Hot Toddy

  Frostbite Falls Christmas 2

  Hot Toddy

  Lydia Prescott has been at a loss ever since her fiancé left her for his boss’s daughter only months after moving to Frostbite Falls. She loves this town and the friends she’s made, but still doesn’t feel like she fits in. She’s only ever wanted somewhere to belong and someone to belong to. Now that dream looks further away than ever.

  Chase and Kyle Manning have loved Lydia from afar since she moved to Frostbite Falls, quietly waiting for when she would be ready for them. The Frostbite Falls Christmas Ball seems like the perfect place to finally make their move and hopefully, this year, they just might get their very own Christmas miracle: the girl of their dreams in their bed.

  Lydia never would have guessed the sexy as sin Manning brothers could want boring her. After months of loneliness, she’s happy to give into the pleasure they offer. But can something this fantastic really last? Has she finally found the place she belongs or will it all disappear like a crazy Christmas dream?

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre

  Length: 33,600598 words

  HOT TODDY

  Frostbite Falls Christmas 2

  Willa Edwards

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  HOT TODDY

  Copyright © 2017 by Willa Edwards

  ISBN: 978-1-64010-821-9

  First Publication: December 2017

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2017 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  DEDICATION

  To all those that believe in the redemption of the Christmas season.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Willa Edwards has dreamed about being a writer since she was four years old. When she picked up her first romance novel at fifteen she knew she’d found her place and she’s never looked back.

  She now lives in New York, where she works with numbers at her Evil Day Job and spends her nights writing red-hot tales of erotic romance. When she’s not at her computer, you can usually find her curled up in bed with her furry baby, her nose pressed to her e-reader.

  Willa loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her at willa.c.edwards@gmail.com or visit her on the web find out more about her current projects at www.willaedwards.com.

  For all titles by Willa Edwards, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/willa-edwards

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Landmarks

  Cover

  HOT TODDY

  Frostbite Falls Christmas 2

  WILLA EDWARDS

  Copyright © 2017

  Chapter One

  “You’re not getting close to me with that thing.” Riley batted away her cousin’s hand and the eyeshadow brush Victoria dangled in front of her. Each slap sent little flurries of gold dust to the hardwood floors, almost like their own little indoor snowstorm.

  An angry crease formed between Victoria’s eyebrows as she stared at her cousin through the mirror. Undeterred, she continued forward with the brush. “It will make your eyes pop.”

  “My eyes are fine unpopped, thank you very much.”

  Lydia laughed at the antics of the two cousins, though she knew who she’d back in a fight. Riley was strong. She almost singlehandedly ran the family ranch and its thousand rams. But no one could compete with Victoria. Anyone who tried ended up running for the hills with their tail between their legs in no time.

  Lydia loved that about Victoria. Even if Victoria wasn’t on her side, Lydia admired Victoria’s steel spine. Maybe if she’d been more like that, she wouldn’t have ended up in her current situation. Not that her life had turned out that bad, but what she did have was based on luck more than her own direction.

  “Come on, Riley, stop fighting me. You’ve already come this far. Just let me finish.” Victoria wielded the brush with deadly accuracy, dapping a shimmer on each eyelid. Not enough to look gaudy but enough Riley would shine. To Victoria’s delight and Riley’s dismay.

  All the women around Lydia were strong. Much stronger than she was. Lydia would never have the gall to go against Victoria like Riley did. Even Grace, sitting on the opposite side of the bed, was strong in her own way. She wasn’t aggressive like Victoria, or physical in the way Riley was, but Grace’s kindness was a strength in itself. The way she appreciated everyone in town, gave each and every one of them a chance no matter what, required a fortitude Lydia couldn’t comprehend.

  Lydia’s mother had taught her to be nice. But she had a tendency to ease away from people who scared her. Like Nash Phillips and Cassidy Rasnick. They made Lydia nervous. Especially given the rumors around town about their ties to drugs. But Grace never thought twice about being kind to them. Just as she’d never made Lydia feel pity for her own difficulties. That just wasn’t Grace.

  Grace’s cell phone beeped, and she fished the phone from her purse. The corners of her lips turned up as she stared down at the screen, her fingers shaking around the device.

  “Who are you texting with?” Never missing a beat, Victoria stared at her childhood friend through the full-length mirror in front of her.

  “No one.” Grace switched off her phone, placing it face down on the bed in front of her.

  Lydia understood Victoria’s curiosity at the text message, or more importantly the messenger. Grace had shut off the device pretty quick. Lydia couldn’t think of many people she’d hide were texting her. But she didn’t say a word, not wanting to pry. If Grace wasn’t interested in revealing her mystery texter, that was her choice.

  Victoria, on the other hand, had no such hesitation. “That’s a not a no one face. That’s a someone face.” Victoria raised an eyebrow in question through the mirror. That expression said trouble was coming. “Are you holding out on us?”

  Like a dog with a bone, when Victoria smelled a scoop she wouldn’t be ignored. She’d ferret out that secret one way or another. “Grace, you look almost as starstruck as this one talking about Logan and Jasper.” Victoria motioned toward Riley with her thumb, who stood still, suffering through Victoria’s application of mascara to her lashes.

  “That’s not true. I don’t like Jasper and Logan like that.” All the girls laughed.

  Victoria rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say.”

  “If you want to keep your secrets Grace, that’s fine…for now.” Victoria hardened her eyes on the last two words, offering Grace the famous Willis stare that would have made Lydia jump up in her seat desperate to reply.

  But Grace only smiled, refusing to
say a word. Showing even more strength that Lydia didn’t possess. Standing up to Victoria Willis took more willpower than most people had, yet Grace acted like it was nothing. Just an everyday event. Maybe for her it was. After all, Grace and Victoria had been friends for more than twenty years. This couldn’t be the first time Grace had been forced to face down her best friend.

  Lydia grabbed her hand, offering the only thing she had to give, comfort. Not that Grace needed it. She was fine on her own. But Lydia needed to feel useful. Without that, what reason did anyone have to keep her around?

  “You deserve to be happy. Whatever that means.” For all Grace’s amazing qualities, in the time Lydia had lived in Frostbite Falls she’d never heard of Grace dating anyone. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe she was hung up on someone, someone who didn’t want her back. Lydia understood that. But it was a shame. Sweet Grace deserved someone who could appreciate all her wonderful strengths.

  “Thank you, that’s very sweet.” She smiled back at all of them, even Riley, who looked almost in pain as Victoria brandished a tube of liquid eyeliner. “But I’m serious. No one special is texting me.”

  Grace’s phone beeped, alerting the room another text had come through. Grace’s perked up, but she held herself back from grabbing the phone. Even more interesting.

  “Okay, whatever you say.” Victoria smirked before returning her attention to her cousin, applying a thick layer of black liner across her lids.

  “How about you, Lydia?” Grace changed the direction of conversation so quickly Lydia’s head spun. Though she wasn’t surprised. It was an easy trick, deflecting the conversation. Lydia employed it herself often enough. Divert the conversation so you didn’t have to answer any questions about yourself.

  Just because she understood it didn’t mean she liked it when someone used it on her. She dropped her eyes to the bedspread, avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. As she always did whenever anyone discussed her love life anymore. The weight of their pity piled on her back. It would only be worse if she had to look them in the eye.

  “What about me?” Playing dumb felt like her only valid option at the moment.

  “Anyone special catch your eye?” Grace asked with such honest interest it tore at Lydia’s heart. Grace wasn’t trying to be intrusive. She really cared. But that didn’t make the answer any easier to give.

  “No, not right now.”

  Who was she supposed to go out with? Everyone in town knew her horrible story. Left almost at the altar. Traded in before her wedding for a bleach-blonde bimbo with more money than brains. A substantial amount of which she spent on her boobs and butt.

  Worse were the parts the whole town didn’t know—or at least she hoped no one in town knew about the truths Jason had revealed as he walked out the door. Truths she hadn’t known about herself and their life together before that night. And now that she knew them, she couldn’t see her way beyond them. Or how anyone else could either.

  “It’s been over six months. Aren’t you interested in anyone?” Victoria continued to fight with her cousin, trying to wrestle Riley’s hands down so she could spread mascara on her lashes.

  “You must have the pickings around town. You didn’t grow up with all these guys. You don’t have to think about their awkward teen phases when they try to kiss you.” Riley scrunched up her face in disgust, and Victoria flushed with anger, though her hard work appeared just fine once Riley relaxed.

  “Don’t even bother,” Grace laughed. “No one believes you. We know you have the hots for Jasper and Logan.”

  Riley let out a huff of a breath, and crossed her arms over her chest. Which at least made her easier prey for Victoria as she put the final touches on her makeup.

  Lydia wished it could be that easy. Riley was right. She hadn’t grown up here. She had an advantage over the other women in town with the few available bachelors. If nothing else just by virtue of being new.

  She wanted to be ready to date again. She really did. But it was impossible to forget the feeling of betrayal. The gut-wrenching twist that had threatened to suck her down and take her away. Every time she looked at another man, considered talking to him, she’d hear Jason’s voice in her head again. Telling her how unfeeling, frigid, worthless she was.

  If it wasn’t for Victoria, she had no idea what she would have done after Jason had left her. She didn’t like to think about it. The possibilities were too frightening. Victoria had helped her get a job at the county clerk’s office. She demanded Lydia go out with her every Thursday to the Two Step bar. When Lydia wanted to crawl under her bed and never come back out, Victoria made her see the light of day.

  “You might be right, Riley, but I can’t think of anyone I’m interested in.” It was a total lie, but she didn’t care.

  No one needed to know about her crush on the Manning brothers, especially Victoria. They were just fantasies. What woman in town didn’t think about the Manning brothers at night? Especially Kyle, the sheriff of Frostbite Falls. With his big broad chest, stern face, and handcuffs. She dreamed about committing all kinds of naughty crimes while the sheriff watched.

  She’d do anything he asked until those stern lines around his mouth faded away. Then she’d find his brother and do the same dirty deeds to him. Though Chase Manning wasn’t intimidating the way the sheriff was, but he’d still enjoy everything she did to him. Or at least the fantasy version of him did. Reality might be a different story.

  Victoria only glared back at her through the mirror in disbelief. “Lydia, if you want to move on, you have to put yourself out there.”

  Lydia picked at a wrinkle in the comforter, smoothing out the line. Somewhere deep inside she knew Victoria was right, but the idea had her stomach lurching.

  If she was being honest, she had to admit she did want more. She wasn’t sure she missed Jason. Not exactly him. Especially after how things had ended. But she missed having someone in her life. She missed having someone to share her day with, someone to bake muffins for. She missed feeling like she belonged somewhere.

  But now that she knew the truth, the truth of why Jason had really left, the idea of finding someone else had a cold sweat breaking out across her neck. Once they knew the truth, they wouldn’t be sticking around either. And she’d be right back where she started. Only worse off. A two-time loser in front of the whole town.

  And that was assuming anyone wanted to be with her to begin with, which given what everyone in town knew about her, might not be true. She hadn’t turned down any offers since Jason had left her. She hadn’t gotten any. Not that she would if she’d been asked. She’d never learned how to decline a date. It always felt too mean to say no.

  “He’s not worth spending the rest of your life pining over.” Victoria turned from Riley to look Lydia in the eyes.

  The words were meant to be supportive, and Lydia appreciated the thought. But it was just another weight on her shoulders. Like the prying eyes of the whole town, watching her, waiting for her to move on, feeling sorry for the sad single girl who’d been dumped so painfully.

  Victoria was used to the comments and the stares. She’d been raised in a small town. She was the mayor’s daughter. She probably didn’t remember a time she wasn’t under everyone’s scrutiny. But Lydia wasn’t used to it. And she couldn’t see herself adjusting to it any time soon.

  “There will be plenty of people at the Christmas Ball. You should try to talk to someone.”

  This was when being Victoria’s friend wasn’t as good. When she turned that stiff determination of hers against you. “I don’t know…”

  “I’m not saying you have to sleep with someone.” Victoria rolled her eyes, before stepping to the dresser to select a lipstick from the pile of makeup spread across the surface.

  “Just flirt a little, smile at a few guys, see what happens.” Riley tried to dodge her cousin, but Victoria anticipated the move, grabbing her arm, and held her in place as she applied pink lipstick across her mouth. “You never know who m
ight be interested.”

  Lydia tried to smile at her friend. Victoria was trying to be supportive. But just the idea of flirting with someone had her palms sweating.

  Talking to someone from town, when all the while she knew no matter what happened, no matter who they were, she’d never be able to satisfy them. She’d never be enough for them. Jason had been right about that. It didn’t matter who the person was, the ending was always the same. And then the gossip would eat her alive. The pity would be three times worse. Maybe worse than she could stand.

  But she kept the emotion inside. Outwardly she only smiled. There was no point in arguing with Victoria. She’d never see it another way, and Lydia wasn’t a fighter. It was always easier to let other people have their way. Especially tonight, it was easier to say yes—or nothing at all, as the case may be. Victoria would be too busy with the ball to be too concerned with Lydia’s dating life. Sure, maybe it would come up again later, but she’d deal with it then.

  It wasn’t because she wanted what Victoria suggested. She was past that now. She’d had her chance, and it had failed miserably. Now that she knew why, she didn’t see it changing. Why bother trying when she knew every relationship she entered was doomed?

  Chapter Two

  “She really is something, isn’t she?”

  Kyle followed the direction of his brother’s eyes toward the large Christmas tree taking up the back corner of the room. And more importantly to where Lydia was arranging more ornaments on the tree.

  Lydia was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met, yet seemed to have no idea just how gorgeous she was. He’d never understand how a woman could be so blind. Just another in the long line of items he’d never understand about women. Along with uncomfortable shoes and those housewives shows.