Wishing Joy — JoMarie DeGioia

The guy who doesn't believe in forever The girl who has faith in the magic of Christmas A stocking full of wishes…a sprig of mistletoe And a chance to find love under the tree Zach Harris knows better than to wish for family. His mother ran off when he was a kid and his late father was distant. Now he and his brother are selling the family ranch, his last tie to his parents. For him, Christmas is just another day. Joy Rollins loves everything about Christmas. She's living at the Cypress Inn this season, helping her mother run the place since giving up on grad school. She wishes that the holiday will bring inspiration for her artist's soul. Meeting Zach Harris at Thanksgiving makes her wish for a little romance, too. When Zach moves into the inn, Joy vows to get him into the holiday spirit. They flirt and kiss under the mistletoe, and as they grow closer she feels artistic inspiration again. But when old family hurt comes back like the ghost of Christmas past, Zach can't shake the certainty that Joy will leave just like his mother did. Can Joy show Zach the love and magic of Christmas? Or will he give up on the wish for happiness?