought you didn’t believe in that.”

      “My concerns were specifically about your driving.”

      “I want to take offense at that, but there’s the whole snowbank issue that makes it less valid.”

      They got out of the car and she gave him directions to Felicia’s office. He handed over her car keys.

      “Thanks for the ride back,” she said, wishing she was better at the boy-girl thing. She used to be relatively okay at it. Obviously the lack of practice was showing. “I hope we run into each other again. Not literally,” she added, glancing at the snow still lodged in her fender.

      “I’d like that,” he said.

      She returned her attention to him, trying to judge what he was thinking. But his dark blue eyes gave nothing away. He smiled and gave a wave, then turned and started in the direction she’d told him.

      Noelle watched him go. When he turned the corner, she hurried toward her store, only to come to a stop when she saw the sign on the door.

      Gone skiing. Come back later.

Chapter 2

      The town of Fool’s Gold was like something out of a cheesy made-for-TV movie, Gabriel thought as he followed Noelle’s directions. There were plenty of people on the streets and every single one he passed greeted him in some way. Women walked arm in arm, the sidewalks were shoveled and sanded and all the storefronts were decorated with turkeys or leaves or painted with some Thanksgiving tableau. Talk about surreal. He half expected dancing lampposts or singing forest creatures to escort him.

      The last time he’d seen his brother, Gideon had been malnourished, bruised and mentally shattered. His brother had been taken prisoner by the Taliban and kept for nearly two years. He’d been in a cell with several other Americans, all of whom had been tortured regularly. Gideon had been the only one to survive.

      Gabriel had visited him in the military hospital where he’d recuperated before being discharged. From there Gideon had gone to Bali, where he’d worked on getting himself back to whatever his degree of normal was going to be. Gabriel couldn’t reconcile the soldier his brother had been, or the broken prisoner, with anyone who would live in a town like this. What the hell had happened?

      He knew he wouldn’t get an answer until he got the chance to talk to his brother himself. In the meantime, he kept moving until he found the office he was looking for. He ignored the jabbing pain in his hand and how tired he was.

      He went inside and walked down the hall to the office marked Fool’s Gold Department of Festivals. He knocked once and entered.

      The room itself was large, with a big desk, chairs for visitors and color posters of more fantasy events in the freakish town. But what really caught his attention was the tall redhead who stood when she saw him.

      She was beautiful. No, that wasn’t the right word. She was stunning, with green eyes and pale skin. A sweater showed off perfect curves. Her eyes widened as she hurried around the desk.

      “Gabriel! You’re here. Noelle just called and told me you had brought her into town. I appreciate you helping my friend. She’s not a very good driver in the snow. I’ve done my best to explain the theory of staying in control on a slick road, but she seems to learn best by doing. I suppose winter driving is a skill more easily mastered through practice.”

      She paused and put her hands on his upper arms. “I see so much of your brother in you. There are variations, as well. How interesting. I have no siblings, so all my observations about the subtle differences and similarities within a biological unit have been with friends or people I work with.”

      Noelle had warned him Felicia was intelligent. She obviously hadn’t been kidding. Smart and beautiful, he thought as she stared at him. Funny how despite that, the smile that had most affected him today had been Noelle’s.

      Her mouth trembled slightly as that smile faded. “I feel compelled to hug you,” she admitted. “Is it too soon?”

      “Go for it,” he said, holding open his arms.

      Felicia stepped into his embrace. She hung on with more strength than he would have guessed. He hugged her back, thinking Gideon would have his hands full with this one.

      She stepped back and motioned toward one of the chairs by her desk. “How was your trip? Are you tired?” She sat back down.

      “I’m okay.”

      She stared at his hand. “That’s the injury Gideon told me about? I understand there’s no tendon or nerve damage.”

      “I was lucky.”

      “You were. Based on placement you could have easily severed...” She paused, then sighed. “You would know that better than me.”

      “Maybe not.”

      She grinned. “I’m sorry. When I get nervous I talk too much.” She bounced back to her feet and crossed to a table by the window. Once there she picked up a box and brought it to him. Inside were rows of crisp, red apples.

      “They’re grown locally,” she said. “The last of the season. Delicious.”

      He took one, but didn’t bite into it.

      She took her seat again. “Carter is very excited to meet you. He and Gideon are in Sacramento, doing some shopping.” She paused. “You know about Carter, right?”

      “Gideon’s