The Lion Loves a Lady (A Second Chance Christmas in Bear Creek Book 3) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Foreword

  Chapter One – Penny

  Chapter Two – Charlie

  Chapter Three – Penny

  Chapter Four – Charlie

  Chapter Five – Penny

  Chapter Six – Charlie

  Chapter Seven – Penny

  Chapter Eight – Charlie

  Chapter Nine – Penny

  Chapter Ten – Charlie

  Chapter Eleven – Penny

  Chapter Twelve – Charlie

  Chapter Thirteen – Penny

  Chapter Fourteen – Charlie

  Chapter Fifteen – Penny

  Chapter Sixteen – Charlie

  Chapter Seventeen – Penny

  Chapter Eighteen – Charlie

  Chapter Nineteen – Penny

  Epilogue

  Also By Harmony Raines

  Get In Touch

  The Lion Loves

  A Lady

  A Second Chance Christmas in Bear Creek

  Book Three

  ***

  All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written consent of the author or publisher.

  This is a work of fiction and is intended for mature audiences only. All characters within are eighteen years of age or older. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, actual events or places is purely coincidental.

  © 2019 Harmony Raines

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  The Lion Loves

  A Lady

  A Second Chance Christmas in Bear Creek

  Book Three

  Charlie has just met his mate. But will Lady Penelope Granger ever fall in love with a lion shifter who has made personal sacrifices for the sake of his best friend and her young child?

  He has nothing to offer Penny other than a small cabin in the mountains. And his eternal love.

  When Charlie’s best friend from high school arrives on his doorstep pregnant and alone, he takes her in without hesitation. Nearly eight years later, they still share his home and the welfare of her daughter. But things are about to change when Charlie meets his mate.

  The only problem is...she’s Mrs. Granger. That’s right, Charlie’s mate is married.

  Penny Granger is desperate to avoid a Christmas at home. Not because she doesn’t want to share the holiday season with her parents. No, she’s come to stay at The Catherine Hotel so she can lick her emotional wounds, and try to forget her husband, who married Penny for her money.

  She believes she’s done with men—Until she meets Charlie. There’s an instant spark between them. But when she discovers he’s at the hotel to pick up the mother of his child. Penny quickly realizes he’s just like her ex-husband, and she is not about to get her heart broken again.

  Can these two people overcome their misconceptions and find true love? Maybe Santa will sprinkle a little Christmas Magic on Charlie and Penny and make all their dreams come true.

  Chapter One – Penny

  Lady Penelope Granger checked her GPS. The Catherine Hotel was five miles away, nestling at the foot of a tall mountain range halfway between Bear Creek and Bear Bluff. As she turned the steering wheel and guided the car around a bend in the road, she flexed her fingers.

  She had already gotten used to not wearing her wedding ring. But she doubted her heart would mend anytime soon. If ever. Hurt and betrayal swept over her, threatening to suffocate her. But she pushed it aside, she wasn’t going to let her ex-husband, Laurence, win.

  Her phone rang and she answered it using her hands-free. “Hi, Mom.” Of course, it was her mom, who else would call her?

  Not her lying, cheating husband.

  Ex-husband, Penny reminded herself. Since her marriage must’ve been listed as one of the shortest on record, Penny thought she’d get used to it. But she’d built her hopes and dreams on a lying, cheating...

  “How are you, Penny?” The concern in her mom’s voice made Penny want to cry. But she was done with tears. Just like she was done with men.

  “I’m good, Mom.” She put on her brightest voice, not wanting her mom to worry. “How about you?”

  “Your Uncle Albert has arrived with a woman on his arm.” Her mom lowered her voice and hissed, “She’s young enough to be his daughter. And Tony is already drunk and making lewd jokes.”

  “About normal then.” Penny smiled at the image her mom’s words conjured up in her head. Christmas at Granger House was never dull.

  “No. Not really, since my baby girl isn’t here.” Her mom choked back a sob.

  “I’m sorry, Mom, I just couldn’t face it this year.” Penny breathed deeply and let go of her own pent-up emotions. “I didn’t want to be the source of family gossip. At least not any more than I already am. I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, you don’t need to apologize. I completely understand. But it doesn’t mean I don’t miss you already.” Her mom spoke to someone in the room with her. Penny smiled to herself, the image of her childhood home decorated for Christmas with a roaring log fire burning in all four hearths, came to her.

  Perhaps she had made a mistake not staying at home. Being with her family might have helped chase away the demons of her broken marriage. Or at least occupy her mind so she didn’t dwell on her broken dreams. However, she didn’t want to spoil everyone’s fun, and since most people didn’t really know what to say to her without stumbling over their words, she would definitely be a party pooper.

  “I miss you, too, Mom. I just needed to do this. For me.”

  “You take all the time you need, Penny. But don’t spend the holidays alone. Find people to share Christmas with.” Her mom always had wise words for her daughter.

  “I will. I mean, there is a whole hotel complete with staff. I must be able to find some poor lonely soul who will join me for Christmas lunch,” she joked.

  “Of course you will. Just make sure he isn’t a stalker or something,” her mom advised.

  “Wait, it might not be a him. I might spend Christmas with another lonely female divorcee.” Penny closed her eyes and cringed. “Not that I’m lonely, Mom.”

  Her mom let out a long sigh. “A woman like you needs a good man in her life.”

  “A woman like me?” Penny asked. “You think I can’t take care of myself?” She tried not to let her temper flare, but all her life she’d known her responsibilities were to find a man and settle down and breed the next generation of Grangers. And since she was the only child of Earl Granger III, the pressure to not let the bloodline fail was squarely on her shoulders. Not that her own parents ever pressured her. That was left to the portraits of every other Granger, who stared down at her from their paintings, which were hung all over the house. Faces, ghosts of the past, watching her every move. At least that’s what she’d thought when she was a child.

  “I know you can take care of yourself,” her mom answered. “But just because you can manage on your own doesn’t mean you have to be alone. You’re young with your whole life ahead of you. Don’t close your heart to the prospect of men and babies.”

  “Because I need to bear a son and heir,” Penny said bitterly.

  “Oh, Penny, you know none of that matters to me. Or your father. Not
really. All we want is for you to be happy. And for me, having a child, having you, was the most amazing thing I’ve ever done.” Her voice broke with emotion. “I love you more than anything else in the world. Never forget that, darling.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean what I said. I love you, too. I just need to get my head together.” She took a trembling breath. “Next Christmas I’ll be with you all. I promise to put my best smile on no matter what.”

  “New Year,” her mom said quickly. “I’d like you to come and celebrate New Year with us.”

  “I can’t promise,” Penny replied. “But I’ll try.”

  “That’s all I ask.” Her mom sighed as there was a commotion on the other end of the line. “I have to go; your Uncle Morris has lost his glasses.”

  “Go, I’m fine. I’m at the hotel.” Penny indicated to turn off the road, taking care as there was ice on the road. The occasional snow flurries she’d encountered on the journey here had also caused her some concern and she’d driven slowly and carefully, which was why she was so late arriving at The Catherine Hotel. Getting stranded on the road with dusk falling was not on her Christmas wish list. But now that she was here, it could snow all it wanted. She didn’t mind being cut off from the outside world. Cut off from the questions and the accusations.

  Yes, she had loved Laurence. Or thought she had. No, she had no idea he was only marrying her for her money.

  Her heart contracted. If it could contract anymore. It was like a shriveled-up husk inside her chest. It beat because it had to. Damn, when had she become so morose? It was Christmas. She loved Christmas, and always had since she was a little girl.

  The hotel loomed in front of her, and she focused on the pretty festive lights hung from the roof and the large Christmas tree situated outside the main doors leading to the hotel lobby. Somewhere in this hotel, she wanted to find herself. She needed to find a way forward. To accomplish this, she needed to let go of the past. Which was why she’d come here to spend Christmas alone.

  Penny parked her car and sat for a moment, composing herself. The call with her mom had brought her life into perspective. If she didn’t pull herself together and move on, then Laurence would win. Again.

  Penny leaned forward and rested her head on the cold steering wheel. She was stronger than this.

  She had to be stronger than this. It was time to put all her pain and embarrassment behind her and move on. Move past this…to whatever lay on the other side of her broken marriage.

  And the first thing she must do was forgive herself. It was not her fault. Yes, she might have been naive, but that was not a crime she could punish herself for, it was time to be her own best friend.

  Reaching for the door handle, she opened the car door and got out, breathing in the fresh, clear mountain air. This was why she’d chosen The Catherine Hotel. It was tucked away under a large mountain range and she intended to hike through the foothills in the day and curl up with a good book in the evening. If she met some likeminded people, she would enjoy their company, but she sought solitude, she sought time to breathe and let her heart heal.

  “Got you.” A small snowball, which looked like packed ice, skimmed Penny’s shoulder and landed behind her. “Sorry,” came the instant apology.

  Penny grinned and turned around to seek the owner of the small voice, and the small snowball. “That’s okay. You didn’t hit me.” She brushed her woolen coat down all the same. Then she smoothed her hair. Why? Why did she care what a young girl thought of her?

  “I was trying to hit...” The girl turned around, looking for someone.

  “Are you okay? Are you lost?” Penny’s concern grew as no adult appeared.

  “I’m not lost,” the girl replied. “I’m here to meet my mom after work.”

  “Alone?” Penny asked. The young girl couldn’t be more than seven years old. Too young to be out here alone in the dark.

  “I’m with her.” A man appeared from behind a high-sided van. He looked pale, his eyes a little unfocused. “I brought Sally to meet her mom after work.”

  Sally ran back toward the man and grabbed hold of his hand, pulling him forward. “Come on, she’ll wonder where we are.”

  “One second.” The man focused on Penny, yet he looked a little weird, not quite right. Was he a drug user? She’d counseled enough young people dependent on drugs or alcohol to know how they looked. As she caught a glimpse of the man’s expression, she changed her mind, he looked stunned, not stoned. “I’m Charlie.” He held out his right hand for her to shake, while Sally tugged at his left hand.

  “Good to meet you, Charlie.” Penny slipped her hand into his.

  Charlie closed his fingers around her hand and held on tight as if he never intended to let her go. Electricity passed between them, a shock of recognition and her eyes grew wide as his much larger, stranger hand, swamped hers. “Good to meet you.” He looked at her for a very long moment and it was as if he were looking deep into her soul.

  Penny swallowed down her emotions and pulled her hand out of his. This was like déjà vu. The long lingering looks, the instant spark. She’d been sucked in by love at first sight before and she was not about to make the same mistake again. Were all men like this? Did they think women would fall at their feet after one look, one touch?

  Yet if she were honest with herself, her connection with Charlie was stronger, deeper, more intense, as if she had known him her whole life, or had been waiting for him her whole life. Which was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever thought.

  Then she understood what was really happening here. She was on the rebound. So desperate for someone to love her for who she was, really was, not for her title and her fortune, she was seeing things that weren’t there.

  “Come on, there’s Mommy.” Sally pulled Charlie forward, but he dug his heels in, his eyes fixed on her.

  “Your name?” Charlie asked hoarsely.

  “Penny. Penny Granger.” She smiled and nodded her head and then she did one of the most difficult things in her life. She turned and walked to the trunk of her car on legs that didn’t belong to her. Charlie had an effect on her. So much for walling up her heart and giving it time to heal. She was ready to throw away all her resolutions and fall for a man again.

  “It’s good to meet you, Penny Granger.” His husky voice made her head jerk up as Sally finally succeeded in pulling him toward the hotel, where a pretty young woman stood waiting for them.

  Penny tore her gaze from them, reached for the handle of her suitcase, pulled it out of the trunk and set it down on the ground. However, she didn’t close the trunk, instead, she used it as a shield to hide behind as she watched Charlie and Sally reach the hotel and embrace the woman each in turn.

  “He’s married,” she breathed into the night, a cloud of vapor escaping her mouth. Well, if not married, they were girlfriend and boyfriend, or partners. Lovers, her brain whispered unhelpfully.

  It didn’t matter what they were. All that mattered was Charlie was off limits and if he made any kind of move on her, she would tell him outright he was a liar and a cheat, and he should think more of his family.

  Penny slammed the trunk shut and stalked toward the hotel. Only when she was halfway there did she realize tears were streaming down her cheeks. Trying to cover her emotions, she dragged a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes before quickly stuffing the tissue back in her pocket. She didn’t want Charlie, or anyone else, to see her tears. Tears she thought she was done with.

  As she neared the family, Charlie looked at her with such intensity, she was like a deer caught in headlights. She stopped, her suitcase slipping from her hand.

  “Here, let me help you,” Charlie darted forward, his hand closing around the handle of her suitcase. She felt his nearness like his hands closing around her heart. Yet when she looked in his eyes, she knew he would keep it safe, hold it near to his own for eternity.

  Penny reached out for her suitcase, dismissing her delusional thoughts immediatel
y. “I can manage, thank you.”

  “It’s no bother, I can carry it inside,” he offered.

  “No, you should go back to your family.” Her cutting tone made him pause. “They are your family, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, but…” He nodded and opened his mouth to continue, but she cut him off by grabbing her suitcase from him and striding into the hotel. When the door closed behind her, she didn’t look around, she kept on walking, grateful for the warmth and the cheerful smile of the young woman behind the reception desk.

  “Hello, welcome to The Catherine. My name is Vanessa,” the receptionist greeted Penny with a warm smile.

  “Hello, I’m booked in for a few days. Penelope Granger is the name.” Penny smiled at Vanessa, hoping she couldn’t tell her new guest had been crying and if she did, she wouldn’t mention it.

  “Here we are, room seven. I’ll get someone to help you with your luggage,” Vanessa said, looking around for a busboy.

  “Don’t worry, I can manage. It’s only one suitcase.” Penny signed in and accepted the key to her room with a bright, “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome, Mrs. Granger.” Penny winced. When she married, they had taken her family name Granger, but she certainly didn’t feel like a Mrs. anymore. Although she didn’t really know what she felt like, it certainly wasn’t a married woman.

  Penny managed a tight smile before she made her way to the elevator. As the doors slid open and she got in, she looked up, staring straight ahead. There, looking in through the window, was Charlie, his face contorted in agony.

  She jumped as if her heart had been kickstarted. Why was he upset? But before she could find out, the elevator doors slid closed.

  “Open!” she pressed the button a couple of times. But the elevator was already making its way to the first floor, taking her away from Charlie.

  Leaning back against the side of the elevator, she closed her eyes, knowing this was the best course of action. Shut him out of her mind and out of her life. No good could come of a Christmas affair. No good at all.