*** A Holiday Short Story ***

It took almost a full year, but Nicole Jenkins is finally free. She has left her family and her abusive husband behind. This year she's determined to have the holiday she's always wanted. Her first Christmas miracle was finding a job — one that included a cozy, but affordable, apartment. Now it's time to find the perfect tree.

Unfortunately, her plans are derailed when she ventures into the forest alone. Instead of a Christmas tree, she finds a man carrying what looks like a dead body. Can she salvage the peaceful holiday spirit she has craved for so long? And how will a hunky police officer fit into her plans for the future?