Snow Angels by Fern Michaels, Rosalind Noonan, Marie Bostwick, Janna McMahan Page A

around to face the justice of the peace. Stephanie stood to her right, and Eddie, the best man, stood to Max’s left. Bryce and her mother stayed with Amanda and Ashley. Max had arranged for the lift to take Juanita back down the mountain.
    Everything was perfect , Grace thought as she cleared her throat. Nothing in her life had ever been as perfect as this moment on top of a cold, snowy mountain with the sun shining down on her.
    “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here on this mountain to unite Max Jorgenson and Grace Landry in holy matrimony.”
    After reciting the traditional wedding vows, with Grace and Max saying their “I do”s, the justice of the peace stepped aside and tucked his small black book inside his ski jacket before spinning around and directing his ski tips downhill toward the bottom of the mountain. “As planned, I will unite the couple in holy matrimony at the bottom of the mountain.” Max used his poles to position himself by Grace, and once there was a reasonable distance between them, he looked at her. “Are you ready?”
    Her grin was so broad it hurt. “I don’t think I can wait another minute,” Grace said, before shoving off. “I’ll meet you at the bottom.”
    Bryce, Stephanie, and her girls followed behind.
    With the wind at their backs, they curved and zigzagged down the mountain in near-record time. When they reached the bottom, there was a crowd gathering. “Do you know these people?” Grace whispered to Max.
    “No, but apparently they know us. Look.” Max pointed to several in the group who were holding signs that read CONGRATULATIONS MAX AND GRACE !!!
    The justice of the peace cleared his throat. “By the powder, uh, I mean power vested in me by the good state of Colorado and by the fans cheering behind us, I now pronounce you man and wife. You can kiss her now, Max.”
    Max dropped his poles and turned to his wife, who had dropped her poles, too. Together, they slid to the ground, embracing one another. When his lips touched hers, Grace was sure the world actually tilted. His kiss was deep and passionate. Her senses were alive and tingling.
    “Max?” she mumbled while they were kissing.
    “Hmm?”
    “The snow is going to melt if we don’t stop!”
    “I’m that hot?”
    “Yes, Mr. Jorgenson, you are that hot. Now help your wife up, or I might break something. And if I break something, that means we’ll have to cancel our honeymoon, and I really don’t want to because I’ve never been to Hawaii, or Ireland, or Spain.”
    “If you put it that way, I don’t have a choice, now do I, Mrs. Jorgenson?”
    “Say it again, Max.”
    “What?”
    “Call me Mrs. Jorgenson.”
    “Mrs. Jorgenson, you’re going to be so sick of hearing me call you that for the next two months, you just might resort to using your maiden name.”
    “Never, Max. Never in a million years,” Grace said, as he lifted her into his arms.
    “Mrs. Jorgenson?”
    “Yes, Mr. Jorgenson?”
    “There’s something I’ve been wanting to say to you all day, and now seems as good a time as any.”
    “What would that be?”
    “Merry Christmas, Grace. Merry Christmas.”
    “Merry Christmas, Max. I think I’m about the happiest woman alive right now.”
    “I love you, Grace. Always and forever.”
    “Oh Max, I love you, too!”
    “Hey, did we order a wedding cake?”
    Grace looked at Max, the love of her life and now her husband. Her life was so very rich at that moment, she wanted to burn it into her memory.
    Forever and always.

The Presents of Angels
    M ARIE B OSTWICK

Chapter 1
    In the fourth month of her pregnancy and thrilled by the peapod swelling in her abdomen, Kendra Erickson Loomis packed her leotards away in a drawer and bought several two-sizes-too-large sweaters to wear over black maternity tights when she was teaching at the dance studio. After enduring weeks of morning sickness, Kendra was overjoyed that she was feeling better and finally looked pregnant.
    When Andy came home from the