Jack's Christmas Mission. BEVERLY BARTON

item—Marjorie Riley McNair’s treasured snow globe. Over the years this one possession of her mother’s had become a symbol of security and love, just as taking her mother’s maiden name had been a tribute to her mother’s memory. If only her mother hadn’t died when Peggy Jo was seven. If only her father hadn’t married Agnes when Peggy Jo was fourteen. If only her father hadn’t allowed his new wife to make life a living hell for the teenage Peggy Jo. If only Vernon McNair had given his own daughter half the love and attention he’d given his new wife and stepson. But years ago Peggy Jo had realized the uselessness of wasting too much time thinking if only. She seldom allowed herself to look back, to think about what might have been. Only on rare occasions when she wallowed in self-pity. She had so many regrets that she could spend a week just naming all of them. Of course, the biggest mistake she’d ever made was marrying Buck Forbes.

      Don’t think about Buck! You have enough to worry about without reliving the three and a half miserable years you were married to that bastard!

      She set the globe on the nightstand to her right, turned off the lamp and pulled the covers up to her neck. As she tossed and turned, adjusting and readjusting to find the most comfortable position for sleep, she started thinking about Jack Parker. And no matter how hard she tried to dismiss the man from her mind, she couldn’t. She shut her eyes tight and started silently chanting the words to the theme song of her TV show. Suddenly an image of Jack flashed through her mind. His wide, sexy smile. His broad shoulders. His big hands. His big feet. His big gun!