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Romance, Hawaiian Style
Excerpt from Hot Hawaiian Christmas: author, Victoria M. Johnson
Lovely Lindsay Clark, a top-notch manager of her uncle’s hotel in Silicon Valley, steps in when her uncle can’t be at the opening of his new hotel in Kona, Hawaii. It’s almost Christmas and she has lots of details to deal with in preparing for the festivities, which include welcoming some special guests and a most intriguing Santa.
"He arrives later today," she said, biting her lip. Normally guests had full anonymity in her hotels, but this inn was so small she couldn't possibly keep him a secret. Besides, once the cat poked his head out of the bag, one couldn't put him back in. "How do you know about him?" Lindsay asked. He was a businessman after all. These two didn't seem like The Wall Street Journal type.
The Applegates gleamed at each other. "We know him from back home, California," Niki said.
Oh, no. Lindsay hoped he was as happy to find out they were guests as they were to hear of him.
"Same country club. Same circle of friends," Ginger added. "Though we've yet to meet personally."
"You will have to introduce us," Niki demanded.
"If the opportunity presents itself, of course I will introduce you." Lindsay hoped these two women didn't become a nuisance. She knew Ginger was married, so she didn't understand why she would be so excited to meet the man. Niki was too young for a man selected to be Santa. Or maybe she preferred elderly men. Either way, it wasn't Lindsay's concern... unless they bothered one of her guests.
Lindsay poured herself a cup of coffee and headed for the front desk. Behind her the ladies giggled and whispered.
As it turned out Ginger and Niki tried to persuade Lindsay into pinpointing the exact arrival time of Mr. Lewis, but Lindsay wouldn't give. She evaded the question with general answers. The pair finally gave up and left the hotel at eleven o'clock. He arrived at noon.
Lindsay heard a cab pull up. Sitting behind the desk, she was pleased that she had accomplished so much. Reservations were made for a Christmas Day luau, she had the particulars on several of the holiday events in Kona, and she'd interviewed the agency-recommended front desk clerk. That young woman would arrive this afternoon. The bells in the wreath on the door jingled as he opened it.
Lindsay rose.
A very handsome, finely dressed young man about her age entered. "Aloha," he said, holding out his hand. "I'm Chandler Lewis."
Lindsay happily accepted his hand, and maybe she held onto it a bit longer than necessary. "You're Santa Claus?" she said, admiring his green eyes and blondish, curlyish hair.
"Yes. That's me."
"Aloha," she managed to say. "Welcome to the Inn on the Beach." Whatever else she was going to say slipped out of her mind.
They gazed at each other a moment before she remembered her job. "Let's register you and get you to your bed. I mean to your room." She was grateful she had sat behind the computer and that her gaze was downward so he couldn't see her embarrassment, and more importantly she couldn't see his face.
A moment later she handed him his credit card and room keys. "There's an information pamphlet in the room, but let me know if you have any questions. Oh, and I just printed these out." She handed him the holiday events flyer.
He took it and she saw his face light up as he glanced over it. "Awesome! I love Christmas in Hawaii."
So, he'd experienced the holidays in Hawaii before. "Aren't you a jolly Santa," she said. "I love everything about Christmas: decorating the tree, wrapping presents, singing Christmas carols, baking cookies.... It's my favorite holiday."
His smile widened. "Then I obviously picked the ideal hotel to stay at."
"Yes. You certainly did." She smiled back, using all her willpower not to reach out and squeeze his hands.
Victoria M. Johnsonknew by the time she was ten that she wanted to be a writer. Avalon Books and Montlake Romance published Victoria's fiction debut, The Doctor’s Dilemma (Avalon, 2012, Bookseller’s Best double finalist). She has published a collection of romance short stories titled, The Substitute Bride, and is writer and director of four short films and one micro-documentary. Visit Victoria's website at http://VictoriaMJohnson.comfor inspiration and tips and connect with her onPinterest,Twitter,andFacebook. Hot Hawaiian Christmasis available for purchase at Amazon:http://amzn.com/B00QNR29NK.