The Maverick's Christmas to Remember
Page 1
All She Wants for Christmas is a Cowboy!
Rust Creek Ramblings
A few weeks ago, local wedding planner Caroline Ruth took a tumble off a ladder, and when she came to, she believed Thunder Canyon cowboy Craig Clifton was her boyfriend. Trouble was, they’d never met before. What was an upstanding rancher to do? Now, until Caroline’s memory returns, Craig is acting as reluctant faux fiancé. But with Christmas around the corner, dear readers, we’re hoping for a real-life happy ending for this unexpected couple!
“You know, Craig, I won’t break if you kiss me.”
Craig had to fight every impulse and muscle in his legs to keep from stepping back well out of kissing range. Not that Caroline was actively trying to plant her lips on his, but she was blinking those intoxicating eyes at him, the invitation clearly extended.
“I just think that maybe we should wait for...” For what? Why would an engaged couple wait to kiss each other? The problem was that they weren’t the average engaged couple. Or even a couple at all. He seized on that logic. “I was just waiting until you regained your memory. I don’t want it to feel like you’re kissing a stranger.”
As impossible as it was, the small living room got even smaller, and it felt as though a cinch belt was squeezing across Craig’s chest because there was no way Caroline was buying any of this.
“I know I don’t remember you, but how could I ever think of you as a stranger? Even if I’d never laid eyes on you before I’d hit my head,” she continued, and he froze, wondering if she was aware of how close she was to the truth.
* * *
MONTANA MAVERICKS:
The Lonelyhearts Ranch—
You come there alone, but you sure don’t leave that way!
Dear Reader,
The Maverick’s Christmas to Remember is my first book set during the holidays, which for me is one of the busiest times of the year. It feels as though I never have enough hours to get everything done. One of my closest friends is the kind of woman who has it all together—she easily plans events, remembers everyone’s favorite gifts and never forgets to send a thank-you note.
In fact, the first time I ever met Katie, a mutual friend brought her over to my house for dinner and she showed up at my door with a fancy bottle of wine. Considering the fact that we were in our early twenties and my roommate had stumbled upon a box of Rice-A-Roni in the pantry while I heated up some frozen chicken from Costco at the last minute, nobody was expecting a hostess gift. But Katie is one of those people who is laid-back and can engage in an easygoing conversation with anyone—including strangers in the checkout line.
Caroline Ruth, the heroine in The Maverick’s Christmas to Remember, reminded me so much of Katie because she has flawless manners and always knows what to do in any situation—even when that situation involves amnesia and a make-believe fiancé. When Caroline catches her first glimpse of Craig Clifton, she knows he’s the cowboy for her. However, the more experienced and cynical Craig remains determined to prevent the young, lively wedding planner from wrangling his heart.
For more information on my other Special Edition books, visit my website at christyjeffries.com, or chat with me on Twitter, @ChristyJeffries. You can also find me on Facebook, Facebook.com/authorchristyjeffries, and Instagram, Instagram.com/christy_jeffries. I’d love to hear from you.
Enjoy,
Christy Jeffries
The Maverick’s Christmas to Remember
Christy Jeffries
Christy Jeffries graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a degree in criminology, and received her Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law. But drafting court documents and working in law enforcement was merely an apprenticeship for her current career in the dynamic field of mommyhood and romance writing. She lives in Southern California with her patient husband, two energetic sons and one sassy grandmother. Follow her online at christyjeffries.com.
Books by Christy Jeffries
Harlequin Special Edition
American Heroes
A Proposal for the Officer
Sugar Falls, Idaho
A Family Under the Stars
The Makeover Prescription
The Matchmaking Twins
From Dare to Due Date
Waking Up Wed
A Marine for His Mom
Montana Mavericks
The Maverick’s Bridal Bargain
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To Kate Gove Campbell,
one of my favorite people on earth and a member of my Golden Girls. You are always the first to order my books, the first to respond to my texts and posts and the first to laugh at my dumb jokes. Even from across the country, your support is always constant. Not only do you give the best and tightest hugs, you have taught me how to be a better friend and you make the world a warmer and happier place. You are the Rose to my Dorothy, and
I can’t wait to share a lanai with you...
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Excerpt from The Majors’ Holiday Hideaway by Caro Carson
Chapter One
Caroline Ruth loved romance and happily-ever-after stories and all sorts of things that her academic-minded mother considered nonsense. That was how she knew with absolute conviction that this career as an assistant wedding planner in Rust Creek Falls, Montana, was tailor-made for her. And so did her boss, who was currently on her honeymoon and had left their newest client in Caroline’s more-than-capable hands.
Josselyn Weaver sat across the desk from her, poring over bridal gown catalogs as they both waited for the groom to arrive to the couple’s initial consultation. Picking a gown always seemed to hold the most excitement for the brides, but Caroline knew that booking a venue was the foundation of building a successful event. After all, the guest list and decorations and theme usually depended on the location.
Caroline’s stomach growled and she wished she had stopped for a breakfast croissant at Daisy’s Donuts on her way to work this morning. But she’d been so eager to get to the office and prepare for this meeting that she’d barely allowed herself time for a couple of bites of a disgusting protein bar she’d found smashed in the bottom of her giant tote bag.
“So when we met a couple of months ago, you were pretty adamant that you wouldn’t be getting married anytime soon,” she finally said when Josselyn looked up from a glossy magazine spread. Not that she wanted to rush the bride, but Caroline had too much energy for long periods of silence, no matter how comfortable they were. Besides, the more she could learn about the couple she was working with the better. “I’m glad to see you changed your mind.”
“I know. I remember you telling me that you’d be planning my wedding soon and I thought it was the craziest thi
ng I’d ever heard.” Josselyn’s eyes were bright with humor, and Caroline smiled since she was well accustomed to people not really taking her instincts seriously. The bride continued, “I’d just moved to Rust Creek Falls to take the school librarian job and wasn’t even looking for a date, let alone a relationship. I know people say that love finds you when you’re not looking for it, but if someone had told me that I’d be engaged by Christmas, I never would have believed it.”
Caroline gulped as a shiver made its way down her back.
Engaged by Christmas.
The words brought back the memory of Winona Cobbs’s prediction that Caroline would be engaged before she turned twenty-four. That was a bit more than a month away, which meant that if the old psychic was correct, the right man would need to come along soon.
Shaking off the tingling vibration along her skin, Caroline glanced down at the wastebasket by her feet and wondered if she’d been a little too quick to throw out the half-eaten protein bar. She was suddenly feeling a bit light-headed and needed to keep this meeting moving along.
“So tell me about your fiancé,” she suggested. She was almost as new to the small town as Josselyn was, and despite the fact that she’d already assisted with a few weddings out at Sunshine Farm, Caroline hadn’t met the groom yet.
“Drew is an obstetrician at the Rust Creek Falls Clinic. His first wife died in a car accident several years ago, and since this is his second wedding, I want to make sure that I’m being respectful to her memory.”
“Of course.” Caroline nodded sympathetically. “And if I remember correctly, he also has an adorable son that introduced you two, right? I’m guessing you’d like him to be involved in the wedding somehow.”
“That would be wonderful,” Josselyn replied as her cell phone vibrated. She looked at her screen. “Drew just texted. Apparently, he ran into his brother at Daisy’s, but the good news is that he’s bringing donuts to apologize for running late.”
“No problem.” Caroline waved a hand in dismissal as her stomach clenched in anticipation of a sugary treat. Josselyn picked up another bridal gown magazine, and Caroline decided to steer her toward the more important decisions. “Have you guys talked about the size of the wedding or whether you want it to be indoors or outdoors?”
“Well, he’s originally from Thunder Canyon, so we were kind of thinking something in Kalispell might be a bit more accommodating for everyone traveling. I’m not really sure how many people we’re inviting, but his family is huge. And I was hoping we could set the date within the next couple of months, so we would probably need an indoor venue since Montana winters can be pretty unpredictable.”
“I know the perfect place!” Caroline jumped up so quickly she hit her knee on the corner of the desk drawer. “Hold on, I have more information on it in one of these binders.”
Their current office building used to be an old train depot at Sawmill Station, and when her boss, Vivienne, converted it for her wedding planning business, her husband had built her a wall of bookshelves. Cole had promised to install a rolling ladder when they returned from their honeymoon, but until then, Caroline had to drag a piece of furniture over and climb up on it every time she needed to reach something on the top shelf.
To take her mind off the fact that she was balancing on an antique wooden chair in a pair of high heels, Caroline kept talking, hoping her enthusiasm disguised her nervous energy. “There’s a historical brick building in Kalispell that is currently an art museum, but the back opens up into this huge open space. And get this. It used to be a Carnegie library before the city relocated the library to their current location. But the historical society rents it out for events and, well, if I wasn’t so short I could reach the brochure and just show you.”
“Can I help?” Josselyn asked, coming to stand nearby.
“Nope, I almost have it.” It wasn’t very ladylike—especially in an above-the-knee ruffled skirt—but Caroline put one foot onto a shelf to shimmy up just a little higher and stretched her arm as far as it would go until her fingers could grasp the bottom of the binder. As luck would have it, that was the exact moment when the front door opened.
“Drew...!” Josselyn said, her voice trailing off as she obviously walked away from the bookshelves and toward the entrance. Caroline would’ve stayed focused on what she was doing, but then the bride added, “I didn’t know you were bringing Ben and Craig with you.”
Caroline turned in surprise at the mention of unexpected people and brought her foot off the shelf a little too quickly. There were three men standing in the entryway. However, she only had eyes for the one carrying the pink bakery box. He was wearing a tan Stetson with a red plaid shirt, but that kind of standard cowboy attire was a dime a dozen around this town. What made her dizzy with excitement was the hook-shaped scar on the right side of his neck...just like the man Winona Cobbs had predicted.
Biting her lip, Caroline blinked in wonder at the new arrival. This was it. He was here. She just knew it.
Overwhelmed, underfed and perhaps a bit too eager, Caroline rocked the chair as she tried to climb down. Unfortunately, her high heel hooked onto one of the narrow armrests and she went down fast. The last thought to go through her mind was Engaged by Christmas.
* * *
Craig Clifton saw the woman fall as if it was happening in slow motion. Dropping the box of donuts, he sprinted toward her just as he heard the deafening thunk of her forehead bouncing off one of the wooden shelves. Still a couple of feet away, Craig dived at her in a last-ditch effort to brace her landing. But the odd angle and the impact of her deadweight knocked them both to the ground.
Luckily, he was able to pivot his torso at the last minute, and the back of the lady’s head, as well as her shoulders, landed on his abdomen instead of the hardwood floor. Craig had absorbed most of the impact, but they were now sprawled out in the shape of a T and his childhood friend was yelling at them to stay still.
“Don’t move her,” Drew ordered as he knelt by Craig’s hip. Catching his breath, which had been knocked out of him when they’d collided, Craig sucked in a gulp of air and saw the woman’s long brown hair rise and fall with his chest.
“I can barely move myself,” Craig replied, lifting a hand to the bump rising along the back of his scalp, not surprised to find his Stetson missing. His brothers referred to it as his “going to town hat” since he tended to wear it whenever he left the ranch. Craig wiggled his toes inside his boots and relaxed when he was confident that all his appendages were in working order.
“She’s unconscious,” Drew continued as he touched the lady’s neck, probably checking for a pulse or a broken bone or whatever else it was that doctors checked for. Then Drew looked over to his brother, who was also a physician and currently crouched down with his hands on his knees, staring at the unresponsive woman instead of asking how his best friend’s spine was. “Ben, I left my bag in my car back at Daisy’s. Do you have yours in the truck?”
“I’m on my way,” Ben replied.
“Should we call an ambulance for her?” Josselyn asked as she stood over all of them, concern etched on her forehead.
“It would probably take too long for one to drive here from Kalispell,” Drew replied. “Her heartbeat and breathing seem to be stable and I’m not feeling anything broken. But judging by how hard she hit that shelf on the way down, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a concussion.”
“That was my first thought,” Ben said as he returned with his doctor bag. “We could take her to the clinic in town, but she’s going to need a CT scan and would have to go to the hospital in Kalispell for that anyway. If we’re going to drive her anywhere, it should be there.”
“Wouldn’t it be dangerous to move her?” Josselyn asked her fiancé, and Craig found himself thinking the same thing.
“Well, we can’t leave her on top of Craig forever, as much as he might enjoy that.” Ben smirk
ed, then must’ve noticed the concern on his soon-to-be sister-in-law’s face. “I promise she’ll be fine.”
Craig had grown up with the Stricklands and knew that if Ben could make jokes during a time like this, the situation couldn’t be entirely dire. He forced his muscles to relax and wondered how he’d gotten roped into accompanying two of his best friends over here for a wedding planning appointment of all things.
One minute he’d been in line at Daisy’s Donuts with Ben, discussing leasing fees for bulls, and the next, Drew was taking them both over to the new ranch at Sawmill Station to get a look at the latest herd of longhorns the Daltons were selling. Apparently, it just so happened that the wedding planner’s office was located on the same property.
“I’m fine, by the way,” Craig said, since nobody seemed to be concerned about his health after he’d taken a dive like that. He looked across the floor to where the pink bakery box had opened and spilled out its contents all over the wooden planks. “But since I’m stuck down here, can someone hand me a donut?”
“If you’re healthy enough to complain, you’re healthy enough to wait your turn.” Drew’s eyes flickered briefly over Craig before he slipped a Velcro cuff onto the arm of the unconscious woman, whose head was still propped up just below Craig’s chest. “Besides, I’ve seen you take worse falls off a bucking horse back in the day. Now, hold still while I get her blood pressure.”
“But he’s not a young buck anymore,” Ben said, wiggling his eyebrows with humor and making Craig feel every one of his thirty-five years. The hard floor underneath him and the odd angle of his body weren’t helping the uncomfortable stiffness settling over him.
“I could still outride you,” Craig challenged. “Unless you’re getting in a lot of saddle time in between shifts at that fancy hospital of yours in Billings.”
“Possibly,” Ben said, passing him a glazed twist that had landed halfway on top of a piece of wax paper. “I haven’t seen you move that fast since Brown Fury slammed you up against the pen in the midstate finals.”