This week we have been asked that since it's December to show a festive scene we wrote. This is the scene on Christmas morning in A Peakview Christmas to Remember, my Christmas romance from 2024.  Recently divorced Colette has traveled home to Peakview with a co-worker for a Christmas with strangers where she meets his uncle Jess.

 Sunny positioned herself under the tree and handed packages to the kids. They tore into each one, declaring how excited they were for whatever it was before setting it aside and tearing into the next one. It didn’t take long for them to open every one with their names on it. While the kids busied themselves with their new toys, the adults exchanged presents. Colette was impressed by the thoughtful gifts Jess had picked out for his family members. In her experience, single guys usually struggled with ideas. She sat back and watched. 

Sunny reached under the tree for a present and handed it to her. “Merry Christmas.” Surprised, Colette took the box. “You didn’t have to. I didn’t get anything for you guys.” 

“No need. It’s not much. I just wanted you to have something to open.” 

How sweet. She opened the colorful package to find several books. “Thank you so much.” She meant it. 

“There are a couple of romances by other Peakview County authors. I enjoy promoting them. And there’s one on the history of our county. Now that you’ve been here, I thought you might be interested.” 

“I’ll enjoy reading all of them.” 

The stack of presents was dwindling. When there were only a couple left, Jess grabbed one from behind the tree and handed it to her. “From me.” He smiled. 

“You didn’t have to…” 

“I wanted to. It’s not much.” 

Colette’s hands shook as she opened the small box. She picked up an object wrapped with tissue paper. As she opened it, she gasped. It was a small carved horse even prettier than the one from last night. She turned it over and over in her hands. “It’s beautiful.” 

“You were disappointed last night when you didn’t get to keep the horse. I had several of them around my house. I hope you enjoy it.” 

What a sweet gesture. She fought back tears that formed in her eyes and started to set the box aside. 

“There’s one more,” Jess said. 

She dug through the tissue paper to find another, smaller, wrapped object and tore off the paper. “Is this Snowball?” A tear escaped down her cheek. 

“I wanted you to have something to remember the little girl.” 

“But when did you have time to do this?” 

“After I got home last night. I really wasn’t tired, so I made her for you.” 

Colette didn’t know what to say. It was the most thoughtful present anyone had ever gotten for her. That first year in law school, when she started dating Robert, he’d surprised her with expensive sapphire earrings after she’d told him her favorite color was blue. It was quite the present for a girl from a small town in Iowa. They were exquisite and every Christmas after that, he always surprised her with an expensive piece of jewelry—rings, bracelets, necklaces, made of diamonds and other precious gems. For many years she believed that she was the luckiest girl in the world. She thought back to last Christmas when he’d presented her with a lovely emerald and diamond necklace to wear to their firms’ New Year’s Eve Gala—presented to her while he was sleeping with someone else. Was it ever really about her or had the jewelry been more about showing off his wealth to his friends and associates? 

But this tiny carved kitten—that was all about her. She couldn’t help but get up, walk over to him, and give him the biggest hug. “It’s perfect.” 

He hugged her back, and she didn’t want to let go—ever. 

Now hop on over to Jenna Da Sie's blog and check out her scene at https://jennadasie.com