A Family for Jilly — R.J. Stevens

Jillian Payne, a bright-eyed five-year-old with Down Syndrome, had only one wish for Christmas: a family of her own. Each night, she knelt beside her bed, clasped her tiny hands, and whispered the same earnest prayer.Dear Jesus, please make Miss Kelly my mommy. And please bring her a daddy for me. Thank you. Amen.But tonight felt different. Tomorrow, she would ask Santa to let Jesus help him grant her wish. With all her heart, she believed that miracles could happen.Kelly Brown found immense joy stepping into the role of Mrs. Claus, standing beside her brother Albert's Santa, spreading holiday cheer to the children at the orphanage. For three years, she had watched their faces light up with excitement-but one little girl had nestled deep into her heart in a way no other had.Three times, Kelly had tried to bring that child into her home, to offer her the love and family she deserved. And three times, the orphanage director had refused. The heartbreak was unbearable, but Kelly had finally resigned herself to the harsh reality-some dreams, no matter how fiercely held, were simply out of reach.Greg Myers' best friend and foreman insisted he take a break from the ranch-just for a little while-and visit his sister, June Morrison, in Leavenworth, Washington. A charming town wrapped in the festive glow of Christmas, it was the kind of place where holiday magic seemed to linger in every snowflake.Five years had come and gone since his wife's passing, and in his grief, Greg had buried himself in work, his days stretching from dawn to well past dusk. But maybe, just maybe, this Christmas would be different. Perhaps the season's warmth could finally soften the ache in his heart.Dianna Anthony had always been a force to be reckoned with. Raised in wealth and privilege, she had mastered the art of getting exactly what she wanted, no matter the cost. Those who dared to stand in her way risked more than just their reputations-some learned that lesson the hard way.Kelly Brown had been her favorite target since kindergarten. Their rivalry, once youthful and petty, had grown into something far darker over the years. But this Christmas, the tides were shifting, as fate intervenes and changes everything.