Hunting down a terrorist plot isn’t exactly Becky Salazar’s idea of a happy holiday. But duty calls, and if there’s one thing she is committed to, it’s using her exceptional language and analytical skills to stop insurgents and save lives. This time the unknown threat isn’t in the Middle East or a major city but centered on the tiny town of Rosman, North Carolina—and that peculiarity may be the scariest piece of the whole puzzle. With Christmas cheer and holiday romance the furthest things from her mind, Becky tries to ignore the persistently flirtatious deputy sheriff who is her unexpected partner for this mission.

Matt Taylor appears to be a stereotypical small-town deputy. But secrets are stored beneath his laidback exterior, and when a threat comes to his hometown, he is ready to protect and defend those he loves at all costs. His assignment to the emergency task force comes with an added opportunity—a second chance to catch the interest of the woman he’s never been able to forget.

With the clock ticking and thousands of lives at stake, old flames, rogue family members, and an elusive foe complicate an already nuanced operation. Will their personal feelings help or hinder Becky and Matt in their quest? Will this headwater holiday help them find new meaning in life or destroy all they have left?